Departments: Media Studies
« Back to the media page
AS / A2 Media Studies
 The A-level course also focuses on practical tasks to demonstrate learning, but starts from a more theoretical and critical perspective on the media, and the way media institutions, audiences and products are inter-related. Activities include the study of media platforms (broadcast, print, e-media and advertising), a cross-media study of a particular product of the students' choice, such as a film or magazine, and the practical production of two texts from the three platforms, to a brief set by the board. The rationale behind the course is to develop students' critical skills so that they become critically autonomous, able to work out the meanings of texts, their ideological intentions and intended audience effects, and the techniques through which these have been achieved. Using these skills as a cornerstone, students can then begin to develop their practical skills across a range of media and build up a portfolio of products.
AS examined units
Unit 1 - MEST1 Investigating Media (50% of AS)
2 hour written examination
Section A - Four compulsory short answer questions on codes and conventions, representations, audiences and institutions based on an unseen text
Section B - Choice of one from two essays on a cross-media study of students' choice: Students choose a text and analyse the way in which it is present across several media platforms
Unit 2 - MEST2 Creating Media coursework (50% of AS)
Two linked production pieces taken from two of the three media platforms studied in Unit 1 plus preparation tasks, research and 1500 word evaluation.
For further details of the A2 specification, please follow the link.
|
