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Overview
Our Film and Television Production Master's course is an exciting opportunity to advance your career in the creative industries. It offers flexible start dates in either September or January to accommodate your schedule.
As an emerging professional or academic in film and television production, this Master's will support your every step in your journey. Engage with leading researchers, practitioners, and industry experts to sharpen your creative practice and analytical skills. Nurture your production talent with next-gen creative equipment, and explore significant work opportunities to build your professional network and practical experience.
The program's flexibility allows you to align your studies with your specific career aspirations. The culmination of your study will be a distinctive dissertation or project, leading to a named exit award. This opens doors to roles such as film producer, TV director, scriptwriter, or other creative leadership positions in the industry.
Embark on a journey where your creative vision is refined and your passion for film and television production becomes a defining part of your professional identity.
Exit awards
Depending on the modules you choose, you can graduate from this degree course with the following awards:
- MA Film and Television Production
- MA Film and Television
- MA Film and Television: Sound
- MA Film and Television: Screenwriting
- MA Film and Television: Documentary
Number 6 in the UK for student satisfaction
We're ranked sixth in the UK for student satisfaction in creative arts and design in the 2024 Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES)
Eligibility
This course accepts UK, EU, and International students.
Course highlights
- Enhance your skills in film and television practice and research with help from a course team with diverse industry, education, and research experience
- Bolster your creative outputs by using our futuristic facilities for producing film, television, and sound
- Collaborate with students from related disciplines within the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries, including film, creative/digital technologies, media, and journalism
- Gain practical industry and work experience through work-based opportunities, extra-curricular activities, and graduate filming projects
- Deepen your sector knowledge by attending lectures from guest speakers, including producers, studio owners, and freelance professionals
- Widen your professional skills with opportunities to gain certifications for Adobe Creative Cloud, Avid, and Pro Tools
Contact information
Contact AdmissionsEntry requirements
Eligibility
This course accepts UK, EU, and International students.
January 2025 start
- A second-class honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject.
Please get in touch if you're not sure if your undergraduate subject is relevant to this degree.
Equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications will also be considered, such as previous study, employment, voluntary work and training courses, including courses and qualifications you didn't complete. Learn more about our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
- An online portfolio submission may be required as part of the selection process.
If you're applying as an international student with a non-UK degree, you’ll need to show you meet the UK entry requirements listed above.
To find out if your non-UK degree or other qualification is accepted, please visit our page for your country and view the UK equivalent of your qualification.
- English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 (or equivalent) with no component score below 6.0.
You do not need an IELTS or equivalent certification if:
- you have a UK degree
- you have a degree from a majority English-speaking country (not taught by Distance Learning)
- you are a national of a majority English-speaking country
Degrees taught solely in English from non-majority English-speaking countries will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Find out more about our English language requirements.
If you do not meet the English language requirements yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.
September 2025 / January 2026 start
- A second-class honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject.
Please get in touch if you're not sure if your undergraduate subject is relevant to this degree.
Equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications will also be considered, such as previous study, employment, voluntary work and training courses, including courses and qualifications you didn't complete. Learn more about our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
- An online portfolio submission may be required as part of the selection process.
If you're applying as an international student with a non-UK degree, you’ll need to show you meet the UK entry requirements listed above.
To find out if your non-UK degree or other qualification is accepted, please visit our page for your country and view the UK equivalent of your qualification.
- English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 (or equivalent) with no component score below 6.0.
You do not need an IELTS or equivalent certification if:
- you have a UK degree
- you have a degree from a majority English-speaking country (not taught by Distance Learning)
- you are a national of a majority English-speaking country
Degrees taught solely in English from non-majority English-speaking countries will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Find out more about our English language requirements.
If you do not meet the English language requirements yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.
Course costs and funding
Tuition fees (January 2025 start)
- Full-time: £8,500
- Part-time: £4,250 per year
(including Transition Scholarship)
- Full-time: £8,500
- Part-time: £4,250 per year
- Full-time: £17,900
- Part-time: £8,950 per year
Tuition fees (September 2025 / January 2026 start)
- Full-time: £9,400
- Part-time: £4,700 per year
(including Transition Scholarship)
- Full-time: £9,400
- Part-time: £4,700 per year
- Full-time: £17,900
- Part-time: £8,950 per year
University of Portsmouth graduates may receive a 20% alumni tuition fee discount.
