Film BA (Hons) at St Mary’s University

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022: Top 5 for Student Experience

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022: Top 10 for Teaching Quality

Start date: Sept 2023
UCAS code: P401
Attendance: 3 Years
UCAS points: 96-112

Apply now

Your next steps...

Our BA in Film degree gives you the opportunity to explore film theory and history, as well as hands-on in a range of practical media production modules.

The programme will provide you with a solid background in screen industries, from a theoretical, practical and industry perspective.
Study with media professionals and international and national experts in film, television and popular culture.
You will learn precise research and production skills that will allow you to enter a wide variety of professions.
Professional development and work experience modules.
Option to study with a placement year of paid work experience

Why study Film?

With approximately one in five new jobs in London within the creative industries, our Film degree will provide you with a solid background in screen industries, from a theoretical, practical and industry perspective.

You will learn precise research and production skills that will allow you to enter a wide variety of professions. You will also be following individual interests and passions that will motivate you to work hard in your chosen area of study.

By studying a range of topics you will gain an understanding of the most significant issues affecting the media today and its relationship with our culture and society. This degree will prepare you for a career in a wide range of industries.

We offer opportunities for you to gain work experience in the media and specialist modules to develop your skills in creative scriptwriting, film and cultural criticism and film production.

Why St Mary's?

The degree includes modules on a wide variety of film, television, popular music and other screen media. There is plenty of chance for you to explore the types of media that particularly interest you.

As well as being a train ride away from the heart of London's film industry, our students benefit from an extremely accessible teaching staff, made up of research academics as well as industry professionals.

Placement year

Film is also available with a placement year of paid work experience.

Useful information

Course lead

Dr Jon Hackett
Associate Prof

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Entry requirements

96-112UCAS points required

Check how many points your grades are worth

Calculate your total UCAS points

80 UCAS points should include at least two B grades at A level (or equivalent).

We will make you an offer if you are within the tariff band range and you meet subject-specific requirements (where applicable).

For undergraduate programmes we will take into account subjects studied at Level 3, your GCSEs (or equivalent) profile, relevant non-academic achievements outlined in your personal statement, references and your motivation for study.

International requirements

International students should check our country-specific pages for equivalents. If English is not your first language you will need to achieve an IELTS score of 6.0 overall with no less than 5.5 in any section (or equivalent).

UCAS Personal statement support

Create your UCAS personal statement through our online builder and we'll email you a copy of your completed version at the end.

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Course content

Year one

Core

Core

Core

Core

Optional

Optional

Optional

Year two

Core

Core

Optional

Optional

Optional

Optional

Optional

Optional

Year three

Core

Optional

Optional

Optional

Optional

Optional

Optional

Optional

Please note: it is possible that a module listed on the website will not be able to run due to reasons beyond our control. For more information please refer to our course information disclaimer.

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Career opportunities

With approximately one in five jobs in London in the creative industries, there are numerous career opportunities in the film, television and cultural arts. Previous graduates have also entered journalism, management and administration, advertising, research, marketing, and PR.

Many students also go on to study at postgraduate level for a Master's degree. At St Mary's we welcome MPhil and PhD proposals in a number of areas related to the content of this Film degree.

Most of the optional work placements take place in the Greater London area. Some might be in central London, but there are also a number of suitable Communications and Marketing organisations in west London.

The Careers Service has more information on careers and postgraduate study options available to Film students who have started their studies at St Mary’s.

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Abi Sleven

In order to transition to a career in Nutrition I needed a course that would provide professional, evidence-based qualifications. The Human Nutrition MSc at St Mary's is comprehensive, covering all relevant aspects of Human Nutrition from fundamental Biochemistry to Public Health.

Being accredited by the Association for Nutrition only reinforces the quality of the material and relevancy to a career as a Nutritionist.

The lecturers are approachable and friendly, always willing to answer questions and engage in debate. Whilst this course is challenging, it encourages a increased level of critical thinking and new perspective on scientific research. Application of this knowledge and the skills developed over the course of this MSc are invaluable to my future career as a Nutritionist.

Aikaterini Koutsouridou

As an international student, I was always encouraged and fully supported during my studies. The language barriers were overcome due to the devoted team of academic tutors and the language support that the university provides. This allowed me to improve my language skills and it gave me the opportunity to discuss topics from different disciplines with other international students.

Aisling Burgess

Choosing St Mary’s to do my PGCE was the best decision I made, and if I had to do it again that is exactly where I would go.

I chose to do the PGCE at St Mary’s - rather than doing School-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) - as I had already completed my undergraduate at the University and friends who had already finished the course said that the content of the course was really good. Additionally, I knew about the percentage of getting a job was high.

