Film and Media Studies BA Hons | University of Chester

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Course Summary

Our Film and Media Studies degree course will allow you to explore your passion. If you’re ready to take a comprehensive journey into the creative industries, the world of cinema, and the ever-expanding field of media, this course is for you! On our course you will watch, discuss, analyse and become thoroughly immersed in film, whilst consuming and commenting upon contemporary media, in all its forms.

Media and film are both inherently progressive, and each have their key historical movements, moments and events. Through learning about these in depth you will build an understanding of the way they have shaped today’s creative and artistic industries, and how they have changed and altered perspectives. Studying film offers a window into culture, into history, and into human experience; films are powerful storytelling mediums that reflect societal values, question norms, and spark conversations. By analysing film, you will gain invaluable insights into the ways cinema shapes – and is shaped – by the world around us. You will understand how narratives are constructed, how visual and audio techniques influence emotions, and how different genres evolve.

You will also study media and learn how it is central to how we communicate, form opinions, and engage with the world. Understanding how media is constructed helps people navigate issues like misinformation, bias, and the manipulation of public opinion, and it shapes our identities, communities, and political landscapes. Studying media will enable you to explore the ethical, social, and economic implications of this influence. Whether it's news or entertainment, understanding how media works will equip you with the skills to be ‘World Ready’: an informed consumer, effective communicator, and ethical content creator in a highly connected global society.

This course also features practical elements of media production that allow you to develop your skills in a variety of areas, including making video content, editing, podcasting, animation and scriptwriting. As you learn and collaborate with students from other courses, you'll not only widen your social and professional network but also learn new skills that will set you up for success in your industry.

Why You'll Love It

Study your passions with creative freedom

Media students at work in front of computer screens.

Gain practical experience in bespoke facilities

A person operating a camera in a broadcasting studio

Learn from professionals who’ve shaped film and media conversations

What You'll Study

The Creative Industries, Media and Performance Foundation Year route encourages you to operate as a creative community, developing new skills while learning from each other. You will build knowledge of your chosen area alongside transferrable practical and academic skills to support future employment.

Students have access to a wide range of specialist facilities. The performing arts and media students are introduced to our television studios, music production studios, editing facilities, green screen, the ‘black box’ and the ‘white box’.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

Our BA Film and Media Studies course contains core modules at each level of study.

In Year 1 you’ll explore foundational theories in film and media, as well as exploring analytical methods that you can apply to a wide range of screen examples and learn about basic elements of scriptwriting, cinematography and narrative.

You’ll also develop a range of fundamental production skills to support the practical aspects of the course, including:

camera operation
editing
audio recording
and production management.

Creativity is at the heart of your studies from the very beginning, and during your first year you’ll have the opportunity to develop ideas and make them a reality, whether that’s a script, a podcast, or video content. You can choose to produce content for one of our digital platforms, such as our website (Chester Student Media) or radio station (Chester Student Radio).

As you move into Year 2, you’ll build on the foundational skills you’ve developed and start to engage with a range of critical approaches to film and media to deepen your knowledge and understanding. You’ll study a variety of different global cinemas, from the dominant industries of Hollywood and Bollywood to small but significant film movements from around the world, including American, Asian, European and Australasian cinema.

You will continue to develop and enhance your production skills, with opportunities to create a range of digital media products. There is a focus on storytelling across various types of media, as you consider how and why stories are told in different mediums, for different audiences.

In Year 2 you will also have the opportunity to undertake a work-based placement, giving you a taste of real-world experience that is incredibly valuable to your future employability.

Once you get to Year 3, you’ll get the chance to explore a topic of your choosing in depth, embarking on a large-scale project (written or practice-based) in a particular area of creative media or film, integrating all the knowledge and skills you’ve acquired.

You will continue to hone your theoretical knowledge and critical thinking skills as you deepen your understanding of films and filmmakers and investigate how filmmaking has evolved over time.

This year you’ll also have the chance to engage and experiment with new technologies and specialist equipment including the opportunity to produce a short animation.

This course is delivered in three terms of ten weeks each. In each term, students study 40 credits comprised of either one or two modules. Scheduled contact hours range between approximately 6 and 12 hours per week, depending upon level of study and the complexity of the material being taught. This course is delivered through a mix of in-person and online learning. Students can expect to take part in lectures, workshops, seminars, and tutorials.

Students should expect to spend an average of 30-34 hours per week on independent study which might include:

following asynchronous learning material on the University’s VLE
tutorial time with staff
using the University’s library
working with peers
and preparing work for assessment.

Teaching will be delivered by experienced academics and practitioners in the subject. This will be supplemented by occasional guest lecturers and speakers.

There will be a broad range of assessment methods so that students are exposed to the different types of task they might encounter in the workplace. Indicative assessment includes:

portfolios
essays
reflective logs
and presentations.

We continuously review the assessment methods used in order that they adequately prepare students for graduate-level employment.

All teaching is delivered by experienced academics and practitioners, with the fundamental principles of the Chester Future Skills Curriculum at its core - building your subject competence, confidence, and key transferable skills to shape you into a world-ready Chester graduate.

Study a Common First Year

This course shares a common first year with students on the Media and TV Production course.

This means that you’ll learn alongside students studying a similar discipline, helping to broaden your knowledge and exposure to other concepts, perspectives and professions in the first year of your degree.

