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Film Programming and Curating at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS

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2024 - 20252025 - 2026
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Course summary

A first of its kind, this MA Film Programming and Curating explores the diverse ways in which films are selected and presented to an audience. Studying in the heart of London, one of the world’s leading media hubs, this course takes full advantage of its location to help you build professional networks, visit various sites of exhibition (from galleries and museums to film festivals and cultural centres) and learn about contemporary film programming and curatorial practice. The course encourages independence of intellectual thought and spirit, and offers a historical, intellectual and conceptual understanding of film programming, curatorial practice and moving image culture. The curriculum involves:

  • theories of spectatorship, the audience and the changing conditions of film reception
  • sites of exhibition and the architecture of the filmic experience
  • the role of the archive, film canons and the exhibition of great collections
  • the practicalities involved in programming a film and locating audiences for it.
This daytime course provides a strong academic foundation, relating the latest theoretical thinking to critical practice. It combines this with site visits across London (including the ICA and BFI), as well as providing placements at leading cultural institutions and film centres, including LUX. You will have the opportunity to participate in programming initiatives with organisations as diverse as the Korean Cultural Centre UK and other film centres around London. Our teachers are internationally distinguished academics, while visits from cultural practitioners will introduce you to experienced film programmers, curators and art practitioners. Making full use of the opportunities offered by our proximity to London’s vibrant film culture, this course provides a first step towards building a career in film programming and exhibition, or for further research into the cultures of curating and curatorial practice. Highlights
  • Birkbeck was ranked as one of the top four universities in the UK for its Art and Design research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
  • The award-winning Birkbeck Cinema is central to the course, where most of our classes take place. The cinema is equipped with 35mm and state-of-the-art DVD projection, which offers you an opportunity to experiment with programming and watch films in the best possible conditions. Located in central London, in the heart of historic Bloomsbury, Birkbeck is within easy reach of cinemas and galleries, as well as facilities such as the British Film Institute and the British Library.
  • You will receive accreditation, sponsored by Birkbeck, to the BFI London International Film Festival.
  • The Birkbeck Institute for the Moving Image (BIMI) runs a busy, intellectually stimulating programme of events, including conferences, screenings and film-related events of all kinds, which students on this course are more than welcome to attend. You will have the opportunity to participate in and attend the Essay Film Festival, jointly run by BIMI and the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), with free admission to events hosted at Birkbeck.
  • We offer a number of bursaries for postgraduate students.
Careers and employability Graduates can pursue career paths in the creative arts, academic, media and cultural institutions. Possible professions include:
  • film programming
  • cinema manager
  • independent curator
  • researcher
  • film distribution
  • working for a film festival.

Modules

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

Assessment method

Essay assessments and a final project.

How to apply

International applicants

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, the requirement for this course is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement, we offer pre-sessional English courses and foundation programmes to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

Entry requirements

A second-class honours degree (2:2 or above), or overseas equivalent. You are required to complete a 700-1000-word written exercise by choosing a film that you have recently seen and explaining how you would programme it for an audience. Your completed exercise should be returned directly to [email protected], or alternatively uploaded to the Applicant Portal, either as a Word document or a PDF. Please ensure that you include your reference number and name on each page of the document. Two referees are also required. Successful candidates will be invited to attend an interview. Applications are reviewed on their individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience in a field relevant to graduate study in the humanities will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, the requirement for this course is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 7.0, with not less than 6.5 in each of the sub-tests.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £6075 Year 1
Northern Ireland £6075 Year 1
Scotland £6075 Year 1
Wales £6075 Year 1
International £9915 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases.
Film Programming and Curating at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS