fully funded phd film studies

• Utility Menu

Department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies  

The Department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies (AFVS) at Harvard offers a graduate program in Film and Visual Studies leading to a PhD.

The Department also offers a secondary field in Film and Visual Studies for students already admitted to PhD programs in other departments in the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

The study of film at Harvard functions within the multi-disciplinary examination of audio-visual experience. From Hugo Münsterberg's pathbreaking forays into the psychological reception of moving images and Rudolf Arnheim’s seminal investigations of "visual thinking" to Paul Sachs’s incorporation of film into the academic and curatorial focus of the fine arts at Harvard and Stanley Cavell’s philosophical approaches to the medium, Harvard has sustained a distinguished tradition of engaging cinema and the cultural, visual, spatial, and philosophical questions that it raises. With their emphases on experimentation in the contemporary arts and creative collaboration among practitioners and critics, the Department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies (AFVS) and the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts provide a singular and unparalleled site for advanced research in Film and Visual Studies. The program aims to foster critical understanding of the interactions between the making of and thinking about film and video, between studio art, performance, and visual culture, and between different arts and pursuits whose objects are audio-visual entities. The Carpenter Center also supports a lively research culture, including the Film and Visual Studies Colloquium and a Film and Visual Studies Workshop for advanced doctoral students, as well as lecture series and exhibitions featuring distinguished artists, filmmakers, and scholars.

Interdisciplinary in its impetus, the program draws on and consolidates course offerings in departments throughout the Faculty of Arts and Sciences which consider film and other arts in all their various countenances and investigate the place of visual arts within a variety of contexts. Graduate students may also take advantage of the significant resources of the Harvard Film Archive (HFA), which houses a vast collection of 16mm and 35mm film prints as well as rare video materials, vintage film posters, photographs, and promotional materials. The HFA furthers the artistic and academic appreciation of moving image media within the Harvard and the New England community, offering a setting where students and faculty can interact with filmmakers and artists. In early 2003, the HFA opened a new Conservation Center that allows the HFA conservator and staff to accession new films as well as to preserve its significant collections of independent, international, and silent films.

Students and faculty in Film and Visual Studies are also eligible to apply to the Harvard Film Study Center for fellowships which are awarded annually in support of original film, video, and photographic projects. Established in 1957, the Film Study Center provides production equipment, post-production facilities, technical support, and funding for nonfiction works that interpret the world through images and sounds. Among the many important films to have been produced at the Film Study Center are John Marshall's The Hunters (1956), Robert Gardner's Forest of Bliss (1985), Irene Lusztig's Reconstruction (2001), Ross McElwee's Bright Leaves (2003), Peter Galison and Robb Moss’s Secrecy (2008), Ilisa Barbash and Lucien Castaing-Taylor's Sweetgrass (2009), Véréna Paravel and J.P. Sniadecki’s Foreign Parts (2011), Véréna Paravel and Lucien Castaing-Taylor’s Leviathan (2013) and De Humani Corporis Fabrica (2022), Stephanie Spray and Pacho Velez’s Manakamana (2014), Mati Diop’s Atlantiques (2019), Ernst Karel and Veronika

Kusumaryati’s Expedition Content (2020), and Joana Pimenta and Adirley Queirós’ Dry Ground Burning (2022).

Images:  Instructions for a Light and Sound Machine  (2005), directed by Peter Tscherkassky, from a print in the collection of the Harvard Film Archive.

• Undergraduate
• Academic Requirements
• Secondary Field in Film and Visual Studies
• Film and Visual Studies PhD Alumni:
• Graduate Program FAQs
• Courses in Art, Film, and Visual Studies -Fall 2024 (Spring 2025 COMING SOON!)

Graduate Contacts

Laura Frahm Director of Graduate Studies 

Emily Amendola Graduate Coordinator Film and Visual Studies Program (617) 495-9720 amendola [at] fas.harvard.edu  

FAQs about the Graduate Program

My native language is not english; do i have to take the an english language proficiency exam.

Adequate  command of spoken and written English  is essential to success in graduate study at Harvard. Applicants who are non-native English speakers can demonstrate English proficiency in one of three ways:

• Receiving an undergraduate degree from an academic institution where English is the primary language of instruction.*
• Earning a minimum score of 80 on the Internet based test (iBT) of the ...

When is the application deadline for admission to the Ph.D. program in Film and Visual Studies?

December 15, 2023

Where can I obtain an admissions application?

Applications are found on the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website ( https://gsas.harvard.edu/admissions/apply ). 

Ph.D. in Cinema Studies

The Ph.D. curriculum draws on the methods of a number of disciplines, including art history, cultural studies, American studies, psychoanalytic theory, and philosophy. It involves intensive seminar level study in film theory, history and research methods. Graduates of the program have gone onto positions of academic leadership in the field.  The Doctor of Philosophy degree is conferred for advanced studies in which the student demonstrates outstanding original scholarship. It signifies the student can conduct independent research and has both a broad basic knowledge of all areas of his or her field and an intensive knowledge of one field in particular.

Over the first two years of the program, you’ll enroll in nine courses. In addition to the three courses listed below, a number of lectures and seminars are offered each semester in the department. Additionally, you will have the option to take up to two courses in other departments within NYU.

PhD Methodologies

In your first semester, you will meet with your cohort to examine a range of activities entailed in being in the program specifically, and in preparing for a career in cinema and media studies generally.  The course covers professional activities, research protocols, and practical exercises.

Directed Reading

In your third semester, you will complete a Directed Reading in your dissertation topic area with supervision by your anticipated dissertation advisor.

Dissertation Seminar

In your fourth semester, your cohort will come back together to prepare dissertation proposals through in-class debate, written feedback, and guests with experience in the process.  With regular presentations of work in progress, you will spend the semester finishing your dissertation proposal.

Qualifying Exams

You will be required to pass three Qualifying Examinations during your first two years in the program. The two written exams, one each in the fields of Film/Media History and Film/Culture/Media Theory, consist of 10-page essays completed over the course of a week and graded by three faculty members. The oral exam comprises questions relating to your specific area of research during your dissertation proposal, conducted and graded by three faculty members.

Read more about the Ph.D. Comprehesive Examinations.

Language Requirement

You will be expected to demonstrate proficiency in one foreign language.  Six languages are accepted toward fulfilling this requirement: Chinese, French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish.  Students for whom English is a second language may request an exemption from this requirement.  To demonstrate proficiency, you must pass an exam from either the department or the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

You will be given the opportunity to serve as a teaching assistant during your second year of coursework.  Once your coursework and qualifying examinations are complete, you will be eligible to submit course proposals for adjunct teaching positions in the department.

Current students should consult the Ph.D. Handbook for rules and regulations.

• Undergraduate
• Graduate Students
• Faculty and Student Resources
• McCormick Screening Room
• Media Editing Lab
• Undergraduate Library
• Film Production Equipment
• Film Festival
• Stay Connected
• Support Our Department

Welcome to the Film and Media Studies Ph.D. Program

UC Irvine’s PhD program in Film and Media Studies offers students the opportunity to study and develop original research on film, television, and digital media. Rooted in the Humanities, we focus on interpreting the histories and theories of media and their cultural contexts.

Our curriculum provides a broad foundation in Film and Media Studies while also centering questions of media and power. Our course offerings emphasize post-colonial and decolonial approaches to film and media, queer theory and histories of gender and sexuality, critical race studies, video game studies, and archival research. We seek students who are deeply invested in understanding the perspectives of those who have been pushed to the margins of media technology, industries, and texts and in exploring the relationships between culture, identity, history, and power.

Located near Los Angeles, UC Irvine offers access to the rich cultural offerings and research institutions of Southern California. Students may choose to supplement their Film and Media Studies degree with interdisciplinary graduate certificates in Asian American Studies , Chicano/Latino Studies , Critical Theory , Feminist Studies , Latin American Studies , and/or Visual Studies .

We admit all students, with BAs or MAs, directly into the PhD program in small cohorts with multi-year funding packages. We encourage prospective students to review our faculty profiles and contact the faculty members who work in their potential areas of interest before applying to learn more about their research, teaching, and advising.

Prospective students interested in the Ph.D. Program in Visual Studies, administered by the Department of Art History, can find more information here .

Meet the Film and Media Studies Faculty and learn about their research interests.

The annual admissions deadline is December 1 .

Complete applications will include:

• A Statement of Purpose (1200 words maximum) that describes your research interests and reasons for seeking a PhD. The Statement of Purpose should indicate how your proposed research correlates to our program's emphases and how you will benefit from working with specific core faculty. You can find information about faculty research interests here.  

• A Personal History Statement (1200 word maximum) that describes your educational accomplishments and goals. It is important to communicate whether you have experienced unique or significant opportunities, challenges, and/or obstacles in your pursuit of an education. Please also describe the career paths you plan to pursue after graduation.

• A sample of academic writing that demonstrates original thinking, clear writing and your preparedness to do graduate-level work in film and media studies.

• Length: A minimum of ten pages to a maximum of thirty pages. Any submission longer than the maximum will not be reviewed past the maximum page limit.
• You may submit two pieces of work as long as their combined length does not exceed the page limit.
• In the event you have a longer piece of work to submit, such as a Master's thesis or Undergraduate research paper, please submit a chapter or section of the work within the page restriction.

• Three letters of recommendation, preferably from faculty with whom you have studied.

• Transcripts.

• Results of the TOEFL or IELTS exam for international applicants for whom English is not their primary language.

For academic questions (questions about program requirements, the application review process, funding opportunities, etc.) please contact the Graduate Director, Professor Kristen Hatch ([email protected]). 

For administrative questions (questions about how to apply, paying the application fee, application materials, etc.) please contact the Graduate Coordinator, Amy Fujitani ([email protected]). 

To apply, click here .

Course Requirements

Required Core Courses (6 courses)

FLM&MDA 285A: Film Studies: Theory and Methods.

FLM&MDA 285B: Television Studies: Theory and Methods.

FLM&MDA 285C: Digital Media and Game Studies: Theory and Methods.

FLM&MDA 286A: Film and Media Studies Historiography.

FLM&MDA 286B: Media/Power/Culture.

FLM&MDA 286C: Critical Approaches to Film and Media Studies.

