GCSE Media Studies

Exam Board

We study the Eduqas specification for GCSE Media Studies

The Course

The course explores your understanding of the media across four key areas

1) Media Language (how different components of a media text make meaning)

2) Media Representation (how different media products try to fix represnetations of key groups - gender, age, ethnicity)

3) Media Industries (how different media industries operate, make profit and distribute their products successfully

4) Media Audiences (why different audiences choose different media products and what they enjoy when consuming these products.

In media studies you are taught by two different teachers who each cover different components of the course. This is because the different components of the media course complement each other and it is helpful to be able to apply similar skills to different content as the curriculum progresses.

The curriculum sequence is as follows

Year 10

- Media Language and representation - studying print media through a set product booklet (film marketing, magazines, advertising, newspapers)

- Crime Drama - studyingy the importance of crime drama as part of the TV industry and how crime dramas use media language to represent particular ideas and social groups.

- Non-Examined Assessment - students plan for and create their own media product. (usually a magzine or DVD cover but could also be a webpage or a film)

Year 11

- Completion of Non-Examined Assessment

- Media Industries and Audiences. Students study a series of industry case studies, developing a detailed understanding of media institutions, how they create medi products and how they are proftable as well as how media products reach audiences and why different audiences consume different media products. Case studies include; The Sun newspaper and webpage, the James Bond franchise, the video game Fortnite and the Radio soap opera The Atchers.

- Music - Students study two contemporary and one historical music artist, exploring how they create their brand, advertise and distribute their product and use their online presence to be successful.

Assessment

30% Non-Examined Assessment (NEA)

Coursework 30%
- You will make your own media product
- Either
  - A magazine
  - A film
  - A music video
  - An advert
- You will have to think carefully about how your product represents a particular group of people.

70% examination

There are two exams

Paper 1: Exploring The Media. (40%) 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Section A: Media Language and Representation: you write about print media products, adverts, newspapers, magazines or film posters, you explore how print media represents different races, genders, religions and age-groups.
- Section B: Media industries and Audiences: you write about how different media industries (news, gaming, radio, film) make money and attract audiences - this is like a business studies unit focused on the media.

Paper 2: Understanding Media Forms and Products. (30%) 1 hour and 30minutes
- Section A: Television: you will watch and analyse a television drama - looking at how camerawork, sound and mise-en-scene make meaning.
- Section B: Music: you will analyse a music video, you will explore how famous musicians use online media, websites and social media to promote themselves.