Film and Media

Film and media studies together address the ways in which visual, audio-visual and digital content is made, circulated, consumed and understood. Film studies provides the critical and historical frameworks for analysing cinema as an art form and cultural institution, while media studies engages with the broader landscape of contemporary communication, including television, digital platforms, social media, journalism and the industries that produce and distribute content across all these channels. Together they prepare you to think analytically and critically about the media environment that shapes daily life.

Newcastle University offers this three-year full-time programme, combining critical analytical study with attention to the creative and industrial contexts in which media is produced. The film component covers film theory, film history, national and world cinemas, genre and the analysis of moving image as a formal and cultural object. The media component introduces media theory, journalism studies, digital media, the political economy of media industries and the ethical and social implications of media power.

The programme includes a sandwich year in industry, a year abroad and an embedded work placement, meaning you graduate with professional experience and international exposure alongside your analytical and critical training. Newcastle's vibrant creative and media sector provides opportunities for connection and applied learning throughout the degree.

The combination develops strong analytical and critical thinking, the ability to engage with media texts and industries from multiple perspectives, research skills and the written communication abilities that both critical study and media practice demand.

Graduates pursue careers in broadcasting, journalism, film and television production, digital media, marketing, public relations, the creative industries, cultural policy, education and academic research. The combination of analytical depth and practical experience positions you well for roles that require both critical intelligence and commercial awareness. Postgraduate study in film studies, media studies, journalism or cultural studies is available for those wishing to develop further.