Course Overview

The MA in Film Studies: Theory and Practice is a pioneering programme that prepares students for a range of careers in film, screenwriting and media-related areas. Film today offers a broad mix of employment opportunities, including in academia, film and media industries, and in film/creative arts administration. This programme combines a strong academic focus on the theoretical and historical study of film, with modules addressing screenwriting, digital film practice, film education and film festival curation. The programme has close connections with PALAS— Galway’s award-winning arthouse cinema as well as the annual Galway Film Fleadh. 

This programme allows students to pursue either an academic-focused pathway or a practice-based approach to film, including the possibility of completing a feature-length screenplay during the academic year.

Scholarships available
Find out about our Postgraduate Scholarships here

Applications and Selections

Applications are made online via the University of Galway Postgraduate Applications System

To see, in advance, what supporting documents are required to supplement your online application please visit: www.universityofgalway.ie/postgrad-admissions/supportingdocuments

Who Teaches this Course

researcher
Mr Tony Tracy
Lecturer
Huston School of Film & Digital Media
View Profile
researcher
Dr Seán Crosson
BA, MPhil, Ph.D.
Senior Lecturer
Huston Film School
University of Galway
Galway
View Profile

Requirements and Assessment

Assessments on the programme are designed to develop students’ writing and presentation skills, as well as their ability to undertake individual and group work and to critically assess their own work and that of their peers. Assessments include essays, presentations, and blog or journal postings, as well as exercises in digital practice, module design and festival curation. Students have the opportunity to specialise in a particular aspect of the programme through a 16,000–18,000 word minor dissertation OR a practice-based project consisting of a video essay accompanied by a 7,000-word dissertation, which is submitted in early August.

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

QQI Level 8 degree or equivalent, H2.2. GPA 3.0 or equivalent international qualification. Students who do not meet the honours degree requirement but have a Level 7 degree (Merit 1) may be admitted to the PDip course with the possibility of progressing to the MA if they receive a minimum of 60% in their course work during the year. Applicants are required to submit a writing sample, consisting of either a graded academic essay or a review essay of a recent film (1,000 words), and a personal statement with their application.

Additional Requirements

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Duration

1 year, full-time | 2 years, part-time

Next start date

September 2024

A Level Grades ()

Average intake

15

QQI/FET FETAC Entry Routes

Closing Date

You are advised to apply early, which may result in an early offer; see the offer round dates

NFQ level

Mode of study

ECTS weighting

MA—90, PDip—60

Award

MA, PDip. Students may only apply for the MA in Film Studies. Those who do not meet the minimum entry requirements may be admitted with relevant professional experience via a qualifying exam, or be admitted to the PDip.

CAO

Course code

MA-FST; PGD-FST

Course Outline

The full-time programme comprises three seminar courses during the academic year and a choice from up to six options over two 12-week semesters, from which students must choose three. Part-time students will take half of these modules each year.

The course may be taken as a full-time degree taken over a twelve-month period (September to August) OR as a Part-Time Degree taken over a twenty-four month period. The year is divided into two teaching semesters (September to December and January to April). The summer period (year 2 in the Part-Time programme) will be used to complete an 18,000 minor dissertation OR undertake a practice-based project consisting of either a video essay accompanied by a 7,000 word extended essay OR a feature-length screenplay. The full-time programme comprises three core seminar courses during the academic year and a choice of a range of options (plus a research methods seminar) over two 12-week semesters. Part-time students will take half of these modules each year.

Core modules:

  • Critical Theory I & II (Semester 1 and 2)
  • Film History I: Hollywood & Genre

Optional Modules may include:

  • Film History II: Cinema Beyond Hollywood since 1945
  • Ireland on Screen
  • Gender, Sexuality and Cinema
  • Screenwriting Fundamentals
  • Screenplay Development
  • Digital Play & Practice
  • Film Exhibition, Admin & Education
  • Sport and Film

Module details for full time course

Module details for part time course

Curriculum Information

Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).
Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Glossary of Terms

Credits
You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
Module
An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
Optional
A module you may choose to study.
Required
A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
Semester
Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year.

