Media

Course Outline

The specific units within an SQA Media Level 6 qualification can vary depending on whether it is a National Certificate (NC) or a National Progression Award (NPA), but core themes generally include: 

• Analysing Media Content: Developing the skills to analyse various media content (e.g., film, news, social media) using key aspects of media literacy, such as categories, language, representation, narrative, audience, institutions, and societal context.

• Creating Media Content: Gaining practical experience in planning, producing, and evaluating media products for a specified brief. This could involve individual or group projects.

• Practical Skills Development: Opportunities to develop technical skills using industry-standard hardware and software. Units might include:

  • Digital Media: Still images, moving images, basic video editing, and digital content creation.

  • Journalism and Broadcasting: Research and interviewing skills, feature writing, radio interviewing, presenting for radio and TV, and basic website development.

  • Film and Video: Directing a single-camera production, basic video camera operations, and lighting for single-camera.

  • Social Media Literacy: Understanding the value of social media for personal, communal, and commercial purposes, its evolution, ethics, and impact on business performance.

• Core Skills: Development of essential transferable skills, including communication, working with others, information and communication technology (ICT), problem-solving, and critical thinking. 

Job Prospects

An SQA Media Level 6 qualification equips learners with a range of skills valued in the creative industries. Job prospects for graduates with this qualification often include entry-level positions or roles that serve as a stepping stone to more specialised careers: 

• Media Production Roles:

  • Runner (broadcasting/film/video)

  • Production Assistant (TV/Radio)

  • Camera Operator

  • Edit Assistant

  • Content Creator

• Journalism and Digital Media Roles:

  • Editorial Assistant

  • Reporter or Trainee Journalist

  • Web Content Manager

  • Social Media Assistant or Junior Social Media Manager

• Marketing and PR Roles:

  • Marketing Assistant

  • Public Relations (PR) Assistant/Officer

  • Media Buyer or Planner