Fees are subject to annual increase. Read our tuition fees terms and conditions.
You'll be able to pay your fees in instalments. Find out how to pay your tuition fees.
Funding your studies
Explore how to fund your studies, including available scholarships and bursaries.
If you're a UK student, you may be eligible for a Government Postgraduate Master's Loan, which you can use to help with course fees and living costs.
Loans, scholarships and bursaries
Browse funding such as the Government Postgraduate Loan, our scholarships for new and returning students, and subject specific loans.
Funding for international students
Learn more about sponsorships, scholarships and loans for students applying from outside of the UK.
Fees and funding for Master's courses
Explore Master's funding options, including loans, scholarships, bursaries and more.
Additional costs
These course-related costs aren't included in the tuition fees, so you'll need to budget for them when you plan your spending. Additional costs could include:
- Accommodation: Accommodation options and costs can be found on our accommodation pages.
- Recommended reading: You can borrow key texts from the library and if you choose to purchase these texts they may cost up to £60 each.
- General costs: Such as photocopying, memory sticks, printing charges, binding and specialist printing. We suggest budgeting £75 per year.
- Final project transport or accommodation: where necessary, which related to your research activities. The amount will depend on the project you choose.
Read more about tuition fees and living costs, including what your tuition fees cover.
Modules
What you'll study (full-time)
Core modules
Probing relationships between texts and culture, you'll critically examine how societal, political and economic factors shape creation. You'll hone your skills interpreting layered meanings in visual storytelling and elevate your understanding of film and television theory.
You'll transform your raw research into a focused project. You'll not just explore but also conceptualise a compelling body of work, supported by thorough research.
Delve into the theoretical and historical backgrounds that shape your projects, and critically select and evaluate sources to enrich your understanding.
Discover how various methodologies can carve out unique research questions, shaping your project’s journey. You'll also navigate the social, professional, and legal landscapes that influence your work.
Optional modules
You’ll choose an interesting topic and use the right methods to collect and look at data. From critically evaluating literature, you’ll form insightful research questions. Your work will show original thinking, time management, and academic quality. Ultimately, you’ll embark on a project of your own inspiration.
With hard work and self-direction, you can produce research to be proud of.
You'll integrate and synthesise research to enhance your work, aiming to achieve a professional standard through a mix of intellectual skills. Reflecting on your project's impact on the discipline and responding effectively to critiques and feedback are also key aspects, honing your ability to justify and argue your creative decisions. This module is a comprehensive exercise in refining and presenting your creative vision.
You can do practical work, take part in events, or do some analysis. Work with your tutor to decide the focus together. You might look into a niche industry, follow how it’s changed over time, study an important media event, or even start your own media project. The key thing is, you’ll dive into real professional settings and use what you’ve learned in class in the actual media world.
This module helps you learn more about the industry while also helping you meet more people in the field.
You’ll develop skills in evaluating complex legal and ethical considerations, crafting original arguments anchored in theory and evidence.
You’ll select and apply technological tools to collect and analyze data, adapting methodological approaches to reveal new investigative avenues.
Ready to push boundaries and bring hidden truths to light? This module gives you an investigative toolkit.
Learn to look at different perspectives critically and recognise different research methods, from conceptual to historical. By looking at the strengths and limits of various methods, you’ll learn how to pick the right resources and ways to do thorough research.
Get the knowledge you need to find, make sense of, and use information to make strong cases and add to what we know in our field.
You'll critically reflect on how research methods relate to creative practice, enhancing projects through examples. Evaluating approaches, you'll understand how to apply appropriate methods to progress media productions.
Guided by industry experts, you’ll take a concept through the full creative process—from ideas to polished draft ready for production. Craft enchanting characters, memorable dialogue, and cinematic visual storytelling. Master advanced scripting techniques, proper script format, and meeting audience expectations through draft review and research.