Year 1 (90 Credits)

Required FM6123: American Cinema: History, Aesthetics, Ideology


Semester 1 | Credits: 10

The aim of this course is to provide an overview of American film history during its ‘classical’ period shaped by the studio system; (c. 1930-1970’). This module will take as its organising principle the dominance of genre as a structuring principle for the history, aesthetics and ideologies of American film and explore a number of genres in detail.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Identify the centrality of genre in the construction of mainstream Hollywood narrative cinema.
  2. Demonstrate familiarity with the ideological and socio-political contexts within which Hollywood cinema has been produced
  3. Demonstrate skills in written, oral and visual communications.
Assessments
  • Department-based Assessment (100%)
Teachers
Reading List
  1. "The Female of the Species" D. W. Griffith: Father of the Woman's Film'," by Scott Simmon,
  2. "Artful Racism, Artful Rape: Griffith's Broken Blossoms, "Home is Where the Heart Is" by Julia Lesage,
  3. "More Sinned Against than Sinning: The Fabrications of Pre-Code Hollywood'." by Richard Maltby,
  4. "Film History" by Gregory Black
    Chapters: Hollywood Censored: The Production Code Administration and the Hollywood Film Industry
  5. "Pre-Code Hollywood: Sex, Immorality, and Insurrection in American Cinema," by Thomas Doherty
    Publisher: Columbia University Press
  6. "Public Enemies, Public Heroes: Screening the Gangster," by Jonathan Munby,
    Chapters: 2
  7. "‘Apes and Essences: Some Sources of Significance in the American Gangster Film’" by Edward Mitchell
  8. "Home is Where the Heart is" by Thomas Elsaesser,
  9. "Melodrama and the Woman's Picture'" by Pam Cook
  10. "Masked Men," by Steven Cohan
  11. "TheWestern: Or the American Film par excellence.’" by Andre Bazin,
  12. "The Evolution of theWestern’" by Andre Bazin,
  13. "Westerners and the Myth of the Past RobinWood, Rio Bravo and Retrospect" by Leo Braudy
  14. "The American Nightmare: Essays on the Horror Film" by Robin Wood
  15. "ForWanda', The Last Great American Picture Show: Hollywood Cinema in the 1970s." by Thomas Elsaesser, Alexander Horwath and Noel King,
    Publisher: Amsterdam University Press
The above information outlines module FM6123: "American Cinema: History, Aesthetics, Ideology" and is valid from 2023 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Required FM514: Minor Dissertation


15 months long | Credits: 30

The minor dissertation offers students a choice between a traditional 18,000 word research project OR a final draft feature-length screenplay OR a videographic essay (written & practice)
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. demonstrate the ability to undertake independent study;
  2. demonstrate presentation skills in giving an overview of research question and methodology
  3. to demonstrate skills which are associated with library-based study including effective use of bibliographic searches, the identification of relevant sources and the critical interpretation and correct referencing of sources.
  4. Demonstrate skills in writing a rigorous, coherent and well-supported argument
Assessments
  • Research (100%)
Teachers
Reading List
  1. "MLA handbook for writers of research papers" by Joseph Gibaldi
    ISBN: 873529863.
    Publisher: Modern Language Association of America
The above information outlines module FM514: "Minor Dissertation" and is valid from 2023 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Required FM521: Critical Theory I


Semester 1 | Credits: 10

This course aims to provide a critical understanding of the ways in which theories of film have been formulated and applied, relating these theories to their historical and cultural context, and testing out their application to specific texts.

