MA in Film

When you join QUB’s MA in Film, you won’t just study film history or theory — you’ll get to create, produce, and critically engage with moving‑image work using professional‑grade facilities, while also learning analytical and research skills. The programme combines a strong academic foundation with hands‑on studio experience, offering a balanced environment for creative growth and practical output.

Here’s a breakdown of what your experiential learning would involve at QUB:

• Access to professional‑standard film production & post‑production facilities: QUB provides state‑of‑the‑art digital production and post-production facilities, including a fully equipped studio — a purpose‑built “black box” studio space — along with lighting and grip kits. This gives you a real, professional environment to shoot, light, and record projects, whether short films, experimental pieces or other media work. 

• Film‑studio with broadcast‑quality lighting and acoustics: The dedicated film studio (approx. 13 m × 12 m × 13 m) is sound‑insulated and uses a full lighting grid with broadcast‑approved LED and DMX lighting control — ideal for serious film/video production, giving you experience comparable to professional sets. 

• Opportunities to create multiple film or media‑arts projects during the degree: Through modules like “Film Practice,” “Screenwriting,” “Avant‑Garde and Experimental Filmmaking,” you’ll write screenplays, shoot films (documentary, fiction or experimental), edit your own work, and produce a project that can be part of your dissertation.

• Combined theory + practice, with critical and creative approaches: While you gain production skills (camera, editing, lighting, post‑production), the programme also supports critical thinking and film analysis — so you're not just making films, but learning about film history, culture, theory, global cinemas, and industry contexts. 

• Flexible final output — research or creative project: For the final dissertation module, you have the option to do a traditional academic dissertation, or a creative project (short film or screenplay) accompanied by a reflective essay. This gives you a pathway either toward critical/academic careers or toward practical film‑making and media production. 

• Screenings, seminars and cinema‑style learning environment: Classes, screenings and seminars are held in a cinema‑theatre setting (shared with the public independent cinema Queen's Film Theatre — QFT), which enables students to view and discuss films in a professional cinema environment.

• Transferable skills valued by employers — teamwork, project‑management, communication, creative problem‑solving: Because you’ll plan, produce, write, shoot and edit your own creative work, often collaborating with classmates, you’ll build a portfolio and develop skills that are relevant not just in film‑making, but across media, creative industries, marketing, content creation, etc.  Industry links and mentorship opportunities: The programme maintains strong contacts with local film and broadcast industries, which can give you access to workshops, meetings with industry professionals, and an “Industry‑led Mentorship Program” (subject to availability) — valuable for networking and real‑world career exposure. 

• Strong mix of theory + practice with excellent facilities: QUB offers access to digital production and post‑production facilities, a purpose‑built black‑box studio, grip and lighting kits, and a cinema/theatre screening space shared with a leading independent cinema (giving you a realistic, professional environment to create and screen films). 

• Practical‑oriented training + creative freedom: The MA programme includes modules in film practice (shooting, editing, sound, direction), screenwriting, experimental film, global and European film cultures, and more — plus the option to do a creative final project (short film, screenplay or audiovisual project) rather than only a written dissertation.Industry links and employability credentials: QUB is an “Avid Learning Partner,” meaning students have the opportunity to become certified in widely-used industry editing software (Media Composer) — a valuable professional credential when seeking film‑industry jobs. 

• Transferable and employability skills: Across production, research, writing, and analysis, graduates build skills in project management, teamwork, creative thinking, communication — all of which are in demand in media and creative industries. 

• Diverse career‐path possibilities: Because the course balances creative‑practice, theory, research, and practical skills, you’re not limited to one path: you could work in production, join a broadcast/media company, contribute to film festivals, become a critic, or even move into teaching or academic research in film and media arts. 

Further Academic Progression:
If after the MA you want to go deeper, you could pursue doctoral‑level studies (PhD / MPhil / MRes) in film studies, media arts or related areas — using the research, theoretical and creative background you acquired in MA. QUB’s strong academic foundation and exposure to film history, theory, and global media cultures offer a solid springboard for higher‑level research.

Alternatively, the MA could also serve as a strong launching pad if you want to specialise further — e.g. in screenwriting, film production, film distribution/marketing, or media management — by combining with short courses, training programmes or practical industry work to broaden your career flexibility.