When you finish, you’ll have a portfolio-ready short script and insights for your next film or TV project.
You'll tackle a creative research problem, and come up with practical solutions.
Reflecting on different approaches, you'll hone professional techniques tailored to your vision. This module offers the chance to elevate your technical mastery and critical thinking as you craft an audacious soundscape.
You will master the technicalities of video shooting and editing while analysing reader data to sharpen content. Evaluating information critically, you will produce innovative news packages optimised for platform and audience. The module empowers you to implement audience growth strategies underpinned by theoretical knowledge - preparing you for an industry where digital presentation is now king.
What you'll study (part-time)
Core modules
Probing relationships between texts and culture, you'll critically examine how societal, political and economic factors shape creation. You'll hone your skills interpreting layered meanings in visual storytelling and elevate your understanding of film and television theory.
Optional modules
You can do practical work, take part in events, or do some analysis. Work with your tutor to decide the focus together. You might look into a niche industry, follow how it’s changed over time, study an important media event, or even start your own media project. The key thing is, you’ll dive into real professional settings and use what you’ve learned in class in the actual media world.
This module helps you learn more about the industry while also helping you meet more people in the field.
You’ll develop skills in evaluating complex legal and ethical considerations, crafting original arguments anchored in theory and evidence.
You’ll select and apply technological tools to collect and analyze data, adapting methodological approaches to reveal new investigative avenues.
Ready to push boundaries and bring hidden truths to light? This module gives you an investigative toolkit.
Guided by industry experts, you’ll take a concept through the full creative process—from ideas to polished draft ready for production. Craft enchanting characters, memorable dialogue, and cinematic visual storytelling. Master advanced scripting techniques, proper script format, and meeting audience expectations through draft review and research.
When you finish, you’ll have a portfolio-ready short script and insights for your next film or TV project.
You'll tackle a creative research problem, and come up with practical solutions.
Reflecting on different approaches, you'll hone professional techniques tailored to your vision. This module offers the chance to elevate your technical mastery and critical thinking as you craft an audacious soundscape.
You will master the technicalities of video shooting and editing while analysing reader data to sharpen content. Evaluating information critically, you will produce innovative news packages optimised for platform and audience. The module empowers you to implement audience growth strategies underpinned by theoretical knowledge - preparing you for an industry where digital presentation is now king.
Core modules
You'll transform your raw research into a focused project. You'll not just explore but also conceptualise a compelling body of work, supported by thorough research.
Delve into the theoretical and historical backgrounds that shape your projects, and critically select and evaluate sources to enrich your understanding.
Discover how various methodologies can carve out unique research questions, shaping your project’s journey. You'll also navigate the social, professional, and legal landscapes that influence your work.
Optional modules
You’ll choose an interesting topic and use the right methods to collect and look at data. From critically evaluating literature, you’ll form insightful research questions. Your work will show original thinking, time management, and academic quality. Ultimately, you’ll embark on a project of your own inspiration.
With hard work and self-direction, you can produce research to be proud of.
You'll integrate and synthesise research to enhance your work, aiming to achieve a professional standard through a mix of intellectual skills. Reflecting on your project's impact on the discipline and responding effectively to critiques and feedback are also key aspects, honing your ability to justify and argue your creative decisions. This module is a comprehensive exercise in refining and presenting your creative vision.
Learn to look at different perspectives critically and recognise different research methods, from conceptual to historical. By looking at the strengths and limits of various methods, you’ll learn how to pick the right resources and ways to do thorough research.
Get the knowledge you need to find, make sense of, and use information to make strong cases and add to what we know in our field.
You'll critically reflect on how research methods relate to creative practice, enhancing projects through examples. Evaluating approaches, you'll understand how to apply appropriate methods to progress media productions.
Changes to course content
We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.
Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry. If a module doesn't run, we'll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.
Facilities
Eldon TV Studios
Learn the skills you need to work in video/audio production and broadcasting and get involved in our student-led TV channel, CCI TV.
Music and Sound Recording Studios
Our high-end professional music studio complex houses three studios, two live rooms, editing rooms, and a vocal booth.
