GCSE Media Studies

Media Studies is an involving and exciting subject that looks to address issues in contemporary and historical media and the impact the media has on our lives . The course allows learners to question the messages that we are constantly exposed to and understand the intentions of media producers. It helps students to develop an analytical outlook on the world but there is also a creative element, so the skills you learn may well lead to a career in the media. As a theory based subject there are elements of sociology, psychology, business studies, and economics within the course. We study the Eduqas syllabus at both GCSE and A Level.

In GCSE Media Studies students will be taught to think critically about a whole range of media products such as music videos, television and video games. In your studies, they will think about questions like:

• What audiences are manipulated and influenced by media texts.
• How ownership affects the media texts we're offered.
• How have people of different social groups represented in the media and why?

Examination
The Component 1 paper is worth 40% and has two sections; Section A, Representation and Media Language and Section B, Media Institutions and Audiences. Component 1 covers a range of contemporary and historical media texts. The Component 2 paper is worth 30% and we study music marketing and Television. The texts studied will be a mix of the familiar for students but also texts and ideas that they will be challenged by.

Non-Examined ASSESSMENT
The coursework is worth 30% and involves the marketing of film. After planning and research their own new film students create a statement of aims outlining their vision for their marketing. They then produce a poster and DVD cover using their own original photos and Photoshop. The coursework is done at the end of the first year and completed at the start of the second year.