Film and Television Studies with Placement Year

Film and television studies is the academic discipline that examines how screen media are produced, distributed, and consumed, and what they mean culturally, historically, and aesthetically. It asks how films and television programmes construct meaning through visual language, narrative, genre, and representation, and how they relate to the societies, industries, and technologies from which they emerge. Studying screen media critically is not simply about appreciation; it is about developing the analytical tools to understand one of the most powerful forces in contemporary culture.

At Brunel University London, this four-year full-time programme with a placement year builds on a common first year shared with the Film Production BA, which means you begin by combining critical study with practical video work before the two programmes diverge. This grounding in production gives you a valuable understanding of how screen texts are made as well as how they are interpreted. As the degree develops you will explore film theory, television studies, media history, documentary, genre analysis, representation, and the politics of screen culture, developing close reading skills alongside wider theoretical and historical knowledge.

The placement year gives you professional experience in the screen media industry, the creative sector, or a related environment, strengthening your CV and your understanding of how the industries actually work.

Graduates from film and television studies programmes go on to careers in broadcasting, journalism, film criticism, commissioning, production, cultural programming, education, media research, and the arts. The analytical and written skills developed by the degree are valued across the creative industries and beyond. The degree also provides strong preparation for postgraduate study in film studies, media studies, television studies, or related disciplines.