At Worcester you can combine your study of English with multiple other subjects, including Film Studies, as either a Joint Honours degree or in a Major/Minor arrangement. Ahead of starting his third year of his English and Film Studies degree, our student Aaron Johnson tells us about a highlight of his course so far and how it shaped his engagement with both sides of his degree.

My first year English module, ‘Introduction to Literature’ established a deeper interest in dramas, acquainting me with Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe. Prior to my studies I lacked ability to engage with the play form. Surprisingly I fell in love with Faustus, learning that, as a Film Studies student, the narrative is an integral staple and cornerstone for modern day story-telling, inspiring media ranging from Netflix’s film Upgrade, The Comedian and episode of Jordan Peele’s rebooted The Twilight Zone, and even an episode of Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty. As my education has continued and my contact with dramatic texts has increased, I’ve even stumbled upon my current favourite play The Tempest, by William Shakespeare. Comparatively, film studies expanded on my personal interest for film score and soundtrack, exploring it further through the likes of Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times, and James Gunn’s Guardian’s of the Galaxy Vol.2. Strengthening my ability to analyse sound and view a film entirely through soundtrack, be it diegetic (within the film’s world) or non-diegetic (beyond the film’s world), I found an ever-expanding interest that I now aim to expand and utilise in my third-year dissertation on the works of John Powell.

For more information on studying English Literature with Film Studies check out our course page https://www.worcester.ac.uk/courses/english-literature-and-film-studies-ba-hons or email our admissions tutor Dr Lucy Arnold lucy.arnold@worc.ac.uk