Media studies requires students to become experts at applying the four areas of the media studies framework:
- Media language
- Media representation
- Media audiences
- Media industries
There is a variety of texts to study across the two years from different areas of the mass media. These include: print advertising, audio-visual advertising, music videos, newspapers (print and online), gaming, film marketing and radio.
Students will be required to develop exam skills such as discursive essay writing and evaluating theoretical approaches. They will also submit coursework, worth 30% of the overall mark.
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A Level Media Studies
Year 12
Terms 1 and 2:
Component 1 Section A - media language and representation.
Terms 3 and 4:
Component 1 Section B - audience and industry.
Term 5:
Component 1 Section B continued.
Term 6:
Component 3 NEA - students will begin their coursework. This is an independent production following a brief released by the exam board.
Year 13
Term 1:
Component 3 NEA - students will finish their coursework by half term
Component 2 Section A - alongside completing coursework, students will begin Component 2 Section A, an ind-depth study of two set texts covering all areas of the media framework. Section A focuses on television productions, one made in the UK and one produced in another country.
Term 2:
Coponent 2 Section and Section B – students will finish studying television and begin to study Section B, which focuses on magazines. One magazine is a current publication and one is a historical text.
Term 3:
Component 2 Section B and Section C – students will finish studying magazines and begin to study Section C, which focuses on online media.
Term 4:
Revision starts – term 4 is dedicated to refining exam strategy and revising all areas of the curriculum. The focus is on enabling students to understand what they need to do to get the marks they need and on helping them plan revision.