Learning Outcomes
  1. Demonstrate a specific and comparative knowledge of various theoretical approaches to cinema;
  2. Analyse specific texts in structural, formal and historical terms;
  3. Demonstrate an enhanced awareness of film aesthetics and film cultures;
  4. Work in flexible, creative and independent ways, showing self-direction, self-discipline and reflexivity;
  5. Demonstrate skills in written, oral and visual communications.
Assessments
  • Department-based Assessment (100%)
Teachers
Reading List
  1. "Film art" by David Bordwell, Kristin Thompson
    ISBN: 0070064393.
    Publisher: McGraw-Hill
  2. "Film theory and criticism" by edited by Leo Braudy, Marshall Cohen
    ISBN: 0195365623.
    Publisher: Oxford University Press
  3. "Readings and writings" by Peter Wollen
    ISBN: 0860910555.
    Publisher: Verso
  4. "Hitchcock's films revisited" by Robin Wood
    ISBN: 0231126956.
    Publisher: Columbia University Press
  5. "Image, music, text" by Roland Barthes; essays selected and translated [from the French] by Stephen Heath
    ISBN: 0006861350.
    Publisher: Fontana
  6. "Movies and methods" by edited by Bill Nichols
    ISBN: 0520031512.
    Publisher: University of California Press
  7. "Audio-vision" by Michel Chion; edited and translated by Claudia Gorbman; with a foreword by Walter Murch
    ISBN: 0231078986.
    Publisher: Columbia University Press
The above information outlines module FM521: "Critical Theory I" and is valid from 2014 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Optional FM500: Screen Writing Fundamentals


Semester 1 | Credits: 10

The course has three core objectives: - To teach the craft of screenwriting; the ‘tools of the trade’. - To help students find their own ‘voice’ as writers in an encouraging, supportive environment. - To help students develop critical and analytical script editing skills, within a wider understanding of film as both art form and industry.

Learning Outcomes
  1. Understand the fundamentals of screenwriting and the various different theoretical approaches.
  2. Analyze film according to these approaches.
  3. Grasp the idea of story structure and how this applies to the visual medium of cinema, both in the classical and non-conventional narrative sense.
  4. Appreciate the importance of genre in its various forms and conventions.
  5. Absorb learned theory into individual, practical experience of the craft of screenwriting.
  6. Learn to critique their own and other’s work, and understand the importance of collaboration in the process of filmmaking.
Assessments
  • Department-based Assessment (100%)
Teachers
The above information outlines module FM500: "Screen Writing Fundamentals" and is valid from 2017 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Optional FM6101: Ireland on Screen


Semester 1 | Credits: 10

This module provides students with an overview of Irish cinema from the early twentieth century to the present. It includes an analysis of the major films produced and the discourses concerning cinema in Ireland over the past one hundred years. Among the questions the module examines are: what are the major traditions of representing Ireland in cinema? How have indigenous filmmakers responded to these representations? What are the distinctive characteristics of contemporary Irish film culture?
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Comprehend the major issues and debates surrounding ‘national cinema’.
  2. Recognise patterns in the representation of Ireland in international cinema.
  3. Recall the major developments in the history of cinema in Ireland and examine key texts.
  4. Analyse the major themes apparent in contemporary Irish cinema.
  5. Evaluate the challenges and advantages of film-making in Ireland today.
Assessments
  • Department-based Assessment (100%)
Teachers
Reading List
  1. "Irish national cinema" by Ruth Barton
    Publisher: Routledge
  2. "Contemporary Irish Film: New Perspectives on a National Cinema." by Werner Huber & Sean Crosson
    Publisher: Braumüller
The above information outlines module FM6101: "Ireland on Screen" and is valid from 2016 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Optional DT6120: Ensemble Acting and Devising


Semester 1 | Credits: 10

A practical and theoretical introduction to twentieth-century acting and performance techniques with special emphasis on Artaud, Grotowski, and Peter Brook.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Engage in practical ensemble-based activities for devising theatre practice.
  2. Describe and put into practice modern and contemporary theories of ensemble
  3. Describe and put into practice the ideas of key practitioners, such as Boal, Brook and Chekhov.
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers
Reading List
  1. "The Empty Space" by Peter Brook
  2. "Towards a Poor Theatre" by Jerzy Grotowski
The above information outlines module DT6120: "Ensemble Acting and Devising" and is valid from 2021 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Optional FM514: Minor Dissertation


