
- UCAS course code
- PQ32
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Overview
- Degree awarded
- Bachelor of Arts (BA)
- Duration
- 3 years
- Typical A-level offer
-
AAB including Grade A in English Literature, or English Language and Literature (ie. not English Language alone).
- Typical contextual A-level offer
-
ABB including Grade A in English Literature, or English Language and Literature (ie. not English Language alone).Find out more about contextual admissions.
- Refugee/care-experienced offer
-
Applicants who have been in local authority care for more than three months or have refugee status may be eligible for an offer two grades below the standard requirements.Find out more about contextual admissions.
- Typical International Baccalaureate offer
-
35 points overall. 6,6,5 in Higher Level subjects, to include 6 in English Literature, or English Language & Literature (ie. not English Language alone).
- How to apply
- Apply through UCAS
- UCAS course code
- PQ32
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Course overview
- Examine the development of film culture and explore how English language is used in film creation.
- Develop transferable skills for career opportunities in film education, distribution, exhibition, and curation.
- Investigate the sounds, words, and grammar of the English language.
- Discover the origin of English, its development and variation across the UK and beyond, and how it's used in different situations.
Open days
We are pleased to announce that we are returning to hosting on-campus open days in the summer and autumn.
Please see open days for the dates, registration, and other information.
If you're a prospective student, you can also find out more about student life by chatting with our student ambassadors at a time that suits you, and ask any questions you may have about life at Manchester.
Please check our Coronavirus FAQs for the most up to date information regarding events.
You can also look at our virtual open day content to help you learn more about the University.
Fees
Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2023 will be £9,250 per annum. Tuition fees for international students will be £23,000 per annum. For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
- Telephone
- +44 (0161) 306 1252
- ug-filmstudies@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- http://www.alc.manchester.ac.uk/subjects/drama/
- School/Faculty overview
-
See: About us
Courses in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.
Compare this course
Entry requirements
A-level
AAB including A in English Literature, or English Language and Literature (ie. not English Language alone).
The University recognises the benefit of the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and the opportunities it provides for applicants to develop independent study and research skills. We strongly encourage you to provide information about the EPQ in your personal statement and at interview. For this programme, as well as the regular conditions of offer, we may make students who are currently taking or completed the EPQ an alternative offer. For this course it would be ABB including A in English Literature at A-level plus the Extended Project at Grade A.
Contextual offer
ABB including Grade A in English Literature, or English Language and Literature (ie. not English Language alone) for applicants who meet our contextual offer criteria. For further information and to check eligibility visit our Contextual Offers page.
AS-level
Unit grade information
The University of Manchester welcomes the provision of unit information where available. Like all other information provided by applicants this may be taken into consideration when assessing your application. Unit grades will not normally form part of an offer conditions.
GCSE
Applicants must demonstrate a broad general education including acceptable levels of Literacy and Numeracy, equivalent to at least Grade C or 4 in GCSE/iGCSE English Language and Mathematics. GCSE/iGCSE English Literature will not be accepted in lieu of GCSE/iGCSE English Language.
Please note that if you hold English as a second language iGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications or achieve a higher grade in your iGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the academic School for clarification.
International Baccalaureate
Other international entry requirements
We accept a range of qualifications from different countries. For these and general requirements including English language see Accepted entry qualifications from your country
Still need help? Please contact ug-filmstudies@manchester.ac.uk for further advice
Scottish requirements
We normally require grades AABBB in Scottish Highers. In addition, we require English Literature Advanced Higher at Grade A.
English Language and Mathematics not taken at Higher/Advanced Higher must have been achieved at SCQF level 5 (minimum National 5 grade C / Intermediate 2 grade C / Standard Grade Credit level grade 3).
If you require further clarification please contact ug-filmstudies@manchester.ac.uk
Welsh Baccalaureate
The minimum grade required will normally be the same as the lowest grade listed in the A Level entry requirements.
If you require further clarification about the acceptability of this qualification please contact the academic School(s) you plan to apply to.
European Baccalaureate
We normally require 80% with a mark of 8.0 in the required subject (see A-level requirements for these).
AQA Baccalaureate
In making offers, the University will focus on the three A Levels taken within the AQA Baccalaureate. Students need to check the standard A Level requirements for their chosen course.
The units of broader study, enrichment activities and the Extended Project are considered to be valuable elements of the AQA Baccalaureate and we would therefore strongly encourage students to draw upon these experiences within their personal statement.