Elective Courses (7 courses)

FLM&MDA 291: Graduate Seminar in Film and Media Studies. Repeatable as topics vary.

FLM&MDA 292: Graduate Seminar in Film & Media Critical Practice. Repeatable as topics vary.

FLM&MDA 295: Directed Reading. Repeatable as topics vary.

Required Practicums in Film and Media Studies (4 courses)

FLM&MDA 287: Practicum in Pedagogy.

FLM&MDA 288A: Practicum in Professionalization I.

FLM&MDA 288B: Practicum in Professionalization II.

FLM&MDA 288C: Practicum in Professionalization III.

Required Supporting Course (1 course)

FLM&MDA 298: Prospectus Writing Practicum.

Students must take three elective courses from within the Department of Film and Media Studies and two outside Film and Media Studies. The remaining two electives can be taken within or outside the department.

Students entering with a MA may petition to have up to three elective courses waived, subject to the approval of Graduate Division. Students who have had three courses waived must take two elective courses from within the Department of Film and Media Studies and one outside Film and Media Studies. The remaining elective can be taken within or outside the department.

During the third through sixth years in the program, students normally enroll in variable-unit courses as follows:

FLM&MDA 296: Reading for the Preliminary Examination.

FLM&MDA 297: Prospectus Research.

FLM&MDA 299: Dissertation Research.

First-Year Review

Students are required to select and confirm their Primary Advisor by the end of the first year.

At the end of the Spring quarter, the Film and Media Studies faculty will review the performance and progress of each first-year student and provide written evaluation of their work. This evaluation will include an assessment of the student’s ability to complete independent research.

A positive assessment indicates that the student is making good progress.

A cautionary assessment will be accompanied by a description of specific improvements that a student must make in order to advance to candidacy in the third year.

A negative overall assessment will place the student on Academic Conditional Status. Faculty will give written feedback with specific areas for improvement and a timeline for future expectations of academic progress. Students who fail to demonstrate improvement may be recommended for dismissal from the program without a degree.

MA Requirements

All students apply for and are accepted into the doctoral program.

Students who enter the PhD program with a prior graduate degree (MA or beyond) in Film and Media Studies or a related discipline may petition to waive up to three electives, subject to the approval of Graduate Division. These students may also petition to waive the MA exam requirement in recognition of their prior degree; normatively, this will be approved. In these cases, students will not complete the MA exam requirement nor earn a second MA en route to the PhD. Film and Media Studies faculty will determine what graduate degree fields qualify as related disciplines. Students entering with an MFA will typically be required to complete the MA exam unless the Graduate Committee determines that the degree is equivalent to an MA.

Students who have not earned an MA in a relevant field prior to matriculating in the Film and Media Studies PhD program must earn an MA degree as part of the PhD program. The program does not offer a stand-alone or terminal MA, except in instances when a student does not continue in the program toward earning the PhD.

In order to earn the MA degree, the student must

1. Satisfactorily complete six foundational courses (FLM&MDA 285A, FLM&MDA 285B, FLM&MDA 285C, FLM&MDA 286A, FLM&MDA 286B, and FLM&MDA 286C);

2. Satisfactorily compete FLM&MDA 287;

3. Satisfactorily complete seven electives, three of which must be within the Department of Film and Media Studies and two outside the Department of Film and Media Studies;

4. Pass the MA Exam; and

5. File the necessary paperwork for conferral of degree with Graduate Division.

For the MA exam, the student will revise one seminar paper written while in the program and submit the revised paper before the start of the Spring quarter in their second year of study. 

The requirements for passing the MA exam are as follows:

• The revised paper must present a substantial and original argument;

• It must reflect substantive revision from the original paper, demonstrating additional research and/or reconceptualization and responsiveness to feedback;

• It must demonstrate a command of the relevant literature;

• It must present adequate evidence to support its claims;

• It must be clearly written in an appropriate academic style; and

• It must be formatted according to MLA or Chicago Manual of Style guidelines with proper citation and bibliography.

Ideally, this revised paper will demonstrate promise toward publication and toward the ability to develop a dissertation; however this is not a requirement at the MA stage.

This paper will be evaluated by a 3-person MA committee, which consists of the student’s primary advisor as chair and two additional department faculty members appointed by the Program Director in consultation with the student and the advisor. The MA committee will evaluate the student’s ability to identify a suitable research project and methodology, develop an argument, respond to faculty feedback, and make revisions. The committee will respond with feedback within three weeks of receiving the paper and may ask for a second round of reasonable revisions, to be completed before the end of the term.

The committee will unanimously decide whether the student has passed the MA exam and if they are eligible to proceed toward the PhD, taking into holistic account the exam (revised paper) results, input from the core Film and Media Studies faculty during the First-Year Review, and the student’s progress during the second year of course work. There are four possible determinations:

Positive: The student will earn the MA degree and qualifies to continue toward the PhD exams. This should be the outcome in the majority of cases.

Cautionary: The student will earn the MA degree and qualifies to continue toward the PhD exams but with areas for improvement communicated in writing to the student and advisor. This occurs when the student’s holistic performance and promise outweigh a borderline exam or vice versa. This should be the outcome only in rare or extenuating circumstances.

MA Only: The student will earn the MA degree but is disqualified from continuing toward the PhD exams. This occurs when the student’s holistic performance and promise do not outweigh a borderline exam.

Negative: The exam is unacceptable. The student will not earn the MA degree and is disqualified from continuing toward the PhD exams.

Students may revise and resubmit the MA paper one additional time in case of a failure to pass.

By the end of their second year, students will work with their advisor to plan their Examination fields for the following year. No later than the end of Winter in the third year of study, students will establish a 5-person Qualifying Exam Committee, at least 51% of whose members, including the Dissertation Advisor, must be core faculty in the Department of Film and Media Studies. At least one committee member must be external to the department.

The student will receive one standardized bibliography and select two specialty field bibliographies on which they will be examined. In the Fall and Winter quarters of the third year, the student will enroll in FLM&MDA 296: Reading for the Preliminary Examination and complete reading the works on these three bibliographies. The three exam areas should serve to help the student define general areas of specialized competence that will aid them in establishing a broad base for the dissertation and in developing college-level courses. Students may not enroll in FLM&MDA 296 until all their other course requirements (with the exception of FLM&MDA 298: Prospectus Writing Practicum) have been completed.

The Qualifying Examination will be administered by the Qualifying Exam Committee and will include both a written and an oral component. The written component will consist of at least one question for each Exam bibliography for which the student has completed readings. Students will write at least one essay for each respective Exam. Faculty may offer a range of questions for each bibliography, giving the student a choice of which question(s) to answer. The written component will be offered as a series of three remote exams to be completed within three respective 24-hour periods; questions and responses will be delivered electronically. The oral component of the exam will take place in conjunction with the Prospectus Defense during the Spring quarter of the student’s third year.

Language Requirement 

Students will consult with the program Director and their principal advisor(s) to determine whether they must demonstrate or develop proficiency in a second language for their research. [1] If the program Director and principal advisor(s) determine that proficiency in a second language is required, the student must demonstrate this proficiency prior to advancing to candidacy. In the event a student does not need a second language to conduct doctoral research, they will not be required to demonstrate proficiency in a second language.

If determined to be required, the language requirement may be satisfied by one of the following means:

1. By passing the Film and Media Studies translation exam. A request must be made to the Film and Media Studies Staff within the first two weeks of the quarter the student wishes to take the exam.

2. By completing, with a grade of B or better, a language course at the 2C level or equivalent, with the exception of Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, which must be completed at the 3C level or equivalent.

3. By attaining a proficiency level of 2C on the Russian Exemption Exam or a proficiency level of 3C on the Chinese Exemption Exam offered by UCI's Academic Testing Center.

4. By petitioning the program. Grounds for a petition might include the student’s being a native speaker in a language other than English or having completed an equivalent language requirement at a different institution. The granting of this petition will remain at the discretion of the Graduate Director, although students dissatisfied with this determination may request the petition be considered by the full faculty. Students who have completed the language requirement at a different institution will need to submit transcripts with the petition. Students will inquire with the Graduate Coordinator to complete a petition.

Dissertation Prospectus and Advancement to Ph.D. Candidacy

In the Spring of the student’s third year, the student will enroll in FLM&MDA 298: Prospectus Writing Practicum and complete a prospectus that identifies the scope, approach, and rationale for their proposed dissertation. The student will present an oral defense of the prospectus to the Qualifying Exam Committee. When the prospectus has been unanimously approved by the Qualifying Exam Committee, the student will be advanced to doctoral candidacy. Students should have taken their preliminary examination, defended their dissertation prospectus, and advanced to doctoral candidacy no later than the end of Spring quarter of their third year. If a student will exceed the 3-year normative time to candidacy, they must petition by Spring quarter of their third year for an exception, presenting an approved plan for timely progress to candidacy.

In the event that a student does not pass the qualifying examination, consistent with UCI policy (Academic Senate Regulation 467) the student will be allowed one repeat attempt of the examination. This repeat examination will occur during the quarter following the initial examination.

Dissertation

The dissertation shall be an original research project of substantial length approved by the Doctoral Committee. Members of the student’s Doctoral Committee are noted on the PhD Form I: Advancement to Candidacy PhD Degree. The committee shall typically consist of the Doctoral Advisor and two additional faculty. At least 51% of the Doctoral Committee, including the Doctoral Advisor, must be core faculty in the Department of Film and Media Studies. The remaining members of the Doctoral Committee must satisfy Academic Senate requirements.

Dissertation Defense 

A final examination in the form of an oral defense of the dissertation is required for the PhD. This examination will be supervised by the Doctoral Committee and will be given just prior to the completion of the dissertation. The defense will be open to all members of the academic community. Faculty and graduate students of Film and Media Studies and the Graduate Dean will be given written notice of the date, time, and place of the examination at least five days in advance of the examination.

Time to Degree

The normative time to degree is six years (18 quarters). The first nine quarters are spent in pre-candidacy, the last 9 quarters in candidacy. Normatively, students will complete their course work within the first two years and prepare for and pass the Qualifying Examination and advance to candidacy in the third year. The maximum time to degree is seven years.

