Media GCE A Level

Media GCE A Level

Qualification: AS/A2 - 2 year course

Course type: Level 3 (advanced)

Entry requirements:
4 x GCSE B Grades

Head of Department: Mr Peter Atherton

Course assessment:
50% is coursework and the remainder is assessed through an exam worth 50% each. This is the same for both AS and A2

What can this course offer me?

• A dynamic subject which encourages debate
• Stimulating practical tasks
• The chance to write essays about media case studies
• High quality teaching and the opportunity to gain excellent exam results
• Good resources and excellent technical support

The course is assessed by one exam (worth 50 % in total) and coursework (worth 50 %) which consists of one practical piece (usually a film extract, trailer, soap opera or travel programme) and one pre-production project (magazine front covers and page design, film posters, storyboards and planning for film marketing campaigns).
In the MS1 module you will learn how to analyse different types of media texts and how texts are geared towards specific audiences and focus upon audiences and issues concerning the media, such as representation, moral panics, ideology and stereotyping.

What will I learn?
A challenging, exciting and ever changing course that constantly makes you think and develops your analytical, communication and study skills. The practical component of the course offers you the opportunity to develop your filming, storyboarding, editing and script writing skills or competence in magazine production. You will also learn about the many different sides of media industries and production through your class work and the many trips and speakers organised throughout the AS and the A2 years. Most recently, Media Students have undertaken visits to FACT centre in Liverpool, Eurodisney, Granada TV and a very popular annual trip to London to visit the BBC and national newspapers!

Being a Media Studies student also gives you the chance to compete for an Oscar in the annual Media and Film Studies Oscars Awards ceremony.

What Makes a good Media student?
If you have an analytical, open mind and genuinely enjoy questioning things that you see, read or hear then this is a good choice for you! You are expected to have an interest in the media and to keep up to date with news, debates and issues throughout the course.

Which other courses link well with this subject?
English Language and Literature, Sociology and Film Studies are all natural combinations with Media Studies but there are lots of other subjects that also link with the subject including Business Studies, Psychology, Art and Graphics, Psychology and Politics.

Future Opportunities
Where do you want to go? Former Media Studies students have gone on to many interesting and diverse career paths such as television, radio, film, production, advertising and marketing. Due to the practical and analytical components of the course all of our students leave the subject with highly developed investigative skills which will be useful in all fields of Higher Education or employment.

Is there anything else I need to know?