Film Production at UCA

With a 60-year legacy and a string of successful alumni to its name, our BA (Hons) Film Production degree course at UCA Farnham is known for moving with the times to stay at the forefront of industry practice.

With an enviable location — close to a host of high-profile production hubs — and industry-standard facilities, as well as associations with the BFI and ARRI, this degree is well placed to give you the breadth of skills and connections you need to thrive beyond graduation.

Learning from a staff team that includes international filmmaking award winners, picture editors, sound post-production professionals, development producers, cinematographers, screenwriters, fiction and factual directors, and editors, you’ll explore all aspects of filmmaking to help you identify the career path that suits you best and find your own filmmaking voice.

You’ll also be able to build a wider portfolio of knowledge and experience through a series of exciting elective units that include animation, music, and acting.  

 

Course entry options

Select from the following options to find out more about the different study options available for our BA (Hons) Film Production degree:

Close
Institution code
C93
UCAS code
W600
Campus
farnham
Start date(s)
September 2025, September 2026
Duration
3 years full-time
Entry requirements

112 UCAS points

International equivalent qualifications

Close
Institution code
C93
UCAS code
W60F
Campus
farnham
Start date(s)
September 2025, September 2026
Duration
4 years full-time
Entry requirements

UK: 32 UCAS points
International / EU: 12 years of schooling (with good grades)

Close
Institution code
C93
UCAS code
W60H
Campus
Start date(s)
Duration
Entry requirements
Close
Institution code
C93
UCAS code
W601
Campus
farnham
Start date(s)
September 2025, September 2026
Duration
4 years full-time
Entry requirements

112 UCAS points

International equivalent qualifications

Close
Institution code
C93
UCAS code
W60G
Campus
farnham
Start date(s)
September 2025, September 2026
Duration
5 years full-time
Entry requirements

UK: 32 UCAS points
International / EU: 12 years of schooling (with good grades)

Close
Institution code
C93
Campus
Start date(s)
Duration
Entry requirements

Upcoming webinars

We offer a range of webinars throughout the year that Film Production students may be interested in.


This includes subject talks, masterclasses, application proccess advice and student life guides. Check out our upcoming webinars and book your place today.

Accreditations, partners and industry connections

BAFTA  logo

BAFTA

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is a world-leading independent arts charity, supporting emerging and established talent within the creative industries.

albert logo

albert

Founded in 2011, albert supports the global Film and TV industry to reduce the environmental impacts of production and to create content that supports a vision for a sustainable future.

British Film Institute (BFI) logo

British Film Institute (BFI)

The BFI is a charity and the UK’s leading organisation for film and moving image. It promotes and supports British film from newcomers to established makers, and cares for the BFI National Archive, the world’s largest film and television archive.

ARRI logo

ARRI

ARRI is a leading designer and manufacturer of camera and lighting systems for the film, broadcast, and media industries. The ARRI Certified Film School accreditation is awarded to institutions that meet rigorous standards of technical excellence, creative education, and professional development.

Two minute stories


Discover the stories of our Film and TV students
What you'll study

What you'll
study

The content of this Film Production degree may be subject to change. Curriculum content is provided as a guide.

UCA’s Integrated Foundation Year is designed to give you the skills you’ll need to start your degree in the best possible way – with confidence, solid knowledge of creative practice, study skills and more.

You’ll explore a range of creative techniques and develop your portfolio, with your chosen subject in mind. We’ll work with you throughout the year to ensure you’re on the right track and give you the tools to achieve your highest potential on your degree. 

Find out more about the Integrated Foundation Year

Narrative Fundamentals
Story is the basis of scripted film forms. You will be introduced you to the fundamentals of this aspect of filmmaking, and key stages and roles in the development of scripts, including: story discovery and development, screenwriting and script editing, and development producing. 

Production Fundamentals
Designed to provide you with a comprehensive introduction to the production workflow - pre-production, production and post-production - across both studio and independent film practices. You will learn about production roles and departments, and will have training and hands-on experience with camera and sound. 

Scripted Production
You'll gain a comprehensive introduction to the key skills, techniques, and processes used in the making of a scripted film. You will be able to build on your learning from previous units through application of skills and knowledge to the development and realisation of a short, scripted film using contemporary industry practices.

