Chinese Studies - Film Studies

Chinese Studies combined with Film Studies is a degree that approaches China and Chinese culture through two complementary lenses: the linguistic and cultural depth that comes from serious language study, and the visual and cinematic traditions that have made Chinese cinema one of the most celebrated in the world. China's film industry has produced directors of international significance, and its contemporary popular visual culture is a major dimension of how the country presents itself globally. Studying both gives you an unusually rich understanding of what Chinese cultural expression actually looks like in the twenty-first century.

At the University of St Andrews, the four-year MA (Hons) programme goes beyond the traditional model of language and literature to include visual and popular cultures alongside linguistic and literary study. You will develop your proficiency in Mandarin Chinese, engage with the history and contemporary politics of China and the Chinese-speaking world, and study film as both an art form and a cultural document, examining how Chinese cinema has represented society, history, identity and change. The degree includes a year abroad, which is essential for developing genuine language fluency and for understanding Chinese culture from within rather than at a distance.

Chinese language skills remain scarce among English-speaking graduates and are consequently highly valued by employers and organisations with interests in East Asia. The combination of linguistic proficiency, cultural knowledge and visual literacy that this degree provides is genuinely unusual.

Graduates work in business, trade, diplomacy, journalism, the arts, education, international organisations and the film and media industries. Postgraduate study in Chinese studies, film studies, area studies, translation or international relations is a natural continuation for those who want to develop specialist expertise.