[1] Examples of when a second language would likely be necessary include Spanish proficiency for the study of Spanish-language media, Mandarin proficiency for study of media in Mainland China, or the relevant language for a project on non-English language transnational/diasporic media.

All students receive a five-year funding guarantee at admissions. This typically includes a combination of at least one fellowship year and multiple years of Teaching Assistantships. Additional competitive scholarships, fellowships, and summer stipends may also be available.

Students also receive tuition and fee remission, including non-resident (out-of-state or international) tuition during this period. Domestic students coming from outside of California will be expected to establish state residency during their first year; otherwise, they will need to cover their non-resident tuition fees.

TAships may be in Film and Media Studies undergraduate courses or for courses in other Departments or Programs.

Funding beyond the fifth year is not guaranteed, but TAships or other opportunities are often available.

The graduate emphasis in Film and Media Studies prepares students in any M.A., Ph.D., or M.F.A. program to analyze film and media texts, contexts, and industries. The emphasis requires that students complete four seminars, two of which are in the Film and Media Studies PhD core series (FMS 285A-C, FMS 286A-C) and two of which may be Film and Media Studies core or elective seminars (FMS 291, FMS 292, FMS 295).

Students who are currently enrolled in any MA, Ph.D., or M.F.A. program at UCI are eligible for admission to the Graduate Emphasis in Film and Media Studies.

Students who are interested in pursuing the graduate emphasis should contact the Graduate Director to indicate their interest in applying for the emphasis. Application materials include:

• an explanation of how their research and/or teaching will benefit from completing the Film and Media Studies Graduate Emphasis;
• current CV;
• brief letter of approval from the student’s primary advisor or program director;
• names of Film and Media Studies core faculty with whom they have worked or plan to work. Applicants who are not yet acquainted with Film and Media Studies core faculty may name the Graduate Director.

Application

To be considered for the Film and Media Studies Graduate Emphasis, please submit an application . 

Questions? Please contact Amy Fujitani , Graduate Coordinator.

Contact Film and Media Studies

2000 Humanities Gateway Irvine, CA 92697

See the humanities in action

Copyright © 2023 UC Regents. All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy

• Film & Media Studies

Film & Media Studies is an interdisciplinary field. Students have the option to apply for admission to one of two tracks within the program: either solely to the PhD in Film & Media Studies or to a combined program track involving one of the following disciplines: African American Studies, American Studies, Comparative Literature, East Asian Languages & Literatures, English, French, German, History of Art, Italian Studies, and Slavic Languages & Literatures. In addition to acquiring a firm grounding in the methods and core material of film and media studies (and, for the combined degree track students, another discipline), all students are expected to coordinate a plan of study involving comprehensive knowledge of one or more areas of specialization.

• Programs of Study
• PhD - Doctor of Philosophy
• Combined PhD
• Film and Media Studies Program
• Film and Media Studies

John MacKay

Director of Graduate Studies

• [email protected]

Katherine Kowalczyk

Departmental Registrar

• [email protected]
• 203-436-4668

Dan Rehberg

Departmental Registrar (Spring 2024)

• [email protected]
• 203-432-0879

Admission Requirements

Standardized testing requirements.

GRE is not accepted.

Program-Specific Application Requirements

A writing sample is required by this program. 

English Language Requirement

TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic is required of most applicants whose native language is not English.

You may be exempt from this requirement if you have received (or will receive) an undergraduate degree from a college or university where English is the primary language of instruction, and if you have studied in residence at that institution for at least three years.

Combined Degree Program Application Deadline

*The deadline to submit an application to a combined program is always the earlier deadline of the two individual programs, or December 15, whichever comes first.

Academic Information

Combined phd information.

Film & Media Studies offers a combined PhD in conjunction with several other departments and programs including: African American Studies , American Studies , Comparative Literature , English , East Asian Languages and Literatures , French , German , History of Art , Italian Studies , and Slavic Languages and Literatures .

Program Advising Guidelines

GSAS Advising Guidelines

Academic Resources

Academic calendar.

The Graduate School's academic calendar lists important dates and deadlines related to coursework, registration, financial processes, and milestone events such as graduation.

Featured Resource

Registration Information and Dates

https://registration.yale.edu/

Students must register every term in which they are enrolled in the Graduate School. Registration for a given term takes place the semester prior, and so it's important to stay on top of your academic plan. The University Registrar's Office oversees the systems that students use to register. Instructions about how to use those systems and the dates during which registration occurs can be found on their registration website.

Financial Information

Phd stipend & funding.

PhD students at Yale are normally full-funded for a minimum of five years. During that time, our students receive a twelve-month stipend to cover living expenses and a fellowship that covers the full cost of tuition and student healthcare.

• PhD Student Funding Overview
• Graduate Financial Aid Office
• PhD Stipends
• Health Award
• Tuition and Fees

Alumni Insights

Below you will find alumni placement data for our departments and programs.

Film Studies Research MPhil/PhD

Key information

The Film Studies Department at King's is one of the the leading centres for the study of cinema in London. We have internationally recognised research strengths in the following areas: European cinema, American cinema (mainstream and avant-garde), world cinema (especially East Asian), cultural approaches, and film theory. We also offer the option of a joint PhD with Hong Kong University or the National University of Singapore.

Staff publications and research encompass national cinemas together with popular European genres and stars, art cinema, documentary, and experimental film. Cultural approaches extend to a wider range of cinemas (American and Asian as well as European) and include national and transnational identity in film, gender and ethnicity, the representation of the city, music and film, and new media. Work in the area of film theory addresses the relationships among film and other disciplines such as philosophy, psychoanalysis, literature, geography, and art.

Most recent REF rankings: 87% of our research is rated 3* or 4* - indicating internationally excellent and world-leading quality – and 100% being awarded the same rating for its impact. The Department has received consistently high rankings in league tables (5th in the UK, Guardian 2018).

Current number of academic staff : 18.

Current number of research students : 45.

Recent publications:

Details about the departments publications and research can be found here

Head of Programme: Dr Belén Vidal 

• How to apply
• Fees or Funding

UK Tuition Fees 2023/24

Full time tuition fees:

£5,820 per year (MPhil/PhD, Film Studies)

£5,820 per year (MPhil/PhD, Film Studies with University of Hong Kong or National University of Singapore)

Part time tuition fees: £2,910 per year MPhil/PhD, Film Studies)

International Tuition Fees 2023/24

£22,900 per year (MPhil/PhD, Film Studies)

£22,900 per year (MPhil/PhD, Film Studies with University of Hong Kong or National University of Singapore)

Part time tuition fees: £11,450 per year (MPhil/PhD, Film Studies)

UK Tuition Fees 2024/25

£6,168 per year (MPhil/PhD, Film Studies)

£6,168 per year (MPhil/PhD, Film Studies with University of Hong Kong or National University of Singapore)

Part time tuition fees: £3,084 per year MPhil/PhD, Film Studies)

International Tuition Fees 2024/25

£24,786 per year (MPhil/PhD, Film Studies)

£24,786 per year (MPhil/PhD, Film Studies with University of Hong Kong or National University of Singapore)

Part time tuition fees: £12,393 per year (MPhil/PhD, Film Studies)

These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

Study environment

Base campus

Strand Campus

Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.

The department's training programme covers methods and issues in presentation, illustration and referencing both written or oral communication in film studies, as well as support for formulating topics, reviewing the field and preparing for vivas and conferences. You will have access to the lectures, seminars and special events held under the auspices of the University of London Screen Studies Group.

King's has made a major commitment to refurbishing its multimedia infrastructure for the study of film and related media. This includes building a significant collection of print and DVD/VHS materials, new facilities for group teaching in 35mm, video, and DVD modes on the Strand Campus, and substantial new information technology resources.

You can choose to do your PhD jointly with Hong Kong University or the National University of Singapore.

The Film Studies Department at King's sees a close affinity with the research interests and directions of Hong Kong University’s (HKU) Comparative Literature Department with its growing interests in global, inter-regional and cross-cultural exchanges in the study of film theories and histories, postcolonial discourses, gender and sexualities, race, ethnicities and other forms of sociopolitical identities, as well as interdisciplinary approaches to contemporary media.

HKU Comparative Literature is a world-renowned programme with a strong emphasis on the comparative studies of literature, film and media. It is also considered the hub of East Asian colonial and postcolonial studies and cultural theories, which bring together an interdisciplinary dialogue and cutting-edge debate that reposition Euro-American critical scholarship, generate new ideas specific to East Asia, and reconfigure the existing discourses in Europe and North America.

Film Studies is part of a larger intellectual environment in the Department of Communications and New Media at the National University of Singapore, which offers undergraduate and graduate programmes that examine communication with a focus on new media, and cultural studies in Asia. These programmes focus on media and cultural studies, communication management and interactive media design.

It has research and PhD supervision expertise on cultural studies including queer and Asian film studies, East Asian media cultures, critical technology studies, health communication, media psychology and computational communication.

FAQs about joint PhDs can be found on the King's worldwide web pages .

In recent years, a number of students at King’s Film Studies have taken advantage of King's strategic relationship with Hong Kong University to conduct comparative research in queer cinema and media, supervised jointly by faculty members from both universities. Students and scholars in both institutions also host events to discuss their current research and ideas. The diverse interests in both groups also allow their members to explore areas and issues beyond each programme’s individual capacity, including South Asian cinemas, Eastern European cinemas, Arabic cinemas and African cinemas. Besides such an ever-expanding global dimension, the two departments are also deeply engaged in cinema’s relationship with spatiality and temporality, especially in cosmopolitan cityscapes like Hong Kong and London.

Further collaboration

The two departments are developing further collaborative projects in the exploration of comparative histories in film theories, global perspectives in film historiographies and philosophies. In the near future, the two departments will forge new opportunities to host joint conferences, film programmes, festivals and other cultural events. With King’s Film Studies connections to the Cultural Institute at King’s, King’s Global Institutes, Lau China Institute, its current collaborations with the British Film Institute and the Chinese Visual Festival, and with Hong Kong’s networks of cultural institutions including the Hong Kong Arts Centre, the Hong Kong Film Archive and the Hong Kong Film Festival, the two departments wish to continue to expand and deepen our connections both in Europe and East Asia.

• Entry requirements

Accommodation

Discover your accommodation options and explore our residences.