Unscripted Film Proposal
Building on your filmmaking knowledge gained in previous units, this unit will provide you with a comprehensive introduction to the principles and practices of unscripted film production. Working in a small group, you will undertake a research and development process leading to a proposal for a short unscripted or factual film, consisting of a treatment and a sizzle reel, which presents a portrait of an individual, a place, a group or a subject. 

 

Major Scripted Production
You will take responsibility for a crew role in the production of a short, scripted film, through which you will further develop specific skills, as well as an understanding of the contribution of an individual crew role in each stage of the production process. 

Professional Development Portfolio
We will encourage you to reflect on your learning and skill development throughout the course, to further prepare you for the world beyond university. You will build the foundation for your CV and online presence, and develop your confidence in presenting yourself and your work to the industry. You will learn about freelancing, and build an understanding of industry roles and potential employment routes.  

Unscripted Production
Building on the filmmaking knowledge you gained in previous units, in particular, Unscripted Film Proposal, this unit gives you the opportunity to experiment with different types of unscripted film forms and to push creative boundaries. 

Extended Essay / Video Essay
You will focus on the development of your research and critical thinking skills, and your ability to study independently, through the investigation of an individually negotiated topic and the completion of an appropriately illustrated academic essay. 

If you opt to complete a professional practice year, this will take place in year three. You will undertake a placement within the creative industries to further develop your skills and CV.

While on your Professional Practice Year, you will be required to pay a reduced tuition fee for that year. This fee will be determined using government funding regulations. Based on current regulations, we expect this to be a maximum of 20% of the tuition fee rate that you are charged for your second year of study. You will also incur additional travel and accommodation costs during this year. The University will provide you with further advice and guidance about this as you approach your Professional Practice Year.

Please note: If you are an international applicant, you will need to enrol onto the course ‘with Professional Practice Year’. It will not be possible to transfer onto the Professional Practice Year after enrolment

Pre-production Pack
You will be challenged to take on pre-production relevant to your crew roles for the Final Film Project unit, and will build on the technical, collaborative and professional skills in filmmaking that you have learnt during the course. 

The Business of Production
Designed to prepare you for the transition from education to the professional world. This unit emphasises a range of business and management skills that can be applied within the film industry, or transferred to other sectors.

Final Film Project
You will further develop your filmmaking knowledge and technical skills to a level that will enable you to work to a highly creative and professional standard by the end of the course. Building on learning achieved earlier in the course and work previously completed, this unit offers you the opportunity to extend your understanding and ability in your chosen role, and to realise the projects started during the course through production, and into post-production and a final screening.

 

This course is designed to offer you (if eligible) the opportunity to study part of your degree aboard at a UCA partner university, while still earning credits towards your UCA degree.

For more information please visit the Study Abroad section

Course specifications

Please note, syllabus content indicated is provided as a guide. The content of the course may be subject to change in line with our Student Terms and Conditions for example, as required by external professional bodies or to improve the quality of the course.

Explore our gradshow

Each year, we’re privileged to be able to share our graduates’ incredible work with the world. And now’s your chance to take a look.

Visit the online showcase
Fees & funding

Fees & financial support

Tuition fees - 2024/25 entry

  • Integrated Foundation Year: £9,535
  • BA course: £9,535

If you opt to study the Professional Practice Year, for 2024 you will be required to pay a reduced tuition fee of £1,900. You will also incur additional travel and accommodation costs during your Professional Practice year. The University will provide you with further advice and guidance about this.

Tuition fees - 2024/25 entry

  • Integrated International Foundation Year: £9,535 (see fee discount information)
  • BA course: £9,535 (see fee discount information)

If you opt to study the Professional Practice Year, for 2024 you will be required to pay a reduced tuition fee of £1,900. You will also incur additional travel and accommodation costs during your Professional Practice year. The University will provide you with further advice and guidance about this.

Tuition fees - 2024/25 entry

  • Integrated International Foundation Year: £16,950
  • BA course: £17,500

If you opt to study the Professional Practice Year, for 2024 you will be required to pay a reduced tuition fee of £3,390. You will also incur additional travel and accommodation costs during your Professional Practice year. The University will provide you with further advice and guidance about this.

