ADVANCED FILM GENRE - 2019/0

Module code: MFC3038

Module Overview

This module engages with a range of films broadly defined as belonging to a genre. The genres studied will be discussed within the relevant historical, geographical, theoretical and industrial contexts so as to situate them within Film Studies more broadly.

Module provider

School of Literature and Languages

Module Leader

HUGHES Helen (Lit & Langs)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): 20

Overall student workload

Independent Learning Hours: 128

Lecture Hours: 22

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None. This module has a capped number and may not be available to ERASMUS and other international exchange students. Please check with the departmental exchange coordinator.

Module content

Indicative content will depend on the genre studied. The below indicates the module as currently taught:



  • Defining horror and its subgenres


  • Psychoanalytic approaches to horror 


  • Social historical approaches to horror


  • Horror films discussed include: Vampyr (1932); Psycho (1960); The Shining (1980); Ringu (1998); Paranormal Activity (2009)


  • Defining Science Fiction


  • Science fiction and the space age


  • Science fiction and philosophy


  • Science fiction films discussed include: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Solaris (1972), The Matrix (1999), Interstellar (2014)


Assessment pattern

Assessment type Unit of assessment Weighting
Coursework PRESENTATION 20
Coursework ESSAY 80

Alternative Assessment

Recorded presentation or oral exam (20%)

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to discover, explore and interrogate a film genre and to express this knowledge verbally and in writing.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:



  • Presentation – during teaching weeks

  • Essay (3000 words) – exam period



Formative assessment and feedback



  • Verbal feedback to interpretation of films in weekly sessions


  • Short formative writing assessment, written and verbal feedback provided


  • Essay outline (feedback provided)


Module aims

  • Advance students’ historical, formal and industrial understanding of genre
  • Develop higher skills in critical cultural and textual analysis
  • Enable students to explore two genres in depth

Learning outcomes

Attributes Developed
001 Characterise the nature and development of a genre KCPT
002 Situate a specific genre in the relevant historical, geographical, cultural, social, theoretical and industrial contexts KCPT
003 Critique and question the concept of generic classification of film KCPT
004 Write critically and analytically about a specific genre within the above contexts KCPT
005 Present verbally complex ideas about a specific genre within the above context KCPT

Attributes Developed

C - Cognitive/analytical

K - Subject knowledge

T - Transferable skills

P - Professional/Practical skills

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:



  • Provide students with the necessary knowledge and analytical skills to be able to understand and analyse film within a generic classification


  • Encourage students to critique and question genre classification


  • Help student develop and refine their written and oral skills of film analysis, theorisation and critique



The learning and teaching methods include:



  • Lecturer presentations using illustrative materials


  • Seminar discussion


Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MFC3038

Programmes this module appears in

Programme Semester Classification Qualifying conditions
Digital Media Arts with Film Studies BA (Hons) 1 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module
English Literature with German BA (Hons) 1 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module
English Literature with Film Studies BA (Hons) 1 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module
English Literature with Creative Writing BA (Hons) 1 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module
English Literature and French BA (Hons) 1 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module
English Literature BA (Hons) 1 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module
Theatre and Performance with Film Studies BA (Hons) 1 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module
English Literature and Spanish BA (Hons) 1 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module
Theatre and Performance BA (Hons) 1 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module
Media Studies with Film Studies BA (Hons) 1 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2019/0 academic year.