Excellent facilities

Access our high-spec 214-seat screening and lecture room, 39-seat cinema, digital filmmaking equipment, production studios, animation and edit suites, design workshop and sound rooms.

Expert tuition

Our internationally renowned academics have expertise in film and television history, criticism and filmmaking, with specialists in everything from world cinema to film history, television genres to streaming platforms.

Outstanding reputation

We are a UK top 10 University (QS World University Rankings 2024, UK) and fifth in the UK for research impact (THE analysis of REF 2021).

Film and Television at Bristol

We are distinctive for the way our degrees blend the historical and theoretical study of film and television with filmmaking practice. We were one of the first universities in the UK to introduce film and television studies to our curriculum in the 1960s.

Guided by expert scholars and practitioners, you will explore the history and aesthetics of film, television and digital streaming platforms through an exciting mixture of traditional academic study and practical filmmaking. Tutors draw on their own research to bring cutting-edge ideas to your studies.

Students can bring their ideas to life with access to our filmmaking and digital production equipment, our 4k cinema, production studios, stop-motion suites, sound rooms and edit suites.

The teaching quality is superb and we are given so much support. I have enjoyed the mixture of practical and theoretical work. There are plenty of cultural events going on in Bristol, especially to do with my course.

ALICIA, BA FILM AND TELEVISION

Career prospects

Two students at work using editing software

We host frequent masterclasses and talks with industry figures, which have included directors, producers, visual effects artists and animators. These are specifically careers oriented and help students understand the inner workings of the film and television industry.

A degree in film and television is an excellent foundation for a large number of career paths including the creative industries and beyond.

Graduates have gone into film production, research, broadcasting, arts administration, education, finance and related business sectors, and further study.

Bristol graduates include actors Simon Pegg, Jamie Demetriou and Pearl Mackie, as well as leading directors, producers and visual effects professionals.

Course structure

The backs of people's heads as they watch a classic film in a small cinema.

Our degrees offer an integrated approach to the study of film and television history, theory, criticism and practice. In the first year, students are introduced to the foundations of these four key areas. You will have the opportunity to experiment with a range of critical and creative projects, learning new, valuable and essential skills upon which the remainder of your studies will build. 

In your second year, you will begin to specialise through access to a wide range of optional units. In addition, all students begin preparing for their future careers through core units that introduce them to the screen industries and project research and development. 

In your final year, you will deepen your understanding through the implementation of your skills in a year-long critical and creative project. Working closely with supervisors on shaping your ideas and interests, you will have access to further specialist units, placement opportunities and advanced technical training.

City of film

The city of Bristol shot from above at night.

A UNESCO City of Film, Bristol is full of opportunities to get involved with and is a hub of creative activity as well as a frequently used filming location.

Bristol is home to several arthouse cinemas, film festivals, and studios including Aardman Animations and the BBC's Natural History unit: over one-quarter of the world's nature documentaries are made here.

We have strong links with local partners such as Watershed Media Centre and the Encounters short film and animation festival, as well as larger organisations such as the BBC and the British Film Institute.

Edit this page