A-Level Media Studies

You will need 5 GCSE's at grade 4-9 including Maths and English Language

There will be a mixture of formative and summative assessment throughout the course. Each set product for this course will involve a variety of group and class discussion to further support and develop your own thoughts and opinions about representation, audience appeal and encoded messages within media texts.

English and Maths are important life skills that will help you to achieve your best in your studies and progress to your dream career. If you have not already achieved grade 9-4 in GCSE Maths and/or English at school, we will support you to improve your skills.

Although there are no placements as part of this course, there will be opportunities to take part in media related events and festivals.

Our A Level programmes allow you to choose multiple subjects, enabling you to study 3–4 A Levels over two years or combine them with equivalent vocational qualifications, with each subject taught for 4 hours and 30 minutes per week across three separate lessons and your timetable determined by your chosen subjects (provided at the start of the academic year).
Although you are not required to be on campus when you do not have a timetabled lesson, we strongly recommend making effective use of our learning facilities and resources during these periods to stay on top of your work.

This course will develop your transferable skills and will develop your wider understanding of the media by exploring music videos, video game industry, film industry, radio, TV, influencers, newspapers, advertising & marketing. The course aims to develop your own interpretations of media products and whether it offers a true reflection of society. In addition, you will be given the opportunity to project manage your own film marketing campaign or magazine as part of your coursework.

There are three components to this course.

Component 1: In this component, you will develop knowledge and understanding of key aspects of the theoretical framework, media language and representation as an essential basis for analysing media products from a variety of forms. In addition, you will study products from specific media industries and for specific audiences to develop their knowledge and understanding of those areas of the theoretical framework. You will also explore how media products relate to their social, cultural, historical, political and economic contexts. In this component, you will develop their ability to use relevant subject-specific terminology and theories.

Component 2: You will explore these three media forms through close analysis of the set products, comparing their use of media language and the representations they offer in relation to relevant social, cultural, economic, political and historical contexts. You will study the role of media industries in shaping media products, as well as considering the way in which both mass and specialised audiences are targeted and addressed. Relevant and advanced theories will inform study of the set products and you will reflect critically upon these theoretical perspectives.

Component 3: Is the coursework section and although the brief does change every year the options will stay the same. You will have the choice to make your own film marketing campaign, the DVD or Blu Ray cover, posters and website. Or, you might want to create your own magazine and write your own articles and advertorials, you will create a website that will compliment your magazine.