Scheme of Learning

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The Media Studies Department is part of the English Faculty. The GCSE in Media Studies is a dynamic course that offers students the opportunity to develop their understanding of media texts and the organisations that produce them.

The course is demanding and interesting: students have the chance to explore all of the media including print, e-media and moving image over the three years. The course also offers many opportunities for creativity and teamwork as pupils will create their own media texts ranging from film posters and CD covers to comics and magazine covers/articles. They have the chance to become real experts in some industry standard technologies and applications i.e. Adobe Photoshop. As the course is creative and analytical, it will suit most students especially those interested in ICT, Art, photography, film and English.

You will have opportunities to

• Learn how media texts work – how and why they are put together in a particular way and how they appeal to audiences
• Study a range media texts including CD covers, numerous websites, movie posters, films and comic books
• Develop your analytical skills, which can be very useful for your English GCSE
• Produce your own media texts

During the course you will study at least 6 different modules; two introductory modules that will enable you to become familiar with the key ideas and terminology of the course and the technologies that are used to create media texts, three controlled assessment modules and two exam modules (which are different each year). Each of these will have a different focus, so by the end of the course you will have a really good understanding of a range of different areas within the media.

The Controlled Assessment Modules:

• Comic Books (from which you will produce an essay)
• Movie Posters (from which you will produce a portfolio of work including the designs for two or three movie posters)
• Video Games (from which you will produce an essay)

Most people who take this course want to bring together their creative and analytical skills and this course certainly allows you to do that.

You will produce at least three pieces of controlled assessment in year 10 so most of year 11 can be dedicated to preparing for the exam.