As a student in Film and Media at Kent, you join a community fascinated by visual and digital culture in all its forms. Explore cinema's rich scope and history, from silent classics and mainstream Hollywood to the avant-garde and animation. Develop industry-based skills in filmmaking, podcasting, screenwriting, online content creation, photography and arts criticism.
Learn the language of film
Our Film degrees explore the history of cinema and the theoretical approaches to the medium. Film history covers the social and cultural meaning of film as well as its technological development while film theory introduces you to the scholarly traditions that inform the study of film, including cognitivism, genre and auteur studies.
The film practice aspect of our programmes develop your filmmaking skills gradually. You are taught cinematic language before making an experimental or narrative short film. You then learn the art of screenwriting, improvisation and various filmmaking processes. Throughout the programme you gain research, analysis and critical thinking skills that are useful for a range of professions in the creative industries and beyond.
We offer a range of Film programmes, and you can also extend your degree with a year in industry or study abroad at one of our partner universities in the Europe, Canada, USA, South Africa or Asia.
Understand our use of media
Kent's Media programme is at the forefront of contemporary media
theory and practice. Our course teaches you how to navigate the rapidly
changing landscape of the digital age. You will also gain competitive
skills for careers in the world of media.
You will examine
how old and new media are shaping the culture of today and tomorrow.
Choose from a range of cutting-edge modules and hone your practical
skills in camerawork, editing, public speaking, writing, basic web
design and marketing, preparing you for employment in the digital space
and in creative industries.
Taught by experts in the field, the course offers both
theoretical and practical modules, and you will learn about digital culture and
society as well as industry and creative production, factual entertainment
and promotional media.
I enjoy the way lecturers and seminar leaders work with us, they treat us like adults.
Build your network
Our excellent links with industry help you build vital career connections. The School welcomes colleagues from leading organisations such as the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 for workshops and events. Some recent examples include:
Daisy Lilley, BAFTA-winning producer of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here (ITV), Love Island (ITV) and creator of The Circle (Channel 4)
Caroline Waterlow, Academy Award-winning producer of OJ: Made in America
Adam Benzine, Academy Award-nominated director of Spectres of the Shoah
Vaughan Savidge, BBC World Service
Michael Brown, Head of Broadcasting at Esports company Gfinity
Jessica Hynes, BAFTA-winning writer, producer and actor
Foz Allan and Jonathan Wolfman, Bryncoed Productions, producers of Riviera (Sky Atlantic) and Jekyll and Hyde (ITV)
We have links with the British Film Institute, Arts Council England and the Independent Cinema Office, Screen Archive South East and the Kent Film Office. We also host regular visits by leading filmmakers and critics.
Shape your future
During your time at Kent you can take join a range of student societies, including
FilmSoc, the student film society
Canterbury Student Radio (CSR 97.4FM)
The Podcasting Club
InQuire student newspaper
Kent Television (KTV)
Kent Union also runs a media hub, the Student Media Centre, where students work together to produce print, radio and online content. Students can use the hub’s industry-standard editing suites, a radio studio, and a TV studio.
KMTV
The University of Kent has a formal relationship with the local media company and television station KMTV until at least 2023. As part of that arrangement, School of Arts students may apply for paid and unpaid internships and work experiences at KMTV. In the past our students have gained valuable experiences in real-world television and media skills such as: broadcast programming (scheduling); monitoring and creating social media; assistance in the studio and newsroom; guest management; photography and camera operation; shooting b-roll and recording vox pops.
Research excellence
Our broad range of interests cover film style and interpretation, filmmaking and screenwriting, a selection of national cinemas, documentaries, pulp cinema and more. Through our active research centres, we promote a lively and interdisciplinary environment for our postgraduate researchers and academics.
