| UCAS code | 1234 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 1 year full time |
| Entry year | September 2026 |
| Campus | Streatham Campus |
| Discipline | Creative Industries |
| Contact |
| Typical offer | We will consider applicants with a 2:2 Honours degree or above in a social science* or humanities subject. |
|---|---|
Overview
For emerging film professionals and scholars, this MA offers a rigorous exploration of the global film industry's structures, equipping students with critical insights and practical skills in production, finance, and distribution to navigate and lead within the evolving cinematic landscape.
- Delivered in partnership with London Film School, you will be taught by leading academics, industry practitioners, specialist tutors and guest industry tutors. In addition, you’ll attend a range of masterclasses from renowned industry practitioners taking you through real world case studies.
- Learn about the independent film industry of the 21st century: its history, structure, innovations and challenges. You will also learn to practise and apply commercial creativity informed by the international marketplace.
- Become equipped with the business, production, financial, sales, marketing, exhibition and distribution knowledge for a successful career in the international film business.
- Our students come to study from across the world: you will be part of a truly international cohort, enriching your learning and broadening your future network. You will also have access to our thriving alumni community for advice, contacts and networking opportunities.
- You will have the opportunity to intern as a volunteer on live campaigns for eXeFilm – the only film distribution label run by an international higher education institute.
- Experience studying and living in two exciting and very different cities: Exeter is the UNESCO city of literature – a vibrant cathedral city in the heart of the dramatic and beautiful Devon countryside, London is a global cultural hub and the heart of a thriving film industry.
- Extra-curricular opportunities to forge industry contacts, internships and shoot your own productions.
- You’ll attend two field trips – one based in Devon, themed around alternate theatrical exhibition in Term One, and attend an international film market and festival in Term Two.
Fast Track (current Exeter students)
Contact
Programme Director: Jezz Vernon
Course Leader: Victoria Thomas (London Film School)
Web: Enquire online
Phone: +44 (0)1392 72 72 72
6th in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026
For Drama, Dance and Cinematics
1:1 dissertation support from an academic supervisor and an industry mentor
Home to the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum
The biggest film-related archive in the UK outside the British Film Institute
Industry networking via masterclasses, Q&As and events
Opportunity to intern as a volunteer on live campaigns for eXeFilm
6th in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026
For Drama, Dance and Cinematics
1:1 dissertation support from an academic supervisor and an industry mentor
Home to the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum
The biggest film-related archive in the UK outside the British Film Institute
Industry networking via masterclasses, Q&As and events
Opportunity to intern as a volunteer on live campaigns for eXeFilm
Entry requirements
We will consider applicants with a 2:2 Honours degree or above in a social science* or humanities subject. While we normally only consider applicants who meet this criteria, if you are coming from a different academic background which is equivalent to degree level, or have relevant work experience, we would welcome your application.
Applicants may also be asked to submit a personal statement clearly indicating their motivation for studying this programme, and long-term career goals within the international film business market. However, this is not mandatory for your initial application. You are welcome to include a personal statement if you wish.
*Accepted social science subjects include:
- Anthropology
- Archaeology
- Area and Development Studies
- Criminology
- Demography
- Development Studies
- Economics
- Economic and Social History
- Education
- Environmental Planning
- Human Geography
- International Relations
- Law
- Linguistics
- Management and Business Studies
- Media and Communication Studies
- Philosophy
- Politics and International Studies
- Psychology
- Science and Technology Studies
- Social Policy
- Social Statistics, Methods, and Computing
- Social Work
- Socio Legal Studies
- Sociology
Please also see our guidance on essential documentation required for an initial decision on taught programme applications.
Entry requirements for international students
Please visit our entry requirements section for equivalencies from your country and further information on English language requirements.
Please also see our guidance on essential documentation required for an initial decision on taught programme applications.
Entry requirements for international students
English language requirements
International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B1. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.
I chose to study the MAIFB programme because it tackles all the processes of the international film business such as marketing, distribution, pitching and networking, business planning, and executive production.
