Film BA(Hons)

Why study BA(Hons) Film at University College Falmouth?

BA(Hons) Film Studies course leaflet (2.39 MB)

Film is one of the most powerful art forms to emerge from the 20th Century. At Falmouth, we’re passionate about film and our approach will inspire your creativity, vision and critical insight, equipping you with the diverse range of key skills you’ll need to succeed in this vibrant and fast-moving industry.

From Hollywood to Bollywood, from film criticism to your own practical filmmaking, and from screenwriting to audience research and film journalism, our undergraduate film course is diverse, innovative and unique.

University College Falmouth is part of the Cornwall Skillset Media Academy network - a UK-wide group of institutions identified as centres of excellence in creative media education and training.

Tell me more about the BA(Hons) Film course

“The time the film staff invest in individual students through the tutorials attached to each unit clearly contributes to students’ academic development.” Professor Roberta Pearson External Examiner and Chair of Film Studies, University of Nottingham

From writing about films to making them, we’ll help you develop a broad understanding of the artistic, social and historical importance of film. Film at Falmouth provides a sound theoretical backbone and the vital practical grounding you need to become an accomplished professional. We’ll teach you about screenwriting, writing about film and production – including experimental cinema, documentary practice and short film. You’ll learn how a film is constructed, and then take on the key elements yourself, from pre-production, lighting, sound and digital video, to the intricacies of post-production in our industry-standard editing suites.

Our staff have authored books, worked as film critics and editors, and have years of experience cutting everything from documentaries to music promos, advertisements to experimental films. They’ll help you examine a wide range of film genres, forms and narratives, contextualising your own practice and developing your creative, analytical and communication skills. We also specialise in topics that traditional courses overlook; film audience research, film journalism and archive research. These subjects bring the study of film to life, but also arm you with invaluable skills for the future.

You’ll also have access to specialist equipment and an extensive video library of over 17,000 titles from film and TV. The stage is set here at Falmouth – now it’s your turn to take the lead role.

“This film studies course has acquired an impressive solidity and balance –credit for that is due to the film studies Course Leader…and the team of lecturers/tutors. Their enthusiasm for the subjects they teach and their readiness to explore new teaching methods and ideas in order to improve the students’ experience is very evident. They are to be congratulated on a stimulating media course which clearly engages their students at many levels.” Dr Carol Byrne Jones External Examiner and Lecturer in Film & Media, University of Wales, Lampeter

Guest Lectures

BA(Hons) Film has expanded an occasional guest lecture series into a regular series of events through 2009/10.

Beginning with Michael Wiese's Journey of an Independent Filmmaker, the series continued with talks from Men Who Stare at Goats writer Jon Ronson as part of the Cornwall Film Festival. In December, the University was visited by Jon Stewart, who talked about his adventures in Britpop band Sleeper before offering an overview of his latter career as Music Supervisor for Nick Moran's Joe Meek biopic Telstar, and director Carolyn Corben. Carolyn spoke to a full lecture theatre about her work in advertising and striking pop videos for Girls Aloud, Elton John and George Michael.

Confirmed guests for 2010 include Neil Waddington (Producer, 44-16), Mary Burke (Producer, Warp Films), Phelim O'Neil (Film Critic, The Guardian), Paul Andrew Williams (Writer/Director, London to Brighton), and Neil Fox (Filmstock International Film Festival).  

Molly Dineen guest lecture

The inaugural event of the Cornwall Skillset Media Academy at University College Falmouth could not have been more prestigious with a screening of BAFTA award-winning documentary film maker, Molly Dineen’s film, The Lie of the Land.

Date of lecture: 27 February 2008

Guest Lecture series: Molly Dineen (streaminig audio)

Course outline

Level 1

• Professional Practice
• Approaches to Film
• Post-War World Cinema
• Criticism, Analysis & Theory
• History of the Moving Image

Level 2

• Documentary or Writing About Film
• Experimental Cinema or Advanced Screenwriting
• Audience, Archive or Work Placement Case Study
• Postmodernism, Film & New Media

Plus one option, for example:

• American Cinema
• Black Cinema
• Representation
• Women & Film
• Film & National Identities: British Cinema

Level 3

• Research Practice followed by Dissertation
• Professional Development Portfolio
• Professional Practice Portfolio

Answers and advice about the course

If you have any queries about the course please visit our HelpMe Forum

HelpMe Forum

Career opportunities

Graduates from this media course in film studies will be equipped with the transferable skills needed for a variety of careers in film, the media and other professions centred on communication, creative enterprise and critical thinking. Career opportunities include:

• Director
• Producer
• Researcher
• Film critic
• Journalist
• Screenwriter
• Arts administrator
• Postgraduate study

Course entry requirements

UCAS Tariff 220 points, mainly from the A2 level, or the equivalent in appropriate 14-19 Specialist Diploma, National Diploma or Access to HE Awards, or experience.

For further information about BA(Hons) Film at University College Falmouth, please email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or telephone Admissions on 01326 214368.

Interview dates and selection process

Interviews will commence in late January and continue throughout Spring.

The interview will include a campus tour, individual interview and a group talk. Applicants can show print-based portfolios at interview but this is not an essential requirement.

Location: Tremough Campus

Related courses

• Broadcasting BA(Hons)
• Journalism BA(Hons)