15 months long | Credits: 30

The minor dissertation offers students a choice between a traditional 18,000 word research project OR a final draft feature-length screenplay OR a videographic essay (written & practice)
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. demonstrate the ability to undertake independent study;
  2. demonstrate presentation skills in giving an overview of research question and methodology
  3. to demonstrate skills which are associated with library-based study including effective use of bibliographic searches, the identification of relevant sources and the critical interpretation and correct referencing of sources.
  4. Demonstrate skills in writing a rigorous, coherent and well-supported argument
Assessments
  • Research (100%)
Teachers
Reading List
  1. "MLA handbook for writers of research papers" by Joseph Gibaldi
    ISBN: 873529863.
    Publisher: Modern Language Association of America
The above information outlines module FM514: "Minor Dissertation" and is valid from 2023 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Optional DT6123: Playwright's Workshop I


Semester 1 | Credits: 10

A weekly writer’s workshop in which students will explore fundamental dramaturgical playwriting strategies and structures through analysis of plays from different genres and in-class writing tasks.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Analyse and identify dramaturgical structures as well as particular genre specific theatrical devises
  2. Develop prompts for starting and completing written work
  3. Plan, structure and complete original short play
  4. Critically reflect on writing and situate it within established genres
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers
Reading List
  1. "The Secret Life of Plays" by Steve Waters
    Publisher: Nick Hern Books
  2. "How Plays Work" by David Edgar
    Publisher: Nick Hern
  3. "Playwriting a Practical guide" by Noel Greig
    Publisher: Routledge
The above information outlines module DT6123: "Playwright's Workshop I" and is valid from 2020 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Optional FM502: Screenplay Development


Semester 2 | Credits: 10

This module follows on from Screenwriting Fundamentals in Semester 1 and is limited to eight students. The module will facilitate and guide students towards the development of a treatment for a feature film. The classes included in this module will also - enable students to develop their craft as visual storytellers. - help students find their own ‘voice’ as writers in an encouraging and creative environment. - explore alternative screen narratives.

Learning Outcomes
  1. Appreciate the power of metaphor and symbolism in the cinematic narrative.
  2. Understand the importance of film as a visual medium.
  3. Develop a treatment for a feature film screenplay
  4. Develop a critical understanding of cinematic language.
Assessments
  • Department-based Assessment (100%)
Teachers
The above information outlines module FM502: "Screenplay Development" and is valid from 2017 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Optional FM6117: Sport and Film


Semester 2 | Credits: 10

This module will provide students with an overview of the major developments in the depiction of sport in film. Considering fiction, documentary, and newsreels, the module will explore the diverse ways different cultures have depicted sport in film.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Demonstrate the key themes evident in the depiction of sport in film internationally.
  2. Recognise the diverse approaches to depicting sport in film.
  3. Evaluate the role sports cinema has played in particular societies.
  4. Identify the distinctive forms and their attributes (fiction, documentary, newsreels) that have been employed in the depiction of sport.
  5. Conduct original research and analyse and write up findings.
  6. Develop and demonstrate skills in written, oral and visual communications.
Assessments
  • Department-based Assessment (100%)
Teachers
Reading List
  1. "Sport and Film" by Seán Crosson
    ISBN: 978-04155699.
    Publisher: Routledge
  2. "The Sports Film: Games People Play" by Bruce Babington
    ISBN: 9780231169653.
    Publisher: Columbia University Press
  3. "Visual Economies Of/in Motion: Sport and Film" by C. Richard King,David J. Leonard
    ISBN: 9780820478524.
    Publisher: Peter Lang
The above information outlines module FM6117: "Sport and Film" and is valid from 2019 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Optional FM6100: Film exhibition, administration and education


Semester 2 | Credits: 10

This innovative module provides student with an introduction to important cultural areas increasingly relevant to film studies, film administration, education and curation. Structured around sessions with practitioners from each of these areas, this module provides students with crucial insights into the distinctive requirements and possibilities in each of these spheres and prepares them for potential employment opportunities in these areas.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. demonstrate an understanding of historical contexts in the distribution and exhibition of film
  2. Understand practical and theoretical issues surrounding the distribution and exhibition of digital cinema
  3. Undertake independent research into current case studies in the marketing, distribution and exhibition of film (incl festivals)
  4. Demonstrate an understanding of practices around film programming in a range of cinematic and festival contexts
  5. Develop an awareness and understanding of the work of developing young audiences and filmmakers
  6. Gain experience in the programming of a film programme
  7. Gain an understanding of the work and theoretical issues within film preservation and archiving
Assessments
  • Department-based Assessment (100%)
Teachers
Reading List
  1. "The death of cinema: History, cultural memory and the digital dark age" by Paolo Cherchi Usai
    Publisher: BFI
  2. "Film Festivals: Culture, People, and Power on the Global Screen" by Cindy Hing-Yuk Wong
    Publisher: Rutgers University Press
The above information outlines module FM6100: "Film exhibition, administration and education" and is valid from 2016 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Optional DT6109: Applied Theatre


