COURSE CURRICULUM

In the first year of the program, students are introduced to key debates in film studies and English literature while developing the necessary analytical skills to interpret various media and literary texts. This year focuses on helping students refine their critical thinking and reading abilities, allowing them to approach material with a scholarly perspective. Modules such as Doing Film History explore the historical evolution of cinema, considering the technological, industrial, and socio-political changes that shaped it. Analysing Film focuses on film form, including cinematography, editing, sound, and mise-en-scène, while World Cinemas introduces global cinema and its cultural, political, and economic influences. In literature, students engage with modules like Reading Literature in History, which teaches students how to analyze texts through historical lenses, and Slow Reading, which encourages in-depth, sustained analysis of a literary text. Writing Across Borders addresses the global spread of the English language, exploring how English has adapted through history and been shaped by colonization and cultural exchange.In the second year, students deepen their film theory knowledge with modules like Key Concepts in Film Theory, which covers key theoretical approaches to film including feminist, queer, and race theory, as well as post-modern and post-structuralist perspectives. Adaptation: Cross-Media Transformations examines how literary works are adapted into other media such as film, radio, and digital gaming. Students also have the opportunity to specialize in literature, taking modules related to historical English literature or exploring careers in the creative industries. Placements are also available for hands-on experience.The third year focuses on specialization, where students draw on expertise from leading academics to explore topics ranging from Shakespeare to science fiction, and further develop their research skills through a dissertation. The Researching Contemporary Media Cultures module helps students prepare for independent research, consolidating vital academic and professional skills.