Foundation year
Applicants completing the INTO Manchester in partnership with The University of Manchester international foundation programme are required to achieve AAB in academic subjects and grade A in the EAP with writing, speaking, listening and reading grade B.
Applicants completing the NCUK International Foundation year are required to achieve AAB in academic subjects and grade A in the EAP with writing, speaking, listening and reading grade B
Please read this in conjunction with our A-level requirements, noting any pre-requisite subjects.
For all other foundation programmes please see this list of approved UK foundation programmes .
Pearson BTEC qualifications
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma: we consider the National Extended Diploma for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to this course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full National Extended Diploma with grades Dist, Dist, Dist, plus one A-level at Grade A in English Literature ( or English Language and Literature, but not English Language alone ).
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma: we consider the National Diploma for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to this course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full National Diploma with grades Distinction, Distinction, plus one A-level at Grade A in English Literature ( or English Language and Literature, but not English Language alone ).
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma: we consider the National Foundation Diploma for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to this course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full National Foundation Diploma with a Distinction grade, PLUS one A-level at Grade A in English Literature ( or English Language and Literature, but not English Language alone ), PLUS an EPQ or AS at Grade B.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate: we consider the National Extended Certificate for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to this course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full National Extended Certificate with a Distinction grade, PLUS two A-levels at Grades AA; one of which must be in English Literature ( or English Language and Literature, but not English Language alone ).
The University of Manchester welcomes applications from students who have achieved legacy BTEC qualifications (pre-2016) such as the BTEC Extended Diploma, BTEC Diploma, BTEC Subsidiary Diploma, and BTEC Certificate. The grades required are likely to be the same or vary similar to the new BTEC qualifications (first teaching 2016, awarded 2018). Please contact the Academic School for clarification.
If you require further clarification about the acceptability of this qualification please contact the academic School(s) to which you plan to apply.
OCR Cambridge Technical qualifications
Cambridge Level 3 Technical Diploma (CTEC): we consider the Technical Diploma for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to the chosen course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full Technical Diploma with grades Distinction, Distinction, plus an additional level 3 qualification such as an A Level at grade A in English Literature ( or English Language and Literature, but not English Language alone ).
Cambridge Level 3 Technical Foundation Diploma (CTEC): we consider the Technical Foundation Diploma for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to the chosen course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full Technical Foundation Diploma with grades Distinction, Distinction, plus an additional level 3 qualification such as an A Level/A Level at min. Grade A in English Literature ( or English Language and Literature, but not English Language alone ), PLUS an EPQ or AS Level at grade B.
Cambridge Level 3 Technical Extended Certificate (CTEC) : we consider the Technical Extended Certificate for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to the chosen course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full Technical Extended Certificate with grade Distinction, plus two additional Level 3 qualifications such as A Levels at grades AB, one of which must be in English Literature ( or English Language and Literature, but not English Language alone )..
The University of Manchester will consider applications from students who have achieved legacy CTEC qualifications (pre-2016) such as the CTEC Extended Diploma, CTEC Diploma, CTEC Subsidiary Diploma, and CTEC Certificate. The grades required are likely to be the same or vary similar to the new CTEC qualifications (first teaching 2016, awarded 2018). Please contact the Academic School for clarification.
If you require further clarification about the acceptability of this qualification please contact the Academic School(s) to which you plan to apply.
Access to HE Diploma
We require a QAA-recognised Access to HE Diploma (a minimum of 60 credits overall with at least 45 at Level 3), with merit or distinction in a subject area relevant to the chosen course.
The specific course requirements are a minimum of 39 credits with a Distinction grade, plus 6 credits with a Merit grade, all in a Humanities-related subject. 15 of the Distinction credits should be in English Literature.
Cambridge Pre-U
We consider applicants offering Pre-U Principal Subjects, or a mix of Pre-U and A Level subjects, provided a minimum of three distinct subjects overall is taken.
Candidates taking Pre-U principal subjects in conjunction with A levels are expected to achieve a combination of D3, D3, M2 in the Pre-U and AAB at A level in three distinct subjects.
If you require further clarification about the acceptability of this qualification please contact the Academic School(s) you plan to apply to.
