A student with headphones around her neck standing in a media studio, with a microphone behind her and another student working with sound software on a desktop computer
BA (Hons)

Film and Media

Explore the key issues and roles in film and media, focusing on the knowledge and skills you need for your future career. Get trained in all aspects of filmmaking while creating your own shorts.

Start date
September 2026
Location
Cambridge
Duration
3 years
UCAS course code
P391

Start date
September 2026
Location
Cambridge
Duration
4 years with foundation
UCAS course code
P392

Start date
September 2026
Location
Cambridge
Duration
4 years with placement
UCAS course code
P393
10th

in the UK for Learning Resources.

Source: NSS 2025

Study the key issues in film, media and culture, from digital and cult media to gender and celebrity, across film, TV, social media and video games, helping you identify and focus on your own interests like journalism, filmmaking, and screenwriting.

You’ll also create your own short films in video, animation or 16mm format, and get training in all aspects of the craft, including camera operation, sound recording and editing.

Why ARU?

  • Join trips to galleries, exhibitions and screenings in Cambridge and London

  • Use our extensive industry links to make contacts, find work placements, and take part in live briefs

  • Enjoy full access to our film, media and other creative facilities, with training from our technical team

  • Prepare for many different careers in film and media including production, post-production, broadcasting, journalism, and content creation.

  • Be supported by a diverse team of professionally practising filmmakers, screenwriters, journalists, and academics

  • Choose from a variety of modules to tailor your degree to your interests and career aspirations

Teaching Excellence Framework Gold award logo
   

Study at an award-winning university

We've received a Gold award for the quality of our education in a UK-wide review of teaching standards. We were also proud to be named Times Higher Education University of the Year 2023.

Careers

Screen industries employers want versatility. Our course will equip you with the wide range of skills you'll need for a career in the film and media industries.

You’ll learn to be a confident, multi-skilled practitioner, with experience in filmmaking, sound and video editing, photography and web design.

But you’ll also learn essential transferable skills, such as research, writing, teamwork, communication, problem solving, and resourcefulness –  invaluable in all areas of the creative industries and other sectors.

Teaching and modules

You'll start by learning the fundamentals of filmmaking and media production.

You'll also develop an understanding of the theories and contexts of screen media and be introduced to key concepts in film studies.

In Year 2 you’ll further enhance your filmmaking and media production skills, while also learning new skills in online journalism and exploring digital and cult media forms. You can take a number of option modules to explore your own interests.

Finally you’ll create an individual piece of research or product on a topic of your choice, and study celebrity culture, as well as following your own interests through option modules.

Student work

Our student showcase
  • Three people at a pub table with empty food, beer and wineglasses in front of them

    Drink Drive campaign. A short film by ARU Film and Media students for Cambridgeshire Constabulary's Drink Drive campaign.

  • Video still of three students eating popcorn in a cinema foyer with the words 'the third longest-running film festival in the UK'

    ARU MA Film Production student Megan Wiggins shares her highlights from the 2023 CFF, and its benefits to the community and ARU students.

  • Video still of a woman in yellow clothes, talking on an old-fashioned yellow telephone on a beach, from James Pearson and Martha Wallam's short film 'Beyond The Sea'

    A film by students James Pearson and Martha Wallam.

  • Video still of an illustration of a tree growing from bones, from Liz Michael's short film 'Static'

    A film by student Liz Michael.

  • Video still of a close-up of a baby's bottle, from Lauren Powell's short film 'The Mothering Chair'

    A film by student Lauren Powell.

  • Video still of a church in the distance against a picturesque sunset, from James Pearson's short film 'The Ship of the Fens'

    A film by student James Pearson.

  • Video still of the silhouette of a man dancing on a rooftop at dusk, from Grete Kutkaite's short film 'What is Dance For You?'

    A film by student Grete Kutkaite.

  • Claire Connon on a racing track racing on her wheelchair

    A film by Carmen Vincent, Film Studies Study Abroad student.

  • Three people at a pub table with empty food, beer and wineglasses in front of them
  • Video still of three students eating popcorn in a cinema foyer with the words 'the third longest-running film festival in the UK'
  • Video still of a woman in yellow clothes, talking on an old-fashioned yellow telephone on a beach, from James Pearson and Martha Wallam's short film 'Beyond The Sea'
  • Video still of an illustration of a tree growing from bones, from Liz Michael's short film 'Static'
  • Video still of a close-up of a baby's bottle, from Lauren Powell's short film 'The Mothering Chair'
  • Video still of a church in the distance against a picturesque sunset, from James Pearson's short film 'The Ship of the Fens'
  • Video still of the silhouette of a man dancing on a rooftop at dusk, from Grete Kutkaite's short film 'What is Dance For You?'
  • Claire Connon on a racing track racing on her wheelchair
  • Three people at a pub table with empty food, beer and wineglasses in front of them
  • Video still of three students eating popcorn in a cinema foyer with the words 'the third longest-running film festival in the UK'
  • Video still of a woman in yellow clothes, talking on an old-fashioned yellow telephone on a beach, from James Pearson and Martha Wallam's short film 'Beyond The Sea'
  • Video still of an illustration of a tree growing from bones, from Liz Michael's short film 'Static'
  • Video still of a close-up of a baby's bottle, from Lauren Powell's short film 'The Mothering Chair'
  • Video still of a church in the distance against a picturesque sunset, from James Pearson's short film 'The Ship of the Fens'
  • Video still of the silhouette of a man dancing on a rooftop at dusk, from Grete Kutkaite's short film 'What is Dance For You?'
  • Claire Connon on a racing track racing on her wheelchair

Modules are subject to change and availability, and may vary by location. If you have the choice of optional modules, these are indicated with a *.

