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Why study English?

What can I do afterwards?

English has always been highly regarded as a rigorous, analytical, academic degree, and will develop lots of very useful transferable skills, including:

•analytical ability

•communication skills

•presentation skills

•writing ability

•research skills

•time management

•team-work skills.

English graduates are sought-after in a wide range of areas, especially those calling for excellent communication and analytical skills. Journalism and the media are popular with English students; some become technical writers or work on trade magazines. Public relations, marketing, advertising and personnel management are all open to you. English graduates also go into finance, and our students are well placed for City careers. Management training, law and teaching are other popular destinations. Many of our students go on to higher degrees, including the School’s own highly regarded MA in English Studies.

Find out more at www.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate

What our graduates do next

Graduates from Queen Mary’s BA English degree go on to work in a wide variety of roles in a range of sectors including the arts, publishing, the media, heritage and charity.

The national 2011 destination survey confirmed that 88 per cent of BA English graduates were in employment or study six months after graduation with 66 per cent of this group already working or studying at graduate level.

The broad range of skills gained through our undergraduate programmes, coupled with multiple opportunities for extra-curricular activities and work experience, have enabled our students to move into careers such as:

•Junior Producer ITN

•Script Reader Writers Avenue

•Editorial Assistant

Dazed & Confused Magazine

•Associate Producer Idle Motion

•PR Assistant Proud Gallery

•Research Assistant Tatler

•Programme Compiler Channel 4

•Global Mobility Project Assistant Diageo

How we support you

Queen Mary’s extensive campus also provides over 1,200 on-campus job and volunteer opportunities ranging from Student Journalist to Library Assistant and from Society President to School Mentor. English students can volunteer for QMedia (which produces QMTV, QMessenger and CUB Magazine from the Students’ Union), engage in political debate via on-campus forums such as the Mile End Group and work with the film production unit, Mile End Films,

or one of Queen Mary’s creative agencies such as People’s Palace Projects or East End Collaborations.

Recent careers events in the School of English and Drama include a series of ‘Career Conversations’ with alumni now in journalism, creative writing, festival management, PR, marketing and theatre. Students were also able to attend an Experience Journalism workshop run by News Associates, an oncampus Film Festival, recruitment fairs, networking forums and an oncampus job fair.

profile alumni

Daniel Sawyer

Studied: BA English

Currently: After graduating I got a job as an E-Learning Assistant at the School of Medicine,

Southampton University. I have now taken up a funded postgraduate place at Oxford University on an MSt in English (650-1550).

How did your time at Queen Mary prepare you for work? I learned how to write rapidly and well, and how to research a subject methodically. The English course also made me more confident about speaking to a group. And from student life in general I

learned a lot of interpersonal skills.

What are your most and least favourite aspects of your job?

When I was working in medical e-learning, I loved the mixture of disciplines it involved: I got the chance to work with doctors, medical students, graphic designers, web developers and learning design experts, all trying to create something together. And my least favourite part of the job was definitely whenever some piece of tech refused to work!

At present my favourite part of my postgrad course is probably handling medieval manuscripts, which is quite a thrill. As for the part I like least, I suppose, surprisingly enough, I am rather missing the discipline of a fixed nine-to-five working day.

profile student

David Wilkinson

BA English

“I chose Queen Mary because I live in East London and because I was aware of its good reputation for English. I was impressed by the open day where I was made to feel welcome as a mature student and where I saw how much choice there is within the course; in the first year we covered areas from medieval literature to contemporary theory; this year I am learning about postcolonialism, 18th Century satire and literature after the First World War. There are dozens of interesting modules to choose from.

“The university is located in a nice part of London. It’s a lovely campus on the Regent’s canal with lots of good coffee shops and places to study. It's within walking distance of places like Victoria Park and Brick Lane.

“The teaching staff are very helpful and everything is well planned, we are set interesting and challenging work every week. I’m being trained to become a better thinker and I feel like I've learned a lot in the last year. I think the course is great and would highly recommend it.”