T Level
Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
The University recognises the benefit of the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and the opportunities it provides for applicants to develop independent study and research skills. We strongly encourage you to provide information about the EPQ in your personal statement and at interview. For this programme, as well as the regular conditions of offer, we may make students who are currently taking or completed the EPQ an alternative offer. For this course it would be ABB including A in English Literature at A-level plus the Extended Project at Grade A.
Core Maths
The University recognises the value of Level 3 Core Mathematics qualifications. Core Mathematics is not a compulsory element of post-16 study and as a result we will not normally include it in the conditions of any offer we make. However, if a student chooses to undertake a core mathematics qualification this may be taken into account when we consider a student's application, particularly for courses with a distinct mathematical or statistical element that does not require A Level Mathematics. Academic Schools may also choose to take a student's performance in Core Mathematics into account should places be available in August for applicants who narrowly miss the entry grades for their chosen course.
Where a course requires applicants to have at least grade 6/B or higher in GCSE Mathematics we would be likely to consider a pass in Core Mathematics at a minimum grade C or B as an alternative way to fulfil this requirement. Where an A Level in Mathematics is required then Core Mathematics will not be accepted in lieu of an A Level.
A Level and GCSE Mathematics requirements for our courses vary according to subject so we advise students to contact the academic School, who will clarify whether a student's portfolio of qualifications is acceptable for entry onto the chosen course.
Home-schooled applicants
Non-standard educational routes
Mature students are some of our most well-equipped learners, bringing skills and attributes gained from work, family and other life experiences. Students come from a whole array of backgrounds, study every kind of course, undertake full-time and part-time learning and are motivated by career intentions as well as personal interest. There is no such thing as a typical mature student at Manchester.
The application process is the same as for other prospective undergraduates. If you require further clarification about the acceptability of the qualifications you hold please contact the academic School(s) you plan to apply to. Further information for mature students can be found here ( http://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/mature-students/ )
English language
All applicants to the University (from the UK and Overseas) are required to show evidence of English Language proficiency. The minimum English Language requirement for this course is either:
- GCSE/iGCSE English Language grade C/4 or;
- IELTS 7.0 overall with no less than 6.5 in any one component, or;
- An acceptable equivalent qualification.
Please note that if you hold English as a second language iGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications or achieve a higher grade in your iGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the academic School for clarification.
The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requires that every student from outside the UK and the EU must show evidence of a minimum level of English Language in order to be granted a UK visa (Tier 4 visa) to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level. This level is often referred to as the 'B2 level'.
Additionally, our individual Schools may ask for specific English Language proficiency levels that are necessary for their academic programmes. In most cases these requirements are likely to be higher than the B2 level. Further information about our English Language policy, including a list of some of the English Language qualifications we accept, can be found here .
English language test validity
Application and selection
How to apply
How your application is considered
Your application is considered via your UCAS personal statement, supporting reference and a short essay.
We do not expect you to have studied film before applying here, but we seek evidence in your statement that you have a sincere interest in film (even though you may not have already studied film formally, you might be involved in a local film society, write film reviews for your school magazine/websites or have worked on short films in your spare time) and, above all, that you have intellectual curiosity and a strong sense of socio-cultural openness.
We will introduce you to films and ways of thinking from different eras, countries and cultures, so we need evidence that you are keen to have those conversations with us (this might be through involvement in voluntary/community activities, work experience or visits to other parts of the world).
In addition to the personal statement we require a 500-word essay responding to the following question:
Provide a critical analysis of a scene or shot from a film you have seen recently (whether at the cinema or on DVD, online etc) which has contributed to your decision to take Film Studies at Manchester . Why has this particular film compelled you to study film further at University?
You don't have to write about a so-called classic or 'highbrow' film! We are just as interested in mainstream, popular, cult or 'trash' cinema - it could be a much-loved childhood favourite or a film that has troubled or perhaps even outraged you. Mainly we are looking for your ability to think critically about film, whether that's a blockbusting franchise or experimental 'art' film.
Returning to education
Deferrals
We welcome applications for deferred entry and feel a gap year benefits many students.
We do ask applicants to let us know as early as possible if they are intending to defer. This helps us to adjust the number of offers we make, in order to achieve the required number of students in a given year.
Policy for applicants who resit their qualifications
Re-applications
Transfers
We will consider applications to transfer to Manchester from other universities and would normally ask for a letter explaining why a transfer was needed, relevant transcripts, a copy of the applicant's UCAS form and a confidential reference from one of the applicant's current university tutors.
