The published course and module descriptions were accurate when first published and remain the basis of the course, but the University has had to modify some course and module content in response to government restrictions and social distancing requirements
Film Studies: Popular Cinema
MA or PGDip or PGCert
Key facts
Start dates
September 2022 / September 2023
Location
Course length
Full time: MA: 12 months, PGDip: 8months, PGCert: 4 months
Part time: MA: 24 months, PGDip: 3 semesters, PGCert: 2 semesters
Department
Overview
Establish a historically-informed and critically aware understanding of popular cinema and how it reflects and shapes the world we live in.
You’ll develop strong working knowledge of analytical and theoretical contexts. We take an innovative, academically rigorous approach to the analysis of film culture. Areas of study include:
- Digital humanities - analysis of big data to explore cultural responses to cinema
- Scriptwriting and story development
- Narration in classical Hollywood
- Popular European and East Asian cinema.
In your final semester, you will undertake a dissertation on an area of your choice utilising the research skills you’ve gained.
You’ll be taught by an academic team who are leading researchers and widely published across a range of specialisms. Oxford Brookes is home to a rich film culture research community. Industry experts, from technical specialists to leading directors and journalists, contribute directly to the course.

How to apply
Entry requirements
Specific entry requirements
Applicants should normally hold a good honours degree (2.1 or above), or its equivalent, in an Arts and Humanities subject or similar discipline. Previous study of film is desirable but not essential. Selection will be normally made following an interview.
Please also see the University's general entry requirements.
English language requirements
IELTS requirement of 7.0 overall with 6.0 in all components.
Please also see the University's standard English language requirements.
English requirements for visas
If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements as well as the University's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements.
Pathways courses for international and EU students
We offer a range of courses to help you meet the entry requirements for your postgraduate course and also familiarise you with university life in the UK.
Take a Pre-Master's course to develop your subject knowledge, study skills and academic language level in preparation for your master's course.
If you need to improve your English language, we offer pre-sessional English language courses to help you meet the English language requirements of your chosen master’s course.
Terms and Conditions of Enrolment
When you accept our offer, you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.
Application process
Tuition fees
Questions about fees?
Contact Student Finance on:
Tuition fees
Fees quoted are for the first year only. If you are studying a course that lasts longer than one year your fees will increase each year.
Financial support and scholarships
Additional costs
Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course, if any, are detailed below.
The cost of the optional field trip varies, and is not included in tuition fees.
Learning and assessment
Master's students must complete the following:
- two compulsory modules
- two optional modules
- dissertation.
Students taking the postgraduate certificate must complete the following modules:
- Narration in Classical Hollywood Cinema
- Research Methods in Film
- one optional module.

Study modules
The modules listed below are for the master's award. For the PGDip and PGCert awards your module choices may be different. Please contact us for more details.
Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from that shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.
Learning and teaching
Teaching is centred around:
- film screenings
- seminars
- individual tutorials
- intensive writing workshops (in the case of story development).
Field trips
MA students have the opportunity to go on an optional Film trip. In past years, trips have included:
- New York in 2010
- the Berlin Film Festival in 2011-12
- Since 2013, students have been attending the Cannes film festival.
The cost of the trip varies, and is not included in tuition fees.
Research
All Film Studies staff are active researchers publishing widely on subjects such as:
- Italian films and their audiences
- puzzle films
- film theory
- film policy
- film tourism
- visual anthropology.
PhD supervision
Our Film Studies staff have research strengths in:
- film history (with an emphasis on European and British cinema)
- film theory
- Hollywood and independent American cinemas
- film policy
- gender politics.
We can offer PhD supervision in all these areas.
After you graduate
Career prospects
Having a master's qualification helps you to stand out from the crowd, whether you are joining the MA straight after graduating or returning to study after a break of several years.
Our MA will provide you with the skills and knowledge to embark upon a career in the creative and media industries or to improve your current position. However, an MA in Film Studies can also lead to careers in many other sectors, including:
- teaching
- lecturing
- publishing
- arts administration
- journalism
- museum work
- fundraising
- higher education management.
The transferable skills you acquire through studying for an MA also open up wider opportunities in business and law. Many MA students continue onto further research and careers in academia, and our course provides the necessary research training required for doctoral work. Graduates of this course will be well placed to pursue a range of careers within the film industry and academia. Many go on to PhD study, in the UK and abroad. Other examples include cinema programming and marketing, animation, teaching, journalism.
Programme Changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been published on the website.For more information, please visit our Changes to programmes page.