A-Level Media
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What is Media Studies?
What is Media Studies?
An academic study of the mass media designed to develop an understanding of a diverse range of media texts and industries. A Level Media asks not only - What are the media industries doing but also Why?
How will I be assessed?
How will I be assessed?
You will put your knowledge and understanding into practice via a coursework unit which requires you to construct both print and audio-visual products.
The briefs might include:
Producing a range of marketing materials for a new TV documentary, or creating a music video with an accompanying webpage.
There will be two exams at the end of the 2 year course. They will include:
Component 1 - Breadth exam
• A mixture of stepped and short essay questions
• Unseen audio-visual and print texts compared with set products
Component 2 - Depth exam
• Theory focused questions
• Comparisons between set products in extended essay questions
What will I study on the course?
What will I study on the course?
We always begin with our set product text and deconstruct and analyse the encoded meaning. From this we begin to debate the wider context around the construction and consumption of this text.
We will constantly refer to our theoretical framework which underpins all our analysis. This includes a range of theoretical concepts and theorists who you can refer to to expand your analysis.
You will explore and debate issues around representation of different social groups, how the industry target audiences and how audiences respond to different texts.
You will explore social, cultural, political and historical contexts and how these impact on the way in which media texts are produced and received by audiences.
Media Studies explores forms such as TV, Film, Advertising, Publishing, Music, Online content and Gaming.
We will look at a wide range of set products from contemporary mainstream to foreign language, to independently produced and alternative and historical texts.
Thinking of joining the course?
Thinking of joining the course?
Entry Requirements
Entry Requirements
Due to the heavy focus on the written and analytical components of the course students will require:
> A minimum of 5 GCSEs at level 4 or above including:
> Level 4 in English Language
> Level 4 in English Literature
> Ideally you should have a grade 4 in at least one other essay based subject and at least one creative/art subject
> A genuine passion for understanding the form and
function of media texts and industries
> Confident analysis and essay writing skills
> Creative and technical skills
What if I haven't studied Media before?
What if I haven't studied Media before?
If you have studied Media before then you will certainly notice some similarities to start with, then the course will quickly build on your prior knowledge with more terminology, theory and exam set products.
If you have never studied Media before, don’t worry, the analysis skills themselves will be exactly the same as those you have employed in English Literature and History.
The debates around historical, social and political context will be similar to how you have discussed these in history and other humanities subjects and the creative skills used in the coursework will be similar to the process you have followed in art.
What should I combine Media Studies with?
What should I combine Media Studies with?
Media Studies is an academic subject and sits comfortably alongside a range of subjects. It is a humanities subject and naturally complements other similar subjects including history, English literature, English language, philosophy and film studies.
The course does contain an element of creativity via the coursework and may be suited to those students wishing to further develop in this area or combine it with other creative courses. However, please note this is not a vocational course.
What's Next?
What's Next?
Many students go on to study Media related courses in Higher Education but the subject is also welcome as an entrance qualification for other degree level courses. The subject encourages analytical, research, written and practical skills appropriate for a career in the Film and Media Industries as well as in a range of other academic and vocational areas.
For more information please contact:
For more information please contact:
Nicola Franklin - Curriculum Manager for Media Studies
Telephone: 01252 688249
Email: nfranklin@farnborough.ac.uk
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