MA Film (Canterbury)

When you study the MA Film at Kent, you benefit from a rich blend of theory, research, and practical exposure — not just in lecture halls, but in real-world, professional-standard facilities. The department supports you with a purpose-built creative environment: you have access to a postgraduate centre, editing studios, and a social space where you can workshop your ideas and collaborate. You’re also embedded in a lively film culture with weekly screenings at on‑campus cinemas, giving you both inspiration and critical perspective.

Here’s how your hands-on experience is structured:

• Use professional editing and studio facilities housed in Kent’s RIBA award‑winning Jarman Building. 

• Take modules like Filmmaking 1: Key Skills (FILM8190), where you actually write, shoot, and edit short fact or fiction films, using the school’s technical gear (cameras, sound equipment, etc.). Attend regular film screenings in the Lupino Cinema and Gulbenkian Cinema — these provide both a cultural experience and a space for critical discussion. 

• Conduct research‑led writing and analysis via coursework (in modules like Advanced Topics in Film Studies, Analysing Film, Concepts & Debates) and then apply that in your dissertation.

• If you choose the Film (Practice) pathway, you’ll develop a final creative project: under supervision, you plan, shoot, and edit a film (fiction or non-fiction), and write a critical analysis of your own work. 

• Use the Templeman Library, which has a large collection of specialist journals, books, DVDs, and Blu‑Rays — ideal for research, analysis, and inspiration. 

• Plug into the Film, Media & Culture Research Group as well as the Aesthetics Research Centre — both host seminars, visiting speakers, and workshops where you can contribute and learn from cutting-edge scholarship. 

Graduates from Kent’s MA Film leave with a deep, research‑informed understanding of cinema — and the analytical confidence to work in roles like film critic / academic researcher, film festival programmer, media curator, or film production assistant / coordinator. You’ll be positioned to contribute both to creative industries and to the academic world.

Here’s how this degree sets you up for success:

• University Services Supporting Your Career

  • You’ll benefit from Kent’s career support resources, including one-to-one career consultations, help in building your CV, and networking opportunities via the university’s Careers & Employability team. 

  • Access to Kent’s Lupino Cinema and Gulbenkian Cinema, helping you build your portfolio — either via screenings of your own work or by curating film events.

  • Dedicated postgraduate research support through the Film, Media and Culture Research Group, giving you access to workshops, symposia, and research-led teaching. 

• Employment Outcomes & Earnings

  • According to the Graduate Outcomes data, 55% of graduates are in highly skilled work 15 months after graduation, including roles in artistic/media work, IT, and teaching. 

  • The programme page notes that arts postgraduates from Kent earn, on average, £6,000 more per year than other graduates.

  • Kent arts graduates move into varied roles: past graduates have worked at Universal Pictures, the London Film Festival, as well as in editorial, production, heritage, and web‑design roles.

• Industry Connections & Exposure

  • Kent’s Film Department hosts internationally recognised scholars and practitioners, offering you a chance to learn from active researchers and filmmakers. 

  • There are practice-based pathways (in the “Film with Practice” MA) where you get hands-on training in screenwriting, filmmaking, and project development — all taught by award-winning filmmakers.

  • Through your studies, you’ll engage with global cinema — exploring North American, European, Latin American film — giving you international perspective and relevance. Long-Term Accreditation & Academic Strength

• • Kent is a research-led university: the Film Department is part of the Film, Media and Culture Research Group, meaning your degree comes from a highly scholarly and intellectually rigorous environment. 

  • You’ll develop advanced research skills (via the dissertation module), which are highly valued in academic and policy-making circles.

  • The degree’s combination of theory + potential practice (depending on the pathway) makes it versatile — useful both in creative industries and in more academic careers.

• Graduate Destinations & Impact

  • After graduating, Kent alumni have entered roles such as film journalist, theatre technician, curator, and web designer. 

  • Others work for major organisations: some have joined Universal Pictures, others have worked on cultural programming for film festivals.

  • The analytical, research and communication skills you build also give you flexibility to transition into education, media policy, or further academic research.

Further Academic Progression:
If you decide to continue your studies after completing this MA, you could:

• Pursue a PhD in Film Studies or Media Culture, either at Kent (they offer a PhD) 

• Enrol in a specialised postgraduate programme — for example, in digital media, filmmaking practice, screenwriting, or film theory & criticism

• Apply for creative research grants or practice-led fellowships (drawing on the skills and network you develop at Kent), to produce original work (documentaries, video essays, experimental film, etc.)