Film and Photographic Studies (MA)

Why Leiden University

A top-ranked university

Leiden University's Faculty of Humanities is consistently ranked among the top 30 Humanities faculties worldwide in the THE World University Ranking. At Leiden University, the oldest university in the Netherlands, learning incorporates the latest research and resources found nowhere else in the world.

Access Leiden University Library’s extensive photo collection

The Leiden University Library is home to the oldest museological photo collection of the Netherlands. The collection with almost half a million historical and contemporary photographs pictures the history of photography from its invention in 1839 up to now. It is also the only collection in the Netherlands that includes cameras, studio and darkroom accessories.

An ideal location for the study of media

Leiden University offers you an excellent location from which to explore and study film and photography. Leiden is home to 13 museums, including Museum De Lakenhal, the National Museum of Ethnology and the Siebold House. Leiden is also within easy reach of the Dutch Photo Museum in Rotterdam, The Hague Museum of Photography and the Foam Photography Museum and Eye Film Museum in Amsterdam.

A head-start to your career

Our reputation as a centre of excellence means that your qualification is respected by organisations worldwide. Graduates of the Master’s programme in Media Studies enjoy successful careers thanks to their mix of in-depth, interdisciplinary knowledge and relevant professional experience.

Diversity and inclusion

We are convinced that our education can only flourish if everyone within the programme feels supported, respected and empowered to do their best work. We find it important to offer a learning environment that allows for different perspectives and points of view that students bring with them, depending on their ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, health, religion, age or socio-economic background. Every new generation sees the world from a new perspective – and our students are the newest generation. We look forward to hearing more about your perspective. Leiden University has been pursuing diversity policy since 2014, with the aim of creating a diverse and inclusive learning and working environment for all staff and students.