AS/A Level Media Studies


  • Start Date: 01/09/2026
  • Course is for: School Leaver
  • Course Length: 1 Year
  • Funding Support Funding Support:
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This A Level in Media Studies encourages students to study the media in an academic context and apply the knowledge and understanding gained to their own media productions.

They develop critical thinking skills as they study the media in both global and historical contexts.

In year 1 you will study:

  • The Media Theoretical Framework
  • Advertising and Film
  • Magazines
  • Music Video
  • Radio
  • Video games
  • Long Form Television Drama
  • News and Online
  • Online, social and participatory media

Coursework

A different set brief each year creating adverts for various different products.

The first three years have involved creating products for deodorant, food delivery and reality TV.

You will have the choice of creating these in print or video form depending on what you are most comfortable and capable with.

In year 2 you will study:

  • News
  • Newspapers
  • Online social and participatory media
  • Media Language and Representation
  • Music video
  • Magazines
  • Media Industries and Audiences
  • Film
  • Radio
  • Video games
  • Long Form Television Drama

Coursework (30% of final grade)

You will be given a brief focusing on creating a magazine front cover or a music video while also designing a website linked to these.

You get to choose what brief you would like to cover deepening on where you feel your skillsets lie. The options are print (e.g. magazine covers) or video (e.g. a music video).

Required Entry Qualifications

In order to study A-levels with us, all students need to obtain a strong GCSE grade profile, averaging 6 x Grade 6s. You must also have passed maths at Grade 4 or above and have a Grade 6 in English Language.

However, if you do not meet this profile, please still come to one of our enrolment events to discuss all of your options with a member of our A-level team.

Assessment methods include:

  • Frequent Topic Tests
  • Mock Assessments
  • Practical Assessments
  • External assessments (exams) will take place in the summer term – May/June.

Each level lasts a year, so you’ll spend a year studying at AS Level and a year studying at A Level.

A number of degree programmes leading into jobs, such as:

  • Media planner
  • Multimedia specialist
  • Programme researcher, broadcasting/film/video
  • Public relations officer
  • Runner, broadcasting/film/video
  • Social media manager
  • Television/film/video produce
  • Web content manager

WHAT CAN I DO WITH A QUALIFICATION IN AS/A LEVEL MEDIA STUDIES?

  • Marketing, Sales, and Advertising Directors
  • Marketing and Commercial Managers
  • Events Managers and Organisers
  • Advertising and Marketing Associate Professionals
  • Photographers, Audio-visual and Broadcasting Equipment Operators
  • Arts Officers, Producers and Directors
  • Newspaper and Periodical Broadcast Journalists and Reporters

Knowledge

Sales and Marketing: Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modelling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Personnel and Human Resources: Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labour relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

Median Salary
£64,522

Average Qualifications
Honours, Bachelor's degree

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Knowledge

Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modelling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Economics and Accounting: Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

Sales and Marketing: Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Median Salary
£39,019

Average Qualifications
Honours, Bachelor's degree

Find Out More

Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Clerical: Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Sales and Marketing: Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modelling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Median Salary
£25,216

Average Qualifications
Honours, Bachelor's degree

Find Out More

Knowledge

Sales and Marketing: Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modelling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Median Salary
£30,320

Average Qualifications
Honours, Bachelor's degree

Find Out More

Knowledge

Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Telecommunications: Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Communications and Media: Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Fine Arts: Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

Median Salary
£29,033

Average Qualifications
Level 3 NVQ; A Levels

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Knowledge

Communications and Media: Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Design: Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Telecommunications: Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Median Salary
£37,865

Average Qualifications
Honours, Bachelor's degree

Find Out More

Knowledge

Communications and Media: Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Clerical: Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Median Salary
£36,266

Average Qualifications
Honours, Bachelor's degree

Find Out More

Pathways

Marketing and Sales
People in these occupations conduct market research, create advertising content, sell goods, services, or property, and provide customer support.
Retailing and Wholesaling
People in these occupations sell goods and services to customers or businesses.
Media, Publishing and Information Services
People in these occupations produce, publish, and release media and provide library, archive, curation, and information services.

Pathways

Marketing and Sales
People in these occupations conduct market research, create advertising content, sell goods, services, or property, and provide customer support.
Retailing and Wholesaling
People in these occupations sell goods and services to customers or businesses.
Media, Publishing and Information Services
People in these occupations produce, publish, and release media and provide library, archive, curation, and information services.

Pathways

Marketing and Sales
People in these occupations conduct market research, create advertising content, sell goods, services, or property, and provide customer support.
Retailing and Wholesaling
People in these occupations sell goods and services to customers or businesses.
Media, Publishing and Information Services
People in these occupations produce, publish, and release media and provide library, archive, curation, and information services.

Skills

Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Skills

Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

Skills

Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Skills

Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Skills

Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Skills

Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Skills

Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
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