Skip to main content
A macro image of a camera lens which has a burning iris inside it. Outside the camera lens looks like the texture of an iris
A woman with medium length grey hair and a beige raincoat pointing a finger

Film MA

Take your film practice to new heights, refine your technical skills, and explore the cultural and historical context of your work.

  • Course Duration

    Full-time 1 year, part-time 2 years

  • Annual Fees

    • Home (full-time) £10,000 or (part-time, over 2 years) £6,250 per year
    • Overseas (full-time, over 2 years) £18,860 per year
  • How to Apply Request a prospectus

  • Course Start

    September 2026

MA Film (previously MA Moving Image and Sound) offers an innovative and collaborative exploration of film as a versatile medium for storytelling, artistic expression, and social commentary. Through a blend of theoretical, critical inquiry and hands-on production workshops, you will push the boundaries of film and sound to create impactful and ethically conscious work. You will challenge conventions and experiment through text, image, sound, multimedia, emerging digital technologies, and content structures. The course will support you to develop your unique voice as a filmmaker to create original and innovative work.

The course provides comprehensive training in all aspects of film production, including producing, screenwriting, directing, cinematography, production design, sound design, and editing. Through engaging in professional processes from preproduction to post-production, you will acquire practical and critical skills necessary for creating impactful work. By working within the UK production frameworks, you’ll gain a thorough understanding of legal, moral, and ethical standards, aligning your practice with industry expectations and standards like the BFI Diversity Standards.

  • An abstract collage of the earth, made out of multiple coloured images pieced together in the centre of the frame
  • A still image of rocks at a lakeside shot from the water, in a black and red tone. A layer of circles is over the centre of the image, creating an offset colourway increasing the vibrance of the colour palette. Amongst the rocks is an illustration of white shapes pointing upwards from the water.
  • An animated scene showing a room with stairs on one side, and a galaxy print background below translucent grey layers
  • Line drawing in black shows a figure walking towards a telescope on tripod, with a background of dark grey and purple galaxy print
  • White script style type says I remember... over a background of refracted warm yellow dots of light
  • A woman with medium length grey hair and a beige raincoat pointing a finger
  • Abstract close up image with dry grass
  • Created environment with the entrance to a stone railway tunnel
  • Brightly coloured grids
  • A splash of white lines over a pink and violet shape
  • Spherical wave pattern with symmetrical white flairs on black background
  • blobs of colourful ink dropped in water
  • Feint and wobbley white lines make a wave pattern and clock face, at 3'o'clock

Why study with us

  • Preparation for Advanced Professional Roles

    Gain proficiency in various aspects of film production, including screenwriting, directing, cinematography, sound design, and editing, enabling you to create innovative and original work.

  • Interdisciplinary Approach

    Engage with a broad range of creative disciplines through collaboration with other postgraduate students enriching your learning experience and broadening your perspective

  • Professional-Level Resources

    Access a range of facilities including dedicated media labs, editing suites, and screening rooms.

  • Ethical and Inclusive Research

    Explore the ethical, moral, and social dimensions of filmmaking, focusing on creating content that adheres to BFI Diversity Standards and promotes sustainability.

  • Professional Portfolio Development

    Throughout the course, develop a comprehensive portfolio that showcases your skills and creativity, preparing you for a successful career in the film industry. This portfolio will be a key asset in demonstrating your ability to communicate complex ideas through visual media.

Course Details

This programme is a one-year course including 30 weeks of direct teaching time and a 15-week final project. You will need to complete three units and one 60-credit Major Project (180 credits in total). All units on the course are compulsory and must be passed in order to complete the award. If you study part-time your modules will be split across two years.
For full course details including aims and assessment criteria, download the course specification.

Core Practice and Context (60 Credits)

This unit launches your Masters’ study experience at Norwich. It is designed to expand your research capabilities by exploring a range of ideas, issues, materials, and processes relevant to your discipline and career aspirations. You’ll delve into social, economic, environmental, technological, and ecological factors shaping the global landscape. Central to this unit is engagement with the UNESCO 17 Goals for Sustainable Development, which will inform your creative goals and practices. This research will serve as a foundation for exploring various filmmaking approaches—fictional, factual, and experimental. You’ll critically evaluate contemporary influences and their relevance to your practice, culminating in the creation of a Reflective Research Report. The learning experience is enriched through workshops, peer discussions, critiques, and evaluations, providing a collaborative environment for growth and innovation in film and screen media.

Collaborative Challenge (30 credits)

This unit addresses current and evolving issues in the film industry, including sustainability, new technologies, and inclusivity. It emphasises a creative, cross-disciplinary approach, encouraging students to experiment with a range of filmmaking techniques that challenge and expand their existing practices. Within a supportive environment, students collaborate on projects involving real-world scenarios aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals or live projects with external clients. The unit focuses on teamwork, critical thinking, and developing a distinctive directorial or production voice under the guidance of industry-experienced tutors. It culminates in a group submission and an individual reflective summary, with a strong emphasis on independent study, practical skills development, and engagement with the dynamic landscape of film and media.