English and Drama

QW34 BA (three years)

UCAS points: 320-340

A-level: ABB-AAB

IB: 34 points overall, with two subjects at HL with 6 points including English literature

Find out more about the programme and entry requirements at www.qmul.ac.uk/QW34

This joint degree programme will engage you in the study and practice of performance, and the reading of texts from diverse genres and periods. It combines practical and theoretical study in a range of interconnected areas, providing a variety of approaches to English and drama as active and dynamic subjects. Along with an understanding of how English and

drama complement one another, you will be encouraged to locate texts and performances in political, cultural and historical contexts.

profile staff

Katy Price

Lecturer, English

Why are you passionate about your subject?

I love to explore beneath the surface of texts, to find their hidden messages and discover

what makes them effective as a representation of what is going on in our minds or in society.

What’s special about Queen Mary?

There's a real sense that anything is possible here. And that everyone will be supported in their learning and research.

What are your research interests?

My research is focused on how literature and science interact with each other. I've written a book about how Einstein's new theory of the universe captured the public imagination after the First World War – how ideas about space and time got into the newspapers and popular magazines during the 1920s, and made their way into detective stories and love poems. I'm working on a new project about prophetic dreams and how people reported their dreams that came true during the mid-20th century.

What inspires you?

I'm inspired by people who don't do what society expects of them – who make discoveries and show us new ways of seeing the world and ourselves.

profile alumni

Andreas Beckwith

Studied: BA English

Currently: Having completed a TEFL course I am going to Valencia in Spain to teach English as a foreign language.

Why did you choose Queen Mary?

It has a very good reputation, particularly for English, and this was an important factor in my choice. I also wanted to go to a university in a vibrant city with plenty of opportunity for new experiences. I liked the fact that Queen Mary is a campus university, as it meant that a large majority of the students would be in one place.

What did you gain from your time at Queen Mary?

I had a fantastic time at Queen Mary, both on the academic and social side of university life. I greatly improved my English skills, and degree-level study opened up

new avenues of thinking and interpretation which I had not been exposed to before. The course structure is particularly good, as it allows you to shape your own degree with a wide choice of modules. The university’s diversity is one of its main assets, I really enjoyed meeting people from all sorts of backgrounds. The experience was invaluable and has helped shape me as a person.

English and Film Studies

QW36 BA (three years)

UCAS points: 320-340

A-level: ABB-AAB with an A in English literature or English literature and language. An A in film studies, media studies, or history would also be an advantage.

IB: 32-34 points overall, with two subjects at HL with 6 points including English literature

Excluded subjects: General studies, critical thinking

Find out more about the programme and entry requirements at www.qmul.ac.uk/QW36

The English and Film Studies degree offers a unique interdisciplinary pathway that combines critical theory and textual analysis with hands-on production work. You will graduate with an extensive and coherent set of transferable skills: critical, analytical, communicative and practical.

profile student

Zaki Shah

English Literature

“I chose Queen Mary because it offered me the chance to study the sort of modules that I was really keen to do. I also knew past and current students who found their time at Queen Mary fun and rewarding. The area inevitably played a big role too – close to central London, and walking distance from areas like Brick Lane and Shoreditch.

“The teaching style here gives you lots of academic freedom, but there is always help available if you need it. The type of assessment on the course reflects this freedom too – it’s good to be able to go away and work on a big research essay or your dissertation, rather than always being at the mercy of exams like at school!

“Last year I found myself doing a course called Art Histories all about the different museums and art galleries in London. I’d never have anticipated doing a module like that on an English degree, but it turned out to be one of my favourites and I learnt loads of new things.

“Outside of class, I am starting a student group for a charity organisation called Schtoom. The Students’ Union have been really helpful in helping me to do this – it’s fantastic to have such a supportive team behind you.”

Through practical modules, you will also gain hands-on experience of the roles of producer, director, screenwriter and actor, gaining

crucial insights into the fundamental aspects of film production. However, as well as fostering an understanding of visual aesthetics, narrative forms and technological ability, film studies also leads you into areas of study as diverse as history, politics, philosophy, technology and performance.

Film studies demands creative and original thought: it asks us to question, for example, how class, race, ethnicity and sexuality are represented on the screen. It asks us to think about film production in terms of the development and impact of new media technologies. It examines the effects of international commerce on the type of films that we get to see, and probes the impact of practices and regulations such as censorship, cultural policy and industry awards.

Why study film studies at Queen Mary?

Film studies at Queen Mary performs consistently well in the National Student Survey (NSS) and in national newspaper league tables: we were placed seventh out of 90 UK institutions in The Times Good University Guide 2013 and were ranked sixth out of 86 UK institutions in the Guardian University Guide 2013. The School of Languages, Linguistics and Film

was also ranked highly in the most recent Research Assessment Exercise (RAE 2008).