We will consider applications to transfer from other degrees within the University of Manchester but applicants are required to have the A-level grades (or other qualifications) needed for entry to the degree programme for which they are applying.
Both of the above are subject to our having enough places to accommodate such applicants. Enquiries should be made to the admissions administrator for the subject (see contact details).
Course details
Course description
BA Film Studies and English Literature aims to develop your understanding and awareness of the rich possibilities of this creative medium and encourages you to approach the study of film from a range of historical and theoretical perspectives.
Film Studies
- You will expand your experience of film through taught units and screenings that focus on both classical and contemporary films, covering a wide range of film cultures from around the world.
- You will study mainstream and non-mainstream films in order to broaden your understanding of the history of film, as well as the debates and issues that are informing and generated by current practice in film and shaping its future.
- As you enhance your skills of close analysis, you will also develop an understanding of how film engages with socio-cultural and political concerns, placing the films you study in their historical context as well as thinking about current debates and future challenges for cinema as a medium.
- The course emphasises historical and theoretical approaches to studying film rather than practical production.
English Literature
- You will explore more than 1,000 years of literature and culture: from medieval romance to the postcolonial and postmodern.
- You can specialise in English Literature, American, Irish and post-colonial literatures, cultural theory, creative writing and film.
- You will engage with a range of literary/non-literary genres including film, music and texts, from Anglo-Saxon times to the present.
- Benefit from our research activity in English and American Studies, with more than 12 active research groups ranging from Anglo Saxon literature to 21st century writing and film.
- Enjoy creative writing course unit options in your second and third years of study.
Special features
- Apply your subject-specific knowledge in a real-world context through a placement year in your third year of study, enabling you to enhance your employment prospects, clarify your career goals, and build your external networks.
- Join The University of Manchester Filmmaking Society, which exists to provide a platform for aspiring filmmakers attending the university to meet, exchange ideas and create their own cinematic productions.
- Join The University of Manchester Drama Society, which is for anyone with an interest in drama, be that acting, directing, writing, filmmaking, costume, set building, stage managing or just watching. One of the largest in the Student Union, the society has links with many of Manchester's award-winning theatrical venues, including the Contact Theatre and the Royal Exchange Theatre. Each summer the society showcases at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
- The English Society also puts on social and cultural events. Its annual programme usually includes talks, readings, parties, theatre visits, and a play production.
Teaching and learning
You will learn through lectures, seminars, tutorials, and practical group projects.
There's emphasis on attending film screenings, which are compulsory and designed to enable you to better understand the distinctive qualities of film as a medium.
There's also emphasis on close analysis which is designed to enable you to learn to interpret films and their discursive surround, including relevant paratexts (eg promotional material such as trailers and posters).
You will spend approximately 12 hours a week in formal study sessions.
For every hour spent at university, you will be expected to complete a further two to three hours of independent study. You will also need to study during the holiday periods.
Coursework and assessment
You will be assessed in various ways, including:
- written and oral examinations;
- coursework essays;
- research reports;
- practical tests;
- learning logs;
- web contributions;
- small-scale practical assignments;
- seminar presentations and participation;
- library research, linguistic fieldwork and data collection.
Many course units are assessed through a mixture of techniques.
In your final year, you can choose to write a dissertation.
Course content for year 1
The Art of Film covers the core concepts and terminology in studying film. The unit addresses the distinctive properties of film as a medium and engages with debates about film's status as an art. Introduction to Early Film Histories covers the origins of cinema up to the 1950s. Introduction to World Cinema covers a range of film cultures from different countries with an initial emphasis on the various new wave movements, which began to emerge around the world in the 1950s and 1960s, addressing significant post-Second World War developments in the cinema of countries such as France and Japan.
This is alongside the core and optional English Literature course units, enriching your awareness and understanding of the work of English, American, Irish and post-colonial writers throughout history.
