Film Studies - using your degree
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Contents |
Introduction
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A degree from Scotland's first university is an excellent start to any future career. St Andrews has a reputation for excellence and the ability to attract the brightest students worldwide. With this as a starting point you are well on the way to impressing future employers.
Film Studies is a new discipline in the twentieth century - the department at St Andrews was only established in 2004 - however, the focus on film through history, culture, and society draws on multiple critical approaches and disciplinary foundations. A degree in film, as part of a joint honours programme, will prepare you for a wide range of career options. The multidisciplinary nature of your degree makes you a versatile graduate who is adept at adjusting to new developments and practices. Your abilities to research and create complex arguments about a range of texts, both visual and literary, are among your strengths as you enter the job market; for more details, refer to the ‘Employability Profile’ below.
Your film degree can enable you to enter a wide range of careers, including journalism, advertising, arts administration, film, marketing, public relations, publishing, TV & radio, and teaching, to name just a few. The skills you acquire in critical thinking, research, and communication can make you an attractive candidate across many fields, from retail to finance.
Where do our graduates go?
Catherine graduated in 2011 with a joint MA (Hons) in Film Studies and Modern History. She is now a Marketing Assistant for Green Screen Studios in York.
Read Catherine's and other Film Studies graduates case studies to hear what their jobs involve, how they got there, and how to successfully follow the same career path.
| Year of graduation | Organisation/Company | Position |
|---|---|---|
| These are some of the first roles taken on by students six months after graduation: | ||
| 2011 | Modern Television | Research and Development Assistant |
| 2011 | Seventh Kingdom Productions | Floor Runner - Assistant Director |
| 2011 | Greenscreen Productions | Marketing & PR Assistant |
| 2010 | Ayr RFC | Freelance Writer |
| 2010 | Montana Conservation Corps | Field Crew Leader |
| 2009 | BBC Written Archives Center | Senior Archives Assistant |
| 2009 | bigmouthmedia | Media Architect |
| 2009 | Bauer Media | Broadcast Journalist |
Network with alumni
- LinkedIn this professional networking site can be a great way to make contact with St Andrews alumni. By joining the St Andrews alumni groups, University of St Andrews Alumni and University of St Andrews - Mentorship Programme, you are able to make contact directly with alumni with a LinkedIn profile.
- Careers Alumni Network- a database of St Andrews graduates who have volunteered to offer careers information to existing students.
Postgraduate study/research
In 2011, 31% of Film Studies graduates went on to do postgraduate study.
Advisers are able and willing to discuss postgraduate applications - vocational and academic.
Summer internships/work experience
One of the key aspects that often helps graduate recruiters to differentiate between candidates during the selection process is work experience. Students and graduates who have had internships or vacation placements usually have a much better understanding of the roles they are applying for and the industry or business sector they want to join after graduation. High Fliers - The UK Graduate Careers Survey 2012.
- If you have undertaken any type of work experience, then why not inspire students by sharing your story.
Employability profile: what you can offer employers
Skills
The profile below identifies the skills that can be developed through the study of your discipline based on subject benchmark statements developed by UK higher education academic communities.
A graduate in Film Studies typically will have the ability to:
- understand visual representation in our global society, and the place that film and other media have in communicating ideas, attitudes and cultural beliefs, both now and in the past
- master complex arguments involving a range of different texts in both visual and literary form, conducting research and presenting topics persuasively and with cogent reasoning across a range of media
- accumulate, select, synthesise and interpret material in a logical and coherent manner
- initiate, develop and realise distinctive and creative work in various media
- work flexibly and independently with self-discipline and self-direction
- communicate information, arguments and ideas cogently and effectively as appropriate to particular audiences, and in written, spoken or other forms, using visual aids and IT resources
- understand institutional and cultural values
- deploy visual material in conjunction with written, oral and other forms of communication, such as illustrated essays and seminars, slide, moving image or multimedia presentations
- be open and receptive to new things and ideas
- undertake and complete familiar and unfamiliar set tasks
- work constructively and productively in groups
- work to set deadlines, including managing concurrent projects
- reflect on one's own learning, and to make constructive use of feedback
Links
- Prospects:Options with Film and photography
- Creative Skillset: Film
- Luke Cairns graduated in film studies in 2000 from Aberystywth, after which he spent a few years working his way up in TV advertising in Soho. He then worked in Marbella for a corporate before returning and setting up Butchers Hook Video with Evan Pugh, a shooting director with multiple series of Big Brother, I'm a Celeb and Lord of the Rings under his belt. Read Luke's article on Getting started in Film/TV/video production in the UK and follow the Butchers Hook Video blog.
