Film Aesthetics (Taught)

The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (November 2025). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas.

The MSt in Film Aesthetics is a taught course focused on film as an art form, covering film theory, criticism, style, form, and philosophy, with seminars and a final dissertation.

The MSt in Film Aesthetics is a degree in the humanities run by the Humanities Division.

The course concentrates on film from the point of view of aesthetics, including:

• the detailed study of film style and form, and the articulation of it in writing - for example, narrative structure, use of camera, colour, performance, sound, music, editing and composition;

• matters of philosophical aesthetics, and their particular application to film; and

• classic and contemporary film theory and philosophy as they relate to film aesthetics.

Many master's courses concentrate on historical, cultural, geographical, or political approaches to film and may only contain an aesthetic component. This course is dedicated to the specialist study of film form, and film as an art form. Applicants should note that historical, cultural, geographical, and political approaches to film study will feature in courses and they are welcomed as aspects of written work, but applicants should not expect them to be prioritised in the teaching and assessment of the degree.

Course structure
The course runs from late September to June, from a week before the first term to the end of the last term.

A week before term officially begins, you will attend a practical film workshop for one week. Although the degree itself is not practical, this week acts as an introduction to film techniques and allows the group to work with each other before the degree begins. This part of the course is not assessed.

In the first two terms the course is taught by seminar only, although there will be individual meetings with tutors to discuss essay preparation and feedback. There will be two seminars per week and they will vary in length depending on the module. In the third term the course is taught by individual supervision focussing on a dissertation.

You will be expected to read quite extensively for seminars and supervisions, and also view films.

Academics who teach on the course (the exact mix will change from year to year):

• Dr Reidar Due (Convenor)

• Professor Andrew Klevan (Convenor)

• Professor Guido Bonsaver

• Professor Margaret Hillenbrand

• Dr Hannie Lawlor

• Professor Nikolaj Lubecker

• Professor Stephen Mullhall

• Dr Janina Schupp

Opportunities for exchange are provided by the interdisciplinary communities fostered within individual colleges, which also offer you dedicated support by means of personal advisors. The Oxford Centre for Research in the Humanities (TORCH) offers a stimulating range of interdisciplinary activities.