Filmmaking & Media Arts MSc
Panel Discussion and Q&A About This Degree
Watch a recording of our recent panel discussion and Q&A with students and staff from this degree.
The Masters focuses on low-budget and experimental filmmaking and media art. It is designed to provide the necessary practical and critical skills required for current and ‘future’ screen-based production. At a time when new technologies continuously transform or shift the production and dissemination of film and new media arts, developing versatile skills and knowledge is ever more essential for those in experimental filmmaking, moving image and media art practice. This programme crosses between practice and theory of film, moving image and new media arts, and provides an open space for experimentation, while advancing skills and creative practice. It is suitable for experimental filmmakers, media producers, new media artists, and those involved in theory and practice of moving image arts.
- Academic contact: Dr Kirsten Adkins
- Teaching start: September
- Glasgow: Gilmorehill campus
- MSc: 12 months full-time
Why this programme
Film Making & Media Arts Presentation
- This is taught by internationally recognised scholars and artists, you will learn and advance necessary skills and concepts in filmmaking and media arts.
- Glasgow offers a vibrant context for filmmaking and media arts practice. Key cultural events include the Glasgow Film Festival and Glasgow International (a biennial international festival of contemporary art).
- Recognising that the programme will attract a diverse range of creative individuals, we offer a variety of software and hardware options (e.g. Adobe Creative Cloud, cameras, audio and lighting equipment)
- The programme is taught in the Gilmorehill Halls which offers a Media Lab, its own cinema as well as a Media Archive which has more than 6,000 holdings, complementing the Library’s extensive collection of film, television and media art books.
- The Gilmorehill Halls is home to the international journal Screen and hosts the journal’s annual conference every summer, attracting leading names in film and television studies from across the world. You will have the opportunity to participate in the conference as well as to engage with guest speakers from the academy throughout the year.
- In addition to the University of Glasgow Library and The Hunterian Museum, you will have access to other world class libraries and museums. The city is home to the Glasgow Museum of Modern Art as well as venues renowned for exhibitions of emerging and established screen-based artists such as Tramway and The Centre for Contemporary Art.
- Find out what our students think about their experience of studying Filmmaking & Media Arts at University of Glasgow
What our students say
It's been incredible in terms of the balance between theory and practice. It was a really incredible opportunity to expand my relationship to not just filmmaking but art as a whole and learn new skills. Even if you have your specific pathway, there's always opportunities to be exploring outside of it.
You have such a close relationship with your supervisors and the guest lecturers that come in. We've had artists come in, producers, and these are all people where you have the option of having one-to-ones with them and showing them your work. That was amazing.
The facilities are great. We have amazing cameras and you have the editing suite as well, which is open until 10 at night. The city is amazing. It's almost overwhelming how many film festivals there are. Imogen, MSc student
Programme structure
Through practical workshops, master classes, and history and theory courses, you will have the opportunity to learn from professionals, media artists, and world leading academics in film and digital media theory.
The two practical core courses provide support in the production of your video or media art projects. They also incorporate sessions led by professionals, which are designed to pass on key skills vital to moving image making and the media art field.
Semester one
Core courses
Semester two
Core courses
Optional course
You will also choose one course from a range of academic options. The optional courses available vary from year to year, offering you the opportunity to engage with staff research specialisms. To give you an idea of what may be available in the next academic year, recent courses have included:
- Advanced Topics in Film Studies
- Advanced Topics in Television Studies
- Festivals
- Genders
- Making Time: performing and thinking temporalities in the creative arts
Assessment of optional courses will vary depending on the learning objectives of the course but may include:
- academic essays
- reports
- research proposals
- detailed sequence analysis
- group projects
- presentations
Summer
Practice led dissertation (compulsory)
You have the opportunity to develop, with support from technical and academic supervisors, a film or media arts self-directed project. You will also write a 3000-word critical explanation to supplement your media work.
Teaching methods
The programme will offer a combination of lectures, practical workshops, seminar discussions, screenings and one-on-one tutorials.
Programme alteration or discontinuation
The University of Glasgow endeavours
to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw
or alter a programme. More information: Student contract.
Career prospects
Focusing on practice as research, the programme facilitates a platform for those interested to continue further into practice-based PhD studies and an academic career. The programme will also equip you with the ability to develop a career as a media producer, with a particular focus on low-budget and experimental productions. You will have the opportunity to explore and develop a portfolio of skills enabling you to work as an independent practitioner in today’s creative industries. It is an innovative programme that teaches artistic, technical and research skills and is designed to support graduates that are interested in working for media companies or who may wish to pursue their own independent filmmaking and/or media arts practice.
Fees & funding
Tuition fees for 2027-28
MSc
Home & RUK
- Full-time fee: £11,481
International & EU
- Full-time fee: £28,275
Fee status
Deposits
All applicants are required to pay a deposit of £2000 to secure a place on this programme.