Our staff have expertise most notably in British and North American cinema, and in French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Russian filmmaking. You are encouraged to develop your skills in film criticism and copyediting by contributing to Mapping Contemporary Cinema, our new online journal run by staff and students. Queen Mary also hosts ‘Living British Cinema’, an exciting new forum that promotes the appreciation of British film culture and history, bringing together students, scholars, writers, filmmakers and industry professionals.

Our London location is another obvious advantage. The city is home to the National Film Theatre, British Film Institute and the London Film Festival, as well as to major film premières and art-house cinema venues. And, with much film and television production based here, there are opportunities to gain valuable experience in a film-related part-time job or work placement. We have excellent facilities, particularly our state-of-the-art 41seater cinema, used for screenings and lectures, our ‘black box’ studio and our Film Production suite, with high-end Apple Mac computers running Final Cut Pro.

Assessment

Most modules combine assessed coursework and an end-of-module exam, though the proportion may vary. Some modules, including the practical ones, are assessed by coursework only. Final-year students have the opportunity to pursue a sustained piece of research or to develop an extended film production project or long script.

Our teaching

A typical weekly timetable might include four lectures in groups of between 25 and 75, and four seminars in classes of under 20. There are weekly film screenings for most modules, and workshop sessions for many practice-based modules, as well as group work in the studios or on location.

Admissions

Admission is by UCAS form. Transfer or mature students may be invited for an interview or asked to produce a piece of written work.

Academic enquiries

School of Languages, Linguistics and Film

Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 8331 email: sllf-ug@qmul.ac.uk www.sllf.qmul.ac.uk

General enquiries

Enquiries Hotline (UK callers only): 0800 376 1800

Tel (international students): +44 (0)20 7882 5511

email: admissions@qmul.ac.uk

Why study film?

What can I do afterwards?

Film studies is a rigorous, analytical, academic degree. You will graduate with an excellent knowledge base and a range of transferable skills, including:

•research skills

•analytical ability

•production/practical experience: although you will not be trained to a professional level, you will get a chance to write, story-board, shoot and edit

•creativity

•communication skills

•presentation skills

•writing skills

•group working skills.

What our graduates do next

Graduates from Queen Mary’s School of Languages, Linguistics and Film go on to work in a wide variety of careers. Some apply their degree knowledge directly, entering careers such as directing and film production, while others transfer skills gained during study into areas such as public relations and marketing. Others go on to study on one of our highly regarded masters programmes in Documentary Practice or Film Studies. Find out more at www.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate

The national 2011 destination survey confirmed that 87 per cent of the School’s graduates were in employment and/or study six months after graduation with 73 per cent already working/studying at graduate level.

The broad range of skills gained through this programme, coupled with multiple opportunities for extra-curricular activities and work experience, has enabled students to move into careers such as:

•Copywriter Reflex Blue Advertising

•Runner/Assistant Coda Post Productions

•Production Intern Flame TV

•Film Projects Worker British Film Council

•Film Director Self-employed

•Company Director

Spark in the Dark Productions

•Film Producer Self-employed

•Production Assistant/Runner Leeroy & Merton

•Production Assistant Enigma Film

•Graduate Marketing Trainee Augustus Marketing

•Production Junior

Equinox Film and TV Production Ltd

How we support you

Recent careers events in the School of Languages, Linguistics and Film have included a careers panel and speed-meet (featuring a producer, director’s assistant and script agent) as part of the British Living Cinema Festival. Other events have included an Experience Journalism workshop and a series of Career Conversations with employers working in areas such as the media, publishing and the arts.

Opportunities for work experience are substantial given Queen Mary’s location. Students are encouraged to build their work experience throughout their period of study, through, for example, our in-house film production agency, Mile End Films, the QM Projects work experience scheme, QM Temps job agency, Experience Works events and QMSU volunteering services. Over 800 vacancies are available to browse on the QM JobOnline vacancy site.

profile alumni

Alissa Timoshkina

Studied: BA and MA in Film Studies

Currently: After working as a film projects coordinator at a Londonbased Russian cultural foundation, I have started my own multimedia events company ‘GLAZ’. Also, starting a PhD in Film Studies.