Year 1
  • Film Language and Concepts
  • Creative Moving Image
  • interMEDIAcy
  • Introduction to Screen Media
  • Into ARU
  • Filmmaking on Film: Super 8mm *
  • Anglia Language Programme (15 credits) *
Year 2
  • Online Journalism
  • Exploded Screen
  • Digital Media Theory: Social Media, AI, and the Cultures of the Internet
  • Cult Media
  • Ruskin Module (15 credits)
  • Filmmaking on Film: 16mm Filmmaking *
  • Documentary Film Theory *
  • Photography *
  • Non-Fiction Filmmaking *
  • Animation *
  • From Script to Screen *
  • Anglia Language Programme (15 credits) *
Year 3
  • Creative Industries Major Project
  • The Cultural Politics of Celebrity
  • Screen Drama Production *
  • Experiments in Film and Moving Image *
  • Screenwriting: Writing and Selling the Feature Film *
  • Special Topics in Film Studies *
  • Gender and Popular Cinema *
  • Film Journalism *
  • Independent Film Practice *
  • Contemporary Television *
  • Narrative in Global Cinema *
  • Anglia Language Programme (15 credits) *
Module details

To prepare you for university study, you can take a foundation year at the start of this course. Find out more about foundation years.

Year 1
  • Foundation in Humanities, English, Media, Social Sciences and Education
Module details

You can choose to take an optional placement year as part of this course. Placements typically happen in Year 3, and your course will take four years overall. Find out more about placement years.

Placement year
  • Work Placement - Cambridge School of Creative Industries
Module details

Read profiles of teaching and research staff on this course.

Facilities

You’ll have access to all of our creative facilities including:

  • film studio with overhead lighting, tracks, dollies and green screen
  • multi-camera television studio with modular set panels
  • full range of location kit and sound-recording equipment
  • editing suites with Da Vinci Resolve and the full Adobe Creative Cloud software suite
  • finishing suite with audio monitoring and grading panels
  • Aaton cameras and Steenbeck editors for 16mm film production
  • motion capture equipment
  • podcast and video capture system
  • HD cameras, Super8mm and 16mm film cameras
  • animation rostrum cameras
  • photography studio and colour darkrooms.
  • A student using an ARRI Alexa film camera outside on ARU's Cambridge campus

    ARRI Alexa camera

  • A member of ARU Media Service staff showing a student a film camera available for loan

    Media Service loans

  • Two small specialist cameras on a desk

    Media Service equipment

  • A member of ARU staff configuring equipment at the Media Services desk

    Media Service helpdesk

  • A group of students filming a backdrop covered in symbols on a set

    Film and media

  • A student using equipment in ARU's film editing suite

    Film editing suite

  • Film editing equipment, including two monitors and an array of controls

    Film editing suite

  • Three students looking at footage on a camera in a film studio

    Film studio

  • The Green Screen in the drama studio

    Green screen studio

  • A podcast studio, showing a screen, speakers, microphones, headphones, camera and mixing decks

    Podcast studio

  • The film screening room on ARU's Cambridge campus

    Screening room

  • A studio lighting rail

    Studio lighting rail

  • A student using an ARRI Alexa film camera outside on ARU's Cambridge campus
  • A member of ARU Media Service staff showing a student a film camera available for loan
  • Two small specialist cameras on a desk
  • A member of ARU staff configuring equipment at the Media Services desk
  • A group of students filming a backdrop covered in symbols on a set
  • A student using equipment in ARU's film editing suite
  • Film editing equipment, including two monitors and an array of controls
  • Three students looking at footage on a camera in a film studio
  • The Green Screen in the drama studio
  • A podcast studio, showing a screen, speakers, microphones, headphones, camera and mixing decks
  • The film screening room on ARU's Cambridge campus
  • A studio lighting rail
  • A student using an ARRI Alexa film camera outside on ARU's Cambridge campus
  • A member of ARU Media Service staff showing a student a film camera available for loan
  • Two small specialist cameras on a desk
  • A member of ARU staff configuring equipment at the Media Services desk
  • A group of students filming a backdrop covered in symbols on a set
  • A student using equipment in ARU's film editing suite
  • Film editing equipment, including two monitors and an array of controls
  • Three students looking at footage on a camera in a film studio
  • The Green Screen in the drama studio
  • A podcast studio, showing a screen, speakers, microphones, headphones, camera and mixing decks
  • The film screening room on ARU's Cambridge campus
  • A studio lighting rail

Entry requirements

Fees and funding

Apply for Film and Media

UK students

Apply through UCAS

International students

Apply online
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Contact our Admissions team Talk to a student

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