Deposits: terms & conditions
The following guidelines will apply in determining whether a deposit will be refunded. Where the deposit is refunded, a 25% administration fee will be deducted unless otherwise stated.
a: Deposits WILL be refunded to applicants under the following circumstances:
- Where the University is unable to offer you a place on the programme as specified on the offer. A full refund will be issued in this case.
- Death of a close family member (parent/guardian, grandparent, sibling, spouse, child/dependent). Official evidence (signed and stamped) must be provided.
- SERIOUS ill health of the applicant or a close family member (parent/guardian, grandparent, sibling, spouse, child/dependent). Official evidence (signed and stamped) must be provided.
- Applicant does not meet conditions of offer. This may be academic or language test requirements. Satisfactory evidence must be uploaded to the student’s applicant self-service to prove that they have not met the conditions of their offer (note that applicants who do not meet the language condition of their offer must show reasonable attempt to meet this, i.e. they must provide at least two language tests which were taken after the date the deposit was paid).
- Visa / ATAS refusal: we will only consider a refund if the visa / ATAS refusal was based on matters outside of the applicant’s control.
- If a refund request is received within 14 days of the deposit being received a full refund will be issued under the Consumer Protection Regulations.
b: Deposits WILL NOT be refunded to applicants under the following circumstances:
- An applicant decides not to attend the University for any reason not outlined above.
- Personal financial constraints / unsuccessful scholarship application.
- Applicant has decided to defer – in this situation the University will retain the deposit and hold it against the applicant’s account to secure their place for the following year of entry. You may defer twice. After the second deferral standard conditions will apply.
- There is still time to meet the English language test requirement before the final upload date. Please see section a) 4.
- Visa / ATAS was applied for too late. Please see section a) 5.
- Any documents used for admission are proven to be fraudulent. We work in partnership with Qualification Check to check academic qualifications. English language qualifications are verified with the provider.
- The refund request is received more than 30 days after the official course start date as outlined in your offer email.
Timeframe for requesting a refund
Refund requests must be received no later than 30 days after the official course start date as outlined in your offer email. As per section b)7 above the request will be denied.
Receiving a refund
- To comply with Money Laundering Regulations, the University will pay all refunds to the original payer using the source payment details. This is known as a “return to source” payment.
- All appropriate documentation and evidence relating to the original payment must be provided, when requested.
- All payments and refunds are in GBP currency - the University is not responsible for any exchange rate fluctuations or beneficiary bank charges associated with the refund.
- Where University approved payment methods have not been used, this may cause significant delays or prevent payment altogether.
- We will aim to issue the deposit refund within 8 weeks of receipt of information per point 2 above. At peak times this may be longer.
How to request a deposit refund
Please go to our enquiry form and select 'Fees and Deposit' as the enquiry reason and then 'Can I have a deposit refund?'.
Please upload all supporting documentation to your applicant self-service portal before submitting the above request.
Additional fees
- Fee for re-assessment of a dissertation (PGT programme): £370
- Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed: £350
- Registration/exam only fee: £170
Funding opportunities
The scholarships shown are relevant to this programme. For more funding opportunities search the scholarships database
Entry requirements
2.1 Hons (or non-UK equivalent) in any subject.
A 2.2 Honours degree may be considered.
All applicants should have some experience of studying, working or creating across film, television, new media or the visual arts.
Substantial, directly relevant experience may be considered in place of formal qualifications.
Please download and complete the Filmmaking Project Proposal and Requirements Form, and submit it with your application, including evidence of filmmaking, video and/or media art production skills, with three examples of creative work.
English language requirements
For further information about English language requirements, please contact the Recruitment and International Office using our enquiry form
For applicants from non-majority English speaking countries, as defined by the UK Government, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.
Accepted English Language Tests
We accept a wide range of English language tests for entry to this programme. Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date, and requirements must be met using a single test.
IELTS Academic/IELTS Academic for UKVI/ IELTS Academic online
- 6.5 overall with no subtest less than 6.0
- IELTS One Skill Retake Accepted
- We do not accept General Training
TOEFL iBT (including MyBest and Home Edition)
Test taken up to 20 January 2026
- 90 overall with no subtest less than Reading 20; Listening 19; Speaking 19; Writing 21
Tests taken from 21 January 2026
- 92 overall with no subtest less than 4.5
PTE Academic (test centre only)
- 65 overall with no subtest less than Reading 60; Listening 60; Speaking 65; Writing 60
- We do not accept the online PTE Academic
Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency
- 176 overall with no subtest less than 169
Oxford ELLT
- 7 overall with no subtest less than 6
LanguageCert Academic/Academic SELT/ Academic Online
- 70 overall with no subtest less than 65
Password Skills Plus
- 6.5 overall with no subtest less than 6.0
Trinity College Integrated Skills in English II
- 96 overall with no subtest less than 90
Kaplan Test of English
- Any two subtests at 480 or higher, and any two subtests at 450 or higher
PSI Skills for English
- B2 Pass with Merit
Duolingo English Test
- 120 overall with writing at 120 and no subtest less than 110
Oxford Test of English Advanced
- 140 Overall with any two subtests at 126 or higher, and any two subtests at 136 or higher
Alternatives to English Language test
Degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
- students must have studied for a minimum of their final year at Undergraduate level, or 9 months at Master's level, and must have completed their degree in that majority-English speaking country within 6 years of programme start.
