From the canonical to the cutting-edge, the profound to the playful: the current film world is as diverse and critically engaging as ever. So is our Film and Contemporary Audiovisual Media MA track.
It equips you to join high-level conversations about timely and fascinating issues. There will always be a “next big thing” in the world of cinema, and we welcome our inspired students to discover it with us.
In this one-year Master’s track, you will work closely with our international faculty, whose collective expertise includes phenomenological and cognitive film theory, film aesthetics, digital film forensics, queer film studies, post-colonial studies, film festival research, screen acting studies, media anthropology, animation studies, documentary studies and more. Our graduates are ready to leave their mark on the next chapters of film history, both inside and outside of academia.
Our track is unique in its combination of research-driven
seminars, the rich research resources of the world's Top 100
universities, and the extensive networks of internship
opportunities in major film and media institutions. The Master
offers a relevant (inter)national internship network. This track
will therefore be attractive to students who want to deepen their
knowledge of film, swiftly transition into the professional world,
and pursue a career in the arts and media sector.
Please visit our Facebook and Twitter/X pages or
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account for more information on our track, including the current
lineup of screenings, talks, and other special events.
In the first semester the students follow courses for 30 ECTS. In the second semester students write their MA thesis (20 EC) and do an internship/traineeship (10 EC). The internship can also be replaced by an additional course in the second semester.
| Semesters | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CoursesCourse Catalog > | 1a | 1b | 2a | 2b |
| Contemporary Complex Cinema (Miklós Kiss) (5 EC) | ||||
| New Directions in Documentary Cinema (Sirin Erensoy ) (5 EC) | ||||
| Screen Acting (Dan Leberg) (5 EC) | ||||
| Animation in the Digital Age (Cristina Formenti) (5 EC) | ||||
| Contemporary Film Aesthetics (Julian Hanich) (5 EC) | ||||
| The Ethics and Politics of Film (Sergio Rigoletto) (5 EC) | ||||
| Ma Internship (10 EC) | ||||
| Master's Thesis (20 EC) | ||||
| Programme options |
|---|
| Master's Placement (specialization) This Master's track includes an optional work placement for which you are awarded ECTS credit points. It is your responsibility to find a placement yourself, but the Office for Student Affairs can offer help with this where necessary. |
This track invites students to go on exchange during their second semester, with partner universities such as Freie Universität Berlin (GER), Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne (FRA), the Universities of Gothenburg, Lund, and Stockholm (SWE), University of Aarhus (DK) the Universities of Bradford, Durham, and Leicester (UK), ELTE University Budapest (H), the Universities of Milan, and Udine (I), University of Pretoria and University of the Free State South Africa, UNAM Mexico, and other universities.
| Specific requirements | More information |
|---|---|
| previous education |
Students with a Bachelor's degree in Arts, Culture and Media are directly admissible to this Master's track. University of Groningen students with a BA in:
with a Faculty Minor (30 ECTS) in Arts & Culture, Film and Contemporary Audiovisual Media track, are also admissible to this Master's track. Students with a Bachelor's degree in a related field, such as Arts Philosophy, Arts Sociology, Arts Policy, Film, Music, Theatre or Literature, are welcome to apply to the track. The Admissions Board will assess whether your educational/academic background meets the specific track requirements, and will consider the level and curriculum of your previous studies. |
| language test |
Additional requirements English: Minimum requirement of TOEFL iBT 90 (with a minimum of 21 on all items), or IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 6 on all items). Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency. |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Arts, Culture and Media | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
| American Studies | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:With a Faculty Minor (30 ECTS) in Arts & Culture, Film and Contemporary Audiovisual Media track |
| Communication and Information Studies | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:With a Faculty Minor (30 ECTS) in Arts & Culture, Film and Contemporary Audiovisual Media track |
| English Language and Culture | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:With a Faculty Minor (30 ECTS) in Arts & Culture, Film and Contemporary Audiovisual Media track |
| European Languages and Cultures | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:With a Faculty Minor (30 ECTS) in Arts & Culture, Film and Contemporary Audiovisual Media track |
| History (part-time) | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:With a Faculty Minor (30 ECTS) in Arts & Culture, Film and Contemporary Audiovisual Media track |
| Media Studies | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:With a Faculty Minor (30 ECTS) in Arts & Culture, Film and Contemporary Audiovisual Media track |
| Minorities & Multilingualism | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:With a Faculty Minor (30 ECTS) in Arts & Culture, Film and Contemporary Audiovisual Media track |
| Dutch Language and Culture | University of Groningen |
Additional requirements More information:With a Faculty Minor (30 ECTS) in Arts & Culture, Film and Contemporary Audiovisual Media track |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Arts, Culture and Media | All Research universities | No additional requirements |
Please use this step-by-step guide for more information regarding your eligibility and your specific application procedure.
After you complete your application, the Admissions Board will assess whether your educational/academic background meets the specific programme requirements, and will consider the level and curriculum of your previous studies.
The Admissions Board will then determine whether:
| Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch students | 15 August 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
| 15 August 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
| EU/EEA students | 01 May 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
| 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
| non-EU/EEA students | 01 May 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
| 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| Specific requirements | More information |
|---|---|
| previous education |
Students with a Bachelor's degree in Arts, Culture and Media are directly admissible to this Master's track. University of Groningen students with a BA in:
with a Faculty Minor (30 ECTS) in Arts & Culture, Film and Contemporary Audiovisual Media track, are also admissible to this Master's track. Students with a Bachelor's degree in a related field, such as Arts Philosophy, Arts Sociology, Arts Policy, Film, Music, Theatre or Literature, are welcome to apply to the track. The Admissions Board will assess whether your educational/academic background meets the specific track requirements, and will consider the level and curriculum of your previous studies. |
| language test |
Additional requirements English: A VWO diploma or a subject certificate for VWO English (mark 6 or higher), minimum requirement of TOEFL iBT 90 (with a minimum of 21 on all items), or IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 6 on all items). Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency. |
Please use this step-by-step guide for more information regarding your eligibility and your specific application procedure.
After you complete your application, the Admissions Board will assess whether your educational/academic background meets the specific programme requirements, and will consider the level and curriculum of your previous studies.
The Admissions Board will then determine whether:
| Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch students | 15 August 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
| 15 August 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
| EU/EEA students | 01 May 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
| 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 | |
| non-EU/EEA students | 01 May 2025 | 01 September 2025 |
| 01 May 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
Alumni of this track have found jobs in a wide array of fields. Some job examples:
There are other employment possibilities such as a position at a media company or in the advertisement and commercial field. Prior students have also begun their own successful arts organisations, advice bureaus, or research institutions in the field of arts, culture, and event organisations.
Beyond these, we are particularly proud of our success rate in acquiring PhD grants.
The MA in Film and Contemporary Audiovisual Media helped me to find the right balance between academic studies and creative work. The MA shaped my intellectual and academic inclinations whilst constantly encouraging me to use this knowledge for the investigation of hands-on experiences. This duality reached its peak during my theoretical and practical internship at the EYE Film Institute where I unpacked apparatuses and shot a documentary about editing tables. My fascination with creative work was fuelled by the academic insights I achieved during the courses which are tailored to fit interdisciplinarity. All the more so, my paper proposals and creative interests have always been supported by teachers and supervisors with fruitful feedback sessions.
