The purpose of LENS – to foster, coordinate and support research in the area of the visual arts and visual media of photography, film, video and digital media – is connected to the objectives of the Master program Film and Photographic Studies.

Intersection between History and Theory of Film and Photography 
Film and Photographic Studies is a specialization of the Leiden University Master’s program in Media Studies and offers a unique curriculum focusing on academic study and research in the field of lens-based media, comprising photography, film and video. The curriculum is a combination of history and theory of film and photography within the broader context of art history, visual culture, and media studies. 

Training Professionals for the World of Contemporary Media Culture 
The ubiquity of lens-based and projected media in contemporary culture has established a growing need for well-trained professionals who can analyze film and photography both as independent media and in relation to other cultural practices and disciplines. Film and Photographic Studies is an exceptional program, nationally and internationally, in its exclusive focus on film, video and photography while maintaining an interdisciplinary approach. The curriculum provides students with an in-depth understanding of the specific histories, institutions and discourses of cinema, photography and other media arts.

Interested? Find out more about Film and Photographic Studies