The course increased my confidence and helped me develop the key skills to get into the business side of the industry.
The University’s campus, people, facilities, lecturers and cohorts were a perfect mix of excellence. My favourite thing about the programme was the combination of two cities, London and Exeter, which exposed me to very different lifestyles and perspectives.
Alexandra
MA International Film Business
Course content
- This unique programme is specifically designed to give you transferable skills, specialist knowledge and professional experience through interdisciplinary teaching with a broad range of experts. Teaching is split-site, with Term One spent at University of Exeter and Term Two at the London Film School.
- You will have plenty of opportunities to build an international network through your cohort, teachers, guest speakers, as well as trips to film festivals and markets. Recent trips have included the Berlinale and Cannes.
- The programme is divided into units of study called modules which are assigned a number of 'credits'. The credit rating of a module is proportional to the total workload, with 1 credit being nominally equivalent to 10 hours of work.
The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.
180 credits of compulsory modules.
a You must take either EAFM203 Dissertation or EAFM204 Dissertation Project.
Compulsory modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EAFM203 | Dissertation [See note a above] | 60 |
| EAFM204 | Dissertation Project [See note a above] | 60 |
| EAFM200 | Distribution and Markets Taught in term 1 at UoE | 30 |
| EAFM201 | The Entertainment Value Chain Taught in term 2 at LFS | 30 |
| EAFM202 | Models of Innovation Taught in term 2 at LFS | 30 |
| EAFM205 | The International Film Business: Approaches, Concepts and Strategies Taught in term 1 at UoE | 30 |
Fees
2026/27 entry
UK fees per year:
£29,400 full-time
International fees per year:
£29,400 full-time
Scholarships
The University of Exeter offers a wide range of scholarships to support your education, with £7 million available for international students applying to study with us in the 2026/27 academic year, including our prestigious Exeter Excellence Scholarships *. We also provide awards for sport, music and other achievements, as well as regional and partner scholarships with organisations such as Chevening, The Beacon Trust and the British Council. For more information on scholarships and other financial support, please visit our scholarships and bursaries page.
University of Exeter Alumni Scholarship
We are pleased to offer University of Exeter alumni beginning a standalone postgraduate programme in 2026/27 with us a scholarship towards the cost of your tuition fees. Full details can be found here.
*Terms and conditions, including deadlines, apply. See our website for details..
Facilities
At Exeter you will have access to world-class university resources and facilities including the world-renowned Bill Douglas Cinema Museum. The museum holds a unique archival collection with particular strengths in the area of British Film Producers. Housed in the University’s state-of-the-art Research Commons study facility the museum houses more than 70,000 artefacts and includes extensive archival material on selected British film producers. The main University Library also has significant holdings in the area of film studies including books, journals and more than 10,000 films and television programmes on videotape and DVD.
Our Audio-Visual collection in the University library comprises over 12,000 film titles, in addition to books and recordings of American music of all kinds. All our postgraduate students enjoy access to excellent computing facilities. The Postgraduate Common Room in the Queen’s Building provides a relaxing space where postgraduate students can meet and work together in reading and discussion groups.
While in London you will have access to the British Film Institute library and National Film Theatre as well as some of the facilities and expertise of the London Film School. For instance, there are weekly sessions on film aesthetics which you will be able to take part in as well as the industry mentoring programme for your dissertation, and opportunity to work as a producer for an LFS graduation film.
Teaching and research
As an MA International Film Business student you will have access to the world-renowned expertise of the London Film School and the academic excellence and research resources of the University of Exeter. You will also be taught by industry experts and guest tutors, ensuring that the teaching you receive has cutting edge relevancy to the sector.
First term
During your first term at the University of Exeter you will engage in a wide-ranging exploration of key markets in the international film business; analysing themes relating to distribution and exhibition, the role of festivals and the marketing of stars, event cinema and the notion of the producer as entrepreneur. Taught by leading academics and industry professionals, you will also learn about theoretical and practical concepts related to finance, investment, intellectual property, and business strategy - applying these concepts directly to the international film business.
