Course Overview

The media stands as the most dynamic, innovative, and influential form of mass communication in contemporary times. Reports indicate that adults in Great Britain are engaging with media for nearly 8 hours daily. This includes watching films and television, reading newspapers, and navigating through online content. During these hours, we are exposed to others’ portrayals of the world, and our responses to these portrayals can shape our perceptions of people, places, and society, as well as our views on politics, culture, ourselves, and our roles within the world.

Media Studies is an essential discipline for comprehending the significance and power of the media.

“In our media-saturated age, it’s vital that young people can evaluate competing sources of information, and communicate effectively within a fast-changing digital environment. This isn’t just a matter of easy-to-learn skills. They need critical knowledge of media texts, audiences and digital culture, and of the complex political economy and technology which underpin them.”

Professor Sonia Livingstone, OBE, London School of Economics and Political Science.

Media forms are becoming ever more relevant in the ‘online age’ for every individual and every industry. This subject gives you the skills to access and understand the exciting and rapidly evolving media landscape, whilst applying ideas from great thinkers such as Marx, Gilroy and Mulvey. You will study a range of products from legendary radio broadcast War of the Worlds (1938) to mobile game The Sims FreePlay, improving your written and spoken communication skills through your powers of analysis, discussion and debate. You will also have an opportunity to explore your practical and creative skills through media production.

Media Studies will also help you to develop valuable transferable skills such as critical thinking, analysis, research, planning, skills of enquiry and evaluation, time management, essay writing skills and more.

Your studies will complement and assist your learning in other subjects such as English Language and Literature, Humanities, Sociology, and the Extended Project.