Video Editing Suite
Our suite includes non-linear editing software Avid Media Composer and DaVinci Resolve, and specialist hardware for efficient film editing.
Virtual Production and Mixed Reality Studio
Take centre stage in the futuristic world of extended reality (XR) with our SmartStage-powered Virtual Production and Mixed Reality Studio.
How you'll spend your time
We recognise that you'll probably be juggling more demands when you do your Master's degree, as you may be working or you may have family responsibilities.
We'll give you as much indication here as we can of how much time you'll need to be on campus and how many hours you can expect to spend in self-directed study, but please note that these indications are always subject to change. You should receive your full timetable several weeks before you start with us.
Course structure
This Master's degree will take:
- 1 year (full-time study)
- 2 years (part-time study)
- 17 months (full-time study, January start)
You can expect:
- 7–9 contact hours per week (pro rata for part-time students)
- Up to 37 hours per week of study—including scheduled and independent study (pro rata for part-time students)
You'll also be expected to attend occassional events in evenings and on weekends.
Teaching
Master's study is deeper and more specialised than an undergraduate degree. This means you'll focus on something that really matters to you and your career as you work closely with academics committed to the subject.
You'll spend more time in independent study and research than you did for your undergraduate degree, but the majority of your teaching time will be in-person and face-to-face.
Teaching methods
Teaching methods on this course include:
- lectures
- seminars
- workshops
- tutorials (in-person and online)
We offer a blended approach to learning, and face-to-face teaching is complemented by an online option to reflect the different needs of our students. You're encouraged to learn on campus, although this is not compulsory.
Assessment
You'll be assessed through:
- project proposal
- research and development papers
- reflective reports
- completed artefacts
- presentations
You'll be able to test your knowledge and skills informally before submitting assessments that count towards your final mark.
You'll get plenty of feedback, to help you improve in the future.
Teaching staff profiles
Our teaching team collectively has 100 years of industry experience in film- and television-related roles, with practice research project experience and some members being published and established internationally.
These are some of the expert staff that will teach you on this course.
Mr Steve Whitford
Term dates
September start
The Master's academic year runs from September to the following September. There are breaks at Christmas and Easter. Over the summer you'll be writing your project / dissertation.
January start
Courses that start in January have the same amount of teaching as September-start courses, but they normally run over a longer time period.
January-start courses normally run between 14–18 months, beginning in January and ending in the spring / summer of the following year. There are breaks at Christmas, Easter and in the summer. In the last few months you’ll be writing your project / dissertation.
Joining us as an international student
You'll feel at home in our international community and our diverse city. You'll be joining over 5,000 international students from more than 150 countries who are studying with us.
Learn more about international student life and how we can help you with visas, applications, arrival and settling in.
Career development
Careers this Master's in Film and Television Production prepares you for
You could have a career in areas of film and television production, such as:
- Camera operating/lighting
- Colour grading
- Film marketing and curation
- Film archiving and restoration
- Freelance work
Roles you can work in after you graduate include:
- Camera assistant
- Director
- Editor
- Screen writer
- Location sound assistant
- Location sound recordist
- Sound designer
- Studio sound assistant
- Producer
- Production assistant
- Production manager
- Foley artist
- Re-recording mixer
Career outcomes shown are sourced from the latest available graduate outcome surveys. The data shows career outcomes at 15 months after graduation.
Career planning
During your course you'll have expert careers advice from our Careers and Employability Centre, your tutors and our Student Placements and Employability Centre. You can access support from our Careers and Employability Centre for up to 5 years after you graduate.
Career support
You'll benefit from:
- Networking events
- 1-to-1 appointments
- CV and cover letter advice
- Interview preparation and practice
- Workshops to enhance your employability skills
- Recruitment events, including the Student and Graduate Opportunities Fair
- Support starting your own business
Supporting you
Master's study is more focused on independent learning than undergraduate study, but you'll get lots of support via video, phone and face-to-face from teaching and support staff to enhance your learning experience and help you succeed. You can build your personalised network of support from the following people and services:
Types of support
Your personal tutor helps you make the transition to independent study and gives you academic and personal support throughout your time at university.
