About the Department of Film Studies

Established in 2004, the Department of Film Studies covers the breadth of film and media studies. It was ranked second in the UK for Media and Film Studies by the Guardian Good University Guide 2024.  

The Department is dedicated to the study of cinema from a global perspective, moving beyond the canon of Hollywood and European film to engage with a diverse range of practices, cultures, movements, genres, and forms.

Staff expertise, a lively research environment of conferences, events, and screenings and state-of-the-art facilities offer students the chance to study and experience the richness and variety that cinema, in all its forms, offers.

The Department covers a wide range of film and media history. Particular strengths include work on film festivals, documentary and "useful" cinema, and early film culture.

Staff members are leaders in their field. Together, they have authored or edited over 20 books, received extensive external funding and currently supervise more than 15 PhD students.

Film Studies is centrally located in two buildings on North Street and is next door to the local independent cinema, New Picture House, which screens popular films. The Department works closely with the Byre Theatre, while Dundee, the closest city, boasts an excellent arthouse cinema at the Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre.

Strategic plan

The Department of is part of the School of Philosophical, Anthropological and Film Studies whose Strategic Plan 2021 – 2026 (PDF) outlines School and Department aspirations, aims and commitment to world leading and inclusive teaching and research.