TNE degree from UK university taught at a campus outside of the UK
- students must be awarded the degree by the UK university and must have completed the degree within 6 years of programme start.
Pre-sessional courses
The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We would strongly encourage you to consider the pre-sessional courses at the University of Glasgow's English for Academic Study (EAS) Unit. Our Pre-sessional courses are the best way to bring your English up to entry level for University study and remain valid for 2 years following date of successful completion.
Our courses give you:
- direct entry to your University programme for successful students (no need to take IELTS);
- essential academic skills to help you study effectively at University;
- flexible entry dates so you can join the right course for your level.
For more detail on our pre-sessional courses please see: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/mlc/eas/pre-sessionalcourses/
We can also consider the pre-sessional courses accredited by the below BALEAP approved institutions to meet the language requirements for admission to our postgraduate taught degrees:
- Heriot Watt
- Kingston Upon Thames
- Middlesex University
- Manchester University
- Reading University
- Edinburgh University
- St Andrews University
- UCL
- Durham
International students
We are proud of our diverse University community that includes students and staff from more than 140 different countries.
How to apply
To apply for a postgraduate taught degree you must apply online. We cannot accept applications any other way.
Please check you meet the Entry requirements for this programme before you begin your application.
Documents
As part of your online application, you also need to submit the following supporting documents:
- A copy (or copies) of your official degree certificate(s) (if you have already completed your degree)
- A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained
- Official English translations of the certificate(s) and transcript(s)
- Evidence of your English language ability (if your first language is not English)
- Any additional documents required for this programme (see Entry requirements for this programme)
- A copy of the photo page of your passport
- The Filmmaking & Media Arts Entry Requirements and Project Proposal Form
We may also request additional documents such as a personal statement, portfolio, references or a sample of academic writing to support your application.
If we request a reference, this should typically be an academic reference. However, where this is not possible, a reference from a current employer may be accepted. If you already have a copy of your reference on letterheaded paper, you can upload this with your application. Otherwise, you may provide your referee’s name and contact details on the online application, and we will contact them directly.
You have 42 days to submit your application once you begin the process.
You may save and return to your application as many times as you wish to update information, complete sections or upload supporting documents such as your final transcript or your language test.
For more information about submitting documents or other topics related to applying to a postgraduate taught programme, see how to apply for a postgraduate taught degree
Guidance notes for using the online application
These notes are intended to help you complete the online application form accurately; they are also available within the help section of the online application form.
If you experience any difficulties accessing the online application, see Application System Help.
- Name and Date of birth: must appear exactly as they do on your passport. Please take time to check the spelling and lay-out.
- Contact Details: Correspondence address. All contact relevant to your application will be sent to this address including the offer letter(s). If your address changes, please contact us as soon as possible.
- Choice of course: Please select carefully the course you want to study. As your application will be sent to the admissions committee for each course you select it is important to consider at this stage why you are interested in the course and that it is reflected in your application.
- Proposed date of entry: Please state your preferred start date including the month and the year. Taught masters degrees tend to begin in September. Research degrees may start in any month.
- Education and Qualifications: Please complete this section as fully as possible indicating any relevant Higher Education qualifications starting with the most recent. Complete the name of the Institution (s) as it appears on the degree certificate or transcript.
- English Language Proficiency: Please state the date of any English language test taken (or to be taken) and the award date (or expected award date if known).
- Employment and Experience: Please complete this section as fully as possible with all employments relevant to your course. Additional details may be attached in your personal statement/proposal where appropriate.
Application deadlines
For entry in September 2027
+++
All applicant round dates
Applications are considered on a rolling basis within each round, and the decision date shown for each round is the latest date by which you will receive an outcome on your application.
Round 1: 1st October 2026 to 5 November 2026
You will receive our decision on your application by 18 December 2026.
Round 2: 6 November 2026 to 17 December 2026
You will receive our decision on your application by 3 March 2027.
Round 3: 18 December 2026 to 4 February 2027
You will receive our decision on your application 8 April 2027.
Round 4: 5 February 2027 to 25 March 2027
You will receive our decision on your application by 6 May 2027.
Round 5: 26 March 2027 to 13 May 2027
You will receive our decision on your application by 10 June 2027.
Round 6: 14 May 2027 to 8 July 2027
You will receive our decision on your application by 29 July 2027.
As we receive a high volume of applications, prospective students are only allowed to apply to each programme once per year.
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