Film, Media and Language

Film, media, and language is a combination that recognises how deeply cinema and media are embedded in the cultural and linguistic contexts in which they are made and received. Film and media studies examines how moving image and other media forms construct meaning, shape culture, and engage audiences, developing the critical and analytical skills to understand media as both art and social practice. A modern language, whether French, German, Italian, Japanese, or Spanish, adds the dimension of cultural and linguistic access that transforms your engagement with cinemas and media traditions beyond the English-speaking world.

At Birkbeck College, which has a radical reputation in film and screen media studies, this three-year programme gives you knowledge of film and media from different periods and parts of the world, with your language studies deepening your cultural engagement with the traditions you examine. You will develop creative practice skills in film and media content creation alongside the theoretical and analytical frameworks that film and media studies provides. The combination prepares you for professional work in the media industries and for roles that require the ability to think critically about culture, representation, and communication across languages and traditions.

Graduates from film, media, and language programmes work across the film and television industries, broadcasting, journalism, digital media and content creation, cultural diplomacy, subtitling and translation for screen, archives and cultural heritage organisations, education, and international communications. The combination of media production skills, critical cultural understanding, and language competence opens doors in a wide range of international and multilingual contexts. Further study at postgraduate level in film studies, media, translation, or cultural studies is an option for those wishing to specialise or move into research and teaching.