GCSE Media Studies
General Course Details:
Students will follow the two year course in Media Studies offered by the WJEC examination board. The course comprises of 2 units, one written examination and one portfolio of coursework containing three separate pieces of work. Both the final written examination and the coursework elements represent 50% each of the final GCSE grade.
Candidates will be entered for either the Higher Tier or the Foundation Tier for the final exam.
What topics are covered?
Students will learn how to study a variety of different media texts from the moving image to print based material. Examples include Magazines, Film Posters, Popular Music on Television, and Comics. They will complete a coursework portfolio which will consist of three assignments. There is the textual analysis piece which involves analysing film posters. The pre-production allows students to demonstrate their ability to research and plan the front cover of a magazine. Finally, the production which is a group based assignment that gives students the opportunity to use digital cameras and by making their own television adverts.
For every media text the students encounter they will learn how to read the specific media language and genre required to understand the messages and values contained in them. Further, they will be aware of the media organisations that produce them and the media audiences who consume them.
What can you expect to do in class?
This course is a mixture of theory and practical work. The theoretical part of the course will be taught through teacher led lessons although there will be ample opportunity for group work. You will learn how to storyboard, produce a shooting script, use a video camera and edit your film footage using editing software. You will be required to research individually a number of media texts for example specific magazine genres, television adverts and film genres. You will be expected to prepare for revision tests in preparation for the mock and final examinations.
Homework is set regularly, at least twice a fortnight. You will be asked to learn new terminology, analyse media texts, research media topics, revise for tests, prepare presentations, design questionnaires, arrange focus groups, write essays and to complete further reading of the topics covered in class.
Will you need any special/different equipment?
All equipment will be provided.
What else do you need to know?
You experience some form of media everyday of your lives whether it is through the Internet, magazines, television, radio or film. By studying GCSE Media Studies you are not only developing your enjoyment of media texts but equipping yourselves with the necessary knowledge and skills that will transform you into confident interpreters of the messages and ideas contained in these media texts.
Increased access to digital media offers students new and alternative technological opportunities for creativity and self expression. Media Studies is the most popular subject taken at University and there are a wide range of courses to choose from, for example media production, scriptwriting and journalism. It is an exciting, dynamic and potentially well paid industry to be a part of.
AS and A2 Media Studies is offered in Years 12 and 13.
Potential careers: television, film, radio, advertising, photography, director, producer, scriptwriter, presenter, camera operator, researcher, editor, journalist.
Where would you get any further information from?
The website of the exam board has the course syllabus available for downloading.
Other useful websites include:
Internet Movie Database
British Film Industry
Film Education
The BBC