Doing the PGCE helped me to become a confident teacher and enabled my professional development both at University and on placement. St Mary’s offered me a good balance of University and placement time and as time spent at University decreased, it allowed us to become more independent and confident in schools.

The support provided on this course was invaluable. In both lectures and subject-specific sessions, no question or query was stupid. It was an open environment that allowed us to make mistakes and learn from them, which helped us when going into school.

I also believe that St Mary’s provided great feedback when it came to observations throughout the year, as I could see how my teaching improved when applying the feedback into my future lessons.

Aleks Grudzinska

I chose St Mary's because it's a well renowned University. The pleasant atmosphere and surroundings make you feel part of a small and a happy community. Throughout the course I've developed a passion for education and feel very enthusiastic about working in the educational sector. I gained a lot through my school-based work experiences and they were one of the main reasons why I got onto my current PGCE course.

Aleksandra Mrowka

My three years at St Mary’s have been the most enriching adventure that I’ve had the pleasure to experience. The campus is gorgeous, surrounded by nature, in one of the most beautiful parts of London. I made lots of friends and attended a variety of student events as well as joined societies. The learning part was fulfilling too and helped me reach my best – the lecturers are extremely helpful and the teaching is performed with enthusiasm. I had the chance to enjoy the city of London during my free time, experience lots of different cultures and learn in a friendly environment. St Mary’s is the place to be!

Alex (Lecturer in English Phonetics)

With a first class MA from St Mary’s, I have held a number of posts at Italian Universities and am currently lecturer in English Phonetics as the Collegio IPASVI in Rome. I am the author of a book on medical English pronunciation and listening comprehension for Italian students entitled L'inglese medico-scientifico: pronuncia e comprensione all'ascolto (2014; EdiSES).

Alex Dawson

"I wanted to study a subject that contained transferable skills and studying a joint honours degree - more specifically Business Law - certainly achieved that. Skills ranging from communication, analytical and strategic planning, attention to detail and maintaining composure under pressure. The breadth of modules available proved beneficial for my Master's and also my career.

"At St Mary's I made lifetime friends who encouraged me during my studies. I also received continual support from staff throughout, many of whom I still keep in regular contact with.

"St Mary's University offers fantastic staff, a stimulating and challenging degree, and arguably most importantly; strong career prospects."

Alexander Crofton (Wasps Strength and Conditioning Coach)

Having already started a career in professional strength and conditioning with London Wasps prior to commencing the MSc, I was hoping that St Mary's MSc Strength and Conditioning programme would be stimulating, thought provoking and a challenge to my current philosophy.

In all honesty, it did more than that and I can definitely say that this programme has raised my strength and conditioning practices to the next level.

Ali-Reza Panjwani

The course was an extremely rewarding experience and allowed me to home in on an area that already interested me.

With the world becoming increasingly globalised, I felt like this was the perfect opportunity to live, work and study abroad, whilst also developing my passion for the international marketplace through the syllabus at St Mary's.

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Alice Hewitt

I cannot recommend the Bioethics and Medical Law degree highly enough. The MA brought together a diverse and engaging group of people, with different backgrounds, ideas and experiences, to learn with and from each other. Thought-provoking and rewarding, the course challenged me to examine and understand not only why I hold the beliefs and opinions that I do but also why others hold their beliefs and opinions.

The course material is presented in an accessible and understandable way, backed up by an excellent teaching team, so despite having no philosophy background I quickly found my feet. As a distance learner, I found the course well structured and felt fully engaged throughout all the modules, including writing my dissertation.

I thoroughly enjoyed my Master's degree and plan to take my studies further. I would recommend this course to anyone with an interest in biomedical science (human or animal), or to anyone with an interest in bioethics.

Alice Nicholson

Since graduating I have worked in the Media industry. I went to IBC in Amsterdam on work experience as part of one of my degree modules. I am grateful for this experience as it resulted in a full-time job that I started as soon as I finished at St Mary’s. I now work as a Post Production Bookings Co-ordinator for Sky Sports and my degree definitely helped me get to where I am.

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Aliki Drakopoulos

After doing a languages degree and a Master’s in Project Management, I was eager to study further and do a PGCE course. I decided to study this course because I have always been interested in becoming a secondary school teacher, and teaching children languages and about other cultures from around the world.

As well as helping me progress academically, the course also developed me personally; the nature of the programme enables you to become more authoritative, confident and patient.

I learnt so much this year and am very grateful for it. I could not have asked for better tutors and staff as they were always extremely helpful and would offer their support constantly. They would give help on assignments, offer support with teaching ideas and always offer advice when needed, even whilst we were on placement.

