Media Studies

Media Studies is the essential tool for students to understand the power of the media, unpick the meaning and representations it creates, and to consume and create media in an informed and responsible way. We follow the EDUQAS specification, which balances theoretical application with practical production work.

It mirrors the structure of the GCSE course and builds upon the knowledge delivered through this, although not all students will have studied the subject at GCSE. The course is structured to give students increasing confidence to tackle complex concepts, such as feminism, postcolonialism, identity theories, through a wide range of engaging print, interactive, and moving image texts. Unseen texts are introduced and compared throughout, as are opportunities for practical and creative tasks.

Minimum requirement: 6 GCSEs Grades 9-4 (or equivalent), including English language and mathematics; Grade 5 media studies or Grade 5 English literature or Grade 5 English language if media studies not taken

Over one hundred universities offer courses in media, communications and cultural studies in the UK. A-level media studies helps you to progress to these courses, as well as to those in other areas such English, humanities and social sciences. There is a huge array of career opportunities in the media, an industry growing at an exponential rate. According to accountancy giant PwC’s latest Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2018-2022, the entertainment and media sector was worth £76 billion by 2021, and the video games sector is currently valued at more than half the UK’s whole entertainment industry. If you are looking for a job in this area, studying media at A-level and at degree level is a route into careers such as TV and film production, advertising, journalism, interactive media, and digital marketing. It could help provide you with the foundation to secure roles in technical production, special effects, web design and postproduction.