Program Overview

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Film, Visual Culture and Arts Management

Overview

We live in an increasingly visual world. Images have both power and currency in contemporary society, and play a central role in shaping the world around us. From TV and advertising to social media and film, images form a part of our everyday lives. The MLitt in Film, Visual Culture and Arts Management develops your critical skills to both sort through and contextualise the images surrounding us. This programme offers hands-on, real-life experience to prepare you for future study or work in the world of images.

Study Information

Study Options

• Learning Mode: On Campus Learning
• Degree Qualification: MLitt, PgCert or PgDip
• Duration: 4 months, 9 months, 12 months or 24 months
• Study Mode: Full Time or Part Time
• Start Month: September or January

Programme Fees

Fee Category	Cost
EU / International students	£23,000
UK	£11,100

Semester 1

You will take the core course in Film and Visual Culture: FS5022 Research Methods in Film and Visual Culture along with EL5096 Public Engagement for the Arts. These courses will introduce you to the main methods to approach both research and practice in the arts, and methods for engaging the wider public in arts and cultural events. It involves projects and assessments that prepare you for real work in the industry, as well as further research.

Compulsory Courses

• Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD5006)
• Critical Skills: Reading and Engagement (PD50C2)
• Research Methods in Film and Visual Culture (FS5022)

Optional Courses

• EL50D2 Fundamentals of English Language (30 credit points)
• MU5016 Contemporary Issues in Aesthetics (30 credit points)
• Museums and the Digital World (AT5050)
• The Novel: Environments and Encounters (EL50C5)
• Work - Based Placement in Film, Visual Culture, Music (FS5032)
• MLitt Special Study in Film and Visual Culture (FS5026)

Semester 2

You will take the core course in Film and Visual Culture: FS5527: Projects in Film and Visual Culture and one option course. Normally the optional course will be FS5525 Work-based Placement in Film and Visual Culture, offering you first-hand experience working in the field, or FS5526 Special Study in Film and Visual Culture, where you will either develop your own project or reflect on your own current practice if you are already working in the industry.

Compulsory Courses

• Critical Skills: Research and Dissemination (PD55C1)
• Projects in Film and Visual Culture (FS5527)

Optional Courses

• FS5532 Work-based placement in Film, Visual Culture, Music (30 credit points) (cannot be taken if FS5032 is chosen)
• EL55C7 Infinite Scotlands: Scotland and the Literary Imagination (30 credit points)
• The Museum Idea (AT5526)
• Public Engagement for Arts (EL5596)
• Places and Environments: Critical Dialogues (EL55D3)
• Documentary Theory and Practice (FS5533)
• MLitt Special Study in Film and Visual Culture (FS5526)
• Work - Based Placement in Film, Visual Culture, Music (FS5532)

Semester 3

Over the summer you will undertake a dissertation in Film and Visual Culture. This can be a research paper, a reflective research paper combined with a work-based placement, or a research-led practice-based project, such as a film, exhibition, or other arts project.

Compulsory Courses

• Dissertation in Film and Visual Culture (FS5902)

Programme Fees (January Start)

Fee Category	Cost
EU / International students	£23,000
UK	£11,100

Semester 1 (January Start)

Those starting the degree in January should be advised that they will complete the dissertation over the summer and finish the programme with the Semester 3 selection of courses. Taught courses do not run in the summer. Students wishing to do their dissertation at the end of the programme should consider starting their study from September.

You will take the core course in Film and Visual Culture: FS5527: Projects in Film and Visual Culture and one option course. Normally the optional course will be FS5525 Work-based Placement in Film and Visual Culture, offering you first-hand experience working in the field, or FS5526 Special Study in Film and Visual Culture, where you will either develop your own project or reflect on your own current practice if you are already working in the industry.

Compulsory Courses

• Projects in Film and Visual Culture (FS5527)
• Critical Skills: Research and Dissemination (PD55C1)
• Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD5506)

Optional Courses

• EL55C7 Infinite Scotlands: Scotland and the Literary Imagination (30 credit points)
• The Museum Idea (AT5526)
• Public Engagement for Arts (EL5596)
• Places and Environments: Critical Dialogues (EL55D3)
• Documentary Theory and Practice (FS5533)
• Work - Based Placement in Film, Visual Culture, Music (FS5532)
• MLitt Special Study in Film and Visual Culture (FS5526)

Semester 2 (January Start)

Over the summer you will undertake a dissertation in Film and Visual Culture. This can be a research paper, a reflective research paper combined with a work-based placement, or a research-led practice-based project, such as a film, exhibition, or other arts project.

