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Visual Arts and Film

Combining still and moving images, advanced academic study and practical skills development, our BA in Visual Arts and Film spans historical periods from classical Rome to the present, and is almost global in its geographical reach.

You will have the opportunity to study not only Western art, film, and visual culture, but that of the Middle East, Russophone Eurasia, and East Asia. The conceptions of the visual and the image students will explore in the programme are fundamentally shaped by this transnational perspective. With this transnational scope in mind, the programme offers extensive language-learning opportunities (and a year abroad if you choose the ‘with Year Abroad’ option).

It draws on Durham's outstanding collections in the University’s Oriental Museum, its distinguished Western Art collections, and the curatorial expertise of its staff. No previous study of art is required: just a desire to explore the vast world of visual art and film.

 

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How to apply

See all course details and structure, entry requirements, fees and funding and how to apply.

Visit BA Visual Arts and Film Course Page

Typical Course content

  • A broad-based grounding in the study of visual arts and culture
  • Introductory and advanced modules in the art of the moving image
  • Hands-on, skills-based modules in art-writing and screen-writing, exhibitions and curating, digital skills (e.g. games design, video essays), and filmmaking
  • An exciting suite of modules in art history, photography, visual culture, performance, and film studies
  • Work placement opportunities with local and national cultural organisations
  • A wide range of language-learning opportunities

 

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What’s it like studying Visual Arts?

Amy Nugent studies Visual Arts as a part of her Liberal Arts degree. Learn all about her experiences so far and the modules she finds particularly fascinating.

Read Amy's blog post about studying Visual Arts
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Meet our Students | Grace

Meet BA Visual Arts and Film student Grace and find out about her interest in Baroque art and museum studies and discover how she created an audio-visual podcast and digital repository as part of her studies.

Read about Grace's career after graduation
University student
Studying in such a beautiful city like Durham feels like a real privilege. Immerse yourself in everything you do here at Durham and throw yourself into the wider student experience. There's really invaluable things to learn from all of your peers and the people around you.

Grace
BA Visual Arts and Film student at Durham University
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Meet our Students | Max

Meet BA Visual Arts and Film student Max and find out about his interest in film making and how he got to be director of a short film as part of his studies.

Find out more about the BA in Visual Arts and Film
University student
You get this really robust foundational knowledge of the theory of film and that actually really helped when I was making it as part of the filmmaking module. I'm really excited to get into the industry now.

Max
BA Visual Arts and Film student at Durham University

Discover more

 

 

BA Visual Arts and Film Course Page

See all course details and structure, entry requirements, fees and funding and how to apply.
Careers Week Film & Television (original size)

Meet the Visual Arts and Film Team

See a complete list of all members of staff responsible for the BA Visual Arts and Film.
Staff Meeting