MEDIA STUDIES (AQA)

A Level Course Outline

Who should study this course?

This course is attractive to students who have a keen interest in media products and processes. It would suit those with an academic background, who are creative and artistic. It would complement any subject combination, including English Literature, Psychology, Sociology and Politics. Anyone who wants to study the way in which the media influences our daily lives should study this course.

What does the course aim to do?

Media Studies is designed to harness and develop your analytical skills through the analysis of media products. It is the study of individual media texts (such as movies, TV shows, and magazines) and focus will largely be on the institutions that made them, how and why they were made, who they were made for, and the rules that govern their production.

Which topics will I study?

A-level Media Studies engages students in the detailed study of media products in relation to the four areas of the theoretical framework:

• Media language; media representation; media industries; media audiences.

Students are required to study media products from all of the following media forms:

• Audio-visual forms (TV, film, radio, advertising , video games and music video)
• Online forms (social and participatory media, video games, music video, newspapers, magazines, advertising and marketing)
• Print forms (newspapers, magazines, advertising and marketing)

What Skills Will I Develop?

• You will be able to use the media for your own benefit and gain knowledge of issues that affect the production of different media.
• You will be able to analyse everyday media texts, understanding the reasons for technical elements and their use.
• You will develop your writing and presentation skills during the course and will be able to assimilate information and present it in a clear and concise way.

MEDIA STUDIES (Eduqas) A Level Specification
Paper One examination 35% of A level Exam	Assessments Media Products, Industries and Audiences.	Assessed in May/June
Paper Two examination 35% of A level Exam	Media Forms and Products in Depth.	Assessed in May/June
30% of A level Exam	Coursework Students independently create a media product in response to a brief set by AQA. This product can be in any of the following formats: video, print, digital.	Assessed in May

Structure of the Course

This course will be taught for 6x 1hour lessons per week. Homework will be set each lesson and deadlines must be adhered to. The course will involve a substantial amount of essay writing, so please be prepared for this.

Core Textbook Eduqas Media Studies For A Level Year 2 Student Book - Revised Edition

Extension Reading

The Cultural Studies Reader (2007) During, Simon Routledge