Programme Specification
Awarding Body
University of the Arts London (UAL)
Teaching Institution
London College of Communication
Final Award
BA (Hons) Film and Television
Relevant QAA Benchmark Statement
Communication, media, film and cultural
studies
July 2015
Date of production/revision
BA (Hons) Film and Television, on which you have enrolled, is for students with a
strong interest in television, cinema and cross-platform production which they want to
develop through programme making, film making, the design of multiple-media
objects and critical thinking about television and film and the industries which
produce and distribute them. Its over-riding aim is to prepare you for sustainable
careers in the media industries, and to ensure you will have the skills, knowledge
and understanding to adapt your careers to the constantly changing demands of
television, film and cross-platform production.
Course Aims
The aims of BA (Hons) Film and Television are to:

facilitate and guide specialised study in the creative, theoretical,
contextual and technical aspects of film, television and cross-platform
production;

offer intellectual and practical engagement in programme making through the
integration of theory and practice, drawing on a wide range of genres common
to television and film production: documentary, factual programming, drama,
world cinema, Hollywood, expanded cinema and digital platforms;

provide group-working experience through programme making, and
provide opportunities to link with undergraduates from both within the
course and, where possible, beyond;

develop transferable problem-solving, interpersonal and selfmanagement skills through programme-making and team activities;

enable you to embrace cultural diversity, and develop a cross-cultural
understanding of diverse ideas, approaches and methods;

enable you to master expression and argument in academic and reflective
writing, to develop and defend your own opinions, views and creative voice, and
effectively communicate your ideas to your peer groups and others;
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
develop your understanding of the role of the moving image as a force
for communication, and be aware of a film-makers social and ethical
responsibilities;

grow your competencies as a self-managed, self-motivated and selfsufficient lifelong learner, capable of adapting to, and prospering through,
developments in media production and distribution.
Course Outcomes
The outcome that you will have demonstrated upon completion of the course, are (the
applicable university marking criteria are in brackets at the end of each course
outcome).

apply a range of specialist, creative and technical skills, producing
informed and considered solutions to specific problems in television and
film production and criticism (Technical Competence); (Subject
Knowledge); (Experimentation)

evaluate your programme-making and film-making practice within critical,
historical, economic, technological and aesthetic frameworks (Analysis);
(Subject knowledge)

work confidently and ethically with diverse crews in varied situations and
with awareness of widening participation issues amongst colleagues and
audiences in the UK and overseas (Collaborative and/or Independent
Professional
Working);
(Research);
(Communication
and
Presentation)

apply skills relevant to a range of film, TV and creative industries employers,
including marketing and networking your work online and at film festivals
(Technical Competence); (Subject Knowledge); (Personal and
Professional Development)

demonstrate the disciplines and process-management skills to produce
work within production constraints, in both individual and group projects,
with diverse crews and with defined roles and responsibilities (Technical
Competence);
(Subject
Knowledge);
(Collaborative
and/or
Independent Professional Working);

produce coherent written and verbal presentations based on research
and argument, and engage in constructive and informed debate about
both film and television practice and criticism, drawing on a wide range of
genres (Research); (Communication and Presentation);
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
communicate, through film, television and online channels to a wide
range of audiences, understanding the power of the moving image as social
and ethical communication (Subject Knowledge);

demonstrate an informed awareness of the contemporary professional
context of film, television and associated industries (Subject Knowledge);
(Research);

