Melissa Donne BA Film and Philosophy, MA Film Studies

Hi, I'm Melissa Donne and I studied BA Film and Philosophy, MA Film Studies within Humanities at the University of Southampton.

Film is particularly well represented, with the University boasting a cinema that shows a number of blockbuster films as well as independent and world cinema. There are also excellent off-campus facilities for film - a thriving independent cinema that also hosts special events and two multiplexes, so Southampton is certainly a good choice if film is your passion.

Studying at Southampton has been both an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Doing a combined degree can be quite challenging and it is sometimes hard to juggle the demands of a number of different units, but there is always support from personal tutors or subject tutors that help to put everything into perspective. The great thing about studying film at an academic level is being exposed to new ways of looking at it and that you may not have considered before. Typically, we have a double lecture, screening and seminar (plus lectures from the other side of your degree) but we are also actively encouraged to supplement our learning with independent research and watch films other than the recommended screening each week. The facilities available for film are excellent with a well-stocked library and video and DVD collection which I often use for specific research for film units, as well as when I fancy widening my knowledge of other areas of film.

University life

The University certainly encourages you to pursue interests outside of your academic study, and the number of opportunities available on campus are vast. Film is particularly well represented, with the University boasting a cinema that shows a number of blockbuster films as well as independent and world cinema. There are also excellent off-campus facilities for film - a thriving independent cinema that also hosts special events and two multiplexes, so Southampton is certainly a good choice if film is your passion. In short, the opportunities are there for gaining new experiences and skills if you wish, and getting the most out of university life.