Film and Television / Fine Art

Why study Film and Television with Fine Art at Aberystwyth University? 

• Benefit from the disciplined acquisition of technical expertise, the formation of creative intelligence, and an historical, critical, theoretical and contemporary aware of Fine Art practice.
• The Department of Theatre, Film and Television is a vibrant and creative department where drama and theatre, film and media, and scenography and theatre design collide.
• Make a valued contribution to a close community of students and staff within a well-respected School of Art that was established in 1917.
• Students will benefit from our superb facilities and resources for practical work in film and television: 3 Camera High Definition television studio and gallery with chroma key and auto-cue capability; 30 editing systems - Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro software; 50 industry standard HD cameras – P2 and AVCHD formats; DSLR and GoPro cameras available.
• Gain access to excellent teaching facilities that include well-lit studios for painting, darkrooms, print workshops, a MAC suite, seminar rooms, lecture theatre, galleries and a museum all housed in a magnificent Grade II* listed building.
• We have been awarded Accredited Museum Status by Arts Council England. This demonstrates that our collection care and management are at the highest standard. 
• Our students benefit from connections with key industry partners such as BBC, Tribeca Film Festival, S4C, Fiction Factory, Edinburgh International Film Festival, Ffresh Film Festival, BAFTA, Avid, and Arad Goch.
• Learn from experienced staff who are internationally renowned artists, curators and art historians.
• Enjoy our close association with the university Arts Centre that is one of the largest in the UK and a major venue for exhibitions by contemporary artists and designers.
• Participate in our study visits within the UK or abroad (destinations have included Madrid, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, New York, Vienna, Barcelona, Venice, Moscow, St Petersburg, Florence, Budapest and Lisbon).
• Enter the degree scheme directly from school or from a foundation course.

Our Staff

All academic staff at the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies are research active and/or involved in Knowledge Transfer projects and have either relevant academic qualifications at doctoral level or equivalent professional experience and expertise.

Our teaching staff are practicing professionals. As exhibiting artists, publishing researchers and curators, they provide an informed and stimulating learning environment. This ensures that the skills you learn at the School of Art are practice orientated, relevant and applicable.

For further information, visit our individual staff profiles.

What can I do with a Fine Art / Film and Television degree?

Many of our graduates have been successful finding employment in these fields:

• Researchers, editors, floor managers, camera operators, designers and directors for film and television production companies;
• Film distribution
• Freelance film-making
• Marketing and Public Relations
• Film festival programming
• Advertising
• Arts administration
• Education.

As well as establishing careers as practicing artists with significant exhibition profiles, our graduates have become employees within:

• Design Council
• Arts Council
• Tate Gallery
• Victoria and Albert Museum
• Royal Academy of Arts
• Carlton Television
• The Observer
• Saatchi Gallery
• Damien Hirst
• BBC
• Viz magazine
• Royal Collections Trust.

What skills do I gain from this degree?

Students in our department gain the following transferable skills that are sought after by employers. These include the ability to:

• apply creative, imaginative and problem-solving skills in a variety of situations
• research, evaluate and organise information
• structure and communicate ideas effectively in a variety of situations and using a variety of means
• work independently and with others
• effectively organise your time and deploy your skills
• listen to and make use of critical advice
• be self-motivated and self-disciplined
• use a range of information technology skills and resources
• be entrepreneurial in developing cultural projects.

Are there any work experience opportunities whilst studying?

• The department has strong partnerships and connections with many organisations e.g., the BBC, Fiction Factory and Boom Pictures, with whom our students have been offered work placements.
• Click here to find out about the various opportunities that our Aberystwyth University Careers team offer. 
• Enhance your employability prospects with GO Wales and YES (Year in Employment Scheme) managed by our Careers department. 

What I love most about Film and Television is the teaching staff. They are experienced professionals who are dynamic, enthusiastic and most importantly, approachable; it makes learning fun and my confidence has improved as a result. I also enjoy the various modules on offer. The practicals are great as they allow me to experiment with my own ideas but at the same time they teach me valuable skills. My favourite modules so far are Scriptwriting; Imagining the Short; and Writing for Film and Television. I love to write creatively and these modules enable me to develop my imagination. 

Angela Wendy Rumble

Film and Television at Aberystwyth University is brilliant. The course has a great atmosphere which you can tell from how well-connected the students and lecturers are. The academic side of the course is illuminating, touching on a wide variety of topics and dealing with each of these in detail, which works well even for those students who want to focus more on the more practical modules. In addition the department provides plenty of opportunities for work experience as well as chances for students to hone their skills out of the classroom with departmental equipment. There is also a well-supported film society. 

Joe Williams

What I love about Film and Television is the variety of different areas I've had the opportunity to be a part of. Last year I would never have had the confidence or know-how to organise a production team, to make and market short films and to work in a 3 camera studio. What I wanted from Aberystwyth University were the skills to become a film-maker; what I got were practical skills, knowledge of academic debates, and contacts that have given me an insight into the film and television industry. 

Peter Gosiewski

The lecturers are really passionate and knowledgeable about art and their own disciplines. I feel like I am always growing and improving as an artist, as my tutors take time to give me good constructive feedback. 

Amelia Jenkinson

I love the variety you get from Fine Art - there are no fixed rules for the work you can produce and you able to fully express your ideas in whatever way you wish. The tutors are helpful and encouraging and there is always someone on hand to guide you, whether that be staff or other students. 

Jamie Carpenter-White

The first thing I noticed when studying Fine Art at Aberystwyth University was the friendly and welcoming atmosphere. I really treasure the fact my course is run in such an architecturally beautiful building, surrounded by the particularly stunning seascape. I felt so at ease being in Aberystwyth and would recommend it to anyone wanting to do an Art degree. 

Laura Beryl Eileen Bosley