Semester 2 | Credits: 10

This course introduces students to core concepts and practices in the field of applied theatre techniques which includes but is not limited to educational theatre, Theatre for Social Change, community arts/theatre,Theatre of the Oppressed and other Boalian techniques, theatre for development, and prison theatre.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Identify key working methods and genres in the practice of applied theatre.
  2. Distinguish between different working methodologies and genres within the larger field of applied theatre.
  3. Analyse key debates over ethics and collaboration in this field of practice.
  4. Building on our practical classroom exercises, lead basic exercises from each major genre of applied theatre discussed in class.
  5. Interrogate the role of the faciliator in applied theatre work.
  6. Propose a framework for their own independent applied theatre project.
  7. Demonstrate knowledge of a more advanced repertoire of activities and techinques from one targeted area of specialisation in applied theatre.
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers
Reading List
  1. "The Applied Theatre Reader" by Sheila Preston and Tim Prentki
  2. "Theatre of Good Intentions: Challenges and Hopes for Theatre and Social Change" by Dani Snyder-Young
  3. "Games for Actors and Non-Actors" by Augusto Boal
  4. "Community Performance: An Introduction" by Petra Kuppers
  5. "Local Acts: Community-Based Performance in the United States" by Jan Cohen-Cruz
The above information outlines module DT6109: "Applied Theatre" and is valid from 2021 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Optional DT6135: Playwright's Workshop II: Dramaturgical Approaches to Craft


Semester 2 | Credits: 10

This workshop based module explores special topics in playwriting strategies and dramaturgical approaches which may include but are not limited to adaptation, documentary/verbatim theatre, and dramatic writing for the radio. By working through the challenges of different genres and writing processes, playwrights will stretch their skills in a collaborative group format. Students should be prepared to read work aloud in class and will learn to critique each other’s work.

Learning Outcomes
  1. Chart and adapt dramaturgical structures across a range of different styles of theatre
  2. Complete a short play( 20 minutes in duration) and a longer play (at least 40 minutes in duration).
  3. Critically reflect on their playwriting practice
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers
Reading List
  1. "The Secret Life of Plays" by Steve Waters
  2. "How do Plays Work" by David Edgar
  3. "The Writers Journey" by Christopher Volger
The above information outlines module DT6135: "Playwright's Workshop II: Dramaturgical Approaches to Craft" and is valid from 2022 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Optional FM6125: Global Cinemas: Expanding Film


Semester 2 | Credits: 10

This module charts the development of global cinemas that brought film practice in new directions at critical points in the development of the artform, including the impact of German Expressionism and particularly Italian Neorealism. We will examine work from a range of practitioners, including Satyajit Ray (India), Akira Kurasawa (Japan), Ousmane Sembene (Senegal), Jean-Luc Godard (France), Abbas Kiarostami (Iran), Lars Von Trier (Denmark) and leading figures in contemporary cinema.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Identify key figures and movements in world cinema 'beyond Hollywood'.
  2. Demonstrate familiarity with the ideological and socio-political contexts within which the various filmmakers and movements discussed emerged
  3. Demonstrate skills in written, oral and visual communications.
Assessments
  • Department-based Assessment (100%)
Teachers
Reading List
  1. "Course Reader" by Print-that
  2. "Oxford Guide to Film Studies" by John Hill and Pamela Church Gibson,
  3. "” Springtime in Italy : a reader on neo-realism" by David Overbey..
    Publisher: Archon Books
  4. "Italian film in the light of neorealism" by Millicent Marcus,
    Publisher: Princeton
  5. "World cinema : critical approaches" by John Hill and Pamela Church Gibson
  6. "Ashish Rajadhyaksha, “India: Filming the Nation” in The Oxford history of world cinema." by Geoffrey Nowell-Smith..
    Publisher: Oxford University Press
  7. "If..." by Lindsay Anderson & David Sherwin,
    Publisher: Lorrimer
  8. "If..." by Mark Sinker,
    Publisher: BFI
  9. "Questions of Third cinema" by Ed Jim Pines
    Chapters: Paul Willemen, “The Third Cinema question : notes and reflections”
  10. "The Dogme Manifesto." by Lars Von Trier
  11. "“The making of an Iranian filmmaker: Abbas Kiarostami” in Close up: Iranian cinema, past, present, and future" by Hamid Dabashi..
The above information outlines module FM6125: "Global Cinemas: Expanding Film" and is valid from 2023 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Optional FM6105: Digital Film and Culture


