MA Film Studies and Curation
Key details
- Attendance
- Full Time
- Award
- Degree of Master of Arts
- Course Length
- 1 year
- Course Start Date
- September 2027
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UEA is ranked top 20 in the UK for Research QualityCourse Overview
Why MA Film Studies and Curation at UEA?
Led by academic practitioners, this course gives you advanced knowledge of curation, distribution, and exhibition. Through festival and curatorial projects, you’ll apply your ideas, refine your skills, and build a professional portfolio.
Why Choose UEA
- Festival Experience: Work on festival opportunities with external partners and academic practitioners
- Run an event: Take an idea from inception to event, putting your understanding into practice
- Archive Access: Explore film and advertising archives through the East Anglian Film Archive and History of Advertising Trust
What is MA Film Studies and Curation?
Develop your identity as a film studies scholar and curator. You’ll work alongside academic practitioners active in curation and festivals, building your understanding of distribution, exhibition, and audiences.
You’ll also have exciting opportunities to engage with events including NQIFF(opens in a new window) and Green Film Festival @ UEA.(opens in a new window) You’ll gain experience working with some of our external partners including Norwich Film Festival(opens in a new window). This will give you the knowledge and understanding to plan, curate, and stage your own group event.
Upon graduation, you’ll have developed your intellectual and practical skills, alongside a growing portfolio of work to showcase to employers.
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Careers
Career Pathways
With a MA Film Studies and Curation degree, you could launch the following careers:
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Festival Director: Curate programmes and shape the creative direction of film events and festivals
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Communications Manager: Create compelling communication strategies across platforms and audiences
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Festival Manager: Organise programmes, people, logistics, and delivery for film festivals and events
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Audience Analyst: Use audience insight to support programming, marketing, and engagement strategies
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Film Distribution Coordinator: Help filmmakers place their work with festivals, exhibitors, and audiences worldwide
Career Support
Alongside opportunities to engage with film festivals and external partners, you’ll benefit from a wide range of events, activities, and support. Our partnerships include EAFA, the BFI, The History of Advertising Trust, Norwich Film Festival, and Screen Norfolk. You’ll attend events where you can network with alumni, meet industry professionals, and develop your professional profile. A dedicated careers specialist will help you maximise your development during your studies. UEA’s Career Central(opens in a new window) also offers support with CVs, applications, interviews, and career planning for up to three years after graduation.
After the Course
You can expect to graduate with the advanced understanding, practical experience, and professional capacity to move into the broad arena of film marketing, distribution, curation, exhibition, and analysis. You'll have gained vital experience of working on events and festivals, providing you with a holistic understanding of contemporary film curation business and practice.
Study and Modules
Structure
Learning focuses on the intellectual, creative, ethical, and critical practices of film curation. In the first semester you'll learn new ways of thinking about history, theory, and artistry of filmmaking through curatorial practice. Classes will explore the theoretical, historical, and technological innovations that underpin contemporary approaches to film studies and curation practices.
The course takes a global approach to learning, and you'll explore a variety of film cultures and curatorial practices, gaining an advanced understanding of the key issues and debates shaping the contemporary curatorial sectors.
Throughout the course, you’re provided with an embedded approach to developing your professional research skills and curatorial practice portfolio to an advanced level. You'll have opportunities to work alongside academics to experience and understand their curatorial practices and be able to put this into practice in group and independent projects.
There are a range of optional modules for you to select from in the second semester of study. These provide you with the opportunity to further refine a specific area of interest from semester one.
The culmination of MA Film Studies and Curation is the independent research project where you’ll have the opportunity to create a capstone piece of work such as a curatorial showreel. It may also be a written piece of work, or a planned exhibition that demonstrates and reflects your own identity, practice, and position in relation to film and curation.
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, and Assessment
Teaching and Learning
Teaching is delivered via seminars and workshops which are accompanied by a range of ancillary and supporting materials. Learning combines active, experiential, and group-based work alongside an emphasis on the kinds of independent intellectual study and engagement that you’d expect at a postgraduate level.
Assessment
You’ll develop academic research and writing skills through critical writing and applied creative tasks. You may plan and curate film screening events, create reflective and analytical reports, and produce creative responses for marketing and distribution. Your research project gives you the chance to create a bespoke piece of work shaped around your strengths, interests, and ambitions. Whether you choose a traditional dissertation or a curatorial project, it’ll form the capstone of your studies and help express your professional identity.
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(opens in a new window) 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 2027/28 are:
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UK Students: £11,200
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International Students: £23,580
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).
If you choose to take this course with a placement year, your tuition fees for the first year will be as shown above. An additional fee of £3,500 will apply for the placement year (see our FAQs page for further details).
We estimate living expenses at £1,171 per month.
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here(opens in a new window).
Scholarships and Bursaries
The University of East Anglia offers a range of Scholarships(opens in a new window); please click the link for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
Please see additional course fees(opens in a new window) 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(opens in a new window).
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(opens in a new window)
International candidates are also encouraged to access the International Students(opens in a new window) section of our website.