Film and Screenwriting - BA (Hons)

Birmingham City University

Develop your skills across key film studies and screenwriting debates and conventions on our BA (Hons) Film and Screenwriting course. Taught by noted film scholars and established practitioners, you will gain knowledge of international film and television screenwriting perspectives. Our degree is designed to equip you with the theoretical understanding, practical experience and knowledge of industry trends needed to succeed in a rapidly changing film environment.

The course considers of a wide range of script to screen traditions from theory, practice and industry perspectives. You will gain an understanding of cinema and television conventions and screenwriting genres (such as romcom, thriller, science fiction and horror). You will also be introduced to a variety of film and TV formats such as feature film, single drama, drama series, serials, sitcom, soap and web series. Focusing on the aesthetic and creative aspects of film and television screenwriting, you will consider storytelling techniques, narratology, pitching and screen adaptation. Modules such as Film Primer and Script Development provide complementary skills relevant to the film industry. You will have opportunities to work on established film festivals that are associated with the course and have access to film collections that will enrich your course of studies.

You will be taught in a range of lectures, seminars, writing workshops and production sessions, while regular film screenings help you contextualise cinema traditions against your own script creations. There will be opportunities to work alongside other students on complementary degree programmes in Filmmaking and Digital Film Production to produce full pieces of work to add to your professional portfolio as well as experience of working with script in live productions in our industry-standard studios. Your formal studies will be enriched by the possibility to work on a range of external events, such as the Cine-Excess International Film Festival. This annual event attracts visiting international filmmakers, as well as hosting UK theatrical premieres on a regular basis. Having previously operated in London’s West End and Brighton, Cine-Excess has now relocated to BCU to operate as a central resource for the course.

This course offers an optional professional placement year. This allows you to spend a whole year with an employer, following successful completion of your second year, and is a great way to find out more about your chosen career. Some students even return to the same employers after completing their studies. If you choose to pursue a placement year, you will need to find a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study. You will be able to draw on the University’s extensive network of local, regional, and national employers, and the support of our Careers teams. If you are able to secure a placement, you can request to be transferred to the placement version of the course. Please note that fees are payable during your placement year, equivalent to 20% of the total full-time course fee for that year.