Film Studies MLitt
This Film Studies MLitt is an opportunity for you to pursue research that you are passionate about. It combines taught elements to develop your subject knowledge and research-based elements to encourage your skills as a researcher.
You are currently viewing course information for entry year:
Start date(s):
- September 2026
Overview
By joining Newcastle University for the Film Studies MLitt you will benefit from being part of a thriving community of postgraduate students working in Film across disciplines.
The course allows you to combine your interests and our expertise to achieve your research objectives whilst exploring something you are passionate about.
The Film Studies MLitt allows you to master advanced practical and theoretical skills to research and analyse film. Teaching methods closely resemble those at doctoral level, effectively preparing you for PhD study.
As part of the Film Studies MLitt programme, dissertation supervision is available in:
- Caribbean cinema (Dr Dunjar Fehimovic)
- Chinese-language cinema (Prof Sabrina Qiong)
- Contemporary Spanish and Latin American cinemas (Dr Philippa Page)
- Documentary Film Practices: British Documentary Movement; Character-led documentary, Ethnographic Documentary (Ms Lucy Jolly; Mr Simon Rushton)
- Film festivals (Dr Lydia Wu)
- Film Theory, History and Historiography: realism; documentary; Soviet, Russian and Eastern European film history and culture (Dr Raisa Sidenova)
- French cinema (Dr Sarah Leahy)
- Japanese popular culture and anime (Dr Shiro Yoshioka)
- Portuguese and Brazilian cinema (Dr Fernando Beleza)
Dissertation supervisors span the:
This ensures the best fit between your interests and the expertise of our staff.
Important information
We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.
Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.
View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2025-26.
See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.
What you'll learn
Taught modules aim to extend your knowledge and skills beyond undergraduate-level and help to develop your research skills.
Modules
You will study modules on this course. A module is a unit of a course with its own approved aims and outcomes and assessment methods.
Module information is intended to provide an example of what you will study.
Our teaching is informed by research. Course content changes periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.
Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.
To find out more please see our terms and conditions.
Optional modules availability
Some courses have optional modules. Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.
Compulsory Modules | Credits |
---|
How you'll learn
This Film Studies MLitt course is delivered by the School of Modern Languages (SML), with the possibility of joint supervision with other schools. SML is located in the heart of Newcastle University’s city-centre campus. Attendance is flexible and agreed between you and your supervisors depending on the requirements of the research project.
Study consists mainly of tutorials and independent learning supported by research training. Supervisors will advise applicants on how to develop their research proposals, help them identify gaps in the subject knowledge and research skills, and work in dialogue with them to develop their project.
The MLitt includes a formal research training component where you develop research skills and methodologies (20 credits).
Full-time students are expected to undertake 40 hours of work per week with an annual holiday entitlement of 35 days (including statutory and bank holidays). Part-time study requires a commitment of at least 20 hours per week.
Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:
- Dissertation
- Portfolio
- Dissertation – a longer piece of academic writing that allows you to explore a subject of your choosing in depth and over a longer period of time
- Research portfolio (essays or other research assignments)
As part of the Film Studies MLitt, you'll submit a portfolio of essays or other research assignments chosen according to your interests and experience. You undertake a dissertation of 16,000 - 18,000 words consisting of a sustained piece of original research.
Your supervisor will be an expert in your chosen field. You will also receive support from an experienced research supervisor.
Our mission is to help you:
- stay healthy, positive and feeling well
- overcome any challenges you may face during your degree – academic or personal
- get the most out of your postgraduate research experience
- carry out admin and activities essential to progressing through your degree
- understand postgraduate research processes, standards and rules
We can offer you tailored wellbeing support, courses and activities.
You can also access a broad range of workshops covering:
- research and professional skills
- careers support
- wellbeing
- health and safety
- public engagement
- academic development
Your future
Further study
This course is an ideal route into PhD level study. A number of graduates have gone on to funded PhD study at Newcastle University and elsewhere.
Careers
Specific career pathways will depend on your area of study. This programme will provide you with essential transferable skills: independence and initiative, resilience, planning and time management, as well as developing your research, presentation and communication skills to a high level.
Our Careers Service
Our Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers.
Quality and ranking
All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body
From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK
Facilities
During your studies, you'll be based right at the heart of our city-centre campus. This gives you access to our fantastic and unique local film facilities. These include the only archive of Chinese indie film in the world (CIFA), housed at the University, as well as Newcastle's historic Tyneside Cinema and the community volunteer-run Star and Shadow Cinema.
As a student, you'll have access to:
- professional-standard video and audio equipment, studio space and AV-editing facilities
- specialist computing facilities, including industry-standard software, such as Adobe Creative Suite
- a mobile studio suite
- a dedicated postgraduate suite including computers, workspaces and a kitchen
The Language Resource Centre and Philip Robinson Library hold extensive collections of international films and film magazines
Fees and funding
Tuition fees for 2026 entry (per year)
Home fees for research degree students
As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.
Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.
EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support. You may be eligible for a scholarship worth 25% off the international fee. Search our funding database.
If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.
Scholarships
We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information.
What you're paying for
Tuition fees include the costs of:
- matriculation
- registration
- tuition (or supervision)
- library access
- examination
- re-examination
- graduation
Find out more about:
If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.
You can check this in the How to apply section.
If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.
For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.
Search for funding
Find funding available for your course
Entry requirements
The entrance requirements below apply to 2026 entry.
Qualifications from outside the UK
English Language requirements
Admissions policy
This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions at Newcastle University. It is intended to provide information about our admissions policies and procedures to applicants and potential applicants, to their advisors and family members, and to staff of the University.
University Admissions Policy and related policies and procedures
Credit transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can allow you to convert existing relevant university-level knowledge, skills and experience into credits towards a qualification. Find out more about the RPL policy which may apply to this course
How to apply
Using the application portal
The application portal has instructions to guide you through your application. It will tell you what documents you need and how to upload them.
You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.
If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the application portal.
Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages.
Apply Online
Open days and events
Find out about how you can visit Newcastle in person and virtually
Overseas events
We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University.
Get in touch
Questions about this course?
If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:
School of Modern LanguagesTelephone: +44 (0) 191 208 5867
Email: modlang.pgadmin@ncl.ac.uk
Online
For more general enquiries you could also complete our online enquiry form.
Live chat
Our Ncl chatbot might be able to give you an answer straight away. If not, it’ll direct you to someone who can help.
You'll find our Ncl chatbot in the bottom right of this page.
Keep updated
We regularly send email updates and extra information about the University.
Receive regular updates by email
Social Media
Get in touch with the School of Modern Languages