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Birmingham City University

Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom

B.A (Hons) - Film and Screenwriting with a Foundation Year

This cutting edge new BA Film and Screenwriting with Foundation Year degree course will develop your skills across key film studies and screenwriting debates and conventions. You will be taught by noted film scholars and established practitioners, who will provide their knowledge of international film and screenwriting perspectives.

The course is part of Birmingham City University’s Film Futures suite, designed to develop graduates with the theory, practice and industry trends that will enable them to succeed in a rapidly changing film environment.

About foundation courses

This four year programme has been specifically designed to allow you to undertake additional level 3 study, to ensure you are successful on your chosen degree course. The foundation year helps you to develop skills such as academic writing, referencing and researching, as well as important transferable skills such as project management and team work.

After successful completion of your foundation year, you will have the flexibility to switch (should you wish to change direction) onto a number of related undergraduate degree programmes within Birmingham School of Media

What's covered in the course?

The course considers of a wide range of script to screen traditions from theory, practice and industry perspectives. 

Not only will you gain an understanding of Hollywood cinema conventions (from silent cinema to modern blockbuster spectaculars), but you will apply these storytelling techniques to a variety of production scenarios. As well as looking at American film and screenwriting genres (such as rom-com, thriller, science fiction and horror case-studies), you will also be introduced to other international traditions of cinema that range from European perspectives of documentary to Bollywood film and beyond. 

A key focus of the course will be on the aesthetic and creative aspects of film and screenwriting, with consideration being given to techniques of storytelling, narratology and screen adaptation. Modern transmedia approaches to storytelling are also considered, while modules on film festival programming and film entrepreneurship provide core skills relevant to the film industry. 

How you will learn

You will be taught in a range of lectures, seminars, writing workshops and production sessions, while regular film screenings help you contextualise cinema traditions against your own script creations. 

Your formal studies will be enriched by the possibility to work on a range of external events, such as the Cine-Excess International Film Festival. This annual event attracts visiting international filmmakers, as well as hosting UK theatrical premieres on a regular basis. Having previously operated in London’s West End and Brighton, Cine-Excess has now relocated to BCU to operate as a central resource for the course.

Campus Information

City Centre Campus

Our state-of-the-art resources include a gallery, noise and vibration cells, video production laboratory, a robotic laboratory, a huge isolation booth with sonic sound quality big enough to record drum kits, fantastic recording facilities, and a blue screen studio for chromakey work for film and music.

Intakes

  • Sep

Application Processing Time in Days: 25

Minimum English Language Requirements

English Level Description IELTS (1.0 -9.0) TOEFL IBT (0-120) TOEFL CBT (0-300) PTE (10-90)
Expert 9 120 297-300 86-90
Very Good 8.5 115-119 280-293 83-86
Very Good 8 110-114 270-280 79-83
Good 7.5 102-109 253-267 73-79
Good 7 94-101 240-253 65-73
Competent 6.5 79-93 213-233 58-65
Competent 6 60-78 170-210 50-58
Modest 5.5 46-59 133-210 43-50
Modest 5 35-45 107-133 36-43
Limited 4 32-34 97-103 30-36
Extremely Limited < 4 < 31 < 93 < 30

PSW Opportunity

  • 2 Years PSW is applicable after completing a minimum duration of 9 months course (like- Undergraduate, Postgraduate Level)
  • 3 Years PSW is applicable after completing PhD level courses.

Admission Requirement / Eligibility Criteria

Undergraduate courses

The majority of our programmes require the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (Standard XII) - minimum average of 55% depending on exam board, however some courses may require a higher grade.

Faculty of Art, Design and Media:

Most undergraduate courses in the Art and Design schools require a good portfolio of artwork.
Requires the 12th Standard average of 60% overall.  Some courses require Maths with a minimum of 65% from Standard 10 on the Central Board or the CICSE Board, otherwise student require 60% from Standard 12

Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences (BLSS):

Requires the 12th Standard average of 60% with a minimum of 60% in Maths. We also accept Maths at Standard 10 with 65% from Central Board and CICSE Board.

Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment (CEBE):

Mathematics is required at the 10th Standard minimum of 65% from Central Board and CICSE Board.
BEng Telecommunication and Networks, Mathematics is required at 12th Standard minimum 65%
All engineering courses require the 12th Standard minimum of 65% with 65% in Maths, Physics and Chemistry