MA Film Studies and Curation (Part time)
Key Details
- Attendance
- Part Time
- Award
- Degree of Master of Arts
- Course Length
- 2 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2026
Other Course Options
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UEA is ranked top 20 in the UK for Research QualityCourse Overview
Do you want to turn your love of film into a career in film festivals, archiving, research or any other aspect of the rich world of film studies and curation? If so, this course is perfect for you. It combines UEA's unique legacy and experience in film studies with advanced practical emphasis on film curation. As well as deepening your understanding of the medium of film itself, this industry-facing course is designed to furnish you with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in a range of creative and curatorial roles in the screen industries and heritage sector.
- Be part of the only postgraduate course to combine the advanced study of film theory and history with professional understanding and experience of film curation and film archiving
- Work with academics to organise and curate public-facing film festivals like the Green Film Festival
- Gain practical experience of creating and curating new content using resources such as the East Anglian Film Archive’s collection of thousands of films dating back to 1896 and the StudioCanal paper archives documenting film classics
Film Studies and Film Archiving have been taught at UEA for 50 years. Our academics are among the most respected in the world for their research, teaching and creative work. We have trained the screen heritage professionals who now run some of the leading film organisations and film archives across the world. This Master's programme looks to the future, helping you develop the skills and opportunities needed to harness the latest ideas and technologies for curation as it develops across film’s second century (and beyond).
With our innovative MA in Film Studies and Curation, you'll explore film cultures, stretching from the historic to the contemporary. You'll learn about the workings of the global film industry and the ways in which local, national and transnational film industries work together, while gaining knowledge of the theories, histories and methods central to the discipline of film studies. You'll also learn how to apply those methods in professional contexts through curating film practices, working on film festivals, and digitally preserving archival materials.
You'll learn about the workings of the screen heritage sector through hands-on curatorial work with film and through collection-based research with our industry partners. You'll also work alongside academics as they organise and curate public-facing film festivals, learning about important aspects of the film industry that are often hidden from view. You can take optional modules that develop practical learning in heritage management and digital media production, depending on your own career aims and ambitions.
When you graduate with this Master's from UEA, you'll do so with a deep critical understanding, professional knowledge and the practical skills required to flourish within a range of roles within the screen industries and heritage sectors.
This flexible part-time version of the course enables you to complete your studies over two years.
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Study and Modules
Structure
In your first year, you’ll get a solid grounding in the fundamentals of film studies and curation, including the key theoretical and historical debates which underpin contemporary research and practice, and expand your knowledge of global film industries today. You’ll also take a specialist module on the theory and practice of film archiving, an area of study in which UEA are pioneers.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 20)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
You’ll learn from world-leading academics in many ways – from traditional seminars and workshops, to practice-led experience within archives or film festival settings. You’ll also have access to our TV Studio and Media Suite, full of cutting-edge media technologies including editing, camera and sound equipment. Prepare to get hands-on with these to develop new skills for the job market and a deeper understanding of how film and television content is produced, presented, and preserved.
Assessment
We know that everyone has different strengths, so we use a range of individual and group assessment methods – from essays and presentations to hands-on curatorial and archival projects. All of these assessments help strengthen your critical thinking and give you skills that are attractive to future employers.
We also use formative assessments, which do not contribute to your overall mark, but prepare you for the assessments that do. These offer an excellent opportunity to test the knowledge you’ve learned in modules, gain specific feedback on your working practices, and strengthen the chances of better marks at the end of them.
Structure
In your second year, you’ll also take our innovative module on film festivals which allows you to explore academic ideas through involvement in UEA-led or affiliated festivals such as Norwich Film Festival, The Green Films Festival@UEA and Norwich Queer International Festival of Film.
You will take a research-led module that expands disciplinary perspectives to capture the diversity and plurality of global film cultures. You will also have the opportunity to choose from a range of options that allow you to specialise in areas of cultural heritage, digital media production, or advanced film research.
Across the degree you’ll also benefit from training in key digital research and communication methods that will offer valuable transferable skills, as well as inform your independent research project which will be written in the summer semester of year two. This is your chance to use the knowledge you’ve been building throughout your MA to develop your own piece of self-devised and self-directed study supported by experts in the field
Compulsory Modules
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
We’ll support you to become a confident and independent scholar by the time you submit your dissertation. Up until that point, you’ll work around 30 hours a week on your MA – with the majority of that time spent on independent research and reading.
You’ll work under supervision during your dissertation, and over time you’ll take more and more control over the direction of your study. Your dissertation is your opportunity to fully immerse yourself in the area that you’re most passionate about
Assessment
Once you reach your second year in the MA programme, you’ll be moving towards even more independence in your assessment. From devising your own research questions for module-specific assessments to devising, developing and completing the extended research project of the dissertation, you’ll be assessed on your ability to work independently to collate and evaluate a range of materials.
Employability
After the Course
Our part-time MA Film Studies and Curation graduates go on to a wide variety of fields. Some have chosen to work in the film, television and media industries, whilst others work in heritage organisations, national film archives, and film and arts festivals, both in the UK and elsewhere in the world. Others have established careers in production, press and publicity, publishing (newspapers, books and magazines), social media, and marketing. Many also continue their academic passion through PhD study at UEA and beyond.
As well as subject-specific knowledge, you’ll develop many transferable skills, including high-level communication skills, team working, and self-management, all of which open up a wide variety of careers. At our annual event, 'Working with Words', you can meet and hear from many successful UEA alumni from across the creative industries
Careers
Examples of careers that you could enter include:
- Film curator or festival programmer
- Film archive professional
- Film critic
- Film researcher, e.g. pursuing doctoral research
- Cultural festival or exhibition curation
- Film industry leadership
Discover more on our Careers webpages.
Entry Requirements
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
- Typical UK Entry Requirements
Degree classification
Bachelors degree - 2.2
Degree Subject
All subject areas considered
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
- Typical International Entry Requirements
Degree classification
UK Bachelors degree - 2.2 or equivalent
Degree Subject
All subject areas considered
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
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IELTS: 6.0 overall (minimum 5.5 in each component)
Test dates should be within 2 years of the course start date.
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, UEA International Study Centre offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the required English skills.
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- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.
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Fees and Funding
Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2026/27 are:
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UK Students: £11,200
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International Students: £23,850
If you choose to study part-time, the fee per annum will be half the annual fee for that year, or a pro-rata fee for the module credit you are taking (only available for Home students).
We estimate living expenses at £1,171 per month.
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here.
Scholarships and Bursaries
The University of East Anglia offers a range of Scholarships; please click the link for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of course-related costs.
How to Apply
How to apply
Applications for Postgraduate Taught programmes at the University of East Anglia should be made directly to the University.
To apply please use our online application form.
Further information
If you would like to discuss your individual circumstances prior to applying, please do contact us:
Postgraduate Admissions Office
Tel: +44 (0)1603 591515
Email: admissions@uea.ac.uk
International candidates are also encouraged to access the International Students section of our website.