MPhil /PhD Film Studies

Course description
A research degree in international film and screen studies is a period of intensive, supervised investigative work in this area. It builds on your previous academic or professional experience and allows you to develop an original area of expertise.
You work closely with a director of studies and a supervisor who are specialists in your chosen field to produce an extended thesis of up to 80,000 words in the case of doctoral research.
There are regular research training events, PhD seminars and informal meetings where you can practise delivering conference papers in a supportive environment.
We have a lively research culture and a high proportion of research-active staff. We value and support all our research students who make a vital contribution to the intellectual life of the University.
We also have specialist film studies facilities for your research.
For example, films are shown in our purpose-built film theatre The Void, which combines new technology, including DCP, Blu-ray and DVD projected through a 4K digital cinema projector, with older technology, including two 40-year-old Westrex 7000 35mm projectors. These projectors can show both recent and rare, culturally valuable films in their original cinema format, including silent films at the correct speed.
We are one of the few universities in the country that have these capabilities. You can view films as they were originally meant to be seen, an experience that cannot be replicated through home viewing alone. The Dolby 5.1 surround-sound system enhances your viewing experience.
We also enjoy a close working relationship with the British Film Institute (BFI) and have privileged access to the BFI Archive, which contains more than 50,000 fiction films and over 100,000 non-fiction titles, most of which are not available on DVD or via the internet.
Funds are available to support you in attending conferences and we encourage you to deliver papers and publish your work. It may be...