Program Overview

Introduction to the Film BA (Hons) Program

The Film BA (Hons) program at the University of Kent is designed for students who are passionate about cinema, film, and visual storytelling. This program allows students to explore their passions and realize their ambitions for a future career in TV, film, and broadcasting.

Program Overview

The Film BA (Hons) program is a three-year full-time course that combines hands-on creative practice with rigorous academic study in a truly interdisciplinary environment. Students will develop skills in directing, screenwriting, cinematography, editing, sound design, film analysis, curation, film programming, and marketing.

Course Structure

The program is divided into three stages, each with its own set of compulsory and optional modules.

Stage 1

• Film Theory: This module tackles big questions about film and introduces students to the systematic exploration of film offered by film theory.
• Film Histories: This module explores the historical, cultural, political, and economic determinants of film histories and considers their influence within domestic and international contexts.
• Film Style: This module helps students understand how films tell stories and why they move or excite us.
• Film & Media Practice #1: This module introduces students to moving image production and the principles of audiovisual language.
• Film & Media Practice #2: This module expands students' practice-based and technical skills, allowing them to produce various forms of narrative-based and non-fiction creative outputs.

Stage 2

• Screenwriting: This module offers an introduction to the concepts, terms, and skills involved in writing screenplays and to the craft of screenwriting.
• Documentary Filmmaking: This module introduces students to the essential components of non-fiction filmmaking through practical exercises and analysis of film texts.
• World Cinema: This module studies the historical, cultural, political, and economic determinants of 'world' or 'national' cinemas and considers their influence within domestic and international contexts.
• Optional modules may include:
  • Disability and the Arts
  • Psychology of the Arts
  • Cinematography
  • Hollywood Studios
  • Sound, Music and Cinema
  • Podcasting
  • Social Media and Digital Platforms
  • Video Gaming: Play and Players
  • Genre Filmmaking

Stage 3

• Film, Politics & Identity: This module focuses on the vital aspect of cinema, exploring how film feeds into and explores identities and the political implications of this.
• Optional modules may include:
  • Directing Theatre, Staging Ideas
  • Arts Internship
  • Film & TV Adaptation
  • Film Criticism
  • Film Marketing and Distribution
  • Microbudget Filmmaking
  • Screen Space and Location Scouting
  • Specialist Areas in Film Studies
  • Factual Entertainment
  • Fans and Fandom
  • Media, Gender and Sexuality
  • Stars and Celebrity Culture

Teaching and Assessment

Teaching involves lectures, small group seminars, and film screenings in the university's dedicated cinema. Collaborative work-based projects mirror real-world production environments, developing essential skills in teamwork, project management, and creative problem-solving. Industry experts contribute to the curriculum through guest lectures, masterclasses, and workshops.

Assessment is split between exams and coursework, with some modules assessed entirely by coursework. Coursework varies from essays to films, documentaries, or video essays, and through digital portfolios.

Entry Requirements

• Typical offer: 104-120 UCAS points
• A level: BBB
• BTEC Nationals: DMM
• International Baccalaureate: 120 tariff points
• International Foundation Programme: Pass
• T level: The University will consider applicants holding T level qualifications in subjects closely aligned to the course.
• Access to HE Diploma: Obtain Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 credits at Level 3 with 24 credits at Distinction and 21 credits at Merit.

Fees and Funding

• Tuition fees for 2026 entry:
  • UK: Ł9,790
  • International: Ł23,500
• Fees for year in industry: Ł1,905
• Fees for year abroad: Ł1,430

Career Prospects

Graduates of this course are well-prepared to navigate and contribute to a rapidly evolving media and cultural landscape. Recent graduates have gone on to work in film and TV production, arts organizations, film and TV archives, film marketing and distribution, business, and local government.

Why Study at Kent?

• Join the student film society to connect with other film fanatics outside of your course.
• Visit the on-campus cinema and theatre, the Gulbenkian Arts Centre, which has its own cinema and theatre with film screenings and performances that are open to the public.
• Learn from creators and makers who are working practitioners with their own specialist areas of interest.
• Connect with industry professionals through guest lectures, workshops, and placements.