Project Design and Development (30 credits)

This unit focuses on developing skills essential for designing and executing a creative or research project in the field of film. It provides a comprehensive toolkit for undertaking major projects and prepares students for further academic or industry research. Students will be introduced to a wide range of research methods from the arts, humanities, and social sciences, and will learn how to adapt these techniques to suit their unique film projects. The unit combines independent study with expert-led tutorials, enabling students to gain a deep understanding of project planning, ethical considerations, and the use of both digital and analogue tools. By the end of the unit, students will produce a contextual review, a detailed project plan, and an ethics review, laying the groundwork for their major project. This preparation helps students establish a distinct creative voice, preparing them for professional success.

Major Project (60 Credits)

This unit forms the culmination of your Master’s study in which you will design, develop, and execute a major project, individually or collaboratively. The Major Project unit is a self-directed study period where you will deeply explore your creative vision and articulate it to diverse audiences. This unit requires you to produce a professional-level body of work, demonstrating a deep understanding of your specialism and situating your work within broader socio-cultural contexts. You will be encouraged to push the boundaries of filmmaking offering new insights and employing innovative research methods. Your project includes all stages of production, with regular supervisor check-ins. The final outcomes should be persuasive and relevant in both local and global contexts, showcasing your professional relevance in today’s rapidly changing media landscape.

Download course specifications

Learning and teaching

The course is delivered through a variety of engaging learning and teaching methods.

  • Lectures

  • Seminars

  • Tutorials

  • Technical labs

  • Independent and group work

Assessment

Our assessment methods will vary based on the unit you choose and provide a comprehensive measure of your learning and progress. These methods may include:

  • Critically reflective essay
  • Course work
  • Presentations
  • Learning journal
  • Reflective evaluation
  • Body of creative work
  • Reflective research report
  • Team project evaluation
  • Major project
  • Supporting documentation

Some of the people you’ll be working with

Meet all staff

Our Facilities

Look around our city-centre campus, and you will find studios, media labs, and creative spaces in 13 buildings that sit among the cafés, bars, independent galleries and shops of Norwich’s cultural quarter.

View all facilities
A behind-the-scenes view of a film or video shoot shows a crew recording a person seated under studio lights—an experience similar to what students gain while pursuing an MA Moving Image and Sound degree, with cameras, crew, and equipment on set.

Typical career paths

  • Audio Visual Production
  • Film
  • Motion Graphics
  • CGI
  • 2D and 3D Animation
  • Scripting and Narrative
  • Pre and Post Production
  • Teaching/Lecturing
  • Research/PhD Study

The UK’s creative sector is thriving, contributing £111.7 billion annually to the economy and offering over 2 million jobs.

Department for Digital Culture Media and Sport (DCMS)

Entry Requirements

Entrants should normally have achieved a BA (Hons) / BSc Degree of 2:1 or above (or its equivalent), in a subject related to your proposed course of study.

Applicants who hold a Degree from another discipline may also be considered for entry, subject to the submission of a satisfactory portfolio of art, design or media-related work in support of their application.

Those with industry experience or relevant skills from non-traditional backgrounds are encouraged to apply, including individuals currently employed. If you’re unsure about your eligibility, please contact us for guidance before applying.

English language requirements (International/EU)

If English is not your first language, IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent) is required, with a minimum of 5.5 in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. we also accept other English language qualifications.

International Qualifications

We accept a wide range of qualifications from all over the world.

For information on entry requirements from your country, see our international pages.

Students oversee production in the Boardman House Film Studio at Norwich University of the Arts

Fees and funding

Home

Full time: £10,000

Part time: £6250 per year

The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you’re classed as a UK
(home) or international student. Check your fee status.

Fees for subsequent years

The rules for inflation on fees in subsequent years depend on the type of fee status and level

For Home and overseas postgraduate degree students starting in 2025, fees will remain the same for each year of your course.

Funding your study

Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify for a bursary, scholarship or loan to help fund your study and enhance your learning experience. Find out more about scholarships and funding.

Additional costs

Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition. Accommodation, cost of materials, and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees

International

The tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year will be:

Full time: £18,500

The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you’re classed as a UK
(home) or international student. Check your fee status.

Fees for subsequent years

The rules for inflation on fees in subsequent years depend on the type of fee status and level

For home and overseas postgraduate degree students starting in 2025, fees will remain the same for each year of your course.

Funding your study

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries for international students. To find out more and see if you’re eligible, please visit the scholarships for international students page.

Additional costs

Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition. Accommodation, cost of materials, and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees

Film MA Course Costs (opens in a new window)

How to apply

Home

Applications to our postgraduate courses should be made directly to Norwich University of the Arts using a Postgraduate Application Form.

Applications should be returned to admissions@norwichuni.ac.uk

Please see our Terms and Conditions and Admissions Policies for further details.

International

Postgraduate applicants can only apply directly by completing the below online application form or emailing the downloadable form to ioadmissions@norwichuni.ac.uk

Online Postgraduate Application Form (opens in a new window)
International Postgraduate Application Form (opens in a new window)

International students requiring a visa should apply as soon as possible in the year they wish to start. Email our International Team for more information. Please see our Terms and Conditions and Admissions Policies for further details

A photograph of a seminar room at Norwich University of the Arts, where an academic is giving a welcome presentation to visitors at an Open Day.

Latest news

View all news

Related courses

Discover our courses and take the first step towards unleashing your potential

Search courses