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Why are Film Studies degrees looked down on so much?

I'm gonna posit this by saying I have no interest in doing a degree in Film or Media anything, I did do a Btec First in Media so I could learn about analysing film and editing, for the movie reviews I make :P But the degree I intend on doing is Primary Teaching :smile:

But a degree in Film Studies, surely it's a bit like English Literature, but studying film? As far as I know, the thinking behind it is all the same, with similar considerations etc, but with aspects of Sociology thrown in?

Reply 1

Chrno

I'm going on a posting spree about this at them moment, so why not...

It depends, do you want to be a film studies teacher, or will you be just taking it to let of some steam and such? Film is an exteremely specialised subject, and i'm currently taking it at AS. I would only recommend people take it if they wish to do film or media after college, anything else and it could just be seen as a throwaway by universities and such. For teaching, I would recommend you actually do English and just watch and think about film in your own time, but hey, thats just my opinion.

As for Film being like English Lit, I see where you are coming from, but it's not really like that. Sure, you watch films and you talk about them, but it goes much deeper than that. One of the key things you do is look at the film industry and learn about how it works and everything.

Reply 2

Joinedup

Well there's nothing wrong per se imo.
There's a sort of snob argument that anything accessable can't be the subject of serious academic study... We saw this when durham brought in an english module looking at harry potter.
There's also a marketing problem/perception management issue imo. I think some people start film courses expecting it to be very vocational and jump them ahead in the movie business (which is of course cut throat competetive)... When in fact they'll be writing a lot of critical sociological essays.

Reply 3

jumpingjesusholycow

People like to feel big. Occasionally, that takes the form of people looking down on other degrees.

That said, there are far too many people studying it. This country is pumping people out of universities with far too little vocational or genuine skill degrees. As a result, we have a ridiculously imbalanced diversity of graduates and I've got to say that film studies students are part of that problem.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 4

Chrno

Original post by jumpingjesusholycow

Absolutly correct, I totally agree with you. I seem to be one of the only few that see a film degree as a supplement rather than a full blown degree. The industry is all about one's portofio, not about what degrees they have. Uni's are pumping these students out without telling them they need prior professional work in there portfolio to get a decent job.

I'll tell you my plans now - TV Production at uni whilst also doing freelance film at the same time, that covers a good spectrum of broadcast media. Media students need diversity and experience and no one is telling them that unfortunatly.