Course units for year 1
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
---|---|---|---|
The Art of Film | DRAM10031 | 20 | Mandatory |
Drama and Film Study Skills | DRAM11111 | 0 | Mandatory |
DRAM12220 - Drama and Film PASS | DRAM12220 | 0 | Mandatory |
Introduction to Early Film Histories | DRAM13331 | 20 | Mandatory |
Reading Literature | ENGL10021 | 20 | Mandatory |
Introduction to World Cinema | SALC11002 | 20 | Mandatory |
Mapping the Medieval | ENGL10051 | 20 | Optional |
Theory and Text | ENGL10062 | 20 | Optional |
Literature and History | ENGL10072 | 20 | Optional |
Course content for year 2
Course units for year 2
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
---|---|---|---|
Screen, Culture and Society | DRAM20041 | 20 | Mandatory |
American Film Studies | AMER20072 | 20 | Optional |
Black on Screen | DRAM20092 | 20 | Optional |
God at the Movies | DRAM20631 | 20 | Optional |
A Score is Born: History and Ideology in Hollywood Film Music | DRAM20711 | 20 | Optional |
Introduction to Documentary Film Practice | DRAM21091 | 20 | Optional |
Audio Project 1: The Audio Feature | DRAM21222 | 20 | Optional |
Horror Film: Genre, Periods, Styles | DRAM21261 | 20 | Optional |
Virtual Reality (VR) Film Making | DRAM21282 | 20 | Optional |
Television Drama | DRAM21291 | 20 | Optional |
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Course content for year 3
Course units for year 3
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
---|---|---|---|
Love American Style | AMER30161 | 20 | Optional |
Occupy Everything | AMER30422 | 20 | Optional |
Climate Change & Culture Wars | AMER30571 | 20 | Optional |
American Hauntings | AMER30811 | 20 | Optional |
Dissertation in Drama/Film (Semester One) | DRAM30001 | 20 | Optional |
Dissertation in Drama/Film (Semester Two) | DRAM30002 | 20 | Optional |
Docufiction Filmmaking | DRAM30062 | 40 | Optional |
Queer Bodies and the Cinema | DRAM30331 | 20 | Optional |
Social Lives of Cinema | DRAM30842 | 20 | Optional |
Extended Dissertation | DRAM30990 | 40 | Optional |
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Facilities
Our comprehensive facilities include the Martin Harris Centre - home to the 150-seater John Thaw Studio plus the John Casken Lecture Theatre, which is fitted with 7.1 surround sound system - and workshops and rehearsal rooms fully equipped with industry-standard sound editing and video editing suites.
Manchester also hosts several film festivals with specialisms ranging from animation and horror to Spanish-language cinema.
One of only five National Research Libraries, The University of Manchester Library holds extensive, internationally renowned collections in the medieval, Victorian, and American literary fields.
The latter includes the Walt Whitman Collection and the Upton Sinclair Collection.
Holdings also include the archive material of the Manchester Poetry Centre.
American history is also well-served by several major research databases dedicated to topics such as the African American Experience, the nineteenth-century US press, and American religion.
The English and American Studies Film Library is another substantial and growing learning resource.
You will enjoy exclusive access to special collections of the John Rylands Library, including Shakespeare's first folio, and Elizabeth Gaskell and Ted Hughes' first archives.
Learn more about facilities
Disability support
Careers
Career opportunities
Study with us and you'll learn to interpret and critically analyse different forms of screen media, create original work for audio-visual production, and demonstrate a high level of transferable skills - especially in interpersonal communication, group work, leadership, and creative problem solving.
You'll find our graduates in a broad range of occupations - a fact that underlines their considerable adaptability and aptitude for collaborative work, effective communication, and negotiation.
These include roles in the theatre, film, television and radio, journalism, teaching, and applied theatre.
Some of our most recent graduates are currently pursuing further study in Film Studies, Creative Writing, and Screenwriting. Our graduates have gone on to work in a variety of industries, including positions in:
- applied theatre;
- television and radio;
- theatre;
- film and broadcast;
- journalism;
- teaching at schools, colleges, and universities;
- community arts and arts administration;
- law and business management.
Our award-winning careers service provides a wealth of tools, advice, development opportunities, and industry links.
You'll have access to dedicated, subject-specific support throughout your studies and for up to two years after graduation.
Our undergraduate courses are also designed to provide an easy transition into postgraduate study, if desired.
We offer a wide range of specialist master's courses within the University and even offer fast-tracked enrolment to high-achieving undergraduate students.
Our students can take part in our Stellify programme alongside their degrees, developing professional and leadership skills while contributing to their local and global communities through volunteering.
Our English Literature graduates have gone on to work in a variety of industries, including positions with the BBC, KPMG, Deloitte, Marks and Spencer, Aviva, Accenture and Barclays.