A student operating a  film media camera in a dark background studio room.

Available with:

  • Foundation Year


Course Summary

This course is for students who have a passion for watching and discussing film and for consuming and analysing the media, in all its many forms. Our students look at the way media is constructed for particular audiences, whether that’s a feature film, podcast or television programme.

You will have the opportunity to explore film, television, and other media from a variety of perspectives, examining key moments, movements and events that have impacted and shaped the dynamic creative industries.

Students can study specific directors in film history, to examine Hollywood’s dominance and explore contemporary cinema. You will also explore the role of media in society, its continuing transformation and the rapid development of forms and technologies.

Alongside the theoretical study, you will engage with a variety of practical workshops and sessions to develop creative and technical film and media production skills.

In the final year, students are encouraged to focus on aspects of film and media which they are keen to research independently. This is a great opportunity for students to pursue their own interests and specialism and understand its relevance to a career in the creative industries.

Graduates of this course could enter a range of careers in and beyond the creative industries. This could include working for independent companies or broadcasters and roles such as researchers, editors, or film reviewers.

What you'll Study

The BA Film and Media Studies course contains core modules at each level of study. At Level 4, students are introduced to basic production skills, including camera operation, editing, audio recording and production management. Students develop an understanding of foundational media theories and analytical methods, as applied to a range of media texts. Creativity is at the heart of studies at Level 4 and students have the opportunity to express their ideas and develop them further.

As students move into Level 5, the curriculum builds on those foundational skills, with students engaging with a range of critical approaches to film and media to deepen their knowledge and understanding. Students continue to develop and enhance their production skills, creating a range of digital media products. Students will immerse themselves in the study of global cinemas and engage with key movements and theories.

At Level 6, students hone their theoretical knowledge and critical thinking skills as they continue to broaden and deepen their understanding of films and filmmakers. Students will engage and experiment with new technologies and specialist equipment including the opportunity to produce a short animation. The culmination of this course of study is a large-scale project (written or practice-based) enabling students to pursue their interest in a particular area of creative media, integrating all the knowledge and skills acquired throughout their studies.

The course offers students the opportunity to take an optional experiential module, in which they participate in the fulfilment of a live client brief. Alternatively, students may choose a work-based learning module in which they undertake a placement. Throughout the course, students have the opportunity to contribute to the dedicated online radio station (Chester Student Radio) and/or the website (Chester Student Media) as part of various modules.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

How you'll Learn

This course is delivered in three terms of ten weeks each. In each term, students study 40 credits comprised of either one or two modules. Scheduled contact hours range between approximately 6 and 12 hours per week, depending upon level of study and the complexity of the material being taught. This course is delivered through a mix of in-person and online learning. Students can expect to take part in lectures, workshops, seminars, and tutorials.

Students should expect to spend an average of 30-34 hours per week on independent study which might include:

  • following asynchronous learning material on the University’s VLE
  • tutorial time with staff
  • using the University’s library
  • working with peers
  • and preparing work for assessment.

Teaching will be delivered by experienced academics and practitioners in the subject. This will be supplemented by occasional guest lecturers and speakers.

There will be a broad range of assessment methods so that students are exposed to the different types of task they might encounter in the workplace. Indicative assessment includes:

  • portfolios
  • essays
  • reflective logs
  • and presentations.

We continuously review the assessment methods used in order that they adequately prepare students for graduate-level employment.

All teaching is delivered by experienced academics and practitioners, with the fundamental principles of the Chester Future Skills Curriculum at its core - building your subject competence, confidence, and key transferable skills to shape you into a world-ready Chester graduate.

Study a Common First Year

This course shares a common first year with students on the Media and TV Production course.

This means that you’ll learn alongside students studying a similar discipline, helping to broaden your knowledge and exposure to other concepts, perspectives and professions in the first year of your degree.

As you learn and collaborate with students from other courses, you'll not only widen your social and professional network but also learn new skills that will set you up for success in your industry.

In your second and third years, you will progress to studying more specialist modules within film and media, developing your skills to become a World Ready graduate.