Connect with a King’s Advisor

Want to know more about studying at King's? We're here to help.

Learning in London

King's is right in the heart of the capital.

Cinema & Media Studies Ph.D.

The Cinema and Media Studies Ph.D. program explores the intricate histories, aesthetics, and cultural impacts of visual media.

The Cinema & Media Studies (CMS) Program at UCLA has played a central role in the development of the field, notably through scholarship grounded in critical theory, cultural studies, close textual analysis, archive-based history, digital and interactive media studies, industry studies, and transnational media studies. The program supports a broad array of critical interests, from the media arts to commercial entertainment, from historical research to contemporary practices, and from formal analysis to the social mapping of media. In the last few years the research profile of the faculty has concentrated on three main areas of research: The Politics of Race, Ethnicity, and Indigeneity (particularly, Chicana/o, African American/African Diaspora, and Asian), Queer Cinema/Gender and Sexuality Studies, and Critical Theory (particularly, moving image art, aesthetic, affect, computational media, and decolonial).

The Ph.D. program focuses on refining research skills in an individualized study plan, with a mission to produce research of unparalleled quality. Graduates often transition into esteemed teaching and research roles in academic institutions. Backing their research endeavors is the UCLA Library Film & Television Archive, offering vast resources, 35mm classroom screenings, and state-of-the-art digital technology facilities.

World-Class Faculty

Denise R. Mann

Sean Metzger

Requirements

The Ph.D. program is intended primarily for students who wish to build a career around excellence in university teaching and research. The Ph.D. program requires successful completion of a minimum of seven core courses and at least seven elective courses (not counting those completed at the masters level) and successful completion of the Intellectual Statement, Third Quarter Review, Sixth Quarter Review, Comprehensive Exam, Prospectus Review, Foreign Language Requirement at level three or higher, and successful submission and defense of the Dissertation.

Year One/Academic Year: Four Core Courses

• FTV 495A Teaching Assistant Training (does not need to be repeated if taken during M.A.)
• FTV 210 Common Course
• FTV 211 Historiography
• FTV 215 Theory and Method
• Academic Progress Report
• Begin taking courses toward language requirement

Year Two: Two Core Courses, Written Exams and Completion of the Ph.D. Study Plan

• FTV 274 Research Design A (Bibliography and Exam Prep)
• FTV 274 Research Design B (Exam Prep with advisors)
• Ph.D. Comprehensive Exam
• FTV 274 Research Design C (Writing the Prospectus)
• Continued progress toward language requirement (must be completed by the end of the 3rd year)
• Prospectus Review

Year Three/Academic Year: Nomination of Doctoral Committee and Advancement to Candidacy

• Advancement to Candidacy/Nomination of Doctoral Committee (Fall Quarter, contingent upon language requirement completion)

Ph.D. PROGRAM REMINDERS

Required During Years One-Three: Six additional graduate seminars, at least five of which must be approved cinema and media studies seminars.

Required During Years One-Three: Language Requirement Courses & Petition . Completion of level 3 language training or higher (as determined by Dissertation Committee) must be provided prior to student Advancement to Candidacy.

Recommended During Years One-Three: Colloquium. Students are encouraged to enroll in or attend Colloquium during all quarters to participate in screenings, research presentations and discussions. May be repeated for credit.

• FTV 212 CMS Colloquium

Year 3 and Beyond: Dissertation Research

• Submit an Academic Progress Report (on a yearly basis)

World-Class Students

Emmelle Israel

Suryansu Guha

• Doctor of Philosophy in Cinema and Media Studies (PhD)
• Graduate School
• Prospective Students
• Graduate Degree Programs

Canadian Immigration Updates

Applicants to Master’s and Doctoral degrees are not affected by the recently announced cap on study permits. Review more details

Go to programs search

The Ph.D. program offers students the opportunity to pursue Cinema and Media Studies through coursework, comprehensive exams, a viva, and a dissertation project. Students are expected to give primary attention to an area of expertise of their choice while training in the broader theoretical, critical, and historical contexts of the chosen field.  

Faculty research specialties include strengths in contemporary cinemas and media culture, one that highlights media and film theory, cult cinema, documentary studies, early cinema, feminist and post-feminist media studies, American, Canadian and European cinemas, television studies, and sound studies. There are particular strengths in contemporary Anglophone cinema and television products and cultures within a global context. Our students occasionally engage with professors and students in our renowned directing, design and film production graduate programs.

We accept up to two students per year, and we strongly urge applicants to consider whether their project matches our faculty’s past expertise or current research interests.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

B.C.’s favourable position as a hub for the international film and media production industry allows opportunities for research topics and case studies not easily available elsewhere.

As a selective boutique program, we provide close mentorship of all accepted students. We are usually able to provide teaching assistant experience to PhD. students in our large first and second year undergraduate courses. At the ABD stage, students may have the opportunity to teach an undergraduate course. Graduate students have the opportunity to work on the film studies journal Cinephile. The Visual Resources Centre provides access to nearly 10,000 DVDs. The Centre for Cinema and Media Studies in the Department occasionally sponsors visiting scholars. UBC has the second largest research library in Canada, including the 30,000 Videomatica collection, a unique resource.

I decided to join UBC primarily due to my, now, supervisor who is an exceptional scholar of media and audience reception. Other secondary reasons were the beautiful scenery of BC, the modern and diverse culture of Vancouver and of course the proposed funding.

Gerrit Krueper

Quick Facts

Program enquiries, admission information & requirements, 1) check eligibility, minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 100

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 6.5

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

Prior degree, course and other requirements

Prior degree requirements.

Master's degree in Cinema Studies, Film Studies or Media Studies.

2) Meet Deadlines

3) prepare application, transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Cinema and Media Studies (PhD)

Citizenship verification.

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Research Information

Research focus.

With strengths in contemporary cinemas and media culture, the current faculty offer a program that highlights media and film theory, cult cinema, documentary studies, feminist and post-feminist media studies, American, Canadian and European cinemas, television studies, and sound studies. There are particular strengths in contemporary Anglophone cinema and television products and cultures within a global context.

Research Facilities

UBC Library is the home of the 30,000 plus Videomatica collection recently purchased and catalogued, a unique resource.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial support.

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

From September 2024 all full-time students in UBC-Vancouver PhD programs will be provided with a funding package of at least $24,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships. Please note that many graduate programs provide funding packages that are substantially greater than $24,000 per year. Please check with your prospective graduate program for specific details of the funding provided to its PhD students.

Average Funding

• 5 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 5 students was $12,140.
• 4 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 4 students was $3,338.
• 2 students received Academic Assistantships. Average AA funding based on 2 students was $1,489.
• 5 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 5 students was $22,582.
• 1 student received external awards valued at $35,000.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Outcomes

Career options.

We expect graduates to find employment in the teaching sector at both college and university level; in administrative posts for cultural producers, such as for Electronic games, Film and TV production companies; in research positions covering cultural policy development, such as at Creative BC, Telefilm, NFB, or the provincial or federal civil service; in journalism, freelance writing, cinematheque curation management; various posts in the field of marketing communications for both corporations and non-profits.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Cinema and Media Studies (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

• Research Supervisors

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

• Brown, William (film-philosophy, digital media, posthumanism, critical race theory)
• Coulthard, Lisa (film theory and violence; film sound and violence, contemporary American and European cinemas, continental philosophy and Lacanian theory)
• Frackman, Kyle (Cinema studies; Media studies (except social media and digital media); Literature and literary studies; Cultural studies; queer studies; German studies; media studies; history of sexuality; sexuality; sexuality studies; East Germany; film; Gender Studies; history of science; literature; Media; Media Types (Radio, Television, Written Press, etc.); Scandinavia)
• Iurascu, Ilinca (Comparative literatures; Theories of cultural studies; Media, visual and digital culture; German literature; Comparative Literature; Cultural Studies; media theory; Media history; critical theory; film studies)
• Johnston, Kirsty (Dramatic literature and theatre history with particular interest in disability arts and intersections between health, disability and performance )
• Karwowska, Bozena (Sexuality, Body and Gender in Nazi Concentration Camps)
• Laird, Colleen (Japanese media and gender studies; Gendered image production, gendered reception, and women in industry; Video games, new media, streaming media, animation (anime), and comics (manga); Paratexts: distribution, exhibition, and production materials; Film theory, genre theory, transnational cinemas and star texts, and feminist and queer theory)
• Liu, Siyuan (twentieth century Chinese theatre and Asian Canadian theatre)
• Malakaj, Ervin (Literature and literary studies; German studies; German Film Studies; German Media Studies; German Media History; Queer Theory and Queer Studies; Feminist and Queer Film Historiography; Critical Pedagogy)
• Marshall, Hallie (Performing arts; Ancient Greek Theatre; Arts and Cultural Traditions; Classics; Contemporary British Theatre; Cultural Industries; History of the Book; Literary or Artistic Work Dissemination or Reception Contexts; Performance and Theatrical Productions; Poetry; Reception Studies; Religion, Culture and Space; Theatre; Tony Harrison)
• Marshall, Christopher Warren (Cinema studies; Classical Greek and Ancient Rome history; Classical archaeology; Classical linguistics; Film, television and digital media; Religion and religious studies; Literary or Artistic Works Analysis; Performance and Theatrical Productions)
• Mathijs, Ernest (film, alternative cinema, independent cinema, European cinema, horror film, David Cronenberg, film audiences, film festivals, censorship, fantasy film, Lord of the Rings, Film studies)
• Mota, Miguel (Post-1945 British literature, print culture)
• Orbaugh, Sharalyn (modern Japanese culture (literature, film, manga, animation, kamishibai); East Asian women’s issues; anti-racist pegagogy, Japanese narrative and visual culture)
• Rea, Christopher (Chinese literatures; Asian history; Chinese literature; Cinema; Print culture; translation; Humor)
• Santos, Alessandra (Cinema studies; Film, television and digital media; Latin American history; Latin American literatures; Spanish language; Artistic and Literary Analysis Models; Artistic and Literary Theories; Arts and Cultural Traditions; Arts and Technologies; Brazilian Literature and Culture; Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies; Latin American Literatures and Cultures; Modern and Contemporary Literatures and Cultures)
• Scholte, Tom (Theatre, film, and television)
• Smith, Tai (History of art and architecture; Art theory and analysis; Visual theory, visual culture and visual literacy; Arts and Technologies; Economical Contexts; Gender; media theory; Modern and Contemporary Art and Design; Politics of Media and Mediation; Textiles)
• Testa, Carlo (Italian literature, history of cinema, theory/film studies )
• Tomc, Sandra (Nineteenth-century US literature, twentieth- century US entertainment and film, gothic literature and film, screenwriting, affect and psychoanalytic theory, fear and horror, film and image theory)
• Walsh, Shannon (Media arts; Critical identity, ethnic and race studies; Social and cultural anthropology; South Africa; Afropessimism & Critical Race Studies; Documentary; Film Production; Indigenous studies; Environmental justice; Affect Theory)
• Zuo, Mila (Cinema & Media studies; film studies; Contemporary Asian and transnational cinemas; Film philosophy; Acting and performance studies; Star studies; Digital and new media; Critical theories of gender, sexuality, and race and ethnicity)

Related Programs

Same specialization.

