Introduction to our Film and Media degree
Combine film and media theory with practical skills including film-making, animation and digital publishing on our Film and Media degree in Cambridge.
Michael Bruce
"The course has pretty much opened doors for me to finally do what I wanted to do."
Michael BruceBA (Hons) Writing and Film
Read our full interview with Michael
Study at an award-winning university
We're the Times Higher Education (THE) University of the Year 2023. We've also been awarded a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework – a reflection of the outstanding education we offer our students.
Join a course that scored 90% for “Academic Support” in the National Student Survey 2024.
Our BA (Hons) Film and Media degree course will introduce you to the key issues and debates in film and media from feminism and postmodernism to the impact of film, TV, music and the media on society, including politics, youth culture and technology.
You’ll also create your own short films in video, animation or 16mm format. Working in our professional TV and film studios, you’ll be trained in all aspects of the craft, including camera operation, sound recording and editing.
You’ll also be able to focus on particular areas of interest, including digital publishing (building apps), radio production, and screenwriting.
Highlights of the course:
- learn about all aspects of film-making
- experiment with different formats
- create your own short films and see your work on the big screen at a local independent cinema
- gain valuable experience with work placements and commissioned projects.
Course options
Key facts
Entry Requirements
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Fees and Paying for University
Student experience
Student work
Grete Kutkaite, "Golden Cities"
See more of our film, media and communication students' work
A Little of the Heart
British Academy-funded AI project by Dr Sarah Gibson Yates sees collaboration between ARU film & media students, Heartstopper star Leila Khan, Cambridge Film Trust’s Youth Lab and film industry professionals.
Find out more
Martha Wallam
"The BA Film course has provided me with such a great opportunity, and I have gained so much from this experience."
Awards put Film students and graduates in spotlight
Cambridge Film Festival 2023 highlights
ARU MA Film Production student Megan Wiggins shares her highlights from the 2023 CFF, and its benefits to the community and ARU students.
Michael Bruce
International student Michael talks about moving to study in the UK, and how the course has helped his confidence as a writer and filmmaker.
ARU Spotlight Podcast: Michael Bruce
Royal Television Society East Student Awards Ceremony 2023
Enjoy a highlights video of the Royal Television Society East Student Awards Ceremony, hosted at ARU in March 2023
Toby Venables
Screenwriting Lecturer Toby talks about his creative work, including BAFTA-winning Netflix horror film ‘His House’.
ARU Spotlight Podcast: Toby Venables
Megan Herdson
Alumnus Megan talks about how studying creative writing helped her career in marketing, and grew her confidence in sharing her writing.
ARU Spotlight Podcast: Megan Herdson
Catarina Rodrigues
"I was always very interested in the visual world. Studying Film was the perfect way to combine a passion for photography with movement and sound."
Catarina's ARU experience
Facilities and showcase
Industry-standard facilities
As part of your studies at ARU, you’ll have access to all of our creative industries facilities including:
- Film studio with overhead lighting, tracks, dollies and green screen
- Multi-camera television studio with modular set panels and modern set dressing
- Full range of location kit from 4K digital cameras, professional lighting, to Steadicam
- Sound-recording equipment for location filming
- Editing suites with Da Vinci Resolve and the full Adobe Creative Cloud software suite
- Finishing suite with audio monitoring and grading panels
- Aaton Cameras and Steenbeck editors for 16mm film production
- Motion capture equipment
- Podcast and video capture system
Futures Lab and workshop equipment
Our new digital workshop includes a variety of computer aided manufacturing machines, helping you learn up to date manufacturing and design processes as well as supporting many traditional techniques. These technologies include:
- 3D printers and scanners - FDM printers; material-specific extruders; SLA Formlabs printers; SLS Formlabs Fuse1; structured light 3D scanners
- 2D printing and cutting machines - laser cutters; Roland BN20 vinyl printer & cutter; Gerber substrate cutter; Mimaki TX300P sublimation printer.
Learn outside the classroom
Throughout the course you’ll benefit from extra-curricular events such as:
- Cambridge Film Festival events
- regular field trips, such as to the BFI and Tate Modern
- guest lectures, with recent speakers including Margaret Salmon, Guy Sherwin, Jayne Parker, film editor and sound designer Larry Sider, and filmmaker William Raban
- events offered through our student-led film societies
- the chance to join Cam FM, a student-run radio station with studios on our campus and at Cambridge’s famous Fitzwilliam Museum.
Take a closer look
Our Creative Showcase shines a spotlight on what makes ARU creative and cultural – our spaces, places and people. Find out more about our community, the difference we make, the stories we tell, and the things that inspire us. You can also explore the work of our graduating students in our digital graduate showcase.
Lecturers
Tina Kendall
Associate Professor
Sarah Gibson Yates
Senior Lecturer
Sean Campbell
Deputy Dean for Research and Innovation
Toby Venables
Senior Lecturer Practitioner
Careers
What can I do with a Film and Media degree?
Our Film and Media degree course is designed to give you a thorough knowledge of both the theory and practice of film and media. It will help you prepare for many film- and media-related roles, including film and television production and post-production, film journalism, cinema and film festival management, film programming and curation, publishing, broadcasting, web design and public relations.
You might set your sights on film-making itself. Graduates typically start their film careers as runners, camera assistants, programme researchers, second assistants, or junior technicians on set, but as you accrue experience and make connections, you could turn your hand to more specialised jobs in sound, lighting, effects, writing, editing and producing.
Graduation doesn't have to be the end of your time with us. You might decide to continue on to a Masters course, such as our MA Film and Television Production. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship and get 20% off your fees.
Employability and personal career development
Informed by employers, our courses support an integrated approach to employability. You’ll have opportunities to develop the skills and abilities they are looking for and gain a deeper understanding of how your academic learning relates to the world of work through Live Briefs and Ruskin Modules.
To amplify your career ambition, you will need to actively dedicate time outside of your studies, whether you choose to explore placements, internships or volunteering. Or you could make a social impact by collaborating with our partner organisations through our volunteer scheme Students at the Heart of Knowledge Exchange (SHoKE). These all give you an edge, providing you with experience that you will be able to evidence on your CV and talk about in interviews.
Our Employability and Careers Service offers a range of expert advice and support to build your unique professional profile, including tailored career appointments, advice on writing your CV, and help to complete job applications. You’ll have 24/7 access to the Careers Centre, our comprehensive online digital resource, which empowers you to start building a Personal Career Development Plan from the very start. Design your future at ARU.
Gain contacts and experience
Our links with local and national organisation will help you make contacts and find work placements in the industry. Our recent students have found internships and placements with companies including the BBC, Pinewood Studios, StudioCanal UK, Sight and Sound magazine, and Watersprite Film Festival.
Blackmagic Design
We’re an official Blackmagic Design training partner, which means you can get certification in their DaVinci Resolve video editing software.
Life in Cambridge
Our friendly, bustling campus is a stone’s throw from the centre of Cambridge, often described as the perfect student city.
Our favourite places in Cambridge Did you know...? Facts about Cambridge Watch: Our CambridgeWant to talk to someone?
Do you have a question that we haven't answered so far? Talk to our application experts. You can also ask our Student Ambassadors about life at ARU.
We're here Monday-Thursday 9am-5pm (please note we close at 3.30pm on the first and third Thursday of the month for staff training), and Friday 9am-4.30pm.
Foundation year available
This course offers a foundation year – an extra year of study to help you prepare for university, and build your knowledge and skills.
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