Chinese Studies and Film

BA Hons

  • UCAS code T1P3
  • Entry year 2025
  • A level requirements ABB
  • Duration Full time 4 years

Overview

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Lancaster’s joint Chinese Studies and Film degree is taught by the School of Global Affairs in conjunction with Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts (LICA).

Your Chinese Studies programme enables you to acquire Chinese language skills at beginner level, while gaining a thorough understanding of China's historical, cultural, social and political background in a global context.

In Film, you’ll examine cinema’s aesthetic, social and political importance in the context of an increasingly visual and media-orientated global culture, tracing the development of film from its origins as a technical novelty in the late 19th century through to its emergence as one of the most influential art forms of the 20th and early 21st century. You will study cinema history and the social significance of films and will develop a detailed understanding of the techniques of film production. Alongside this investigation of the theory and history of cinema, students have the opportunity to make their own digital film in all three years of the course either individually or as part of a group, drawing on our excellent technical resources and dedicated technician support.

Your first year comprises an exploration of the Chinese language and its cultural context as well as an introduction to Film Studies. Alongside this, you will study a minor subject from a list of subjects provided to you.

Building on your language skills in Year 2, you will study one Chinese Oral Skills module and one Chinese Written Skills module at the same level of proficiency. In addition, you will study the culture, of the Chinese-speaking world in more depth as well as select a module which is international in scope and which promotes a comparative understanding at a global level. You will combine these with Film modules.

Spending your third year - the International Placement Year - abroad in a Chinese-speaking country makes a major contribution to your command of the language, while deepening your intercultural sensitivity. You can study at a partner institution and practise your language skills in a real-world context. Staff members within the department will work with you to ensure that you are fully prepared before embarking on your placement in a Chinese-speaking country.

In your final year, you will consolidate your Chinese language skills and study language-specific or specialist culture and comparative modules You will also select from Film modules. You will have opportunities to combine your interests in both subjects in longer, supervised projects.

You can find some examples of optional modules in the Course Structure section below.

Careers

As well as language and subject-related skills, a degree in languages develops rich interpersonal, intercultural, cognitive and transferable skills that can be utilised across a variety of careers such as accountancy, IT, e-commerce, business development, community engagement, civil service, events management, finance, journalism and publishing, as well as teaching and translating both in the UK and abroad. Film graduates may go on to roles in TV or independent film production and jobs in advertising, marketing and media production, arts administration and management.

Many graduates continue their studies at Lancaster in areas such as humanities and interdisciplinary research, making the most of our excellent postgraduate research facilities. We offer Master's degrees in Translation, Languages and Cultures, as well as MA and PhD research degrees in Film Studies or Arts Management.

Entry requirements

Grade Requirements

A Level ABB

Required Subjects A level Chinese, and evidence of language learning ability such as AS grade B or A level grade B in another foreign language, or GCSE grade A in a foreign language. Native Mandarin speakers will not be accepted onto this scheme.

IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each component. For other English language qualifications we accept, please see our English language requirements webpages.

Other Qualifications

International Baccalaureate 32 points overall with 16 points from the best 3 Higher Level subjects including appropriate evidence of language ability

BTEC Distinction, Distinction, Merit accepted alongside appropriate evidence of language ability

We welcome applications from students with a range of alternative UK and international qualifications, including combinations of qualification. Further guidance on admission to the University, including other qualifications that we accept, frequently asked questions and information on applying, can be found on our general admissions webpages.

Contact Admissions Team + 44 (0) 1524 592028 or via ugadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk

International foundation programmes

Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored foundation pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

Contextual admissions

Contextual admissions could help you gain a place at university if you have faced additional challenges during your education which might have impacted your results. Visit our contextual admissions page to find out about how this works and whether you could be eligible.

Course structure

Lancaster University offers a range of programmes, some of which follow a structured study programme, and some which offer the chance for you to devise a more flexible programme to complement your main specialism.

Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, and the University will make every reasonable effort to offer modules as advertised. In some cases changes may be necessary and may result in some combinations being unavailable, for example as a result of student feedback, timetabling, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.

Core

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Optional

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Optional

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Optional

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Fees and funding

Our annual tuition fee is set for a 12-month session, starting in the October of your year of study.

Our Undergraduate Tuition Fees for 2025/26 are:

Home International
£9,250 £24,700

Please note

Course fees for undergraduate home students are currently under review for 2025 entry, following the recent UK Government announcement.

Fees and funding information

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Scholarships and bursaries

You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status:

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

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We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries.

Important information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2025/2026 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

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We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.

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