Media Studies

Course Information

Literacy *****
Numeracy **
Communications ****
Creativity *****
Practical ***
Group Work **
Examination Assessment 70%
Non Examination Assessment 30%
EBacc x
Examination Board Edugas
Course GCSE

SG

General Information

The power that the media has is huge. Think about the idea that the average adult consumes media for almost 8 hours a day, and within that time, they are being bombarded by other people’s ideas and opinions and images of the world and its people.

As a GCSE Media Studies student, you will analyse how media products like TV programmes and music videos use images, sounds, language, and representations to create meaning. You will learn about the media industry and how the industry affects how media products are made. You will investigate media audiences, exploring who are the people who watch, read and consume the products, and considering how different people might be affected by media products differently, and why. You will study lots of different media forms, such as:

  • Advertising and Marketing
  • Television
  • Film marketing
  • Magazines
  • Social Media
  • Video Games
  • Radio

There’s also a significant amount of practical work where you might create music videos, magazines, television programmes, advertisements and more.

What will I need to succeed?

  • Analytical skills in order to analyse and explore various media formats
  • A clear writing style that we can apply to exam-style questions and written elements of coursework
  • Creativity that will help you in creating a unique and exciting piece of coursework
  • Independence in research and planning
  • Be organised and able to manage, with support from the teacher, long-term projects

Subject Content

The Media Studies course includes:

  • Learning about media industries and audiences
  • Learning about representation of different types (e.g. gender, ethnicity, age) in several media formats
  • Learning about media language and how to embed this into analytical responses
  • Learning how to use creative software (such as Photoshop) which you can use when producing coursework
  • Learning about TV, film and advertising regulations

Assessment Requirements:

  • Component 1: Written examination: 1 hour 30mins, 40% of qualification
  • Component 2: Written examination: 1 hour 30mins, 30% of qualification
  • Component 3: Non-exam assessment: Media Production coursework, 30% of qualification

What careers can it lead to after leaving Swanmore?

If you are interested in the idea of a career in TV and film production, advertising, journalism, social media, technical production, special effects, web design and post-production, then studying Media Studies at GCSE level is a great place to start.