Undergraduate Course
BA (Hons) Film Studies and Literature
Overview
The details
Film Studies and Literature
QW26
October 2026
Full-time
What is the BA Film Studies and Literature?
The BA Film Studies and Literature is a three-year degree, extendable to four with an optional placement or study abroad year.
You’ll explore the relationship between literature and cinema, examining how stories are created, adapted and experienced across different media. Combining the study of world literature with global cinema, you'll develop critical, creative and analytical skills while exploring the cultural, historical and social impact of both literary and film traditions. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
Why this course
The BA Film Studies and Literature brings together two complementary subjects, allowing you to explore how stories evolve across novels, poetry, drama and film. You'll discover how literary and cinematic traditions influence one another while developing a global understanding of culture, history and visual storytelling. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Learn from award-winning filmmakers, novelists, poets and internationally recognised academics whose research shapes contemporary thinking across literature, film and media. Their expertise brings together critical scholarship and creative practice, giving you fresh perspectives on both subjects. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
Alongside studying influential literary texts and world cinema, you'll have opportunities to develop practical filmmaking skills through optional production modules. From planning and filming through to editing, you'll gain first-hand experience of the creative process while strengthening your understanding of film as both an art form and an industry. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
Add a placement year or study abroad to broaden your academic experience, develop professional skills and gain valuable international perspectives.
By the end of your degree, you'll have developed outstanding analytical, research, communication and creative thinking skills, preparing you for careers across the creative industries, media, publishing, education and many other graduate professions. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
Who should apply
- Students who enjoy both literature and film and want to explore how stories work across different media
- Creative and critical thinkers interested in culture, storytelling and visual media
- Students who want to combine literary analysis with opportunities to develop practical filmmaking skills
- Anyone looking for a degree that develops transferable skills valued across the creative industries and beyond
What you'll learn
- World literature: Explore influential texts from different cultures, historical periods and literary traditions
- Film studies: Examine global cinema, film history, genres, theory and visual storytelling
- Adaptation and narrative: Investigate how stories move between literature and film, and how different media shape meaning
- Creative practice: Develop practical filmmaking skills through optional production modules
- Critical analysis and research: Build advanced communication, research and analytical skills through the study of texts, films and cultural contexts
Your learning experience
- Optional study abroad year: Spend a year at one of our partner universities and experience another culture with the Study Abroad programme
- Optional placement year: Gain professional experience in a business or organisation with university support from Placements at Essex
- Practical filmmaking opportunities: Develop production skills through optional filmmaking modules, from concept development to editing and post-production
- Expert teaching: Learn from award-winning filmmakers, novelists, poets and internationally recognised researchers
- Specialist facilities: Access HD cameras, professional editing facilities, a dedicated film theatre, research seminars and literary events across the department
Careers and outcomes
A BA Film Studies and Literature degree can prepare you for careers in sectors and roles such as:
- Film and television: Production, development, film programming, distribution and broadcasting
- Publishing and writing: Editorial, publishing, literary agencies, copywriting and content creation
- Media and communications: Journalism, marketing, public relations and digital communications
- Arts and cultural organisations: Film festivals, museums, galleries, libraries and heritage organisations
- Education and research: Teaching, postgraduate study and academic research
- Creative industries: Independent filmmaking, arts management and cultural consultancy
Employers of graduates from this course
Graduates from this course have progressed to careers across the creative and cultural sectors, including organisations such as:
- Sky
- Film and television production companies
- Publishing houses and media organisations
- Museums, galleries and cultural institutions
- Schools, colleges and universities
Why we're great.
- We provide a global approach to the study of film in a distinctive and vibrant academic community.
- 11th for cinematics in the UK (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026).
- You have access to HD cameras, extensive editing facilities, a film library and a dedicated cinema.
Course content
Components and modules explained
Components
Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose.
Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.
| Status | What this means |
| Core |
You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted. |
| Core with Options |
You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted. |
| Compulsory |
You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail. |
| Compulsory with Options |
You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail. |
| Optional |
You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail. |
The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.
Modules
Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits.
In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available.
Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code. For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:
| HR | 100 | 4 | FY |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The department or school the module will be taught by. In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History. |
The module number. |
The UK academic level of the module. A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course. A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules. A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification. |
The term the module will be taught in.
|
COMPONENT 01: COMPULSORY
The Humanities Graduate: Future Pathways
(15 CREDITS)
This interdisciplinary module serves several functions. Firstly, you will develop an understanding of your degree in the context of the wider world and specifically the graduate jobs market. You will come to understand the employability and career-development opportunities that are available to you during and after your time at Essex, and you will begin the life-long process of continuous professional development with a firm grounding in the practical skills and reflective practice involved. The module is divided into two parts: career-development learning; and Speaker Weeks, when a member of staff will interview guest speakers about their careers in fields that are allied to the arts and humanities. These will cover a range of career areas that may be of interest to humanities graduates in general: from media, arts, journalism, education, publishing, to entrepreneurship in related areas. These weeks are intended to be inspiring but also full of practical tips and ideas, with an emphasis on showing how careers develop over time, and what pathways students can explore to get to where they want to be; as well as what kinds of extra-curricular activities students can engage in now to open more doors professionally before and after graduation. In the career-development learning part of the module, you will cover topics such as the Graduate Labour market, the Humanities graduate, self-reflection and personal development, and how to research and apply effectively for jobs. Skills such as CV writing and interview technique will be covered. Two-hour interactive lecture/seminars will introduce students to careers resources and ideas, but will also include discussion and group work.
