Media Studies (Digital Media)
Entry requirements
4 in GCSE English Language (and Level 2 or 3 general entry requirements)
What will I study
Digital Media (Media Studies) is offered as a one year Level 2 course as well as a 2 year Level 3 course. Which pathway you will follow will depend on your grades.
In this vocational course you will learn to be critical of the media products in the world around us, you will understand how advertising, TV, radio and cinema create meaning. You will explore the wide range of media industries, their ownership structures and the implications of large corporations owning many media outlets and products.
The course also looks at the production processes of the media. You will learn the key conventions of media products and how they communicate to an audience. You will look into ways you can create your own products to attract a particular audience and use technology to produce and distribute them across a range of platforms.
We cover print media, sound and radio and also video production. You will explore the processes that take place from the inception of ideas right through to their creation and consumption by an audience. We also look at photography and the whole process of advertising production, so if you have an interest in photography there is something for you here.
Research methods are explored and you get to develop your own ideas for media products and pitch them to a client.
We work closely with local media companies and have great connections with film and video producers, radio stations, print media companies and many more.
How will I be assessed?
You will be assessed on the following units:
Level 3
- Producing a Digital Media Product or Service
- Vlog production
- Podcast Production
- Marketing a Digital Media Product or Service
- Creating a Social Media Strategy
- Career planning for digital media
Level 2 course
- Creating and publishing digital content
- Meeting a digital brief
- Podcast production
Is this subject for me?
You could be interested in a wide range of things from social media, photography, blogs and vlogs, and podcasts, or you just like practical work and being creative.
You will love making your own media products and have probably already dabbled with video production. But it doesn't matter if you have never done any of it. Complete beginners are welcome.
You might also be interested in business, and want to explore advertising and marketing a bit more.
You will be committed to working on big projects, many of which require teamwork and collaboration. These can often be time-consuming, so you can expect to spend extra hours creating your products.
Where can this lead me?
Media Studies can lead you to further education at university in fields as diverse as sociology, English, journalism and, of course, media and film. The UK, and Brighton in particular, has a large and vibrant media industry and you could find yourself working on anything from special effects, and script writing, to multimedia production or even finance.
The Level 2 course can lead directly to the Level 3 course.
What else is there?
We have links with local film production companies as well as universities. There will be opportunities to work with academics, professionals and undergraduates in the media. We have great links for work experience to give you an opportunity to see the use of media in a real working environment.
There are also lots of online opportunities with employers and media companies where you can find out what it is like to work in the media.