• Master of Arts in Cinema and Media Studies (MA)

Same Academic Unit

• Doctor of Philosophy in Theatre (PhD)
• Master of Arts in Theatre (MA)
• Master of Fine Arts in Film Production (MFA)
• Master of Fine Arts in Theatre (MFA)

Further Information

Specialization.

The Cinema and Media Studies research specializes in contemporary cinemas and media culture, cult cinema, documentary studies, feminist and post-feminist media studies and sound studies among many others.

UBC Calendar

Program website, faculty overview, academic unit, program identifier, classification, social media channels, supervisor search.

Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form .

Gabrielle Berry

After completing my Master’s, I decided to stay at UBC to continue to work with my wonderful and supportive supervisor Lisa Coulthard. As a member of the first PhD cohort of the program, the small cohort has led to great connection and comradery, and I am constantly inspired by the incredible...

Considering Vancouver as your next home?

This city won’t disappoint. It has it all: sea, parks, mountains, beaches and all four seasons, including beautiful summers and mild, wet winters with snow.

• Why Grad School at UBC?
• Application & Admission
• Info Sessions
• Research Projects
• Indigenous Students
• International Students
• Tuition, Fees & Cost of Living
• Newly Admitted
• Student Status & Classification
• Student Responsibilities
• Supervision & Advising
• Managing your Program
• Health, Wellbeing and Safety
• Professional Development
• Dissertation & Thesis Preparation
• Final Doctoral Exam
• Final Dissertation & Thesis Submission
• Life in Vancouver
• Vancouver Campus
• Graduate Student Spaces
• Graduate Life Centre
• Life as a Grad Student
• Graduate Student Ambassadors
• Meet our Students
• Award Opportunities
• Award Guidelines
• Minimum Funding Policy for PhD Students
• Killam Awards & Fellowships
• Policies & Procedures
• Information for Supervisors
• Dean's Message
• Leadership Team
• Strategic Plan & Priorities
• Vision & Mission
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
• Initiatives, Plans & Reports
• Graduate Education Analysis & Research
• Media Enquiries
• Newsletters
• Giving to Graduate Studies

Strategic Priorities

• Strategic Plan 2019-2024
• Improving Student Funding
• Promoting Excellence in Graduate Programs
• Enhancing Graduate Supervision
• Advancing Indigenous Inclusion
• Supporting Student Development and Success
• Reimagining Graduate Education
• Enriching the Student Experience

Initiatives

• Public Scholars Initiative
• 3 Minute Thesis (3MT)
• PhD Career Outcomes
• Great Supervisor Week

Film and Visual Studies

Share this page.

Harvard has sustained a distinguished tradition of engaging cinema, media, and visual studies. This exciting, vital interdisciplinary program places you at the crossroads of creative and innovative fields of research.

You will experience a dialogue among the expanded field of moving image culture, visual arts, spatial studies, and media studies. You will be at the forefront of pressing research that represents the global future and can make a real difference, among scholars who are often artists and filmmakers, in a program that encourages a mix of artmaking and art-thinking.

The research pursued is at the center of the critical debates of our times. Examples of work published by alumni of the department include “Re-Vision: Moving Images Media, The Self, and Ethical Thought in the 20th Century” and “Land Cinema in the Neoliberal Age.”

Graduates of the program have secured faculty positions at prestigious institutions including Cornell University, UC Santa Cruz, Emerson College, Colgate University, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Others have gone on to start their own businesses and become artists, writers, and curators.

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Film and Visual Studies and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies . 

Admissions Requirements

Please review admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Film and Visual Studies .

Writing Sample

A writing sample is required as part of the application and must be between 15 to 20 pages, in 12-point font, double-spaced, with normal margins. The writing sample must be an example of critical writing (rather than creative writing) on a subject directly related to film, performance, and/or visual studies. You should not send longer papers with instructions to read an excerpt or excerpts.

Statement of Purpose

The statement of purpose should give the admissions committee a clear sense of your individual interests and strengths. You do not need to indicate precisely what your field of specialization will be, but it is helpful to know something about your aspirations, and how Film and Visual Studies at Harvard might help in attaining these goals.

Strong language background helps to strengthen the application, and students who lack it should be aware that they will need to fill this gap before they can take the general examinations.

While the overall GPA is important, it is more important to have an average of no lower than A- in courses related to film and visual studies or related fields. In addition, if you have not majored in film studies or a related field, it is important to have sufficient background to enter the graduate program.

Standardized Tests

GRE General: Not Accepted

Theses & Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Film and Visual Studies

See list of Film and Visual Studies faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

Quick links

• Make a Gift
• Directories

Graduate Programs

We are now accepting applications to our M.A. and Ph.D. programs in Cinema and Media Studies (CMS). Both programs are fully funded through teaching assistantships, making our MA program one of the few non-fee based film studies programs in the United States. 

Our commitment to graduate training is a point of pride. In addition to providing high-quality and rigorous academic training, our faculty stress the importance of maintaining robust research programs while gaining extensive teacher training and classroom experience. Our graduate students have had a strong record of attaining graduate fellowships and awards to help support dissertation writing and research. CMS fosters graduate student research through multi-year projects and colloquia on the moving image, Chinese visual culture, television history, and more. Past graduate seminars have included Cinema of Small Nations, Media Archaeology, Public Spheres Public Media, and Film and the Photographic Imaginary. New seminars further this diversity of topics while being consolidated under the titles Aesthetics, Historiography, MediaLab, and National Frameworks.

Our most recent PhDs have accepted a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California Berkeley, a tenure-track position at Humboldt State University, a LSA Collegiate Fellowship at the University of Michigan, and a Visiting Lecturer position at Wellesley College. In previous years, our graduate students have moved into successful careers in academia, education, business, translation, and public service. For more information on our record of academic placements, please visit this  page .

CMS faculty have demonstrated excellence in teaching and scholarship and are recognized leaders in the field. They have won national and international awards, including an AMPAS Film Academy Award, a NEH Fellowship, a NEA Creative Writing Fellowship, a Levenson Book Prize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, Kovacs Prizes, and more. The department is also home to the editors of  the Journal of Chinese Cinemas  and  Feminist   Media   Histories . Visit our  faculty pages  to find out more.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information or advice. We look forward to hearing from you!

James Tweedie, Director of Graduate Studies  [email protected]  

Why choose Cinema and Media at UW?

• UW ranked No. 8 in global ranking; No. 2 among US public institutions.
• Fantastic faculty with books across disciplines and fields.
• Outstanding placement record for our doctorates. Meet an alum here .
• Teaching assistantships and fellowships support your progress through the PhD and MA  programs.
• The Walter Chapin Simpson Center for the Humanities offers fellowships, research opportunities, and a diverse program of events, lectures, and symposia in the Humanities.
• UW Libraries offer an extensive collection of non-English literature, hard to find film, and television, and special librarians for Comparative Literature and for  Cinema and Media .
• The MediArcade offers vintage 16mm film, digital video editing equipment, a music archive, and video game consoles.
• A chance to work across disciplines within the Humanities and outside of it with DXARTS and the Performance Studies programs.
• Local cultural institutions such as the Seattle Art Museum , Wing Luke Museum , Northwest Film Forum , and the Museum of Pop Culture .
• The Seattle International Film Festival !

The Graduate Program of the Department of Cinema & Media Studies offers the following options, programs, and certificates:

• M.A. in Cinema and Media Studies
• Ph.D. in Cinema and Media Studies
• Graduate Certificate in Cinema and Media Studies

After choosing the program that is right for you, you may Apply to the Graduate Program .

•   Instagram
•   News Feed

• Schools & departments

Film Studies PhD

Awards: PhD

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Film Studies

Discovery Day

Join us online on 18th April to learn more about postgraduate study at Edinburgh

View sessions and register

Research profile

The PhD in Film Studies is a three-year full-time or six-year part-time degree programme, which allows you to pursue a research topic in depth and produce a thesis of approximately 80,000 words.

As well as being a highly respected qualification from a top-ranking university, a postgraduate research degree in film studies places you at the heart of a vibrant, artistic city with a flourishing film culture.

Our expert academic staff and extensive library of books, journals and films will support and inspire you in your research. There is easy access to the impressive collections of the National Library of Scotland and local cultural centres. The city is home to the Edinburgh International Film Festival, along with many other festivals, cinemas and film organisations.

We can provide supervised research on a wide range of topics, such as film aesthetics and film and philosophy, various national cinemas, the work of individual filmmakers, cinema in relation to other art forms, and film exhibition.

We will consider thematic projects and research on genres, movements and theories. For interdisciplinary topics, expertise is on hand from within the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) and beyond, including staff researching literature, anthropology, art history, music and more.

Be inspired by the range of PhD research in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures

Read our pre-application guidance on writing a PhD research proposal

Training and support

The Edinburgh Film Seminar gives you access to presentations, discussions and lectures by leading film academics and film professionals.

You will also be involved in the activities of the Edinburgh Film Research Network including conferences, presentations and study days.

Student-led screenings, discussion groups, Work-in-Progress seminars and film clubs are among the numerous ways in which we will encourage you to widen your experience and develop networks that will help carry you into an academic career or employment related to film and the moving image.