St Mary’s offered a variety of workshops and lectures, which included theory and practical teaching (at a subject-specific level and with the entire cohort). This enabled us to gain more from each session and enabled us to meet people studying a different subject.

Alison (PhD in Linguistics)

The programme was well run, with good staff who allowed for a lot of independence. I was more interested in research than teaching, and the programme was flexible enough to allow me to pursue my interests. Afterwards I received a scholarship for the University of Cambridge, where I recently completed my PhD in linguistics.

Amandine Courtois

I wanted to be a teacher since I was young. When I started feeling unhappy in my office job I realised it was the perfect time for me to train to teach. I went to one of the open evenings at St Mary's and spoke with the programme director who was very helpful and gave me all the information that I needed.

The other trainees were very nice and we were encouraged to work together, making a challenging year much more supportive. Lectures were interesting and inspiring; I feel lucky that the University really cared about our professional training needs.

The PGCE year is not always easy, but what truly made a difference for me was the support that I received from my tutors. They cared about me as a trainee, but also as a person and made a point of knowing everyone's strengths and weaknesses, providing each of us with tailored support.

It's truly remarkable how much tutors cared about us. They were always available; even answering emails on evenings and weekends. Beyond their dedication and great teaching during the course, the tutors still give us support as NQTs and are still available when needed.

I am very happy with my experience at St Mary's University and would recommend the course to anyone who is thinking of becoming a teacher.

Amy-Louise Peach

Being a St Mary’s student made me feel proud and I was confident that I was being given the best route into teaching. Whatever school I visited, when I mentioned the name ‘St Mary’s’ it was greeted with the same response; the University is held in very high regard within the teaching profession.

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Andreia Da Gama

Initially I thought of going outside London to study Tourism Management, but when I came to an open day at St Mary's I changed my plans instantly and decided to come here. It's a small university and I felt welcome as soon as I came through the doors.

All the lecturers who have taught me have been helpful and have never turned their back on me when I've requested help from them, making me even more sure of the choice I made when I decided to study here.

Adriana Pocasangre

I only had the opportunity to study at St Mary’s for a year, but I wish I could’ve stayed longer to get to know this place better. Everyone here was so warm and welcoming, I never felt out of place. Whenever I felt lost or had a question, I always knew that I could find someone at the student services desk that would help me out. I just felt right at home in the beautiful surroundings and especially in the well-being room of the library. I will always be thankful to St Mary's for the opportunity it gave me to come here to study and help me grow.

- International student, El Salvador

Alexandra Faye Milton

Studying on the Creative and Professional Writing Programme and being a student at St Mary’s have, so far, been great experiences for me. I have developed so much as a writer and students here are given fantastic support from staff. The modules I have attended have made me think in great depth about my writing. I have no doubt that my writing has improved tremendously since being on the course. The teaching I received really helped me to win the Strawberry Hill Gothic Prize for Creative Writing… another good experience!

Amalie Skjelvand

I chose Creative Writing because I've always wanted to be a writer. You can get a lot of inspiration from being here because of the nature and the city feel.

The lecturers are great, they are really supportive. They tell you if something is wrong with your writing, but not in a bad way - they all support you.

I would definitely recommend to go to St Mary's... it doesn't have that big, stressful city life feel, but still it's London.

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Abdulrahman Sheik Yusuf

This degree covers a variety of modules that will prepare you not only for football but also other sports. I have gained experience on professional work placements of my own choice, which the FdSc staff supported me on.

The staff on the FdSc Programme are the best practitioners I have come across they make you feel at home and provide you with opportunities to reach your full potential by individualising student learning. The staff on the FdSc Programme always go above and beyond I can't thank them enough for delivering a fantastic student experience.

The qualities and experience that I have gained from this degree have helped me develop holistically and ensured I am equipped with the correct skill sets to deal with the high demands in the sports industry.

How the degree is taught

Teaching methods

You'll be taught on our beautiful and historic campus located in Twickenham, London.

We place a strong emphasis on developing skills that will be essential in the work place and further study. Most courses are taught through lectures, workshops, practical exercises, screenings, field trips and small group discussions, with an emphasis on developing your communication skills and the ability to express your ideas with confidence.

You will also be taught by both academic specialists and industry professionals. We offer exciting study trips and opportunities for work experience in the media and creative industries.

Most classes range from around 15 to 40 students. Seminars will have a maximum of around 20 students.

Teaching breakdown

Learning on the course is made up through a combination of:

Contact time: 20%
Work-based learning: 2%
Guided learning: 33%
Independent study: 45%

Independent study is a key feature of your degree and is crucial to furthering your knowledge.

You will receive your timetable a week before teaching is due to start at the latest.

