What specification is proposed? Eduqas A Level Media Studies 

The Aims of the A-level Media Studies Course

This is an exciting course with the intent to develop media literate students who can critique the media that they encounter on a daily basis. We interrogate the structure and creation of media products, how products are crafted to create meaning, representational issues around stereotyping and consider how media industries influence and control audience responses. Students will also take a creative element during the course where they respond to a brief through an NEA production. The course pairs well with English, History, Sociology, Psychology, Politics, Photography and Business and would benefit any student who is interested in media production. 

What will I study on the course? 

Component 1: Breadth of Media Products 

Students study a wide range of Media platforms which cover the whole of the Media Theoretical Framework (Media Language, Representation, Audience, Industries and Contexts). Listed below are the studied set texts: 

Advertising: Tide (1950s), Channel 4: Tokyo Paralympics advert (2021); Kiss of the Vampire (1963) 

Music video: Formation, Beyoncé (2016); Seventeen Going Under, Sam Fender (2021) 

News Production: The Daily Mirror and The Times 

Film Industries: Black Panther (2018) and I, Daniel Blake (2016) 

Gaming: Assassin’s Creed Franchise 

Podcasting: BBC Sounds – Have You Heard George’s Podcast

Students will also encounter “unseen” texts to demonstrate their analytical flair and critique the media language used and representations created. 

Component 2: Depth of Media Products 

Now that students have the basics of the subject, they explore products in depth and apply current criticisms and theories to each product. 

Television: Peaky Blinders (2013) and The Bridge (2015) 

Magazines: Vogue (1965) and The Big Issue (2016) 

Online Media: Zoe Sugg and attitude. 

Component 3: Cross Media Production: Coursework: 60 marks. 30% of qualification. 

This is your coursework unit, in it you will need to show that you can apply the knowledge and understanding of the media you have gained through studying the exam components of the course (media language, representation, audiences, media industries and the digitally convergent nature of the media) to practical production work of your own. You will have to produce work from two media platforms (print and/or e-media and/or moving image) that responds to a brief and targets an audience set by the exam board. 

What can I do with this subject? 

Media Studies helps you develop a number of skills: an ability to analyse how media products are constructed; how to produce media products across different platforms and how to do individual research. As the media touches every person and every profession, the subject has a broad application; it prepares students for university study and/or a career in a large range of creative industries. 

Specific entry requirements for this course 

Students must achieve a grade 6 in English. Although not essential, GCSE Media would benefit students starting this course. 

Learning Journey

Media Year 13 Learning Journey Autumn