Almost 60% of film studies graduates went into full-time employment in 2009. Of those, 12.5% found jobs within the art/design/culture sector and, within the film industry itself, 2.1% became directors, 1.2% video/film recorder operators and 1.4% broadcasters. Some 34% found work in retail/catering, perhaps as a temporary measure and an indication of the competitive nature of the industry.

The focus of your degree is an important factor, says Margaret Holbrough of Graduate Prospects. “Careers within the film industry are fiercely competitive and opportunities to pursue a technical or practical career will depend on the graduate’s experience and the content of the degree, and whether it focuses more on hands-on film production skills as opposed to the appreciation, analysis and interpretation of films and film genres,” she says.

Within the film, TV and video industries the roles may include film/video/television editor, camera operator, photographer, art director, TV or film producer or production assistant, runner, location/props manager or programme researcher.

In addition, the publishing industry, including printed newspapers, magazines, online publications and websites, may offer opportunities to write about films as a journalist, content manager or editor, or to work in film and picture research and archiving.

Some business areas, such as advertising, marketing and communications, may also utilise the creative and analytical abilities of film studies graduates in roles such as art directors, account managers, copywriters and market researchers.

Teaching and lecturing are also potential career options and require a postgraduate teaching qualification.

Of those who graduated in 2009, 6% went on to study for a higher qualification. There are many masters and postgraduate diploma courses available in film studies, providing an opportunity to specialise in areas such as scriptwriting, directing, producing and final editing. Some jobs require a postgraduate qualification, such as teaching or journalism. There is also the chance to do postgraduate research in film-making.

No matter how high up your film school is in the rankings, one piece of advice often given to students of film and digital media is to not rest on the laurels of having a top-notch degree under your belt but to be prepared to “hustle”: to make and keep contacts within the industry, go after the company and position of your dreams and demonstrate your unique selling point in order to get a foot in the door of this highly competitive and ever changing industry.

And this applies of course more to those students keen to join the industry itself in some capacity than those more interested in studying or researching or teaching about it.

Timing the Degree

There are two schools of thought on when it is the best time to join film school. The first proposes that given the value attached to youth in the film and digital media industries, wisdom lies in pursuing and completing a degree early on. The other proposes that no matter how much value is placed on youth there is an undoubted advantage in securing a high-quality, competitive degree from a film school of repute and that students gain from attending film school after having tried their hand at working in any of the related industries for a few years.

As an instance, the film school that tops the list of the world’s best according to the Hollywood Reporter, the American Film Institute, is attended by students who are older than the average graduate student (about 27 years old) and usually obtain a place after having worked for at least a couple of years in the industry.

Studying Film & Television: Degrees at a Glance

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) suggests that to obtain a higher-level position in the film & television industry, such as director, writer or producer, you may need to have a bachelor’s degree. Even with an undergraduate degree, you will likely need to start in assistant positions and gain several years of professional experience to move up the ranks in this field. Earning a graduate degree in film & television studies can provide you with time to hone your skills, build a portfolio and make connections with industry professionals. Doctoral degrees in film & television studies might appeal to you if you want to teach at the collegiate level.

The BLS predicted that producers and directors would see an 11% employment growth rate (about average) over the 2010-2020 decade, while screenwriters would see a slower-than-average 6% growth during that time. Postsecondary teachers were expected to see a job rate increase of 17% during the same decade.

Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2011 figures).

Admission Process

The basic criteria for eligibility includes: evidence of English language proficiency, comparable and verifiable proof of high school grades and certificates when applying as a freshman and those of college education when applying for grad studies. Of equal value is being able to present proof of financial support to pay for your educational and living expenses. Broadly speaking, it is advisable to develop a plan to cover the cost of tuition, fees and living expenses for the entire length of your program and always keep a look out for scholarships exclusive to your school.

Some well-endowed universities such as USC offer merit based scholarships for undergrad studies to international students in which case admission runs concurrently with the financial aid process. But this is quite rare.

International students are, however, often eligible for school-based scholarships and fellowships as and where they exist. International students may also be eligible for loans through private lending sources, which usually require a co-signer who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

What distinguishes the application process to film school or film studies on the whole is the relatively greater weight given to talent, creativity and imagination. Various schools have slightly different ways of gauging this whether by means of a phone or in-person interview, the weight given to portfolios and the student’s statement of purpose (SoP).