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BA Film & Screen Media
BA IN FILM AND SCREEN MEDIA GRADUATES
BA IN FILM AND SCREEN MEDIA CK105
BA Director: Dr Abigail Keating, email: abigail.keating@ucc.ie
University College Cork's BA in Film and Screen Media is a unique, major degree that offers students a thorough education on the history, theory, values, aesthetics and ideology of the moving image.
The philosophy of our BA is that theory, analysis and history must be informed by practice, and that practice must, in turn, be informed by a deep understanding of how cinema and ideas about the moving image have developed. Hence, this unique programme innovatively combines the study of film and of screen media (Internet, mobile social media, e-publishing) and practical filmmaking modules and workshops in digital filmmaking and in writing for the screen.
Led by internationally recognised experts, this BA will immerse students in the history and theory of film and screen media from around the world, from the birth of cinema to the age of the Internet. Students also make films under the guidance of experienced practitioners, and avail of professionalising opportunities provided by the programme's partnership with film festivals such as Schull's Fastnet Short Film Festival. With a thriving component of visiting speakers, guest practitioners and artists in residence, students will have the chance to meet and be taught by professionals of the film industry and by expert speakers from universities and archives from around the world.
Students may opt into the International Pathway of the BA, and spend third year studying film and screen media, as well as their second subject, at one of our partner universities abroad.
The BA equips students with the skills for careers in the media, the culture and creative industries, teaching, journalism, or for further study and research at postgraduate level.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
BA Film and Screen Media - course code CK105. Application is through the CAO website.
Entry requirements and application procedure can be found on the UCC Admissions website.
BA Programme Structure and Modules, and Subject Combinations are available in the Academic Programme Catalogue.
CAO points history (points may vary year to year)
2023: 420 points
2024: 378 points
For specific queries on entry requirements please follow the links below:
UCC Undergraduate Admissions Office
INTERNATIONAL PATHWAY
INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS GOING ABROAD IN THIRD YEAR
Our Year Abroad programme gives you the opportunity to spend a year studying at any of our partner universities.
Third Arts (Film and Screen Media) (International) Pathway is spent in an approved foreign university where students will study approved courses/modules to the equivalent value of 60 credits. All courses will be assessed by the approved Host University.
Modules in the Host University relate to film, digital media and communication. Language modules for credit are also allowed if this suits your needs.
Please note: in some cases, only students who study the language or can demonstrate high proficiency in the language can choose the respective Host University.
Our partners for 2023-2024 are:
Aarhus University, Denmark (2 places; courses in English).
Université de Strasbourg, France (3 places; language required).
Universitat Bremen, Germany (1 place; language required).
Universiteit van Amsterdam, Netherlands (2 places; courses in English).
Universidade Catolica Portuguesa, Portugal (1 place; courses in English).
Università degli Studi di Udine, Italy (1 place; courses in English).
IESA (Institut d'Études Supérieures des Arts), Paris, France (2 places; courses in English).
University of Łódź, Poland (2 places; some courses offered in English). Website Link 1. Website Link 2. Website Link 3. Website Link 4. Website Link 5.
Leeds Trinity University, UK (3 places; courses in English). This does not fall under the Erasmus scheme.
WHY STUDY ABROAD?
Studying abroad will provide valuable experience that employers will appreciate, and that will also help you grow personally. It is a great way to become familiar with other cultures and expand your worldview. If you study a language as your second subject at UCC, your linguistic proficiency will benefit immensely. It is also an opportunity to make new friends and contacts, and to travel and change routine.
INFORMATION
Dr Abigail Keating, FSM Erasmus Coordinator
Email: abigail.keating@ucc.ie
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
The BA is a unique, specialised programme that responds to the growing need for a specific education capable of preparing students for the challenges of our society and of our evolving technologies.
It aims to equip students with advanced levels of audiovisual literacy and a comprehensive knowledge of Film Studies and Screen Media (encompassing Internet, mobile social media, computer games). It offers an education in the history, aesthetic and cultural values of the moving image in all its forms, and combines it with a practical knowledge of making digital films and digital media.
Through training that exposes them to both theoretical and practical elements of teaching and learning, and to a range of forms of assessment—including essay writing, oral presentations with technological support, portfolios and practical projects—students will also attain a set of skills that will prepare them for further education and aid them in various career paths.
Students will attain a set of skills that will prepare them for further education...
...and aid them in various career paths, including:
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Film industry
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TV and Media
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Internet
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Creative and culture industries
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Journalism
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E-publishing
For more information click here to visit the Careers Service website or download our Employability Guide: Careers for Film & Screen Media Graduates
or
Watch/listen to some of our graduates as they talk about their experiences on having completed the course: BA in Film & Screen Media: 10 Years Later...
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Before...
Why should I study Film and Screen Media?
Nowadays, more than ever before, national and international cultures operate, communicate, entertain and celebrate their identities in powerful and important visual ways. Contemporary citizens of the world interact in visually complex ways, and the media that they use work by projecting, merging, distributing, enhancing and displaying images.
Why should I choose the BA in Film and Screen Media at University College Cork?
