Film and Television Study Guide 2026/27
What you can study
Bristol was among the first Universities in the UK to offer the academic study of film and television, and this commitment to innovation has continued ever since. Students at Bristol are able to develop their interests across a broad spectrum of subjects and approaches, including:
- Film criticism
- Hollywood cinema
- British cinema and television
- Global cinema
- Screen performance
Pre-requisites
At UK universities, students specialise from their first year and rarely take units outside their degree subject. This means that:
- Year 1 units are suitable for all students.
- Year 2 units require some university study in the discipline.
- Year 3 units require a strong background in the discipline.
Year 1
Pre-requisites: suitable for all students
Teaching Block 1
Teaching Block 2
- Screen Industries - FATV10013. This unit cannot be taken with FATV20033 due to commonality of subject content.
Year 2
Pre-requisites: some university study in the discipline.
Teaching Block 1
- Black Cinema - FATV20039
- British & Irish Film and Television - FATV20037
- Feminist Approaches to Film and Television - FATV20043
- Screen Industries - FATV20033. This unit cannot be taken with FATV10013 due to commonality of subject content.
- Topics in Film and Television History 1 - FATV20041
Teaching Block 2
Year 3
Pre-requisites: strong background of study in the discipline.
Teaching Block 1
- Approaching Video Games - FATV30024
- Film Criticism - FATV30006
- Queer Screens - FATV30029
- The Past on Screen: Nostalgia, Memory, History - FATV30030
Teaching Block 2
Cinema units outside the Department
If you are not a Film and Television major, you may be interested in the following cinema-based units which are offered outside the Department and do not require a background in the subject:
Teaching Block 1
- Contemporary European Cinema – MODL10009
- Italian Cinema: Genre and Social Change - ITAL29007
- Understanding Russia: Literature & Visual Culture – RUSS10042
Teaching Block 2
- Classics of European Cinema – MODL10010
- Germany and Austria in Motion: Film, Society, and Identity - GERM20054
- Introduction to French Cinema - FREN20056
- Introduction to Visual Cultures: from Bristol to the World – MODL10019
Please see the Cultural Studies guide for more information.
Application queries
Contact the Centre for Study Abroad inbound team if you have any queries about the application process for the study abroad programmes:
Phone: +44 117 39 40207
Email: cfsa-inbound@bristol.ac.uk