• Are you interested in audiovisual media such as films, series, or web videos?
• Do you enjoy reflecting on (your own) media use?
• Do you enjoy discussing and working with others on current issues in film and media culture?
• Are you open to other points of view and are you also interested in varied opinions about films?
• Would you like to know more about films from other eras or cultures?

Then Film Studies could be just the right course of studies for you.

In addition to enjoying film reception theory, you should also be interested in working with academic texts, writing your own texts, and conducting research.

You must be able to read and understand specialized academic literature in English in order to pursue your studies. Knowledge of another modern foreign language is advisable. However, you do not have to prove your language proficiency before or during your studies.

You will study this subject as part of a two-subject bachelor’s degree program. The degree program always consists of an academic major and minor, which can be combined according to your interests or professional goals.

If you choose the subject as a minor, you will generally complete only a portion of the modules and classes taught to students of the major subject. As a result, you will focus on a selection from the content listed below.

Program structure

Structure of the Film Studies academic major:

Your program will be divided into three larger units. In principle, you can freely choose your classes within the following topics, depending on your personal interests.

1st and 2nd semesters – fundamentals in:

• Film studies
• Film history
• Cultural analysis
• Theater studies
• Cultural anthropology/ethnology

3rd and 4th semesters – thematic focuses:

• Examination of different forms of film in their historical, institutional, and media contexts
• In-depth investigation of questions concerning the theory and aesthetics of audiovisual moving pictures
• Elective module: career internship or practical film-making project
  Typical questions include:
  • How has film changed with digitalization?
  • How does the location where the film is viewed change the viewing experience (computer or television screen, cinema, museum, theater)?
  • How are film aesthetics (e.g. camera work, editing, sound design) and film experience mutually dependent?
  • To what extent do audiovisual media shape our view of other people, for example in terms of gender, sexuality and race? To what extent do films help to make us aware of gendering and racialization processes and thus also change our understanding of gender, sexuality, and race?
  • How do production and distribution relationships take shape beyond commercial cinema (e.g. in experimental, documentary, and commercial films)?

5th and 6th semesters:

• Consolidation of the knowledge acquired
• Film in relation to other media and arts

6th semester – final module and bachelor’s thesis:

• You usually write an academic paper in a field of interest of your own choice.

Structure of the Film Studies academic minor:

5th and 6th semesters:

• Consolidation of the knowledge acquired
• Film in relation to other media and arts

6th semester – final module and bachelor’s thesis:

• You usually write an academic paper in a field of interest of your own choice.

When taken as a minor, you will take fewer courses and work with a smaller selection of the topics listed above. Theater Studies and Cultural Anthropology/Ethnology are not part of this program of study. Similarly, the practical module (career internship or practical film-making project) and the final module (including the bachelor’s thesis) are not required. A specialization within film studies is therefore less pronounced.

Stay abroad

Would you like to live abroad for a semester or a year? Do you want to learn another language and get to know a new culture? Or gain a different perspective on your particular subject? A stay abroad provides you with the perfect opportunity to achieve this and is possible with every degree program – either self-organized or by taking advantage of one of the popular exchange programs. This is made possible by various cooperation agreements and partnerships with foreign universities.

For more information on this topic, please visit our websites on studying abroad. Visit our student exchange platform for an overview of cooperating universities in your field.

This program of study does not require you to spend time abroad, but you nevertheless have the opportunity to do so.

Internships

As part of your (major) studies – usually in the fourth semester – you will either complete a career internship or alternatively prepare a practical film project.

Voluntary internships are another good opportunity to obtain more in-depth insight into a professional field.

An internship allows you to discover whether everyday life in a particular occupation suits your career expectations and interests. You can gain qualifications for a professional field and acquire important professional and personal skills to start a career. An internship helps you both shape your career path, and mold the remainder of your course sequence – in particular by selecting specializations that suit your practical experience.

You can find further information and relevant internships on the Career Service website.

Film Studies graduates typically work in the following areas or employment sectors after their studies (often after specialization in a master’s degree program):

• Film production companies, film distribution
• Film festivals and film museums
• Specialist archives and libraries
• Editorial, recording, and production assistance
• Format development in media companies or organizations
• Curatorial work in the media sector
• Specialist publishing (editing, proofreading, etc.)
• Media law sector
• Film and cultural journalism
• Film studies research, e.g. at university
• Online marketing/social media in the media industry

Other common fields of employment include:

• Education and culture (e.g., theaters, museums, educational institutions, adult education, libraries, archives, documentation)
• Politics and social affairs (e.g., ministries, political parties, foundations, educational institutions, associations, and clubs)
• Public services and administrations (e.g., as a subject librarian)
• Advertising
• Business (e.g., business advisory services, consulting, marketing, materials management, human resources, corporate training)
• Research (e.g. university, higher education institutions, research institutions, projects)

Not sure what to do after graduation? Don’t worry!

A university degree generally does not prepare you for a single profession but qualifies you for a wide range of career paths – for example, in research, in a typical profession related to your field of study, or in one of many other academic fields.

This is why career orientation is also part of your studies. Gaining practical experience is key, and you can do so through internships, working student positions, part-time jobs or voluntary work, for example.

JGU’s Career Service will support you throughout the entire process with information, advice, workshops and numerous events – from career orientation and working on your profile and skills to finding your dream job and successfully applying for it.