Film and/or Television Studies PhD

Join the PhD in Film and/or Television Studies in conducting innovative, world-leading research.

Course Overview

A PhD in Film and/or Television Studies will help you to shape the field of moving image studies, as you develop original research which intervenes in the most exciting and relevant discipline in the Arts and Humanities.

In partnership with your dedicated supervisor or supervisory team, you will be supported on your journey to becoming a fully independent researcher in screen studies. You will be able to take advantage of the unparalleled resources our Department has to offer, from global experts in film and television history, theory and criticism, to 35mm film projection and a digital editing suite. You will join a vibrant and international community of scholars, with the opportunity to participate in an exciting programme of research seminars and professional development and training events.

Areas for PhD supervision

Film and Television Aesthetics, History and Theory; Classical and Contemporary Hollywood Cinema; European Cinema (especially British, Italian, French and Spanish); British and US Television; Documentary Film and Television; Silent Cinema; Feminist Film and Television Theory, History and Criticism; World Cinema; Queer Film Cultures; Film and Philosophy; Experimental Film and Video; Film and Television Genre; Film and Modernity; Film Technology and Innovation; Cities and Landscapes in Film and Television; Critical Studies of the Archive; Transnational Cinemas; Screen Ethics.

The Department of Film and Television Studies is the home of The Centre for Television History, Heritage and Memory Research and The Screen Rights Film Festival. There are often opportunities for graduate students to be involved in associated activities.

Teaching and Learning

Doctoral Studies in Film and Television Studies proceeds through regular meetings between the student and their PhD supervisor or supervisory team, with the additional resource of a designated mentor. Together, you will design and develop your topic and the structure of your thesis, refining your research and writing through a process of drafts and close commentary, constructive critique and discussion.