About This Course
This course allows you to combine practice, critical and creative work. You will acquire advanced knowledge and skills in digital production, screenwriting, directing and develop your understanding of film, moving image and broader film culture. You will analyse and reflect on film and documentary. Practice-based learning framed by the study of film concepts and current industrial practices will encourage you to become creative and critical practitioners with highly developed audio-visual literacy – valuable employability skills for the media and creative industries sector.
If you’re always wanted to turn that film that’s in your head into a reality, or develop a deeper understanding about how films tell our stories, then this is the degree for you. This exciting course will provide you with all the tools and knowledge that you will need to make a profession of your passion and forge a career in film.
Our Film degree will provide a theoretical grounding and historical understanding of visual culture, as well as equip you with a broad range of production skills within different areas of the media, including documentary filmmaking, screenwriting and short film production.
This course will also equip you with a solid grounding in the technical and practical skills required to make you a sought-after professional in these fields.
Lecturers who teach on the Film Studies degree have a range of interests including American Cinema, British and European film, gender, the body and film, film and history, digital technology and film, screenwriting, film-making, media and film in Wales, acting and performing, language and film, blogging and podcasting, computer games and film, film stars and film on television. Many members of staff in the School are practising professionals and consultants.
The school is also home to a dynamic and vibrant community of professionals and students who want to make and study films. Nestled in a breath-taking location between the Snowdonia National Park and the Irish Sea, Bangor’s location has brought HBO, Netflix, the BBC, S4C and a host of a major film companies to shoot here. Recent productions include Watchmen at Penrhyn Castle or The Crown in Caernarfon Castle.
Bangor is the site for a range of Creative Industries conferences, video conferences and events. It is a regular site for visiting creative writers, film-makers, journalists, designers, dramatists, new media makers and more.
Why choose Bangor University for this course?
- A flexible degree structure balancing subject breadth with opportunities to specialise in film history, theory, screenwriting, film music or film production.
- A dynamic, creative and professional learning experience - working closely with world-leading scholars and practising industry professionals and consultants.
- Excellent facilities, including a fully equipped media centre with editing suites and the latest 4K digital filmmaking equipment.
- Opportunities to gain practical experience helping organising events, including screenings, film festivals and special events.
Additional Course Options
This course is available with a Placement Year option where you will study for 1 additional year. The Placement Year is undertaken at the end of the second year and students are away for the whole of the academic year.
The Placement Year provides you with a fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizons and develop valuable skills and contacts through working with a self-sourced organisation relevant to your degree subject. The minimum period in placement (at one or more locations) is seven calendar months; more usually you would spend 10-12 months with a placement provider. You would normally start sometime in the period June to September of your second year and finish between June and September the following year. Placements can be UK-based or overseas and you will work with staff to plan and finalise the placement arrangements.
You will be expected to find and arrange a suitable placement to complement your degree and will be fully supported throughout by a dedicated member of staff at your academic School and the University’s Careers and Employability Services.
You will have the opportunity to fully consider this option when you have started your course at Bangor and can make an application for a transfer onto this pathway at the appropriate time. Read more about the work experience opportunities that may be available to you or, if you have any questions, please get in touch.
This course is available with an International Experience Year option where you will study or work abroad for 1 additional year. You will have ‘with International Experience’ added to your degree title on graduating.
Studying abroad is a great opportunity to see a different way of life, learn about new cultures and broaden your horizons. With international experience of this kind, you’ll really improve your career prospects. There are a wide variety of destinations and partner universities to choose from. If you plan to study in a country where English is not spoken natively, there may be language courses available for you at Bangor and in your host university to improve your language skills.
You will have the opportunity to fully consider this option at any time during your degree at Bangor and make your application. If you have any questions in the meantime, please get in touch.
Read more about the International Experience Year programme and see the studying or working abroad options on the Student Exchanges section of our website.
Course Content
Film studies at Bangor is unique in its close integration of academic and theoretical approaches with hands-on creative practice, giving students in the School the opportunity at all levels to combine a study of their chosen field with practice-based outcomes in film and media/digital media production. Film Studies at Bangor offers a balance of practical and analytical tasks, so as well as lectures, seminars, and essays, practical modules will give you a chance to get out of the classroom and into the field.
The aim of this course is to give you the confidence, critical skills, strategic acumen, adaptability and potential to thrive in a range of media work environments, as well as the opportunity to perform a wide variety of creative tasks and build a broad production portfolio.
Media Practice modules concentrate on three key areas: studio production, single camera filming and editing, and radio production. Practical modules will be assessed both on the practical output and on the individual’s ability to reflect critically on their practice. Modules on film theory, film and culture, visual culture, analysing film and documentary are assessed by exam and assignment and frequently also offer the opportunity to submit practical work as an element of assessment.
As you progress through the degree, much of your study will be done in small teaching groups with an emphasis on learning both group work skills and the ability to carry a piece of work through yourself from initial concept to completion.
The skills you will learn on these module will give you the confidence and self-reliance to succeed in a competitive field.
Modules for the current academic year
Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on the Film Studies and Production BA (Hons) Modules page.
Course content is for guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.
Course Costs
General University Costs
Home (UK) students
- The cost of a full-time undergraduate course is £9,000 per year (2021/22 entry and 2022/23 entry).