Assessment methods

We assess your work in a variety of ways. These usually include essays, portfolios of work, research reports and blogs. We also assess group work including presentations, films and other practical projects.

Feedback

We adhere to the university’s policy of providing feedback on assessments within three weeks.

See how your final degree mark is calculated...

Compensated passes

Please refer to the information on compensated passes throughout your degree as outlined in the academic regulations.

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Facilities

View all facilities

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Fees and funding

2023/24 fees

Home: £9,250
International: £14,850

*Please note: these fees are annual and may increase in line with inflation each year subject to the Governments review of Higher Education Funding

Information about tuition fees, student loans and funding your studies can be found within our fees and funding section.

Additional costs

Your tuition fees will cover the cost of all mandatory elements of your programme.

Additional costs could be incurred depending on optional modules chosen and other projects undertaken.

For further information about additional costs please see our additional costs webpage.

Scholarships

A range of scholarships and bursaries are available to new undergraduate students. This includes:

Living costs

A guide to your living costs has been created by our Student Funding Team.

Accommodation costs vary depending on whether you opt for an en suite room and on-site catering. Take a look at our accommodation options and the prices you can expect to pay.

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Further information

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Visit the campus

Upcoming open days

Meet current students, explore our green campus, and find out why St Mary’s could be the place for you.

You'll also get a chance to:

speak one-on-one with our lecturers
attend talks on the degree programmes that spark your interest
take a tour of our accommodation
view our specialist facilities.

Staff from various teams, including the Student’s Union, Student Funding, and Admissions, will also be around to discuss any questions you may have about studying at St Mary’s.

Book your place now

Campus tours

There are plenty of opportunities for you to explore the campus, even if you can't make it to an Open Day. We run campus tours every Wednesday at 12pm. If you'd like to join us for one of these tours please register your place for your preferred day.

Virtual tour

We know that for it's important to you to see where you'll be living and studying before you make your decision. However, we also know that for many people it's not always easy to make it to the campus.

That's why we've developed a virtual tour of campus, allowing you to explore that facilities and the beautiful views that we have to offer.

Launch the virtual tour

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UCAS Application Timeline

UCAS Apply Opens

You will be able to register and begin your application, but won't yet be able to submit it.

May (year before entry)

Find out more about the application process

Completed applications can be submitted to UCAS

From September you'll be able to submit your UCAS application. Universities will start making decisions on applications.

September (year before entry)

Find out more about the application process

UCAS application deadline

You will need to submit your application by this date.

January 26th

Find out more about the application process

UCAS Extra opens

If you've used all five choices, but are not holding any offers, you might be able to add another choice.

Late February

Find out more about UCAS Extra

Replying to offers

Your deadline for replying to your offers depends on when you received all your decisions by. If you miss your deadline, UCAS will automatically decline all your offers

Spring/Summer

Find out more about the application process

Late applications are entered into Clearing

If your application is received after 30th June, it will be entered into Clearing.

30th June

Find out more about Clearing

UCAS Extra application deadline

If you've used all five choices, but are not holding any offers, this will be your last chance to add an Extra choice.

Early July

Find out more about UCAS Extra

Clearing Opens

Clearing vacancies will be displayed in the UCAS search tool.

Early July

Find out more about Clearing

Clearing hotline opens

On A-Level results day, we open our Clearing hotline. If you're eligible to apply through Clearing, you'll be able to apply to us via phone.

Mid-August

Find out more about Clearing

Adjustment opens

If you've exceeded the conditions of your firm choice, you may be able to apply for an alternative course.

Mid-August

Find out more about the application process

Final application deadline

This is the final opportunity to apply for a course beginning in that year.

September

Find out more about Clearing

Clearing closes

This is your final chance to apply through Clearing. Please note: you will not be able to apply for Primary Education beyond mid-September.

October

Find out more about Clearing

Film BA (Hons)

Your next steps...

Why study Film?

Why St Mary's?

Placement year

Useful information

Course lead

Entry requirements

96-112UCAS points required

Check how many points your grades are worth

International requirements

UCAS Personal statement support

Course content

Year one

Year two

Year three

Career opportunities

How the degree is taught

Teaching methods

Teaching breakdown

Assessment methods

Feedback

Compensated passes

Facilities

Fees and funding

2023/24 fees

Additional costs

Scholarships

Living costs

Further information

Visit the campus

Upcoming open days

Campus tours

Virtual tour

UCAS Application Timeline

UCAS Apply Opens

Completed applications can be submitted to UCAS

UCAS application deadline

UCAS Extra opens

Replying to offers

Late applications are entered into Clearing

UCAS Extra application deadline

Clearing Opens

Clearing hotline opens

Adjustment opens

Final application deadline

Clearing closes

Open Days