Film Studies
This Film Studies degree for people who want to think critically about film and write it – combining academic depth with practical creativity and opening a pathway to professional screenwriting.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | Institute of Art Design and Technology |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) | Major | Institute of Art Design and Technology | Level 8 NFQ |
Duration
3 years full-time.
Specific Subjects or course requirements
Min Entry Requirements
2 H5 + 4 O6/H7
English: O6/H7
Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP
QQI FET Applicants General Information
Careers / Further progression
What will I be able to do when I graduate?
Graduates go on to careers in:
Film & TV: production, development, and screenwriting
Media & Journalism: research, criticism, and reporting
Digital & Social: content creation, strategy, and storytelling
Arts & Culture: curation, programming, and cultural research
Communications: PR, public affairs, and brand storytelling
For aspiring writers, this course also provides a potential pathway into the MA in Screenwriting at IADT – the next step in turning early scripts into industry-ready projects.
Further information
September 2026
Mature Students
We welcome applications from mature students, who must apply to the CAO.
More info for Mature https://iadt.ie/services/institute-student-services/access-social-inclusion/mature-students/
20
Entry 2026
Early online application (discounted): Fee €35 Closing Date: 20 January 2026 at 5pm
Normal online application: Fee €50 Closing Date: 1 February 2026 at 5pm
Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2026 CAO Handbook): Fee: €65 Closing Date: 1 May 2026 at 5pm
Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2026 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2026 at 5pm
Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.
LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2026. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2026, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2026 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2026 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €65 applies.
Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2026 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:
General Restrictions
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices
Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course
Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants
Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR
* Subject to Validation
This Film Studies degree for people who want to think critically about film and write it – combining academic depth with practical creativity and opening a pathway to professional screenwriting.
At Ireland’s National Film School (NFS), you will study in a creative environment alongside directors, writers, and producers – benefiting from IADT’s FilmEU alliance that connects you with leading European film schools. What makes this course unique is its blend of critical thinking and creative practice: you’ll not only interrogate film as culture, but also learn how to write for the screen, pitch ideas, and develop your own projects.
This programme is an ideal foundation for anyone with ambitions in screenwriting. Around a quarter of the course is dedicated to practice-based modules, where you’ll write scripts, workshop ideas, and develop an understanding of what makes stories work on screen and in podcasts. These modules sit alongside research and theory, giving you the dual skills of critical analysis and creative storytelling.
And if you want to take your writing further, this BA provides a clear progression route into Postgraduate study – including the MA in Screenwriting at IADT – where you can refine your craft and take your projects to industry level.
What will I do?
Learn the craft of screenwriting. Develop original ideas, write for film and TV, and practice pitching – all in a supportive, workshop-based environment.
Research through practice. Use your creative projects as a form of inquiry: explore how stories reflect and shape culture, identity, and politics.
See film as a cultural force. Analyse genres, movements, and global cinema to understand how film challenges and reshapes society.
Trace the future of storytelling. From silent cinema to streaming and AI-generated content, you’ll explore how new technologies continually transform the screen.
Build transferable skills. Whether writing scripts, presenting ideas, or conducting research, you’ll graduate with the creative and critical toolkit to thrive in media and the arts.
Year 1
Semester 1
The Craft of Screenwriting
Podcasting
Visual and Material Culture
Film History & Theory
IADT Connect
Semester 2
Film Genre – Hollywood to Horror
Climate Communication
Cinema & Sound
Exploring Material culture
Episodic TV Drama
Year 2
Semester 1
Irish Cinema
Global Media Industries
Creative Development
Documentary studies
Semester 2
European Cinema
Society & Media
Skills Elective
TV Drama Writing
Film Genre – Action to Animation
Semester 1
World Cinema
Research Skills
Business & Pitching for Creative Industries
Digital Cultures
Semester 2
Screen Concepts
Final Research Project
Dr Jeremiah Ambrose
Programme Chair
Email: Jeremiah.Ambrose@iadt.ie