A-level Communication and Culture

In the first year (AS) you will learn about how we communicate with each other; this will include nonverbal aspects of communication such as dress, facial expression, body language, and accent. It will also look at how we communicate verbally – this will cover things like how we acquire language, slang, and how we use different types of language in different situations. It looks at theories that try to explain how our sense of self is formed and how we interact with others in groups. The course also examines our cultural habits and explores things like why we study Shakespeare in school but not Lady Gaga for example. In your coursework you will have the opportunity to analyse what things like popular music, personal possessions, or modes of transport, mean in our culture. The second year (A2) looks at the relationship between individuals and the culture in which they exist in greater depth, and focuses on theoretical approaches such as Feminism and Marxism in order to make sense of how our culture expresses itself in its stories and through encouraging us to identify with objects of desire.