- The fee for all placement, international, and sandwich years is £1,350 (2021/22 and 2022/23).
- More information on fees and finance for Home (UK) students.
International (including EU) students
Additional Costs
There are also some common additional costs that are likely to arise for students on all courses, for example:
- If you choose to study abroad or take the International Experience Year as part of your course.
- If you attend your Graduation Ceremony, there will be a cost for gown hire (£25-£75) and cost for additional guest tickets (c.£12 each).
Course-specific additional costs
Depending on the course you are studying, there may be additional course-specific costs that you will be required to meet. These fall into three categories:
- Mandatory Costs: these are related to a particular core or compulsory module that you’ll be required to complete to achieve your qualification e.g. compulsory field trips, uniforms for students on placement, DBS Check.
- Necessarily Incurred Costs: these may not be experienced by all students, and will vary depending on the course e.g. professional body membership, travel to placements, specialist software, personal safety equipment.
- Optional Costs: these depend on your choice of modules or activity and they are shown to give you an indication of the optional costs that may arise to make sure your choice is as informed as possible. These can include graduation events for your course, optional field trips, Welcome Week trips.
Entry Requirements
Offers are tariff based, 96 - 128 tariff points from a Level 3 qualification* e.g.:
- A Levels: General Studies and Key Skills not normally accepted.
- BTEC National Extended Diploma: MMM - DDM
- Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma: MMM- DDM
- City & Guilds Advanced Technical Extended Diploma (1080): considered on a case-by-case basis
- International Baccalaureate Diploma: accepted
- Access: pass required
- Welsh Baccalaureate: We will accept this qualification in conjunction with other level 3 qualifications
- T Levels: T Levels in a relevant subject considered on a case-by-case basis
- Extended Project Qualification: Points can include a relevant Extended Project (EPQ) but must include a minimum 2 full A-levels, or equivalent.
We are happy to accept combinations of the qualifications listed above, as well as alternative Level 3 qualifications such as City & Guilds, Access and Cambridge Technical Diplomas.
We also welcome applications from mature learners.
International Candidates: International Candidates: school leaving qualifications that are equivalent to A levels/Level 3 and/or college diplomas are accepted from countries worldwide (subject to minimum English Language requirements). More information can be found on our International pages.
*For a full list of accepted Level 3 qualifications, go to www.ucas.com.
General University Requirements
To study for a degree, you’ll be asked for a minimum of UCAS Tariff points. For a fuller explanation of the UCAS Tariff Points, please see www.ucas.com.
We accept students with a wide range of qualifications and backgrounds and consider each application individually.
All students need to have good basic skills and the University also values IT and communication skills.
As part of the University’s policy, we consider applications from prospective disabled students on the same grounds as all other students.
We also consider applications from mature students who can demonstrate the motivation and commitment to study a university programme. Each year we enrol a significant number of mature students. For more information about studying as a mature student, see our Studying at Bangor section of the website.
EU and International Students' Entry Requirements
For detailed guidance on the entry requirements for EU and International Students, including the minimum English Language entry requirement, please visit the Entry Requirements by Country pages. International applicants can also visit the International Education Centre section of our website for further details.
Bangor University offers International Incorporated Bachelor Degrees for International students whose High School qualification is not equivalent to the UK school leaving qualification. The first year (or Year 0) is studied at Bangor University International College, an embedded College on our University campus and delivered by Oxford International Education Group.
Careers
Studying film and theatre at Bangor can be your launchpad to a great career. We have excellent links with theatre companies, newspapers and the television industry.
Bangor film graduates work in the development and production of feature films and television, with credits like HBO (Watchmen Series), Doctor Dolittle, BBC, SKY, ITV, S4C, Channel 4 and international independent productions. Their has been recognised by awards from BAFTA and the Royal Television Society and has screened at world-class festivals, secured development from the BFI and BAFTA, and been published in titles like DETAILS, The Guardian. Student placements have included BBC, S4C, International Feature Films, Wales International Documentary Festival, Sheffield Documentary Festival, and Llangollen International Festival.
Our graduates have gone on to work in a range of roles, including: performance and the theatre (both on and behind the stage); creative writing; professional writing and publishing; print and/or broadcast journalism; as actors, presenters and in television programme production; advertising and marketing; radio (as presenters as well as in programme production); digital, web and new media production; multi-media industries; teaching; lecturing; and public relations.
Opportunities at Bangor
The University’s Careers and Employability Service provides a wide range of resources to help you achieve your graduate ambitions.
The Bangor Employability Award (BEA)
The BEA is a comprehensive online course that you can work through at your own pace, taking you through all the steps you need to take to explore, prepare and apply for your dream career.
Internships
Bangor University runs a paid internship scheme within the university’s academic and service departments.
Student Volunteering
Volunteering widens your experience and improves your employability. Find out more about volunteering on the Students’ Union’s website.
Foundation Year
A 'with Foundation Year' option is available for this course. Apply for Media Studies and Production (with Foundation Year).
What is a Foundation Year course?
If you don’t have the required qualifications for the degree-level course or are looking to re-enter education after time away from study, then a Foundation Year Programme might be the right choice for you.
The Foundation Year is an excellent introduction to studying this subject at university and will provide you with the knowledge, skills and confidence required to go on to study this course at degree-level.
When you have successfully completed the Foundation Year, you can progress on to the first year of this degree-level course.