Semester 2 | Credits: 10

This course provides a critical understanding of the relationship between film and digital technology, assessing the impact of digital filmmaking on film production and film theory. Through task-based learning, students will be asked to consider the impact of digital media on our relationship to visual culture. The course will consider what the place of film (and cinema) is in the digital age and the impact which digital technology has on our relationship to visual media.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Demonstrate a specific and comparative knowledge of various theoretical approaches to film and digital visual culture.
  2. Demonstrate an enhanced awareness of film aesthetics and film cultures within the context of digital technology.
  3. Engage critically with film-makers and theorists in debates about the nature of film and film studies in light of developments within digital technology.
  4. Produce and critically reflect upon short audio-visual projects.
  5. Work in flexible, creative and independent ways, showing self-direction, self-discipline and reflexivity.
  6. Demonstrate skills in written, oral and visual communications.
Assessments
  • Department-based Assessment (100%)
Teachers
Reading List
  1. "The Language of New Media" by Lev Manovich
    Publisher: MIT Press
  2. "Film Theory and Criticism" by Leo Baudry and & Marshall Cohen’s (eds.)
    Publisher: Oxford University Press
  3. "Puzzle Films: Complex Storytelling in Contemporary Cinema" by Warren Buckland
    Publisher: Blackwell
  4. "The Cinema Effect" by Sean Cubitt
    Publisher: MIT Press
  5. ", Remediation: Understanding New Media" by Jay Bolter and Richard Grusin
    Publisher: MIT Press
  6. "Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide" by Henry Jenkins
    Publisher: NYU Press
The above information outlines module FM6105: "Digital Film and Culture" and is valid from 2022 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Optional FM6119: Film, Politics, and Colonialism


Semester 2 | Credits: 10

This module considers the significance of film as a mode of cultural production, the politics of representation, and the role of ‘national’ cinema. The films viewed and analysed address subjects including colonial history, marginal groups, conflict, resistance, gender, and postcolonial realities. Students will consider aspects of those films including genre, theme, and narrative structure. The political and historical circumstances of their production will also be discussed and analyzed.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Understand the language of film and be able to deconstruct and read a film critically.
  2. Analyse the politics of representation, with reference to the historical and social context of films under discussion, including the effects of colonialism and postcolonialism.
  3. Explore ideas about film and politics which provide theoretical and analytical tools that can be deployed in the specific media practices involved in advocacy, for example the application of postcolonial theory to film texts.
  4. Demonstrate understanding of the relationship between film and politics, and the difference between propaganda and entertainment.
Assessments
  • Department-based Assessment (100%)
Teachers
Reading List
  1. "Questions of Third Cinema" by Jim Pines
  2. "Inventing Vietnam: The War in Film and Television" by Michael Anderegg
    Publisher: Temple UP
  3. "Irish Film: The Emergence of a Contemporary Cinema" by Martin McLoone
    Publisher: BFI
The above information outlines module FM6119: "Film, Politics, and Colonialism" and is valid from 2020 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

