Film: Practice as Research

Entry requirements

An MA in a relevant subject.

All applicants are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications.

Months of entry

January, May, September

Course content

Film at Kent is known for its dynamic and inclusive research community. Whether you are interested in theories, histories or aesthetics of film and digital media, we have the academic expertise to support your research.

With access to specialist supervision, excellent resources and a vibrant research community, your time at Kent will be enjoyable and stimulating.

You conduct original research under the guidance of a team of specialist supervisors. We welcome enquiries on any topic, and provide you with excellent research resources to enable you to complete your research. You produce a piece of film practice, which may be a digital film, a screenplay, a series of exploratory audio-visual works, audio-visual documentation of creative processes relating to film or a combination of these, and a written thesis of up to 40,000 words.

You will have a minimum of two supervisors who support and guide you through your academic and professional development throughout your studies. You meet regularly with your supervisors, who not only supervise your research project but help you to identify parts of your research and development where you may require further training or support. A series of reviews take place throughout your studies in order to ensure that your research project stays on track and that you have all the necessary support and resources required to successfully complete it.

Recent and ongoing research supervision projects include 'Creating Imaginary Media’, ‘A Sense of Place: Identity and Cinematic Representation of Britain’s Forgotten Towns and Non-Places’, ‘Essaying Place: Landscape, Time and the Journey in the Essay Film’, ‘To Observe, to Interfere or to Collaborate: Reframing the Notion of Home Through Documentary Film’, ‘Images of the Future: Interpreting the Ballardian World through Film’ and ‘Intimate Cinema: Techniques, Conventions, and Aesthetics of Screen Performance in Digital Film'.

You may be eligible to apply for a fully funded PhD scholarship. Scholarship opportunities may include the Vice Chancellor’s Research Scholarship (GTA) and the Consortium of the Humanities and the Arts South-East England (CHASE) collaborative doctoral award. For further information and eligibility requirements, please see our scholarship website.

Information for international students

Please see our International website for entry requirements by country and other relevant information. Due to visa restrictions, international fee-paying students cannot study part-time unless undertaking a distance or blended-learning programme with no on-campus provision.

English language entry requirements

The University requires all non-native speakers of English to reach a minimum standard of proficiency in written and spoken English before beginning a postgraduate degree. Certain subjects require a higher level.

For detailed information see our English language requirements web pages.

Need help with English?

Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.

Fees and funding

Please see our funding pages for the most current information.