Compulsory Courses

• Dissertation in Film and Visual Culture (FS5902)

Semester 3 (January Start)

Compulsory Courses

• Research Methods in Film and Visual Culture (FS5022)
• Critical Skills: Reading and Engagement (PD50C2)

Optional Courses

• MU5016 Contemporary Issues in Aesthetics (30 credit points)
• EL50D2 Fundamentals of English Language (30 credit points)
• Museums and the Digital World (AT5050)
• The Novel: Environments and Encounters (EL50C5)
• MLitt Special Study in Film and Visual Culture (FS5026)
• Work - Based Placement in Film, Visual Culture, Music (FS5032)

Programme Fees (PgDip)

Fee Category	Cost
EU / International students	£15,335
UK	£7,385

Stage 1 (PgDip)

Compulsory Courses

• Projects in Film and Visual Culture (FS5527)
• Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD5506)
• Critical Skills: Research and Dissemination (PD55C1)

Optional Courses

• EL55C7 Infinite Scotlands: Scotland and the Literary Imagination (30 credit points)
• The Museum Idea (AT5526)
• Public Engagement for Arts (EL5596)
• Places and Environments: Critical Dialogues (EL55D3)
• Documentary Theory and Practice (FS5533)
• Work - Based Placement in Film, Visual Culture, Music (FS5532)
• MLitt Special Study in Film and Visual Culture (FS5526)

Stage 2 (PgDip)

Compulsory Courses

• Research Methods in Film and Visual Culture (FS5022)
• Critical Skills: Reading and Engagement (PD50C2)

Optional Courses

• MU5016 Contemporary Issues in Aesthetics (30 credit points)
• EL50D2 Fundamentals of English Language (30 credit points)
• Museums and the Digital World (AT5050)
• The Novel: Environments and Encounters (EL50C5)
• MLitt Special Study in Film and Visual Culture (FS5026)
• Work - Based Placement in Film, Visual Culture, Music (FS5032)

Programme Fees (PgCert)

Fee Category	Cost
EU / International students	£7,670
UK	£3,695

Semester 1 (PgCert)

Compulsory Courses

• Projects in Film and Visual Culture (FS5527)
• Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD5506)
• Critical Skills: Research and Dissemination (PD55C1)

Optional Courses

• EL55C7 Infinite Scotlands: Scotland and the Literary Imagination (30 credit points)
• The Museum Idea (AT5526)
• Public Engagement for Arts (EL5596)
• Places and Environments: Critical Dialogues (EL55D3)
• Documentary Theory and Practice (FS5533)
• Work - Based Placement in Film, Visual Culture, Music (FS5532)
• MLitt Special Study in Film and Visual Culture (FS5526)

Available Programmes of Study

• MLitt
• PgDip
• PgCert

Funding Opportunities

The SFC Postgraduate tuition fee scholarship may be available for those classified as Home/EU fee status students for this programme.

Scholarships

All eligible self-funded international Postgraduate Masters students starting in September 2025 will receive an £8,000 scholarship.

Careers

As well as providing research training to enable students to go on to pursue an academic career, this programme will also be of interest to those wishing to follow a career in arts management, curating, film and television, and related fields.

Career Opportunities

• Arts Manager
• Community Arts Work
• Festival Organisation
• Film Producer
• Public Engagement
• Web Developer

Entry Requirements

• Students are normally required to have a good 2.1 degree (or its equivalent) in a subject relevant to Film and Visual Culture, such as Anthropology, Art History, English, Film Studies, Media Studies, Modern Languages, Sociology or Theatre Studies, OR, an undergraduate degree plus relevant professional experience in the arts and humanities industry.

English Language Requirements

• IELTS Academic: OVERALL - 6.5 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 6.0; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0
• TOEFL iBT: OVERALL - 90 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 21; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21
• PTE Academic: OVERALL - 62 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59
• Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency: OVERALL - 176 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 169; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169

Document Requirements

• Degree Transcript
• Personal Statement

International Applicants

Additional details for international applicants, including information specific to your country or territory, are available here.