Why choose this course?
As a student on this programme you will experience small, intimate classes providing close interaction with lecturers and industry professionals. Classes are taught by leading film academics and practitioners who have made substantial contributions to their disciplines in Ireland and internationally. This programme is designed for students who want to deepen their knowledge of the world’s cinemas and the very latest approaches to studying them. It will train students in a wide range of film-related careers, including teaching, programming and exhibition, screenwriting, curatorial work, and arts journalism. There are also opportunities for graduates to undertake further research at PhD level. Furthermore, as a student at the Huston School you will be part of a collaborative creative community, working with students across a range of MA programmes to develop your understanding of film theory and practice. You will also have all the opportunities which come from studying at one of the world’s top Universities, including access to a range of seminars and high-profile guest speakers, who have in the past included Gabriel Byrne, Laura Mulvey, Seamus McGarvey, Stephen Rea, Lenny Abrahamson, Mark O’Halloran, Colin McArthur, James Cromwell, John Boorman, Evan Goldberg, Roddy Doyle, John Carney and Atom Egoyan.

Career opportunities
Graduates have gone on to further research at PhD level and have acquired positions as lecturers and researchers in third level institutions. Graduates have also found employment in a range of film festival, film and media production, and journalism roles, including university lecturer, television producer, publisher’s production assistant, film producer and director, newspaper editor, journalist, teacher, theatre administrator, and film festival programmer.

Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning Outcomes

Transferable Skills Employers Value

Work Placement

Study Abroad

Related Student Organisations

Course Fees

Fees: EU

€7,890 p.a. full-time; €3,855 p.a. part-time (including levy) 2024/25

Fees: Tuition

€7,750 p.a. full-time; €3,750 p.a. part-time 2024/25

Fees: Student levy

€140 p.a. full-time; €105 p.a. part-time 2024/25

Fees: Non EU

€19,000 p.a. (€19,140 including levy) 2024/25


Postgraduate Diploma (full-time): EU €7,000 p.a. (€7,140 including levy);  Non EU €15,750 p.a. (€15,890 including levy) 2024/25

Postgraduate Diplome (part-time): EU €3,500 p.a. (€3,605 including levy); Non EU €14,750 p.a. (€14,855 including levy) 2024/25

 

*EU Fees are comprised of Tuition + Student Levy

Student Levy: €140—payable by all students and is not covered by SUSI. Further detail here 


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Saoirse

Saoirse Doherty |   Current student

What I really enjoyed about my time studying at the Huston Film School was that I was given the opportunity to explore my love for film through both an academic and practical lens. While the MA in Film Studies is very much grounded in studying film history and theory from an academic standpoint, I loved being able to explore my creative side through the screenwriting module offered. The lecturers at Huston were so supportive throughout the year and were always on hand to discuss any queries or issues that arose. As for studying in Galway, I could not recommend it more. It is a beautiful city brimming with culture. While I’m not sure what is next for me, I am confident that I have gained the skills to either begin a career in the film industry, or pursue further studies in film at PhD level.
Frances

Frances Wilde |   Graduate

I began the MA having only covered basic film modules as part of my English BA. I wanted to be able to delve into film theory more, whilst maintaining a practical element and honing various filmmaking skills. The MA really enabled me to do that—critical theory modules taken alongside practical modules like “Film Exhibition, Administration & Education” helped to develop an understanding of how film is exhibited, preserved, distributed, and what cinephilia means in a digital age. These essential skills, and knowledge of national film history picked up in an “Irish Cinema” module, directly led to my subsequent internships with the Galway African Film Festival, Galway Film Fleadh, Galway Theatre Festival, and to my current role at the Irish Film Institute. I also made film friends for life—Galway is a place like no other for creative minds.
Kharma

Kharma Jones |   Graduate

I did a lot of research before deciding to apply to NUI Galway for my Masters degree in Film Studies. I knew I wanted a great program, but I also wanted a city that would make me feel at home. Once I arrived to Galway, I realized I would fit right in. The film students and teachers share my passion for film. The program is challenging, but I’ve learned so much. I also can’t say enough about Galway. There’s a lot of opportunity here to gain experience and build a resume, and it’s a beautiful town full of friendly people. I’ve made so many friends here that I’m considering staying!

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