• Browse our events archive in Film and Intermediality

On hand are all the amenities you would expect, such as computing facilities and study areas as well as a high specification digital screening room.

We have an extensive collection of film books and journals, a large number of films available to stream and an impressive DVD library.

The National Library of Scotland provides a remarkable choice of texts on film. Cultural centres located in Edinburgh, such as the Institut Francais d'Ecosse and the Italian Institute, also house DVD collections and host regular film screenings.

Entry requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A UK 2:1 honours degree and a masters degree, or their international equivalents, in a related subject. We may also consider your application if you have equivalent qualifications or experience; please check with the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) before you apply.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country
• English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE : ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 62 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

Fees and costs

Scholarships and funding, featured funding.

There are a number of scholarship schemes available to eligible candidates on this PhD programme, including awards from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Please be advised that many scholarships have more than one application stage, and early deadlines.

• Find out more about scholarships in literatures, languages and cultures

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding

Further information

• Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
• Contact: [email protected]
• School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures
• 50 George Square
• Central Campus
• Programme: Film Studies
• School: Literatures, Languages & Cultures
• College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.

PhD Film Studies - 3 Years (Full-time)

Phd film studies - 6 years (part-time), application deadlines.

Due to high demand, the school operates a number of selection deadlines. We will make a small number of offers to the most outstanding candidates on an ongoing basis, but hold the majority of applications until the next published selection deadline when we will offer a proportion of the places available to applicants selected through a competitive process.

Deadlines for applicants applying to study in 2024/25:

• How to apply

You must submit two references with your application.

Before you formally apply for this PhD, you should look at the pre-application information and guidance on the programme website. This will help you decide if this programme is right for you and help us gain a clearer picture of what you hope to achieve in your research.

For this PhD, the pre-application guidance includes a downloadable template for completing your PhD research proposal, one of the most important aspects of your application.

• Pre-application guidance

You should also include a sample of written work of about 5,000 words (this can be a previous piece of work from an undergraduate or masters degree and should preferably be written in English), and supply two references.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Doctoral students who matriculate in Summer 2020 and after will be guaranteed to have funding support from the University of Chicago, external sources, or a combination of the two for the duration of their program to include the following:

• Full tuition coverage
• Annual stipend
• Annual premiums for the University Student Health Insurance Program (U-SHIP)
• Graduate student services fee

Additional fellowships and awards are available to support language study, conference attendance, and research travel.  

Breakdown of Funding

Cinema and Media Studies PhD students who matriculate in Autumn 2023 will receive a stipend of  $37,000 . Stipends are distributed in monthly installments. Yearly renewal of this award is contingent on satisfactory academic progress.

For more information on financial aid for prospective students matriculating in Autumn 2023, please refer to the Financial Aid for Prospective Students and Division of the Humanities Financial Aid pages .  

Fellowships and Grants

CMS strongly supports students applying for additional external and internal fellowships and grants. In recent years our students have received support from the following sources:

• Mellon Humanities Dissertation Completion Fellowship
• Franke Institute for the Humanities Dissertation Completion Fellowship
• Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS) Toyota dissertation Fellowship
• Hanna Holborn Gray Fellowship
• Nicholson Center for British Studies Graduate Research Grants
• Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship (FLAS)
• Stuart Tave Teaching Fellowship
• German American Academic Exchange Fellowship (DAAD)
• Humanities Division Research Grants

All students are encouraged to take advantage of the fellowship support resources available through UChicagoGrad -- in addition to helping with research statements and CVs, UChicagoGRAD manages many external fellowship programs, including the Fulbright programs, FLAS, and DAAD grants. They maintain an extensive fellowships database, and are available for individual meetings with students. 

Students who receive Dissertation Completion Fellowships  for their sixth year from the Humanities Division are eligible for a two-year Humanities Teaching Fellowship if all requirements are met. All students who are on-track to graduate within seven years of matriculation are eligible to apply.  

The  Division of the Humanities  administers a number internal fellowships. Many of these internal fellowship applications must be formally nominated by the student’s department, so interested students must also be aware of the CMS-specific deadlines and procedures. Fellowship announcements are distributed via the CMS graduate student list-serv.  

• UChicagoGRAD Fellowship Resources
• Humanities Division - Internal Fellowships
• Teaching Fellows in the Humanities (TFH)

PhD in Cinema & Media Studies

The PhD in Cinema & Media Studies is a dynamic program in which students pursue innovative and interdisciplinary research into the full range of sound and moving image media practices and traditions.

Each year the program selects a small group of exceptional students who will join a lively intellectual community at York University, attend innovative research events, and receive close attention from faculty supervisors.

We welcome applicants with educational backgrounds in Film Studies, Media Studies, Communications, Cultural Studies, Art History, English, Women’s Studies, Queer and Sexuality Studies, Comparative Literature, Philosophy, Education, History, Area Studies, and other disciplines that nurture theoretical, historical and critical frameworks of research in sound and moving image media, including research-creation. Two of our students are profiled in the FGS Knowledge Now series:

Michaela Pnacekova

Aaron Tucker

Domestic PHD students receive more than $24,000/year along with healthcare benefits and other forms of research support. With York University’s emphasis on access in higher education, our graduate students pay the lowest graduate tuition in Ontario.

In recent years, most Cinema & Media Studies (CMS) PhD students have received additional funding through awards like SSHRC Doctoral Awards ($20K & $35K/year), Elia Scholars Award ($30K/year), GFAD ($20K/year), OGS ($15,000/year), and Susan Crocker and John Hunkin Scholarship in the Fine Arts ($12,500/year), in part due to the Program's emphasis on strong professional development, including grant writing.

Three current CMS PhD students hold Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships ($50K/year), Canada's top award for graduate student academic and leadership excellence, Alison Humphrey , Claudia Sicondolfo and Debbie Ebanks Schlums .

Our renowned faculty , who number among Canada’s finest cinema and media studies researchers and practitioners, offer a diverse selection of courses and in-depth mentoring that provide students with a core formation in the critical, theoretical, and historical analysis of a broad range of cinema and contemporary media. Faculty members pursue wide-ranging research in cinema and cultural theory, media technologies, archives, documentary and experimental film and media, digital media (including augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), and film history. York University’s mission of social justice is reflected in the Program’s strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in relation to the intersections of gender, sexuality, race, Indigeneity, and ability.

Many of our faculty pursue interdisciplinary research methodologies, including research creation. Four faculty members are current or former Canada Research Chairs and all of our faculty participate actively in international and Canadian conferences and publications.

Teaching, publication, and professional academic development are key components of this minimum four-year degree. After completing course work and comprehensive exams, students write a research dissertation that makes a decisive intervention in the discipline. Several students incorporate research creation as part of their courses and dissertations.

The PhD prepares students for academic and research careers in cinema and media studies and related fields like cultural and visual studies and communications research. Students’ highly developed historical and contemporary knowledge of cinema and media work is applicable to careers in the arts, entertainment and other media-related research areas.

PhD students benefit from York University’s rich tradition of being at the vanguard of interdisciplinary research, social justice, knowledge mobilization and emerging technology, and directly participate in the many research-intensive initiatives and media labs housed in the School of Arts, Performance, Media and Design (AMPD) and across campus:

• Sensorium: Centre for Digital Arts and Technology Research
• Archive/Counter-Archive
• VISTA & Centre for Vision Research
• Future Cinema Lab

The Graduate Program in Film at York is an exciting environment to pursue innovative, socially engaging, career-ready education. Contact our Graduate Program Assistant to learn more.

Connect with Film

FellowshipBard

Fully Funded PhD in Cinema and Media Studies at University of Chicago

Join our telegram channel, never miss an opportunity.

The University of Chicago, situated in the vibrant city of Chicago, Illinois, is renowned for its academic excellence and commitment to cutting-edge research. Among its distinguished offerings, the university provides a comprehensive and fully funded Ph.D. program in Cinema and Media Studies. This program is designed to cater to the intellectual and creative pursuits of students specializing in film and related media within departmental graduate programs or those pursuing a joint degree.

PhD Program Requirements

Prospective candidates for the Ph.D. program in Cinema and Media Studies at the University of Chicago must meet stringent eligibility criteria. Among the key requirements is a strong academic background, typically demonstrated through a Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree in a related field. Additionally, applicants are expected to showcase a deep passion for cinema and media studies.

PhD Funding Coverage

One of the distinctive features of the Ph.D. program in Cinema and Media Studies at the University of Chicago is its commitment to providing financial support to doctoral students. Successful applicants are guaranteed funding support for the entirety of their program, which includes full tuition coverage, an annual stipend, and fully paid individual annual health insurance premiums. This financial support can be derived from the university itself, external sources, or a combination of both.

For instance, Cinema and Media Studies Ph.D. students who enrolled in the Autumn 2022 cohort received a stipend of $33,000, highlighting the university’s dedication to ensuring that students can focus on their academic pursuits without the burden of financial concerns.

Application Requirement

The application process for the Ph.D. program includes the submission of a comprehensive application package. This typically comprises academic transcripts, letters of recommendation, a well-crafted statement of purpose, and a writing sample showcasing the applicant’s research and analytical skills.

Application Deadline

December 15, 2024

Application Fee

This might interest you

Recently Viewed

Similar programs.

Never Miss Any Research Opportunity! Join Our Telegram Channel

Fully Scholarship

Fully Funded Scholarships

Fully Funded PhD Programs in Cinema and Media Studies

A fully funded PhD program in Film Studies provides an excellent opportunity for students interested in exploring the intricacies of cinema and film-making. This program enables students to delve into various aspects of film, including history, theory, and aesthetics, and gain an in-depth understanding of the medium.

Students who pursue a fully funded PhD in Film Studies will receive financial support throughout their program, including tuition, living expenses, and research funding. This allows them to focus solely on their academic pursuits without worrying about financial burdens. During the program, students will work closely with faculty members who are experts in the field, gaining access to valuable insights and resources. They will also have the opportunity to collaborate with peers, attend conferences, and present their research findings to a wider audience.

A fully funded PhD in Film Studies is an excellent choice for individuals who are passionate about cinema and want to contribute to the field through original research. This program not only provides an excellent academic foundation but also prepares students for various career paths, including academia, film criticism, and film-making.