As you learn and collaborate with students from other courses, you'll not only widen your social and professional network but also learn new skills that will set you up for success in your industry.

In your second and third years, you will progress to studying more specialist modules within film and media, developing your skills to become a World Ready graduate.

Creative Campus, Kingsway Tours

Study at our Creative Campus, Kingsway, home to some outstanding art, design and performance-based courses for the University’s School for the Creative Industries. Scroll through our 360 tours to explore our state-of-the-art facilities.

Entry Requirements

104UCAS points

UCAS Tariff	104 points
GCE A Level	Typical offer – CCC-BCC
BTEC	BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM
International Baccalaureate	26 points
Irish / Scottish Highers	Irish Highers: H3 H3 H3 H4 H4 Scottish Highers: BBBB
Access requirements	Access to HE Diploma, to include 45 credits at level 3, of which 30 must be at Merit or above
T Level	T Level with a Pass grade and C or above in the core
OCR Cambridge Technicals	OCR Extended Diploma: DMM
Extra Information	Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer. We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs. Applicants will be required to attend an interview/workshop day.

Students from countries outside the UK are expected to have entry qualifications roughly equivalent to UK A Level for undergraduate study and British Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) for postgraduate study. To help you to interpret these equivalents, please click on your country of residence to see the corresponding entry qualifications, along with information about your local representatives, events, information and contacts.

We accept a wide range of qualifications and consider all applications individually on merit. We may also consider appropriate work experience.

English Language Requirements

IELTS Academic: Undergraduate: 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in each band)
Postgraduate: 6.5 (minimum 5.5 in each band)

For more information on our entry requirements, please visit International Entry Requirements.

72UCAS points

UCAS Tariff	72 points
GCE A level	72 points overall, including grade D in A level
BTEC	BTEC Extended Diploma: MMP
International Baccalaureate	24 points
Irish / Scottish Highers	Irish Highers: H4 H4 H4 H4 H4 Scottish Highers: CCDD
Access requirements	Access to HE Diploma – Pass overall
T Level	T Level: Pass (D or E on the core)
OCR Cambridge Technicals	OCR Extended Diploma: MMP
Extra Information	Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer. We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs. If you are a mature student (21 or over) and have been out of education for a while or do not have experience or qualifications at Level 3 (equivalent to A Levels), then our Foundation Year courses will help you to develop the skills and knowledge you will need to succeed in your chosen degree.

Fees and Funding

£9,535per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

Our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for Home students entering University in 2025/26 are £9,535 a year, or £1,590 per 20-credit module for part-time study.

You can find more information about undergraduate fees on our Fees and Finance pages.

Students from the UK, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey and the Republic of Ireland are treated as Home students for tuition fee purposes.

Students from countries in the European Economic Area and the EU will pay International Tuition Fees.

Students who have been granted Settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans.

Students who have been granted Pre-settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans.

£14,450*per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

The tuition fees for international students studying Undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 are £14,450 per year for a full-time course. This fee is set for each year of study.

The University of Chester offers generous international and merit-based scholarships, providing a significant reduction to the published headline tuition fee. You will automatically be considered for these scholarships when your application is reviewed, and any award given will be stated on your offer letter.

For courses with a Foundation Year, the tuition fees for Year 1 are £10,750 and £14,200 for Years 2-4 in 2025/26.

For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section.

Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes.

Your course will involve additional costs not covered by your tuition fees. This may include books, printing, photocopying, educational stationery and related materials, specialist clothing, travel to placements, optional field trips and software. Compulsory field trips are covered by your tuition fees.

If you are living away from home during your time at university, you will need to cover costs such as accommodation, food, travel and bills.

The University of Chester supports fair access for students who may need additional support through a range of bursaries and scholarships.

Full details, as well as terms and conditions for all bursaries and scholarships can be found on the Fees and Finance section of our website.

Who You'll Learn From

Dr Katie Barnett

Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for BA Film and Media Studies and BA Media and Television Production

Dr Mark Duffett

Associate Professor

Dr Pamela Barnes

Programme Leader for BA Acting

Caroline Ford

Senior Lecturer - Division of Communication, Screen & Performance

Mark Hannaby

Senior Lecturer in Journalism

Your Future Career

Job Prospects

Graduates of this course may pursue a range of careers in the media, film and creative industries, including roles such as editors, researchers, reviewers, writers, marketers, directors or videographers. The skills and knowledge obtained during their course also prepare graduates for roles in other industries which require excellent communication skills and the ability to create compelling content for media and digital platforms. Film and Media Studies graduates also regularly decide to pursue their passion through further postgraduate study.

Careers Service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.

Film and Media Studies BA (Hons)

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Course Summary

Why You'll Love It

Study your passions with creative freedom

Gain practical experience in bespoke facilities

Learn from professionals who’ve shaped film and media conversations

What Our Students Think

What You'll Study

How You'll Learn

Study a Common First Year

Creative Campus, Kingsway Tours

Fashion Design Industrial Workshop

TV Studio

Music Performance Studio

Music Recording Studio Control Room

Photo Studio

Music Rehearsal Studio

Music Production Suite

Animation Suite

Photography Darkroom

Workshop

Studio

Outdoor Ampitheatre

Common Room