Theatre, Film and Television Studies

What will I gain from my subject?

Your degree will provide you with a variety of transferable skills including experience in group work, leadership, planning, self-management, creativity and research, all valued by graduate employers. Your transferable skills and the level of intellectual attainment gained through study of your subject mean that you will have many different career options when you graduate. A high percentage of all graduate vacancies are open to graduates of any discipline yet many students are not aware of this or they are influenced by the myths surrounding the choices open to them.

What can I do with my subject?

Graduates find employment with film and television companies, working in roles such as programme researchers for various broadcasting media, floor managers, camera operators, sound technicians, runners, producers and directors. Your degree will also help prepare you for areas such as teaching, research, marketing, media planning, events organisation, the computing industries, and public relations. Many graduates also work as freelancers in the creative industries.

Information on options with your subject:

The AGCAS Options series cover over 70 specific degree subjects. They cover the skills you have gained from studying your subject, employment prospects and job options open to you, as well as other options such as further study and taking time out.

 The TARGETjobs website also has a section on career options with different degrees, which is worth a look.

What help is available?

You have a dedicated links Careers Consultant who works closely with your department to provide support, advice and information. Careers workshops and events are held in your department to promote work experience opportunities, support career planning and network with professionals working in the creative industries. A central careers education programme is also delivered and postgraduates have access to the Postgraduate Skills Training programme. You are welcome to drop into the Careers Service for further support and information anytime.

Where do I start looking for work experience and graduate jobs?

The value of work experience cannot be overestimated and while all work experience is valuable, tailored experience will be particularly beneficial especially if you want to work in the media industry. Work experience provides an opportunity to start networking in your chosen industry and many job opportunities are filled by word of mouth.   By taking your work experience a step forward and gaining relevant experience directly related to your future aspirations, you will be developing the skills sought after by employers in that sector. In addition, you will be demonstrating enthusiasm, commitment and a strong interest in that area of work.

The links below are a starting point when seeking opportunities directly related to your subject. Don't forget that support is available from the Careers Service when applying for jobs and work experience.

In some cases, you may find details of work experience placements but more often, you will need to use the information to give you ideas for speculative applications. For example, you may find general vacancies relevant to your subject which are not placement opportunities; however, if this an area of work where you would like to gain experience, you could contact the employer with a speculative application to see if there is the possibility of a placement with them. Our careers consultants can help you with this process.

Don't forget that many graduate employers, particularly the larger companies, include details of work experience placements on their websites. If there are organisations you'd like to work for, have a look at the Careers or Recruitment sections of their websites to see what is on offer.

Finally, remember that many of the links below will be equally useful to you when looking for graduate jobs.

UK

Overseas

Professional bodies and associations

These organisations promote the interests of people working in particular professions. Some have listings of employers who are members of the association and may advertise jobs while others may be a useful source of information when researching employers for applications or considering a speculative application.

What do Aber graduates do?

Many students move into roles related to their degree course such as actor, runner, costume assistant, assistant floor manager, television researcher and trainee script writer. Other students have used their transferable skills from their degree course to secure employment in roles such as police officer, teacher, accounts executive and adult education tutor. Here are some examples of employers that Aberystwyth theatre, film & television studies graduates and postgraduates have gone to work for:

  • Aberystwyth Arts Centre
  • Acrobat Television
  • Belgrade Theatre
  • Channel 4
  • Fiction Factory Film
  • Gorseinon College
  • ITV Wales
  • Urdd
  • Welsh National Opera