Cinema shapes our emotions, our societies, and our futures. This course in Film and Philosophy gives you an exciting opportunity to develop your unique voice alongside engaging with fundamental philosophical questions about human existence, truth and knowledge, right and wrong, politics and justice, art, faith and reason.
Exploring rich cinema history and theories, you will use these to inspire your own written assignments and practical film projects.
In Philosophy you’ll apply your studies to real-world scenarios, examining its role in addressing global, social and political challenges. This exploration of the human condition will enhance your understanding and creation of film. You'll graduate with a combination of intellectual and practical skills indispensable for critical and creative pursuits.
Why study Film and Philosophy at Lancaster?
Dive into the fascinating world of film, studying cinema and its history from international perspectives. You will gain an in-depth understanding of the development of cinema, from Victorian novelty films to the thriving global industries of the 21st century. As well as deepening your knowledge of international film history, you will develop skills of close film analysis, examining how formal elements work in concert to produce meanings and generate effects.
You will also build your practical skills in cinematography, editing and sound, and explore film-making styles such as narrative, documentary and experimental. Together with global film practices, storytelling and scriptwriting, and gender and politics in film, you will be introduced to a wide range of themes that couldinflu ence the work you produce during your degree and your future career.
One past student tackled the superhero genre through a powerful microfilm, while another produced an award-winning film exploring the fear women have of walking home alone at night.From its cityscape and rural backdrops to its coastal scenery, Lancaster’s surroundings provide an ideal film setting.
You will have access to top-of-the-line production equipment including cinema-ready digital cameras with prime lenses, DSLR cameras, versatile set lighting, grip equipment and full access to Adobe Creative Cloud in our acoustic editing suites. Our specialist facilities ensure you can put your ideas into practice, with support when needed from our friendly technicians.
In your Philosophy studies at Lancaster, you will gain strong foundational knowledge, building confidence in key areas of the discipline, before going on to examine specialist topics of particular relevance to your degree in Film and Philosophy. From ethics, epistemology, metaphysics and critical thinking in your first year, to the opportunity to study research-led cutting edge questions at the frontiers of philosophy in your final year , you will leave your degree with a deeper understanding of multiple philosophical traditions, themes and topics, and their relevance to important historical and contemporary challenges
As a Film and a philosophy student you will study philosophy that will directly inform and draw on your study of Film. Examining debates in language and communication in your second year, and questions in philosophy and popular culture in your final year, you will gain a deeper appreciation of the connections between the two subjects of your degree.
Alongside this, you’ll benefit from our specialist, cutting-edge research through optional topics ranging from the philosophy of science to the philosophy of global crises and will develop a rich picture of key questions and debates in philosophy. Through multiple perspectives you will discover philosophy’s relevance to social and political life in a globally connected world.
Through this, and through further optional research-led close study of philosophical texts and the live challenges philosophers at Lancaster are working on, you will showcase your philosophical reasoning skills, critical thinking skills and communicative abilities, and develop valuable attributes that will open up a range of career prospects.
As you progress though the course, you will be able to choose modules from either subject, depending on your own interests.
Studying at Lancaster offers a lively, creative community that extends from our campus to the city’s Castle Quarter and beyond. You might participate in our student-run cinema Take2, where you can show your films, or LA1TV - our own TV studio.
Lancaster’s city centre arts venue, The Dukes, shows the latest independent and foreign films and, in previous years, final year students have shown their own films there.There are also mainstream cinemas, and the city has a vibrant programme of literary and music events.
We have strong industry connections with The British Film Institute, The Bay International Film Festival, LA1 Shorts Festival and Lancaster International Film Festival. You will have opportunities to attend masterclasses, engage in community-based film productions, and participate in local film festivals. In your Philosophy studies you may further enhance your skills through a live research project or volunteering opportunities. You are also invited to apply for one of our paid research internships, where you will work alongside an academic member of staff on an active research project.