The Course:
Entry requirements: Hautlieu sixth form entry requirements.
Media studies aims to get students to critically engage with contemporary ideas and debates. Students are encouraged to adopt a practical and academic understanding of the media, focussing on the way in which media texts, such as television and radio broadcasts are constructed and they way in which they serve to represent a range of ideas, attitudes and beliefs. Media studies is a popular A level option that can be studied in conjunction with a variety of other subjects, from ICT to business studies, English to Art. Students develop a broad range of practical and academic skills that will help them across a range of career options or further study. The subject specifically develops the following skills: creatively using ICT software and hardware, research, reflection, planning, organisation, communication and presentation.
COURSE BREAKDOWN
NEA (Coursework) 30%
A practical unit that requires students to produce a realistic and convincing media product such as tabloid newspaper, gaming magazine, TV opening. This work will take about 40-45 hours and will be supported by lesson time (research, analysis, planning, use of new technologies etc) but students will be required to complete most of this work in their own time.
Media Exam 1 – written exam 2 hours 35%
Media Exam 1 is 7 questions (short and long) looking at the following areas of study
- advertising and marketing
- magazines
- video games.
- television
- music video
- film (industries only)
- radio
- newspapers
- online, social and participatory media.
Media Exam 2 – written exam 2 hours 35%
Media Exam 2 is 4 long questions looking at the following areas of study
- advertising and marketing
- magazines
- video games.
- television
- music video
- film (industries only)
- radio
- newspapers
- online, social and participatory media.
Opportunities and progression: During the course we visit BournemouthUniversityMediaSchool and The Branchage Film Festival. We are also looking to build on and develop our current work on a Hautlieu TV YouTube Channel. In 2009 we were winners of the British Interactive Media Award (BIMA) and runners-up in 2011, which entailed a presentation at Channel 4 and a day seminar at Sky Television.
Students go on to study a range of media courses at university – practical and theoretical. We have had a number of students who go on to work in the Media and Entertainment industries – both locally (JEP, 103, Channel TV) and nationally.