Entry requirements

104UCAS points

UCAS Tariff

104 points

GCE A Level

Typical offer – CCC-BCC

BTEC

BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM

International Baccalaureate

26 points

Irish / Scottish Highers

Irish Highers: H3 H3 H3 H4 H4

Scottish Highers: BBBB

Access requirements

Access to HE Diploma, to include 45 credits at level 3, of which 30 must be at Merit or above

T Level

T Level with a Pass grade and C or above in the core

OCR Cambridge Technicals

OCR Extended Diploma: DMM

Extra Information

Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer. We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs.

Applicants will be required to attend an interview/workshop day.

Students from countries outside the UK are expected to have entry qualifications roughly equivalent to UK A Level for undergraduate study and British Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) for postgraduate study. To help you to interpret these equivalents, please click on your country of residence to see the corresponding entry qualifications, along with information about your local representatives, events, information and contacts.

We accept a wide range of qualifications and consider all applications individually on merit. We may also consider appropriate work experience.

English Language Requirements

  • IELTS Academic: Undergraduate: 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in each band)
  • Postgraduate: 6.5 (minimum 5.5 in each band)

For more information on our entry requirements, please visit International Entry Requirements.

72UCAS points

UCAS Tariff

72 points

GCE A level

72 points overall, including grade D in A level

BTEC

BTEC Extended Diploma: MMP

International Baccalaureate

24 points

Irish / Scottish Highers

Irish Highers: H4 H4 H4 H4 H4

Scottish Highers: CCDD

Access requirements

Access to HE Diploma – Pass overall

T Level

T Level: Pass (D or E on the core)

OCR Cambridge Technicals

OCR Extended Diploma: MMP

Extra Information

Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer.  We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs.

If you are a mature student (21 or over) and have been out of education for a while or do not have experience or qualifications at Level 3 (equivalent to A Levels), then our Foundation Year courses will help you to develop the skills and knowledge you will need to succeed in your chosen degree. 

Fees and funding

£9,250per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

Our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for Home students entering University in 2025/26 are £9,250 a year, or £1,540 per 20-credit module for part-time study.

The University may increase these fees at the start of each subsequent year of your course in line with inflation at that time, as measured by the Retail Price Index. These fee levels and increases are subject to any necessary government, and other regulatory, approvals.

Students from the UK, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey and the Republic of Ireland are treated as Home students for tuition fee purposes.

Students from countries in the European Economic Area and the EU will pay International Tuition Fees.

Students who have been granted Settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans.

Students who have been granted Pre-settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans.

The tuition fees for international students studying Undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 are £13,950. 

This fee is set for each year of study. All undergraduate students are eligible for international and merit-based scholarships which are applicable to each year of study.  

For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section.

Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes. 

Your course will involve additional costs not covered by your tuition fees. This may include books, printing, photocopying, educational stationery and related materials, specialist clothing, travel to placements, optional field trips and software. Compulsory field trips are covered by your tuition fees. 

If you are living away from home during your time at university, you will need to cover costs such as accommodation, food, travel and bills.

The University of Chester supports fair access for students who may need additional support through a range of bursaries and scholarships. 

Full details, as well as terms and conditions for all bursaries and scholarships can be found on the Fees and Finance section of our website.

Who you'll Learn from

Dr Katie Barnett

Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for BA Film and Media Studies and BA Media and Television Production
A dark grey silhouette on a light grey background

Dr Mark Duffett

Associate Professor
Dr Mark Duffett

Dr Pamela Barnes

Programme Leader for BA Acting
Pamela Barnes

Caroline Ford

Senior Lecturer - Division of Communication, Screen & Performance
Caroline Ford

Mark Hannaby

Senior Lecturer in Journalism
Mark Hannaby

Where you'll Study Creative Campus, Kingsway, Chester

Your Future Career

Job Prospects

Graduates of this course could enter a range of careers in and beyond the creative industries. This could include working for independent companies or broadcasters and pursuing a diverse range of roles such as researchers, editors or film reviewers. Students could also pursue postgraduate studies.

Careers service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.