You'll have regular contact with your personal tutor in learning activities or scheduled meetings. You can also make an appointment with them if you need extra support.
In addition to the support you get from your personal tutor, you’ll also have access to a Faculty student support advisor. They can give you confidential, impartial advice on anything to do with your studies and personal wellbeing and refer you to specialist support services.
You'll have help from a team of faculty academic skills tutors. They can help you improve and develop your academic skills and support you in any area of your study.
They can help with:
- improving your academic writing (for example, essays, reports, dissertations)
- delivering presentations (including observing and filming presentations)
- understanding and using assignment feedback
- managing your time and workload
- revision and exam techniques
If you need support with software and equipment or you want to learn additional skills (including skills not covered on your course), our creative skills tutors provide free workshops, activities and one-on-one tutorials. Skills you can learn include life drawing, film camera operation and video production.
Computing support staff are always available to give technical support in the Faculty's computer suites during normal working hours. There's also some support available from 5.00pm to midnight at busy times of the year.
During term time, Faculty Academic Skills Tutors (AST) are available for bookable 1-to-1 sessions, small group sessions and online sessions. These sessions are tailored to your needs.
Support is available for skills including:
- University study
- Getting into the right study mindset
- Note-taking and note-making skills
- Referencing
- Presentation skills
- Time management, planning, and goal setting
- Critical thinking
- Avoiding plagiarism
If you have a disability or need extra support, the Additional Support and Disability Centre (ASDAC) will give you help, support and advice.
Our online Learning Well mini-course will help you plan for managing the challenges of learning and student life, so you can fulfil your potential and have a great student experience.
You can get personal, emotional and mental health support from our Student Wellbeing Service, in person and online. This includes 1–2–1 support as well as courses and workshops that help you better manage stress, anxiety or depression.
If you require extra support because of a disability or additional learning need our specialist team can help you.
They'll help you to
- discuss and agree on reasonable adjustments
- liaise with other University services and facilities, such as the library
- access specialist study skills and strategies tutors, and assistive technology tutors, on a 1-to-1 basis or in groups
- liaise with external services
Library staff are available in person or by email, phone, or online chat to help you make the most of the University’s library resources. You can also request one-to-one appointments and get support from a librarian who specialises in your subject area.
The library is open 24 hours a day, every day, in term time.
If English isn't your first language, you can do one of our English language courses to improve your written and spoken English language skills before starting your degree. Once you're here, you can take part in our free In-Sessional English (ISE) programme to improve your English further.
How to apply
Unlike undergraduate applications, which go through UCAS, applications for this Master's course are made directly to us.
There's no deadline for applications to this course. We accept applications right up until the start date in September, as long as there are places available. If you wait until September to apply, you may find that the course is full.
If you're applying as an international student, remember that you'll need to leave plenty of time to get your visa organised.
You can find more advice about applying in our Master's application checklist. International students and current students and recent graduates of the University of Portsmouth also have some different application options, which are detailed below.
Extra information for international students
If you're an international student, you can apply directly to us using the same application form as UK students.
You could also get an agent to help with your application. Check your country page for details of agents in your region. To find out what to include in your application, head to the how to apply page of our international students section.
If you don’t meet the English language requirements for this course yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.
Ready to apply?
Start this course in January 2025
Start this course in September 2025
Start this course in January 2026
I'm a current Portsmouth student, or a recent Portsmouth graduate
If you're currently in your final year of study at Portsmouth, or you graduated since July 2024, you're eligible to make a fast track application. You'll have:
- a shorter application form to complete
- access to the 20% Alumni fee discount
- a guaranteed conditional offer, for most Master's courses
After you apply
Once we receive your application, we may ask you for further information. We will then either make you an offer or suggest alternatives if your application is unsuccessful.
You'll usually get a decision within 10 working days, so you shouldn't have to wait too long. Some courses have an interview stage – we'll let you know if you need to prepare for one.
Learn more about how we assess your application.
Admissions terms and conditions
When you accept an offer to study at the University of Portsmouth, you also agree to abide by our Student Contract (which includes the University's relevant policies, rules and regulations). You should read and consider these before you apply.