Table of Contents

York University, PhD in Cinema & Media Studies:

York University offers a fully funded PhD program in Cinema & Media Studies, which provides students with a comprehensive understanding of film and media in a global context. The program aims to equip students with critical skills to analyze and interpret the role of cinema and media in shaping cultural, social, and political values.

The program covers a wide range of topics, including film history, media theory, cultural studies, and digital media. Students can also focus on a particular area of interest, such as documentary, animation, or sound studies. The program is designed to help students develop original research projects and produce high-quality scholarship.

As a fully funded program, students receive financial support to cover tuition, research costs, and living expenses. The program also provides opportunities for students to work as research assistants, teaching assistants, or course instructors.

The faculty members at York University are renowned scholars and experts in the field of Cinema & Media Studies. They provide students with personalized attention and support to help them achieve their academic goals. Students also have access to state-of-the-art facilities, including the York University Film Department, the Film and Video Resource Centre, and the Sound Studio.

Graduates of the PhD program in Cinema & Media Studies at York University go on to pursue careers in academia, film and media production, cultural institutions, and government agencies. The program provides students with a solid foundation to excel in a rapidly evolving media landscape and to make valuable contributions to the field of Cinema & Media Studies.

University of Chicago, PhD in Cinema and Media Studies:

The University of Chicago offers a highly regarded PhD program in Cinema and Media Studies that prepares students to engage with the complexities of contemporary media culture. The program focuses on interdisciplinary research and covers a range of topics, including film and television studies, media theory, sound studies, and digital media.

As a fully funded program, students receive financial support to cover tuition, research costs, and living expenses. The program also provides opportunities for students to work as research assistants or teaching assistants, allowing them to gain valuable experience and develop their teaching skills.

The program is structured around seminars that encourage critical inquiry, analysis, and debate. Students have the opportunity to work closely with faculty members who are renowned scholars and experts in the field of Cinema and Media Studies. Faculty members provide students with personalized attention and support, helping them to develop their research interests and produce original scholarship. The University of Chicago’s Cinema and Media Studies department is housed within a vibrant intellectual community that includes other departments in the Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as the Smart Museum of Art and the Film Studies Center. The department hosts numerous events, including screenings, workshops, and conferences, providing students with ample opportunities to engage with their peers and scholars from around the world. Graduates of the PhD program in Cinema and Media Studies at the University of Chicago go on to pursue careers in academia, film and media production, cultural institutions, and government agencies. The program provides students with a rigorous and comprehensive education that equips them to make valuable contributions to the field of Cinema and Media Studies.

Cornell University, PhD in Performing and Media Arts:

Cornell University offers a highly regarded PhD program in Performing and Media Arts that prepares students for careers in academia, arts administration, and related fields. The program combines theoretical and practical approaches to performance and media, allowing students to develop their creative skills alongside their critical and analytical abilities.

The program is interdisciplinary and includes courses in theater, film, television, and digital media. Students have the opportunity to work closely with faculty members who are renowned scholars and artists in the field of Performing and Media Arts. Faculty members provide students with personalized attention and support, helping them to develop their research interests and produce original scholarship. The Department of Performing and Media Arts at Cornell University is housed within a vibrant intellectual community that includes other departments in the Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as the Cornell Council for the Arts and the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts. The department hosts numerous events, including performances, screenings, and exhibitions, providing students with ample opportunities to engage with their peers and scholars from around the world.

Graduates of the PhD program in Performing and Media Arts at Cornell University go on to pursue careers in academia, arts administration, and related fields. The program provides students with a comprehensive education that equips them to make valuable contributions to the field of Performing and Media Arts.

University of British Columbia (UBC), Phd in Cinema and Media Studies

The University of British Columbia (UBC) offers a PhD program in Cinema and Media Studies that provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the theory, history, and aesthetics of cinema and media. The program is interdisciplinary and covers a range of topics, including film studies, television studies, digital media, and sound studies.

As a fully funded program, students receive financial support to cover tuition, research costs, and living expenses. The program also provides opportunities for students to work as research assistants or teaching assistants, allowing them to gain valuable experience and develop their teaching skills. The program is structured around seminars that encourage critical inquiry, analysis, and debate. Students have the opportunity to work closely with faculty members who are renowned scholars and experts in the field of Cinema and Media Studies. Faculty members provide students with personalized attention and support, helping them to develop their research interests and produce original scholarship. The Department of Theatre and Film at UBC is housed within a vibrant intellectual community that includes other departments in the Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery and the Pacific Cinematheque. The department hosts numerous events, including screenings, workshops, and conferences, providing students with ample opportunities to engage with their peers and scholars from around the world. Graduates of the PhD program in Cinema and Media Studies at UBC go on to pursue careers in academia, film and media production, cultural institutions, and government agencies. The program provides students with a rigorous and comprehensive education that equips them to make valuable contributions to the field of Cinema and Media Studies.

Check Also: Felowship Program , Fully Funded Scholarships

Related Posts

Comments (2) on “Fully Funded PhD Programs in Cinema and Media Studies”

I am interested.

Nice you can apply now.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of new posts by email.

Study Postgraduate

Film and/or television studies (mphil/phd) (2024 entry).

Course code

30 September 2024

3-4 years full-time; 7 years part-time

Qualification

Film and Television Studies

University of Warwick

Find out more about our Film and/or Television Studies MPhil/PhD.

Join the MPhil/PhD in Film and/or Television Studies in order to conduct innovative, world-leading research. Warwick's Film and Television Studies is home to state-of-the-art facilities and world-renowned experts who will guide you as you carry out your research project.

Course overview

A PhD in Film and/or Television Studies will help you to shape the field of moving image studies, as you develop original research which intervenes in the most exciting and relevant discipline in the Arts and Humanities.

In partnership with your dedicated supervisor or supervisory team, you will be supported on your journey to becoming a fully independent researcher in screen studies. You will be able to take advantage of the unparalleled resources our department has to offer, from global experts in film and television history, theory and criticism, to 35mm film projection and a digital editing suite. You will join a vibrant and international community of scholars, with the opportunity to participate in an exciting programme of research seminars and professional development and training events.

Teaching and learning

Doctoral Studies in Film and Television Studies proceeds through regular meetings between the student and their PhD supervisor or supervisory team, with the additional resource of a designated mentor. Together, you will design and develop your topic and the structure of your thesis, refining your research and writing through a process of drafts and close commentary, constructive critique and discussion. In year one you will also be required to take Research Methods classes in order to deepen your knowledge of existing debates and methodologies in the field. The department also offers teaching opportunities for PhD students from their second-year of study onwards, subject to availability and a formal application process in any given year.

General entry requirements

Minimum requirements.

A good Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline.

English language requirements

You can find out more about our English language requirements Link opens in a new window . This course requires the following:

• IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.

International qualifications

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.

For more information, please visit the international entry requirements page Link opens in a new window .

Additional requirements

Anyone interested in applying to our MPhil/PhD programme is advised to first visit the department PhD webpage for further information and contact our Postgraduate Admissions Secretaries at filmandtvadmissions at warwick dot ac dot uk  to ascertain if their intended project can be supervised in this department.

Our research

• Film and Television Aesthetics, History and Theory
• Classical and Contemporary Hollywood Cinema
• European Cinema (especially British, Italian, French and Spanish)
• British and US Television
• Documentary Film and Television
• Silent Cinema
• Feminist Film and Television Theory, History and Criticism
• World Cinema
• Queer Film Cultures
• Film and Philosophy
• Experimental Film and Video
• Film and Television Genre
• Film and Modernity
• Film Technology and Innovation
• Cities and Landscapes in Film and Television
• Critical Studies of the Archive
• Transnational Cinemas
• Screen Ethics

The Department of Film and Television Studies is the home of  The Centre for Television Histories Link opens in a new window . There are often opportunities for graduate students to be involved in associated activities.

You can also read our general University research proposal guidance.

Find a supervisor

Find your supervisor using the link below and discuss with them the area you'd like to research.

We currently have 14 full-time members of staff Link opens in a new window with many research strengths who could be your supervisors.

You can also see our general University guidance about finding a supervisor. Link opens in a new window

Tuition fees

Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and registration and some student amenities.

Find your research course fees

Fee Status Guidance

The University carries out an initial fee status assessment based on information provided in the application and according to the guidance published by UKCISA. Students are classified as either Home or Overseas Fee status and this can determine the tuition fee and eligibility of certain scholarships and financial support.

If you receive an offer, your fee status will be stated with the tuition fee information. If you believe your fee status has been incorrectly classified you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire (follow the instructions in your offer) and provide the required documentation for this to be reassessed.

The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) provides guidance to UK universities on fees status criteria, you can find the latest guidance on the impact of Brexit on fees and student support on the UKCISA website .

Additional course costs

Please contact your academic department for information about department specific costs, which should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below, such as:

• Core text books
• Printer credits
• Dissertation binding
• Robe hire for your degree ceremony

Scholarships and bursaries

Scholarships and financial support

Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.

Living costs

Find out more about the cost of living as a postgraduate student at the University of Warwick.

For UK and International students, the primary funding opportunity is a 3.5-year AHRC-based scholarship, provided through the Midlands4Cities consortium (M4C) .

The AHRC-funded Midlands4Cities (M4C) Link opens in a new window brings together eight leading universities across the Midlands to support the professional and personal development of the next generation of arts and humanities doctoral researchers. M4C is a collaboration between the University of Birmingham, Birmingham City University, University of Warwick, Coventry University, University of Leicester, De Montfort University, Nottingham Trent University and The University of Nottingham.

M4C is awarding up to 70 fully funded doctoral studentships for UK and international applicants for 2024 through the Open Competition and 13 Collaborative Doctoral Awards.

The deadline for M4C funding is 10 January 2024 (noon) but expressions of interest should reach Film and Television Studies at Warwick by November 2023.

All proposals will be subject to internal approval. For enquiries and information, please contact the PhD admissions officer, Dr Tiago de Luca at mailto:t dot de-luca at warwick dot ac dot uk . For further information about M4C and its partner institutions, including upcoming application writing workshops, please consult the Midlands4Cities website.

