Film and Media Studies

Film and media studies examines two of the most influential forces in contemporary culture: the cinema that has shaped how we tell stories and understand ourselves for over a century, and the media landscape that surrounds us at every moment, from broadcast television and streaming platforms to social media and digital journalism. Both disciplines ask how texts and technologies create meaning, who produces them and with what purposes, and what their relationship is to the social, economic, and political contexts in which they circulate. Studying them together gives you a comprehensive and rigorous understanding of how culture is made and experienced in the modern world.

At Manchester Metropolitan University this three-year full-time programme takes you from the early days of cinema through to today's digital, global, and connected media landscape. You will learn to analyse films and media objects not just as entertainment but as cultural artefacts shaped by the industries that create them, reflecting and influencing the societies in which they are embedded. The programme includes a sandwich year and work placement opportunities, giving you the chance to gain professional experience in the media, cultural, or creative industries alongside your academic development.

Graduates from film and media studies programmes work in television and film production, broadcasting, journalism, public relations, digital communications, arts organisations, education, and the creative industries more broadly. The critical thinking, textual analysis, and research skills developed through the degree transfer into a wide range of professional contexts. Many graduates also go on to postgraduate study in film, media, communications, or journalism, developing specialist expertise for research or professional careers.

The sandwich year placement strengthens employment prospects and helps graduates identify the direction they want to take their careers.