be capable of progressing to professional media practice or postgraduate
study, and be a lifelong learner able to remain up-to-date with
developments in practice, and the context of production, and innovate
accordingly (Personal and Professional Development).
Learning and Teaching Methods:
The programme outcomes are taught through combinations of the following learning
and teaching methods:
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Lectures
Workshops
Supervised Practice
Group Tutorial
Group and Peer Review
Dissertation Seminars
Dissertation Tutorials
Written Feedback
Film Screenings
Assessment Methods:
The programme outcomes are assessed using the following assessment methods:
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Report and essay writing
Practical workshop and computer based activities
Individual and group projects and project appraisals
Oral and seminar presentations
Group production projects
Portfolios
Dissertation
Self-Assessment exercises
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Reference Points
The following reference points were used in designing the course:
 The College Learning and Teaching Strategy
 The College Assessment Strategy
 The UAL and College approach to Personal and Professional Development
 Feedback from current employers in the film and television industry
 The Learning and Teaching policies of the University of the Arts London
 University of the Arts London Level Descriptors
 Framework for Higher Education Qualifications
 Art and Design subject benchmark statement
 Feedback from current students
 Consultation with staff team
Programme Summary
Programme structures, features, units, credit and award requirements:
In common with all courses at the University of the Arts London, this course is credit
rated. Each year of study requires you to achieve 120 credit points to progress to the
next year. To be awarded the BA (Hons), you need to accumulate 360 credits over
the three years of study.
A detailed summary of the units offered and progression routes is set out in the
course diagram below.
Distinctive features of the course:
This course combines advanced training in the technical aspects of programme
making with the high-level skills needed to design and build compelling narratives
in fiction, for both television and film, factual programming, including documentary,
and an advanced understanding of the ways in which content can be delivered across
different media platforms. At the heart of the course is a strand of contextual and
critical studies which develop your understanding of the traditions and constraints
which dictate why media objects are made as they are, and where the opportunities
for enhancing them will arise for you as a professional programme and film maker.
The particular features of the course include:
 a focus on programme-making to professional industry standards;
 multiple opportunities to work in specialist roles;
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 development of the skills and behaviours required to work in creative
collaborations in production teams and film crews;
 a grounding in a range of modes: film, documentary, auteur and genre fiction,
television drama and factual production, and cross-platform production;
 practical classes in producing, directing, scriptwriting, assistant directing,
production design, art direction, cinematography, editing, lighting, sound
design, casting, location management, script editing, researching, crossplatform design and production management;
 the integration of theoretical and practical approaches, so that your
practice informs your knowledge and understanding of the theoretical and
contextual aspects of your work, and, in parallel, your theoretical and contextual
studies continually inform your programme-making decisions;
 delivery by staff who teach both theory and practice, and who are current
practitioners and researcher in their fields;
 inputs from industry practitioners and experts, including those from a
distinguished Practitioner in Residence;
 opportunities to collaborate with students from across the University of the Arts
London – for example, costume designers from the London College of Fashion,
set designers from Wimbledon College of Arts, musicians and sound designers
from LCC’s School of Media, and actors from the Drama Centre London;
 a central London location near the BFI/NFT, Tate Modern and the Cinema
Museum, and Kubrick Archive in UAL’s Special Collections Centre;
 a professionally-equipped television studio, networked editing and sound
facilities and high-quality projection facilities.
Recruitment and Admissions
Admission Policy/Selection Criteria
The BA (Hons) Film and Television course team recognise applicants come from
a broad spectrum of backgrounds from across the world. The course in the main
attracts students who apply direct from A level or other equivalent qualifications,
but it also welcomes students from Foundation Diploma in Art and Design and
other art-related courses, as well as mature students who may have worked in
industry.
Entry Requirements (Home/International/EU)
For admission to the BA (Hons) Film and Television course applicants normally
need:
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 260 UCAS tariff points will be considered, supported by passes in three
other subjects at GCSE Grade C or above.
 Alternatively, you will be considered if you have achieved 1 subject at GCE
Advanced level and Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, supported by
passes in three other subjects at GCSE Grade C or above. In addition, the
University of the Arts London Awarding Body Level-3 Foundation Diploma in
Art and Design will be considered.
 We also accept people with the equivalent qualifications obtained through
a National Diploma, Access, NVQ and a variety of other pre-University
level qualifications including International and European Baccalaureate.
Other qualifications, including overseas, may be considered.
 We also accept those with relevant professional and vocational qualifications.
 The subjects the Course Team will be looking for in your application are wide
ranging: your A levels (or equivalents) would ideally be achieved at grade C or
above and may include English, History, Media, Business, Art and Design or
other Social Science subjects, but we will consider applicants with A levels in
all other subjects if they can demonstrate an informed interest in film,
television or other visual media
Other entry routes
We also welcome applicants who do not have formal qualifications but have relevant
experience. All students applying to this course will be expected to demonstrate a
specific interest in this area of study, and should have a commitment to engaging
with both the practical and theoretical aspects of the course. In such cases students
applying on the basis of previous experience, or who wish to enter the course
through Accreditation of Experiential Learning (AEL), or Accreditation of Certificated
Learning (ACL) processes, should apply via UCAS and will be guided by the
admissions staff on the AP(E)L processes.
Language requirements (International/EU)
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International and EU Students: In the case of Applicants whose first
language is not English, then IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) is required overall
with a minimum of 5.5 in each of the four skills
If your first language is not English you should check you have achieved
the correct IELTS level in English. Further information is available on the
Language Requirements page: http://www.arts.ac.uk/study-atual/language-centre/english-language-support/language-requirements/
International Applicants – visit the Support for International Students page:
http://www.arts.ac.uk/lcc/courses/support-for-international-students/ for
contact details for International Admissions
Study Abroad Applicants

