Theatre, Film and Media Studies with Foundation Year BA (Hons)
Birkbeck, University of London
Key Course Facts
Course Description
Are you drawn to storytelling on stage and screen? Are you interested in how live performance and screen media relate to one another? Would you like to study in central London, at the heart of the city’s vibrant theatre and literary culture?
If so, our distinctive, new BA Theatre, Film and Media Studies with Foundation Year is perfect for you. In a building that was once home to Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group, you will study with leading academics and specialists in the fields of theatre and film. You will investigate theatre and screen media from the perspectives of spectator and practitioner, setting these practices in their historical contexts, and exploring the intersections between the live and the recorded. You will get to grips with the many ways in which it is possible to tell stories on stage and on screen, with the chance to produce your own creative work in collaboration with others and on an individual basis. Throughout, you will ask questions about how theatre and film practices shape the world in which we live.
Before proceeding to the main degree, you will spend your Foundation Year preparing yourself for a degree in the arts by improving your study and research skills and gaining arts-related knowledge and understanding. You will also have the opportunity to take a language module as part of the Foundation Year.
Upon successful completion of the Foundation Year, you can automatically progress on to our three-year, full-time, evening study BA Theatre, Film and Media Studies.
Our part-time Foundation Year degrees allow you to spread out your Foundation Year studies over two years. As the 'Foundation Year' is made up of 120 credits, as a part-time student you can take 60 credits in each of your first and second years before starting the main four-year BA Theatre, Film and Media Studies. This means that you can take six years to complete the part-time degree with Foundation Year.
Highlights
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Our Foundation Year programmes will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. They are ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you did not achieve the grades you needed for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree.
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Birkbeck is located in the heart of literary London - in Bloomsbury, WC1 - and writers and academics maintain strong links with publishers, broadcasters and the creative industries. You could be studying in a building that was once home to Virginia Woolf and frequented by members of the Bloomsbury Group - now home to our School of Arts - and be taught by leading dramatists and artists. The building houses our own creative hub which includes the Peltz Gallery, the Gordon Square Cinema and a theatre and performance space.
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You will be eligible to submit work to the Scratch Night as part of Birkbeck Arts Week, and to attend public events and performances curated by Birkbeck Institute of the Moving Image and Birkbeck Centre for Contemporary Theatre.
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In the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF), English Language and Literature at Birkbeck achieved 100% for a research environment conducive to producing research of the highest quality.
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The School of Arts is an official partner of the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London. Opportunities for students have included a year’s free membership of the ICA, private views, discounts on all talks and events, free members' screenings and £3 cinema tickets on Tuesdays, up to 25% off ICA Artists' Editions and a monthly e-newsletter.
What You Will Learn
Programme content: As a student of Theatre, Film and Media Studies with Foundation Year, BA (Hons) you will study the following course modules.
Modules
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Entry Requirements / Admissions
Requirements for international students / English requirements
IELTS academic test score (similar tests may be accepted as well)
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- 6.5
- Mphil / PhD
Get advice on which foundation courses are best for you to still be able to join Theatre, Film and Media Studies with Foundation Year, BA (Hons).
Costs
Tuition Fees Theatre, Film and Media Studies with Foundation Year BA (Hons)
| England UK | £4625 | year 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | £4625 | year 1 |
| Scotland | £4625 | year 1 |
| Wales | £4625 | year 1 |
| International | £7280 | year 1 |
Additional fee information
Part-time international students, Year 3+: £10920 pa
Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their programme. Tuition fees for students continuing on their programme in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases.
Average student cost of living in London
| Rent | £518 |
| Water, gas electricity, internet (at home) | £50 |
| Supermarket shopping | £81 |
| Clothing | £35 |
| Eating out | £33 |
| Alcohol | £27 |
| Takeaways / food deliveries | £30 |
| Going out / entertainment (excl.alcohol, food) | £24 |
| Holidays and weekend trips | £78 |
| Transport within city | £17 |
| Self-care / sports | £20 |
| Stationary / books | £13 |
| Mobile phone / internet | £13 |
| Cable TV / streaming | £7 |
| Insurance | £51 |
| Other | £95 |
| Average student cost of living | £1092 |
London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.
How to apply
Application deadline:
January 1, 2024
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Possible Entry Points:
- Foundation
University Rankings
Positions of Birkbeck, University of London in top UK and global rankings.
See all university rankings of Birkbeck, University of London
What students say about studying Film Studies in the UK?
About Birkbeck, University of London
Birkbeck, University of London (BBK) was established in 1823, and takes a different stance towards admissions than many other universities. Applicants are encouraged by BKK to apply even if they don’t possess the traditional qualifications normally required, as applications here are also considered based on an assessment of your knowledge on the subject, and any work experience you might have. Being located in the very centre of London, students will have all the advantages of the city’s public transport connections, as well as the chance to live in such a diverse and vibrant city with all that it offers.
Where is this programme taught
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