Anglia Ruskin University has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework.These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
Course summary
Prepare for a career in many film and cinema-related roles, including film production or post-production, journalism, screenwriting, programming and curation, festival management and public relations on our BA (Hons) Film degree in Cambridge. Learn film theories, film histories and film-making practices by studying a full-time BA (Hons) Film degree at ARU. As a student at ARU, you’ll discover the history of global cinema and study a range of films from the avant-garde to Hollywood blockbusters. As well as learning the fundamental theories of film and how cinema reflects and affects society, you’ll explore the language of film from the perspective of a filmmaker and start to think critically about your creative work. This will be key in the practical side of the course: making your own explorative short films using a various approaches and technologies, including 16mm film. You’ll be trained in all aspects of the craft, including camera operation, sound recording and editing. As the course progresses, our optional modules allow you to further explore your interests or specialise for a particular career, with avenues that also include screenwriting and film journalism. Throughout your BA (Hons) Film degree, you’ll be supported by our team of expert lecturers and a close-knit community of students and graduates. There are opportunities to show your films at the Cambridge Arts Picturehouse and work with a range of external partners. Our links with local and national organisations will help you make contacts and find work placements in the industry. Our recent students have found internships and placements with companies such as the BBC, Cambridge Festival of Ideas, Film & Video Umbrella, Cannes Film Festival, Cambridge Film Festival, Take One magazine, Watersprite Film Festival, CBBC, ITN Productions, London Studios, MTV, New York Film Academy, Pinewood Studios, StudioCanal UK (formerly Optimum Releasing) and Sight & Sound magazine. You can also take an optional placement year. What’s more, you can choose to study abroad as part of your course and get funding to cover the cost. The impact of our Music, Drama, Dance, Performing Arts, and Film & Screen Studies research achieved 'world-leading' in the Research Excellence Framework 2021. Industry-standard facilities As part of your studies at ARU, you’ll have access to all of our creative industries facilities including:
- Film studio with overhead lighting, tracks, dollies and green screen
- Multi-camera television studio with modular set panels and modern set dressing
- Full range of location kit from 4K digital cameras, professional lighting, to Steadicam
- Sound-recording equipment for location filming
- Editing suites with Da Vinci Resolve and the full Adobe Creative Cloud software suite
- Finishing suite with audio monitoring and grading panels
- Aaton Cameras and Steenbeck editors for 16mm film production
- Motion capture equipment
Modules
Year 1 core modules: Interactive Learning Skills and Communication; Information and Communication Technology; Critical Thinking; Intercultural Studies; Ethics; Psychology; Composition and Style; Social Perceptions. Year 2 core modules: Film Language and Concepts; Creative Moving Image; Screenwriting: The Short Film; History of Global Cinema. Year 2 optional modules: Introduction to Filmmaking: Super 8mm, Anglia Language Programme. Year 3 core modules: Theorising Spectatorship; Classical Hollywood Cinema; Documentary Film Theory; Ruskin Module; Filmmakers on film. Year 3 optional modules: Independent Cinema: US and Beyond; 16mm Filmmaking; Non-Fiction Filmmaking; Film Criticism and Reviewing; From Script to Screen; Anglia Language Programme. Year 4 core modules: Special Topics in Film Studies; Gender and Popular Cinema; Research Project in Film and Media. Year 4 optional modules: Screenwriting: Writing and Selling the Feature Film; Narrative in Global Cinema; Professional Practice in Film; Experiments in Film and Moving Image; Film Journalism; Avant-Garde Cinema; Anglia Language Programme; Independent Film Practice. Modules are subject to change and availability.
Assessment method
You won’t take any written exams. Instead, you’ll show your learning through a portfolio of creative work (including short films and film scripts), film reviews, critical essays and oral presentations. You’ll also critically evaluate your creative work, presenting and defending your work in ‘crits’.
How to apply
31Jan
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- WP5H
- Institution code:
- A60
- Campus name:
- Cambridge Campus
- Campus code:
- C
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
5 GCSEs at grade 3, or grade D, or above, (or equivalent) plus evidence of having attempted two years of post GCSE study at level 3. Students who have achieved a minimum of 1 A level (or equivalent), will be exempt from the two year post GCSE requirement (as stated above) but must still hold 5 GCSEs (as stated above). Students without English as their first language will be expected to demonstrate a certificated level of proficiency of at least IELTS 5.5 (Academic level with at least 5.5 in each of the four components) or equivalent English Language qualification, as recognized by Anglia Ruskin University.
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
Go onto work and study
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| England | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9250 | Year 1 |
Additional fee information
https://www.aru.ac.uk/student-life/preparing-for-university/help-with-finances
Provider information
Anglia Ruskin University
East Road
Cambridge
CB1 1PT