Why did you choose Queen Mary?

I was impressed by the competence and expertise of the staff at the School of Languages, Linguistics and Film. There’s also a warm

and friendly atmosphere in the postgraduate community, and good relations between students and teachers.

What did you gain from your time at Queen Mary?

An extremely useful and inspiring knowledge of film, appreciation of culture, thought and visual arts.

I also improved my ability to formulate and express personal views and opinions, both in written and verbal form. Overall this gave me the confidence to pursue a professional career in a film-related field, and to continue on to a PhD.

What are your career plans in the next five years?

To establish my company as a respected organisation within moving image in the UK; to complete a PhD; to complete a script for my first feature film.

Film Studies and French

RW16 BA (four years)

Film Studies and German

RW26 BA (four years)

Film Studies and

Hispanic Studies

RW46 BA (four years)

Film Studies and Russian

RW76 BA (four years)

UCAS points: 300

A-level: BBB with a B in French and a B in film/media if offered, or a relevant subject (RW16); BBB with a B in a language and a B in film/media if offered or a relevant subject (RW26, RW46, RW76)

IB: 32 points overall with 5 points in HL French and media if offered or a relevant subject (RW16); 32 points overall with 5 points in HL language and media if offered or a relevant subject (RW26, RW46, RW76)

Excluded subjects: General studies and critical thinking

Find out more about the programme and entry requirements at www.qmul.ac.uk/RW16, www.qmul.ac.uk/RW26, www.qmul.ac.uk/RW46

or www.qmul.ac.uk/RW76

These degree programmes will familiarise you with the aesthetics, conditions of production and history of film in the United States, Latin America and the major European nations. You will be introduced to the major theoretical and critical developments in film studies, as well as studying a modern European language. This will enable you to pursue an understanding of film within the context of a wider knowledge of the culture of a specific country. You will usually spend your third year abroad. This is an invaluable opportunity to improve your language skills, as well as gain first-hand experience of what life is like in the country where the language you are studying is spoken.

Comparative Literature

and Film Studies

QP23 BA (three years)

UCAS points: 300

A-level: BBB with a B in film/media if offered and another relevant subject

IB: 32 points overall with 5 points in film/media if offered or a relevant subject

Excluded subjects: General studies and critical thinking

Find out more about the programme and entry requirements at www.qmul.ac.uk/QP23

This programme is split equally between the two subjects and helps you make theoretically informed connections between literature and fine art, music, popular culture and film. You study literature from a comparative perspective, exploring themes, genres, movements and periods across national boundaries through translations and original texts in English. The film programme covers the aesthetics, conditions of production and history of film in the United States, Latin America and the major European nations, and introduces you to major theoretical and critical developments in film studies. Advanced options in the second and final years permit you to concentrate on the aspects of literature and film that interest you the most, while a joint research project allows you to bring the two disciplines together.

Film Studies 57

profile student

Tom Symmons

BA Film Studies and History, and now PhD student

“The critical skills and depth of knowledge I acquired during my BA Film Studies and History provided me a solid foundation for my postgraduate studies. My

doctoral research thesis on the New Hollywood of the late-1960s and 1970s is now nearing completion and I intend to pursue a career in academia. The joint honours degree course is structured to allow plenty of flexibility, and the modules

on offer are diverse and well formulated; the interdisciplinary course 'Critical Approaches to Film: Alfred Hitchcock', was a particular favourite. It is also led by academics who are both leaders in their respective fields of research, and take a great deal of pride and interest in providing the best educational experience for their students.”

profile alumni

Julian Ross

Studied: BA Film Studies (graduated 2009)

Currently: PhD Student, University

of Leeds

How did you find out about your current job?

One of the film studies lecturers, who taught the Chinese Cinema module, forwarded me a document that included a call for applications for a studentship for a project that closely resembled my final year research project at Queen Mary.

How did your time at Queen Mary prepare you for work?

The staff support individual thinking and originality, which helped me prepare for postgraduatelevel research. They also encouraged me to be active outside of the programme which motivated me to get involved in events and develop my CV. Most of all, the staff at Queen Mary are great examples of academics, and their excellence in research and teaching along with their ability to balance both continue to be an inspiration.

What does your job involve?

Reading, watching films, writing, putting together presentations, teaching and planning events.