International applicants (including EU students) are also eligible for the Warwick Chancellor's International Scholarship . The application deadline for this year’s competition is 12 December 2023 . Applicants who hold a People’s Republic of China may also apply for the Warwick China Scholarship Council award. The application deadline is 16 January 2024 .

Film and Television Studies at Warwick

See the world through the lens of film.

The moving image is the most significant art form of the twentieth century. By studying it, you will develop a unique way of understanding the world you live in. You will be exposed to a diverse film and television culture at the forefront of change as our means of viewing evolve. Whether it's a pure passion for the moving image, its stars, genres and history, or academic curiosity that excites you, follow a curriculum that’s as ambitious and innovative as Film and Television Studies are.

From day one, you will be taught by the country’s leading scholars through state-of-the-art lectures, seminars and individual tutorial supervisions. Think, live and breathe the moving image through discussion, reading, writing, blogging, video-essays and screenwriting.

Find out more about us on our website. Link opens in a new window

Our courses

• Applied Screen Studies (PhD)
• Film and Television Studies (MA)
• For Research in Film and Television Studies (MA)
• Film and/or Television Studies (MPhil/PhD)

How to apply

The application process for courses that start in September and October 2024 will open on 2 October 2023.

For research courses that start in September and October 2024 the application deadline for students who require a visa to study in the UK is 2 August 2024. This should allow sufficient time to complete the admissions process and to obtain a visa to study in the UK.

How to apply for a postgraduate research course  

After you’ve applied

Find out how we process your application.

Applicant Portal

Track your application and update your details.

Admissions statement

See Warwick’s postgraduate admissions policy.

Join a live chat

Ask questions and engage with Warwick.

Warwick Hosted Events Link opens in a new window

Postgraduate fairs.

Throughout the year we attend exhibitions and fairs online and in-person around the UK. These events give you the chance to explore our range of postgraduate courses, and find out what it’s like studying at Warwick. You’ll also be able to speak directly with our student recruitment team, who will be able to help answer your questions.

Join a live chat with our staff and students, who are here to answer your questions and help you learn more about postgraduate life at Warwick. You can join our general drop-in sessions or talk to your prospective department and student services.

Departmental events

Some academic departments hold events for specific postgraduate programmes, these are fantastic opportunities to learn more about Warwick and your chosen department and course.

See our online departmental events

Warwick Talk and Tours

A Warwick talk and tour lasts around two hours and consists of an overview presentation from one of our Recruitment Officers covering the key features, facilities and activities that make Warwick a leading institution. The talk is followed by a campus tour which is the perfect way to view campus, with a current student guiding you around the key areas on campus.

Connect with us

Learn more about Postgraduate study at the University of Warwick.

We may have revised the information on this page since publication. See the edits we have made and content history .

Why Warwick

Discover why Warwick is one of the best universities in the UK and renowned globally.

9th in the UK (The Guardian University Guide 2024) Link opens in a new window

67th in the world (QS World University Rankings 2024) Link opens in a new window

6th most targeted university by the UK's top 100 graduate employers Link opens in a new window

(The Graduate Market in 2024, High Fliers Research Ltd. Link opens in a new window )

About the information on this page

This information is applicable for 2024 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our terms and conditions to find out more.

Graduate Program

Phd in performing and media arts.

The graduate program in performing and media arts at Cornell University offers students an interdisciplinary environment in which to pursue critical studies of various dramatic cultures, theatrical traditions, film and media productions, and expressive behavior in multilingual, intermedial, and globalizing performance contexts. The program is located within the Department of Performing and Media Arts and comprises distinguished faculty from across the humanities.

Students benefit from the unusual flexibility of Cornell's graduate system and the ideals of freedom with responsibility on which that system is based. Our small size enables us to offer a generous funding package. A course of study is determined in consultation with a student's faculty advisors, and the PhD may be combined with a formal minor in such areas as directing or acting pedagogy ,  film studies or  feminist, gender and sexuality studies .

Cornell does not offer a stand-alone Master's degree in Performing and Media Arts.

All PhD degree candidates are guaranteed four years of funding (including a  stipend , a full tuition fellowship, and student health insurance):

• A first-year non-teaching fellowship
• Two years of teaching assistantships
• A fourth-year non-teaching fellowship for the dissertation writing year
• Summer support for four years, including a first-year summer teaching assistantship, linked to a teachers’ training program at the Knight Institute. Summer residency in Ithaca is required.
• An optional fifth-year teaching assistantship may be available, contingent upon successful progress toward degree.

Students have also successfully competed for Buttrick-Crippen Fellowship, Society for the Humanities Fellowships, Provost’s Diversity Fellowships, fellowships in recognition of excellence in teaching, and grants from the Graduate School to help with the cost of travel to scholarly conferences and research collections.

Examinations/Foreign Languages

The field of Performing and Media Arts administers three examinations for graduate degree candidates: the qualifying examination, the examination for admission to doctoral candidacy, and the doctoral dissertation defense. Admitted students will receive more information about these exams upon matriculation. 

The field of Performing and Media Arts requires each graduate student to consult with their special committee to decide what study, if any, in a second language is most appropriate for a student’s graduate program and scholarly interests. Some special committees will require graduate students to demonstrate competency and/or fluency in one or two languages. When applicable, a graduate student may be asked to demonstrate competence and/or fluency in specific languages by presenting their undergraduate record, taking additional courses in a specific language and literature, or translating and discussing documents related to the student’s work.

Majors, Minors, and Special Committee

The field of Performing and Media Arts offers majors in three areas: Theatre and Performance Studies, Cinema and Media Studies, and Theatre Theory and Aesthetics. Graduate students are expected to declare their major area of study, two minor areas, and the composition of their Special Committee by the end of their first year of study. An incoming student will be assigned a committee chair by the director of Graduate Studies until he/she has formed a complete committee. Interdisciplinary programs are easily arranged by taking minors in other fields. Possible minors include (but are not limited to): acting and directing pedagogy , Africana studies; anthropology; Asian studies; cinema studies; English; feminist, gender, and sexuality studies; German; Russian; and philosophy.

There are few required courses in the PhD program. However, students are strongly encouraged to take classes that provide a general background in theatre history, dramatic literature, critical and dramatic theory, cinema and media studies, and pedagogy.

Student Organizations

Cinema & Media Studies Reading Group

This student group meets to discuss recent academic articles and books that have contributed to the field of media studies, as well as screen films that have historical or artistic significance.

Graduate Researchers in Media and Performing Arts (GRMPA)

Provides opportunities for grad students to share research interests, socialize, and network. Ongoing yearly events include The Roundtable and the Play Reading Group.

Career Paths

Our program is focused on preparing students for careers as researchers and professors, with concentrations in theatre and performance studies, cinema and media studies, and theatre theory and aesthetics. Students work closely with Cornell's Society for the Humanities and The School for Criticism and Theory , interdisciplinary centers of intellectual exchange that draw scholars and artists from across the globe. The University boasts one of the best research libraries in the country, which maintains extensive holdings in theatre and performance studies and houses a number of special collections.

Graduate Faculty

The field's faculty members are drawn from the Department of Performing and Media Arts and from other departments, such as Anthropology, Asian Studies, Classics, Comparative Literature, German Studies, English, and Africana Studies.

Our program seeks applications from self-motivated, independent thinkers eager to benefit from the unique, interdisciplinary structure of graduate education at Cornell. Applicants may or may not have pursued undergraduate training in theatre, performing arts, or media, but they must demonstrate a commitment to and preparedness for rigorous study in one or more of these areas. The program is first and foremost focused on scholarly research and writing, while at the same time providing robust opportunities to integrate scholarly work with artistic practice.

Eligibility: Applicants must currently have, or expect to have, at least a BA or BS (or the equivalent) in any field before matriculation. International students, please verify degree equivalency here. Applicants are not required to meet a specified GPA minimum.

To Apply: All applications and supplemental materials must be submitted online through the  Graduate School  application system. While completing your application, you may save and edit your data. Once you click submit, your application will be closed for changes. Please proofread your materials carefully. Once you pay and click submit, you will not be able to make any changes or revisions. Applications for admission in the fall semester must be received by the preceding December 15. (Students are not admitted for the spring.)

PhD Program Application Requirements Checklist

• Statement of Purpose Please provide a one- or two-page single-spaced statement describing the reasons you are undertaking graduate work and explaining your academic interests as they relate to your undergraduate study and professional goals.
• Three Letters of Recommendation Please select three people who best know you and your work. Submitting additional letters will not enhance your application. In the recommendation section of the application, you must include the email address of each recommender. After you save the information (and before you pay/submit), the application system will automatically generate a recommendation request email to your recommender with instructions for submitting the letter electronically. If your letters are stored with a credential service such as Interfolio, please use their Online Application Delivery feature and input the email address assigned to your stored document, rather than that of your recommender. The electronic files will be attached to your application when they are received and will not require the letter of recommendation cover page. If circumstances prevent your recommender from submitting a letter electronically, we will accept the letter in paper form mailed to: Graduate Coordinator, Department of Performing and Media Arts, Cornell University, Schwartz Center, 430 College Avenue, Ithaca, NY 14850. Please do not postpone submitting your application while waiting for us to receive all three of your letters. We may not accept recommendation letters that arrive after December 15.
• Transcripts Scan transcripts from each institution you have attended or are currently attending, and upload into the academic information section of the application. Be sure to remove your social security number from all documents prior to scanning. Please do not send paper copies of your transcripts. If you are subsequently admitted and accept, the Graduate School will require an official paper transcript from your degree-awarding institution prior to matriculation.
• English Language Proficiency Requirement International applicants must demonstrate proficiency in the English language by submitting official test scores from TOEFL or IELTS. Graduate School minimum scores are required. For more information, please view the  Graduate School’s English Language Requirement .
• Critical Writing Sample Your writing sample must be between 20–30 pages, typed and double-spaced. We accept excerpts from longer works, or a combination of shorter works.
• GRE General Test The GRE General Test is not required, and no subject test is required.  

How to Apply

Visit the Graduate School website to learn more about doctoral study at Cornell, including information about our special committee structure and degree requirements. 

Click here to apply

Nick Salvato Interim Director of Graduate Studies [email protected]

Graduate Field Handbook

For more detailed information about the Performing and Media Arts Graduate Program, download our Graduate Field Handbook .