Film Studies, Programming and Curation

COURSE OVERVIEW

Launch your career in film exhibition, programming, criticism or archival work.

Delivered in partnership with the British Film Institute (BFI), this innovative MFA will develop your professional practice in film curation and related fields. The course is delivered by film professionals working in exhibition and distribution, festivals, archives and film criticism, alongside academics and filmmakers, equipping you with everything you need for this industry.

In partnership with BFI

"Studying at the NFTS was very inspiring. Having an opportunity to exchange ideas, engage in discussions and being pushed to challenge our own views and interrogate our practice is always valuable."

Anita Wolska

NFTS graduate

"The course completely flipped on my head what I thought I knew about film and what I thought I knew about the industry. It made me challenge preconceptions and biases, and I really grew as a person in learning what I could do."

Elle Haywood

Course graduate

Programme Specification Full Course Outline

You’ll learn about the practicalities of film exhibition in a wide range of environments, and how this intersects with other areas of film culture and industry, including distribution and archives.

You will also study the practice of film criticism and comment - including reviewing and critically writing about films, filmmakers and the broader culture. You will also create a video essay to develop your skills in audiovisual criticism. The unique learning environment of the NFTS encourages creative dialogue between makers, curators and critics.

As part of the course, you will also attend film festivals and will have the opportunity to curate or contribute to festivals, seasons, pop up screenings and other events.

We are excited to announce this MFA course is part of an innovative slate of new qualifications from 2025/2026. Our A Fresh Take page tells you all you need to know!

A rigorous academic framework is combined with practical and real-world applications, enabling you to develop your own skills, knowledge and understanding to provide a strong foundation for a career in film and media.

Throughout the course, you’ll be devising and contributing to programming projects; writing film criticism and reviews and researching and producing video essays. You will also be receiving professional tuition on the theoretical, historical and critical understanding of film, to bring much greater depth to your projects.

You will gain a thorough understanding of the process by which a film moves from a creative idea to an audience experience, and explore the history, theory and critical contexts of film and look at a variety of critical writing.

Professional Work Experience

At the start of the second year, you will undertake a six-week professional work experience engagement at the BFI or an associated organisation. Students are also encouraged to find second work experience opportunities which are aligned with their own interests, with the support of the Head of Department.

We invite applications from students with a BA (Hons) degree (or equivalent) in arts, humanities or science. Film and media related degrees, while welcome, are not essential for admission.

Applicants without a degree but with professional experience may also be considered for admission.

International students Visa and English language requirements

If you have any questions, please email info@nfts.co.uk

UK* Tuition Fees: £11,950 per year

*Includes EU Nationals with pre-settled/settled status, subject to meeting residency requirements.

International/EU Fees: £18,350 per year

These are the fees for January 2025 intake, and are updated yearly in June.

All production costs are included in the course fees, including the use of School facilities and equipment.

Please note, the following application fee applies:

Deposit on confirmation of place: £500
This fee is non-refundable

The NFTS is committed to ensuring it is open to students of genuine ability, no matter what their background or financial circumstances, which is why we award more scholarships and bursaries to British students, relative to the size of our student body, than almost any other educational institution in the UK.

The following item(s) should accompany your online application:

Please submit a brief essay on either a) The preservation of film culture, through archiving, exhibition and restoration, or b) The changing forms of cinema distribution and exhibition.
Choose a movement in cinema or one particular national cinema that is important to you. Briefly discuss your personal response to it.
Discuss one author or film critic, or one book of critical writing on film that has influenced you. Discuss why you have found this author/book of value to you.
The above items must not exceed 1000 words each
Submit a review of either a) a contemporary film that has impressed you or b) an earlier film that you believe to be of artistic or historical importance. This can either be a written review (not to exceed 500 words) or a filmed or audio review (not to exceed 4 minutes). Filmed or audio recorded reviews should be uploaded as a viewable link such as YouTube or Vimeo.

Applications will close at 23:59 on the day of the deadline, shown at the top of this page.

Funding Available

The NFTS awards more scholarships and bursaries to British students, relative to the size of our student body, than almost any other educational institution in the UK. If you’re successful at gaining a place on the course, you will be contacted by our funding team with details on how to apply for one of these scholarships.

Visit our Funding Guide

Upcoming Events

30 May