View The Humanities Graduate: Future Pathways on our Module Directory
COMPONENT 02: COMPULSORY
Origins and Transformations in Literature and Drama
(30 CREDITS)
Which writers re-worked Homer’s Odyssey? Or borrowed ideas from Dante’s Inferno? Examine how key literary texts and genres have been used by successive generations of writers up until the present day. Shift from classical text to a more modern example, studying the long cultural traditions that exist.
View Origins and Transformations in Literature and Drama on our Module Directory
COMPONENT 03: COMPULSORY
Approaches to Film and Media
(30 CREDITS)
How do we analyse moving images? What innovations have transformed the cinema experience? What moments and movements have been key to film history? Study the development of international cinema, looking at all aspects of the form, including analysis of theoretical issues, film language, and a variety of important directors and genres.
COMPONENT 04: COMPULSORY
Text Up Close: Reading for Criticism
(15 CREDITS)
How do you read a text closely? What is involved in close reading? With emphasis on you to active do the close reading, learn how this approach can contribute to your appreciation of meaning and significance in a diverse range of texts.
View Text Up Close: Reading for Criticism on our Module Directory
COMPONENT 01: COMPULSORY
Criticism: Practice and Theory
(30 CREDITS)
How can texts be read and interpreted using the thinking of Marx? What about Freud or de Saussure? Or Derrida and Said? Study literature, theatre, and film using these key thinkers. Analyse their approaches both historically and institutionally, and understand the importance of theoretical and methodological material to your studies.
Entry requirements
Clearing entry requirements
We currently have places available in Clearing across a range of our courses with most offers expected to be made at CCD - CDD (88 - 80 UCAS tariff points) or equivalent. A complete breakdown of expected Clearing entry requirements, by course, is available on our Clearing entry requirements page.
We consider each application individually and requirements may be lower for some of our courses, so please still get in touch if your grades are below those outlined.
English language requirements
English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English
IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each component, or specified score in an equivalent test that we accept.
Details of English language requirements and the tests we accept for applicants who require a Student visa (excluding Nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries) can be found here
If we accept the English component of an international qualification it will be included in the academic levels listed above for the relevant countries.
Pre-sessional English courses
If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.
Additional Notes
If you’re an international student, but do not meet the academic requirements for direct admission to this degree, you could prepare and gain entry through a pathway course. Find out more about opportunities available to you at the University of Essex International College
Fees and funding
Home/UK fee
£9,790 per year
International fee
£21,500 per year
Fees will increase for each academic year of study.
If your course has the option to include a placement year or study abroad, and you choose to do so, you will pay the following:
Placement year
20% of your standard tuition fee for that year
Study abroad
Full year abroad
15% of your standard tuition fee for that year
Single term abroad
Standard tuition fee
Scholarships and financial support
There may be scholarships, bursaries or discounts available to help with the cost of this course.
Fees and funding guide
What's next
Open Days
Our events are a great way to find out more about studying at Essex. We run a number of Open Days throughout the year which enable you to discover what our campus has to offer. You have the chance to:
- tour our campus and accommodation
- find out answers to your questions about our courses, student finance, graduate employability, student support and more
- meet our students and staff
Check out our Visit Us pages to find out more information about booking onto one of our events. And if the dates aren’t suitable for you, feel free to book a campus tour here.
2026 Open Days (Colchester Campus)
How to apply during Clearing
Once you’ve checked that we have the right course for you, applying couldn’t be simpler. Fill in our quick and easy Clearing application form with as much detail as you can. We’ll then take a look and get back to you with a decision.
If you already hold an offer from Essex
Please don't reapply through Clearing. We'll review your existing application using our Clearing entry requirements. If you're worried about meeting your offer or would like to change course, please contact our Admissions Team on ugquery@essex.ac.uk.
Interviews
We don’t require an interview for most of our courses that are available through Clearing, however there are some courses such as those in our School of Health and Social Care and East 15 Acting School where an interview (or audition) may be required. If this is something that’s required for the course you have applied for, we’ll email you with all of the details.
Visit Colchester Campus
Set within 200 acres of award-winning parkland - Wivenhoe Park and located two miles from the historic city centre of Colchester – England's oldest recorded development. Our Colchester Campus is also easily reached from London and Stansted Airport in under one hour.
Virtual tours
If you live too far away to come to Essex (or have a busy lifestyle), no problem. Our 360-degree virtual tour allows you to explore our University from the comfort of your home. Check out our Colchester virtual tour to see accommodation options, facilities and social spaces.
At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.
The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications. The University would inform and engage with you if your course was to be discontinued, and would provide you with options, where appropriate, in line with our Compensation and Refund Policy.
The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.
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