UCC is one of Ireland’s most beautiful university campuses and is conveniently situated in the centre of Cork city, a thriving hub of filmmaking and film festivals. This unique programme acknowledges the exciting and growing developments in film and media projects among the creative community in the city and the greater Cork area. With internationally celebrated festivals such as the French Film Festival and the Cork Film Festival, as well as the Fastnet Short Film Festival in Schull, and supporting bodies such as the Cork Film Commission, the area boasts a vibrant active film and media making and viewing community.
The BA in Film and Screen Media is a unique, innovative programme that combines training in the practice of digital filmmaking with courses on the theories, history and styles of film and other screen media, such as mobile technologies, the Internet and cyberspace, video games, and many others. In this exciting programme you will gain hands-on experience and develop production skills at the same time as you acquire analytical expertise and knowledge of this stimulating subject area. The programme has been designed so that the specialised practical components feed off the analysis-based modules, and the theoretical modules enhance your own digital filmmaking skills. Programme courses that demonstrate the interface of the two areas of study include: “Studies in Cinema: Auteurs and Genre”, “Writing for the Screen”, “Ireland on Screen” and “Making Digital Media”, other modules will cater for an ever-evolving universal media landscape, by considering a variety of technologies and digital mechanisms including those mentioned above.
What grades do I need in my Leaving Certificate (or other final year second level graduation results) in order to do the BA in Film and Screen Media?
As requirements are likely to change from year to year (and from country to country) it is best to consult http://www.ucc.ie/en/ck105/ or http://www.ucc.ie/en/admissions/.
Will I need to have studied film or media in Secondary School?
No. All of the experience that you will need will be built up, from day one of the programme.
Do I need to pass an interview or other examination process to be accepted onto the programme?
No.
What other subjects go well with my BA in Film and Screen Media?
There are lists of subjects that you may choose with the BA programme, but not every combination is possible. Likely matches and regular connections that work especially well with the BA in Film and Screen Media include Language and Literature-based options such as: English, French, Italian, German and Hispanic Studies. Other subjects that make excellent links include: History of Art, Philosophy, Politics and Sociology. You should check the option lists for compatibility and ensure that you are taking subjects that interest you. Your credit breakdown across the three years is as follows:
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First Year: BA Film and Screen Media (30 credits) + two other subjects (15 credits each)
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Second Year: BA Film and Screen Media (40 credits) + one other subject (20 credits)
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Third Year: BA Film and Screen Media (40 credits) + one other subject (20 credits)
During...
How long is the BA in Film and Screen Media?
The BA offers a full time programme over three years.
What will I be studying?
Each year you will take core courses in theories, history and aesthetics of film and screen media, and in practical filmmaking. In addition, there are option modules in specific topics in film history, and courses on national cinemas.
Will I meet people who work in the industry?
Absolutely. There are several modules that are conducted by expert practitioners and professionals, who will give you up-to-date knowledge about how various aspects of the industry work. There will also be occasional visiting lectures, seminars and workshops by some of our best-known creative talents in the field. During your degree, you will have the opportunity of getting first-rate guidance and instruction on film production from our Film Artist in Residence.
Will I be making films?
Yes. You will get a comprehensive training in the use of cameras, lighting, and postproduction work that will give you competence in several aspects of film production. Across your three-year BA in Film and Screen Media degree you will become comfortable with the techniques and technologies of digital filmmaking, and during your studies you will be involved in a number of video productions; whether documentary, fictional, or promotional.
Will I acquire any practical skills?
Yes. You will have the opportunity to learn about script structuring and screenwriting, camera operation, lighting, direction and editing. All of these skills will be informed by a thorough exploration of key theories and histories of film and screen media around the world, since the birth of the medium. You can also expect to learn usefully transferable skills relating to oral presentations, web design and portfolio work.
Will I be working in groups or on my own?
Both. Your assessments will occasionally be group-oriented, and will often be individual. The nature of the programme allows you to develop your own philosophy of, and creative analytical approach to visual media, as well as to learn about, and experience, collaborative practical work on group projects.
Afterwards...
What are my career options once I have completed this programme?
As well as having obtained a keen awareness of the ways in which contemporary society constructs itself around a highly visualised culture of images – something that will enable you to contribute to several areas of present-day industry and commerce – you will be prepared for work in various related fields within journalism, advertising, design, audio-visual production, television, visual technologies, various culture industries, and, of course, cinema.
Are there options open for me for further study?
Absolutely. This course will give you a very solid knowledge of the practical and theoretical areas in the wide field of film and screen media; a concrete foundation that will facilitate your progress to more advanced studies at MA and PhD levels. You will have acquired refined technical skills, and research methodologies that will complement your knowledge base, and will enable your transition to higher levels of university study or practical filmmaking.
QUERCUS TALENTED STUDENTS’ PROGRAMME
The Quercus Talented Students’ Programme aims at supporting and promoting excellence in academia, sport, creative and performing arts, active citizenship and innovation/entrepreneurship for both prospective undergraduate students and students already registered in UCC.
UCC acknowledges that while attainment in the Leaving Certificate may be used to recognise academic talent, many students are prevented from performing to the maximum of their academic ability in this examination due to social and cultural factors outside of their control, through disability or through their commitment to the pursuit of excellence in their personal extra-curricular talent or skill. UCC also acknowledges that some students do not realise their potential until they have commenced their university studies, and will often achieve outstanding academic and personal accomplishments post-entry.
For more information on the programme, visit this website.