Please note: The fees listed on this webpage are correct for the stated academic year only, for details of previous years please see the full fee schedules.

UCA scholarships and fee discounts

At UCA we have a number of scholarships and fee discounts available to assist you with the cost of your studies.

Financial support

There are lots of ways you can access additional financial support to help you fund your studies - both from UCA and from external sources. Discover what support you might qualify for please see our financial support information.

Additional course costs

In addition to the tuition fees there may be other costs for your course. The things that you are likely to need to budget for to get the most out of a creative arts education will include books, printing costs, occasional or optional study trips and/or project materials.

These costs will vary according to the nature of your project work and the individual choices that you make. Please see the Additional Course Costs section of your Course Information for details of the costs you may incur.

Career opportunities

Our Film Production degree has many industry connections, including:

  • Avid
  • Kodak
  • BKSTS
  • BECTU
  • NAHEM
  • Envy
  • The Royal Television Society
  • The Guild of Television Cameramen
  • Tangram Post Production
  • Warp Films
  • Working Title
  • BBC
  • Picture Productions
  • Paramount Pictures
  • ITN
  • Mainframe
  • Big Minded TV

We've hosted a number of visiting lecturers, such as:

  • Alex Garland: novelist, screenwriter, film producer and director with titles including The Beach, Ex Machina, Dredd, Sunshine and 28 Days Later
  • Barrie Vince: editor of Get Real, A Private Function and Moonlighting
  • Gustavo Costantini: Argentinian sound designer, musician and Professor of Sound Design at the University of Buenos Aires
  • Joe Martin and Danielle Clarke: director and producer of documentaries Win a Baby, Going Straight, Scientologists at War and Britain's Young Soldiers
  • Julie Noon/One World Media: Julie made Syria's Torture Machine, The TA and the Taliban, and Cooking in the Danger Zone
  • Philip Ilson: directs the London Short Film Festival
  • Sean Bobbitt: cinematographer of 12 Years a Slave (amongst many others)

As well as coursework, our students are supported in external projects and have made professional level film work for organisations including:

  • Alive & Well
  • London Life
  • Royal Marsden Hospital
  • Sailability
  • The March Foundation
  • Who Needs Heroes

Our Film Production students have undertaken work experience on major blockbuster films and award-winning features, such as:

  • Lilting
  • The Favourite
  • Snow White and the Huntsman
  • Thor: The Dark World
  • Anna Karenina
  • Game of Thrones

Our Film Production graduates have worked in various roles on big budget productions, including:

  • James Bond
  • Black Sheep
  • Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan
  • Loki
  • Sex Education
  • Mission: Impossible
  • Rogue Nation
  • Star Wars: Episode VII
  • Thor: The Dark World
  • Fast & Furious 6
  • Anna Karenina
  • Pride.

A number of our graduates are working for range of high-profile organisations, such as:

  • The BBC
  • ITV
  • Channel 4
  • RSA Films
  • The Challenge Network
  • Roast Beef Productions
  • Art4noise
  • Channel 5
  • E4
  • Splice Media
  • Blindeye Films
  • Flex Film
  • Passion Pictures
  • Seventh Art Productions.

The types of roles our graduates go on to achieve include:

  • Director
  • Editor
  • Producer
  • Production designer
  • Camera operator
  • Sound designer
  • Location manager
  • Location sound recordist
  • Independent film maker
  • Screen writer
  • Distributor
  • Exhibitor
  • DIT operator.

You may also like to consider further study at postgraduate level. We offer a range of postgraduate film degrees.

Hannah Cole

"The course was an amazing experience. I can’t believe how much confidence I’ve gained. To go from an incredibly shy, reserved person to standing in front of a lecture theatre and pitching an idea is an amazing achievement."

Hannah Cole

Entry & portfolio requirements

We’ll need to see your portfolio for this course:

  • UK applicants: We will invite you to attend an Applicant Day so you can have your portfolio review in person.
  • International applicants: We will ask you to submit an online portfolio. 

View Film Production portfolio advice

 

Select your country to find the equivalent requirements

What’s it like being a student at UCA?

That’s a big question. Get some answers from people who are studying right here, right now.

Chat to a student

Apply now

Please use the following fields to help select the right application link for you:

Course statistics

Related courses