Film Aesthetics MSt

University of Oxford

The MSt in Film Aesthetics equips you with the skills and knowledge necessary for analysing film as an art form. It concentrates on film criticism, detailed film analysis, film theory and philosophy insofar as they relate to film aesthetics. It teaches the history and the contemporary developments in the scholarly literature relating to these aspects. It encourages analytical, thoughtful and imaginative engagement with film as a medium and with individual films.

The MSt in Film Aesthetics is a degree in the humanities run by the Humanities Division.

The course concentrates on film from the point of view of aesthetics, including:

• the detailed study of film style and form, and the articulation of it in writing - for example, narrative structure, use of camera, colour, performance, sound, music, editing and composition;
• matters of philosophical aesthetics, and their particular application to film; and
• classic and contemporary film theory and philosophy as they relate to film aesthetics.

Many master's programmes concentrate on historical, cultural, geographical, or political approaches to film and may only contain an aesthetic component. This programme is dedicated to the specialist study of film form, and film as an art form. Applicants should note that historical, cultural, geographical, and political approaches to film study may feature in courses and in written work, but they are not prioritised in the teaching and assessment of the degree.

The course runs from late September to June, from a week before the first term to the end of the last term.

A week before term officially begins, you will attend a practical film workshop for one week. Although the degree itself is not practical, this week acts as an introduction to film techniques and allows the group to work with each other before the degree begins. This part of the course is not assessed.

In the first two terms the course is taught by seminar only, although there will be individual meetings with tutors to discuss essay preparation and feedback. There will be two seminars per week and they will vary in length depending on the module.

The first term of the course will look at the analysis of film style and film form, train techniques of film analysis and look at key concepts in film form, film criticism, film theory and philosophy.

The second term consists of four short segments, each covering a particular aesthetic topic. Each segment is compulsory and there are no optional components. This part of the course provides you with the opportunity to engage with four different areas of specialisation.

The courses for the second term change from year to year but may include:

• aesthetics of Italian cinema
• art and film
• contemporary Chinese film
• screening cities
• the film-philosophy of Stanley Cavell

In the third term the course is taught by individual supervision focussing on the dissertation.

You will be expected to read quite extensively for seminars and supervisions, and also view films.

Academics who teach on the course change from year to year, but include:

• Professor Andrew Klevan (Convenor)
• Dr Reidar Due (Convenor)
• Professor Nikolaj Lubecker
• Professor Guido Bonsaver
• Professor Margaret Hillenbrand
• Professor Stephen Mullhall
• Dr Rey Conquer
• Dr Janina Schupp
• Dr Alexandra Grieve