Unique in continental Europe, the Film Studies MA-programme of Media Studies aims to provide students with an in-depth knowledge of the aesthetics and history of audiovisual media, with film occupying a central role.

In the age of digital media, film studies as an academic discipline is challenged by a continuous transformation of its object of study. The profound changes of its material base (from celluloid to digital) as well as its screening practices (from theatrical to urban and mobile screens) ask for renewed theoretical and historical frameworks of understanding.

The MA in Film Studies at the University of Amsterdam aims to train students to critically and creatively engage with such important shifts in film and cinema culture. The programme offers in-depth knowledge in various research fields, ranging from film philosophy, media archaeology and cultural memory to issues of transnational and global audiovisual practices.

This is not a Master’s programme in film production. Upon completion of the programme, students will be expected to have developed an ability to think critically about film material and be able to contribute to the ongoing  theoretical debates and discussions in this field. Students who complete this degree gain a thorough theoretical understanding of the various facets of cinema.

Studying Film Studies at the University of Amsterdam

Students have privileged access to historical sources and film collections. Internationally renowned film scholars are appointed as faculty and guest lecturers. Teaching in the programme is strongly informed by the way film is taught internationally, notably in the United States, Britain and France, thus giving students the opportunity to keep abreast of wider developments in the field.