Second term
During your second term at the London Film School you will study two modules exploring the innovative models being applied to the contemporary international film business. You will also visit an international film market or festival as part of an organised field trip where you will gain valuable experience.
LFS
At the London Film School you will participate in talks, seminars, master classes and question-and-answer sessions with film industry professionals; providing you with both the knowledge and contacts that few programmes can offer.
Assessment
Alongside essays and research reports, we use a range of innovative methods of assessment. You will give presentations and make pitches, take part in negotiation exercises and deliver a pop-up cinema event. In your final term you will work on your dissertation or dissertation project under the supervision of an academic advisor and an industry mentor who will meet with you regularly to discuss your work, your ambitions and the development of your project.
Making a film
While there is no requirement to make a film as part of the MA, you can take the initiative in the second and third term to work independently, outside of the programme, with other London Film School students who are studying on the MA screenwriting or MA Filmmaking. In Term One you can join the 72 film challenge – the Exeter 72, as well as produce and direct your own work utilising the University’s wide range of equipment and facilities.
Build an international network
The MA International Film Business, launched in 2014, is a joint enterprise created and run by the University of Exeter and the London Film School, successfully prepares students for executive careers in the global screen industries.
Its 300 plus alumni, who have recently gathered for two 10th Anniversary celebrations (Exeter in December 2024; and London in April 2025), have achieved striking career success across film, TV, commercials and wider screen industries – in every area from filmmaking and international sales to film and TV platform management, licensing and festivals.
As a student of the MA International Film Business, you will become part of this global network of film graduates, as well as part of the wider alumni networks of the University of Exeter and the London Film School.
Cannes Film Festival 2025
As in previous years, our MA International Film Business students were in Cannes to experience the world leading festival and international film market, putting into practice what they had been learning through the year in the classroom, and re-connecting with many of the industry professionals they had net across the year in seminars, masterclasses and networking events across the first two terms.
The field trip to Cannes also served as preparation for their ‘territory and market’ reports, which form part of their final assessed work – one of the things we emphasise on the course is tailoring the assessed work to exercises that will provide you with the real world skills and knowledge you will need in the film industry when you graduate.
With their tutors, including LFS Head of Department Victoria Thomas, Co-Ordinator Sabrina Semidei, and LFS Head of School Chris Auty, the students attended a symposium in the Cannes market, before touring the market on the opening day to prepare them for the task ahead.
The bustling Cannes film market, which attracts some 25,000 professionals and runs alongside the legendary Festival, is the largest of its kind in the world – a place where buyers and sellers from every corner of the world from the USA to China and from Germany to Australia congregate to trade their wares.
On the fourth day of their field trip, the students gathered for lunch by the Cannes Old Port with a wider range of tutors and industry practitioners linked to the programme to discuss their progress in a more relaxed environment.
You can see more videos of our students reactions to the event on our playlist.
Careers
One of the key benefits of the MA in International Film Business is the opportunity it gives you to create a network of contacts. You will be working alongside fellow students and established industry professionals with opportunities to meet big players in a variety of industry fields. The film industry more than any other is about contacts, as a graduate of our programme you will have built a good network of your own.
Alumni success
One of our more recent success stories, which took place in Cannes in May 2025, was the selection by Screen Daily (the global daily news feed for the film trade) of Johnny Rhodes as one of its ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’.
Since graduating in 2021, he has been appointed Sales Manager for the leading international film sales agency Cornerstone Films – which represents films from leading filmmakers such as Mikle Leigh, Andrea Arnold and Gurinder Chadha. Johnny is one of 300 alumni from the programme, working in the film and creative industries all across the world.
Career Zone
As part of the wider Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at Exeter you will have the chance to use our Career Zone which can help you gain the skills, experience and expertise employers are looking for.
There are a wide range of opportunities to enhance your employability, along with the support you need to make important career decisions. You will be encouraged to speak to your personal tutor and academic staff about your future career, as they may be able to offer advice and guidance to assist your decision-making to help you achieve your goals.
