Film and Television - Wits University

Overview

Whether you’re an aspiring director, a would-be producer, a creative and/or someone who wants to write innovative South African stories for film or television, the Bachelor of Arts in Film and Television (BAFT) offers exciting and creative learning opportunities.

You will benefit from theoretically informed and production-based learning in a range of formats, including documentary and fiction short films, music videos and experimental film-making, as well as specialised courses in cinematography, post-production, studio production and sound design. The four-year undergraduate programme allows you to interrogate multiple aspects of film-making, in addition to specialised technical training.

Career Opportunities

Director
Editor
Producer
Writer
Programme researcher
Script supervisor
Production Coordinator
Sound designer
Sound Mixer
Production Manager
Researcher
Set designer
Academic

Curriculum

First-year

Film, Visual and Performing Arts 1A AND IB
Visual Storytelling IA AND IB
Image Creation IA AND IB

AND

A student is required to complete two semester courses in one of the following languages: isiZulu or Sesotho or South African Sign Language (SASL). If a student is proficient in any two of the three languages (isiZulu, Sesotho or SASL), the student is advised to do one of the following: (i) register in a first-language stream for two courses in isiZulu or Sesotho, (ii) register for two courses in any one of the following: French, German, Italian, Portuguese, or Spanish, or (iii) formally apply to the Dean for exemption from the requirement to register for a language subject. Where an exemption has been granted, students must add a course/s yielding at least 36 credits in a subject approved by Senate. A student may also be granted a credit if s/he has completed the same or an equivalent course.

Second-year

Image Creation IIA AND IIB
Visual Storytelling IIA

Select courses yielding 48 credits from:

Film, Visual and Performing Arts 1A: Storytelling across Media and Cultural contexts
Screen Studies IIB, OR
History of Arts IIA
Critical Music Studies: Concepts and Contexts IIA

Third-year

Directing Fiction III
Documentary Film-making III
Principles of Sound Design III
Principles of Studio Production III
Screen Writing IIIA AND IIIB

OR, select one course from the following:

Interactive Media IIIA
Animation IIIA
Theories of Art
Introduction to Cultural Policy and Management A
Funding Contexts in Cultural and Creative Industries

Screen Studies IIIA

AND

Film, Visual and Performing Arts IIIA: Aesthetics Technologies and Commodity Cultures
Film, Visual and Performing Arts IIIB: Medium, Process and Criticality

History of Art IIIC AND IIID

Music in History and Society III: Musical Modernisms
Music in History and Society III: Music in Contemporary Lives

Level 3000 courses yielding 36 credits

Fourth-year

Select one course from the following:

Long Essay in Film and Television
Research Project in Film and Television

Select four courses from the following:

Fact and Fiction IV
Experimental Film IV
Fundamentals of Post-production IV
Fundamentals of Cinematography IV
Screenwriting IVA AND Screenwriting IVB

Select three courses from the list above AND one appropriate fourth year course from the following:

Film Studies IVA AND IVB
Digital Humanities
Participatory Cultures
Cultural Entrepreneurship
Arts, Marketing: Context, Strategies and Practices
Animation IV
Interactive Media IV
Key Moments in the 20th Century Arts: Tradition and Innovation
Selected topic in Interdisciplinary Arts and Cultural Studies

Entry Requirements

APS 34+

English Home Language OR First Additional Language Level 5

Wait-listing

An APS of 30-33 points may be wait-listed, subject to place availability.

Additional Selection Criteria

Applicants have to submit a portfolio and may have to attend an interview. Click here for more information. Due to limited space, meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee a place. Final selection is made subject to place availability, academic results and other entry requirements, where applicable.

University Application Process

The Student Enrolment Centre at Wits handles all student applications.
Please click here for an overview of the application process.
Check the admission requirements for your degree. Check if any additional selection requirements apply.
Submit your application, required documentation and application fee before the closing date.
Once you have applied, an admissions consultant will be assigned to your application.
Applicants can monitor the progress of their applications via the Self Service Portal.
If you are an international applicant and/or have a foreign qualification, please click here.

Compliance with the minimum requirements does not guarantee a place at the University. The University has a specific number of places for first year undergraduates, approved by the Department of Higher Education and Training. Final selection is made subject to the availability of places, academic results and other entry requirements where applicable.

University Fees and Funding

Click here to see the current average tuition fees for the first year of study. The Fees website also provides information about the payment of fees and closing dates for fees payments. Once you have applied you will be able to access the fees estimator on the student self-service portal.

The Financial aid office provides information on student funding and scholarships. University-funded Scholarships include Vice-Chancellor's Scholarships, University Entrance Scholarships, Equality Scholarships, Sports Scholarships and National Olympiad winner awards. For information about NSFAS funding, please visit the NSFAS website. External bursaries portal: The Bursaries South Africa website provides a comprehensive list of bursaries in South Africa.

Wits Plus applicants: terms of payment are in accordance with University regulations, and students are not eligible for University bursaries/NSFAS or residential accommodation.