The Media Department

Media Studies at Key Stage 5

Exam board: OCR

Why study Media Studies?
Themedia is all around us. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. As audiences we consistently use media and communication, whether this is sending an email, watching videos on YouTube, or settling down with a bag of popcorn at your local multiplex. As a media student, you will analyse the relationships between audience and text, as well as creating your own products which show you understand how existing media communicates.

What will you study?
Unit 1 (AS): Foundation portfolio: You will design, plan and make a music magazine, including taking photographs and using DTP software
Unit 2 (AS): KeyMedia Concepts:This unit studies representation in TV Drama, and the production, distribution and marketing of video games.

Unit 3 (A2): Advanced Portfolio:Your own production work will be a viral marketing campaign for a newfilm, to include website homepage, one sheet and teaser trailer.
Unit 4 (A2): The first part of this unit asks you to analyse and evaluate your production work. The second part is an investigation into how British film and television help to communicate national identity.

Method of assessment
There are two pieces of coursework, one in each year. These are assessed by your teachers and then moderated by external examiners. Each piece is worth 50% of the grade for that year and 25% of the overall A Level grade.

Future prospects
Both employment and future study are available should you pursue an A Level in Media Studies. In choosing the career option, there are a number of entry level positions, such as runners in the TV industry, fromwhere there is an opportunity to progress to editorial and other roles. For students who choose degree options, there is an opportunity to continue to generalise (e.g. Media Studies) or to specialise in areas such as Internet Technologies.