International undergraduate students can apply to join this BA course for a
period of up to three terms as a Study Abroad student. Please visit the
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Study Abroad website details on how to apply or contact the Study Abroad
office:
T: +44 (0) 207 514 2249
E: studyabroad@arts.ac.uk
Or for further information on Study Abroad and Erasmus schemes, please follow
the links below:
UAL Erasmus and Exchanges: http://www.arts.ac.uk/studyat-ual/erasmus-non-erasmus-exchanges
Study Abroad: http://www.arts.ac.uk/study-at-ual/study-abroad/
Deferred entry
For Home/EU applicants, the Course Leader will determine whether deferred
places are available for the course. If you wish to defer your place, it is advisable to
indicate this on your application form and/or discuss this with the admissions team
and course leader before/after applying at the earliest opportunity. In all cases,
deferred places will only be held for one year.
International applicants are normally permitted to defer entry to any programme
of study for one year only, after which they will be asked to re-apply.
Minimum UAL Entry Requirements
To see the University’s Regulations on Admissions, please go to the following
link: http://www.arts.ac.uk/study-at-ual/academic-regulations/courseregulations/1-admissions
Admission Procedures
The selection procedures for the course adhere to the Equal Opportunities policy
of the University of the Arts London.
Applications are normally made through UCAS. Applications for this course
are assessed on the basis of qualifications and the personal statement.
If more information is required, a member of the course team may contact the
applicant and in some cases, may request the candidate to attend an
interview.
Student Selection Criteria / what do we look for?
All applications will be considered by the course team and offers will be made based
upon the following selection criteria.
The team will consider three key elements when making a decision on
your suitability to join the course:
1) Firstly they will look at your qualifications (or projected results).
2) Secondly, they will review your academic or personal reference.
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3) Then they will scrutinise your personal statement, and may also look at a
show reel and 500 word film analysis.
The admissions team will read all applications and, depending on the strength
of your qualifications, your personal statement and academic references, you may
be invited to the second stage of the application process. The admissions team
will look for a personal statement that demonstrates an appreciation and
understanding of film and television, and an informed interest in the subject.
The personal statement is a very important part of your application and should
demonstrate to the team that you are very interested in film and television, and that
you have thought very carefully about why you want to study those subjects.
You should take great care when writing your personal statement to ensure that
it is well written, clear, and free of any spelling mistakes. It is your biggest chance
to impress the team by demonstrating your appreciation of what the course can
offer you, and how you feel it might help you in the future. It is also an opportunity
for you to state what you feel you would bring to the course. Through their
personal statement, applicants should show a strong interest in film and television.
This can be demonstrated through work experience, study, and/or personal
experience.
Portfolio Advice
In some cases, you may be asked to provide a two-minute show reel of filmrelated work that demonstrates your creativity in terms of the moving image. We
would not be looking for highly-finished pieces, but for work that demonstrates
your ideas, vision and potential. We do not accept work that is a montage of
material cut to music.
This should, if required, be sent along with a 500-word written film analysis.
Details of what is required would be sent to you.
Interview Advice
If you are invited for interview you can prepare by thinking of questions that you may
have for the course director, and by re-familiarising yourself with your UCAS
personal statement - from which the course director’s questions will probably arise.
The interview will be relatively informal and will take place, normally, at the LCC.
Students are admitted to the course having fulfilled the necessary entry
requirements and on the basis of their potential to benefit from the programme.
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