Regulation

GCE subject-level conditions and requirements for media studies (2022)

Published 11 November 2021

Applies to England

Introduction

About this document

This document is part of a suite of documents which sets out the regulatory requirements for awarding organisations offering reformed A levels and AS qualifications in 2022.

We have developed all our requirements for GCE qualifications with the intention that AS and A level qualifications should fulfil the purposes set out below.

For A levels:

• define and assess achievement of the knowledge, skills and understanding which will be needed by students planning to progress to undergraduate study at a UK higher education establishment, particularly (although not only) in the same subject area
• set out a robust and internationally comparable post-16 academic course of study to develop that knowledge, skills and understanding
• permit UK universities to accurately identify the level of attainment of students
• provide a basis for school and college accountability measures at age 18
• provide a benchmark of academic ability for employers

For AS qualifications:

• provide evidence of students’ achievements in a robust and internationally comparable post-16 course of study that is a sub-set of A level content
• enable students to broaden the range of subjects they study

Requirements set out in this document

This document sets out the GCE Subject Level Conditions for Media Studies (2022). These conditions will come into effect at 09:30 on 12 November 2021 for the following qualifications:

• all GCE A levels in Media Studies
• all standalone GCE AS qualifications in Media Studies

for Learners completing the qualification in 2022, except where the General Qualifications Alternative Awarding Framework applies.

It also sets out our requirements in relation to:

• interpretation of the content document - an awarding organisation must comply with these requirements under Condition GCE(Media Studies)1.1(c)
• assessment objectives - awarding organisations must comply with these requirements under Condition GCE(Media Studies)1.2
• assessment - awarding organisations must comply with these requirements under Condition GCE(Media Studies)2.3

With respect to the qualifications listed above, awarding organisations must also comply with:

• our General Conditions of Recognition, which apply to all awarding organisations and qualifications
• our GCE Qualification Level Conditions and Requirements
• all relevant Regulatory Documents

With respect to all other GCE qualifications in Media Studies, taken by Learners completing the qualification in 2023 and after, an awarding organisation must continue to comply with the GCE Subject Level Conditions and Requirements for Media Studies.

Subject Level Conditions

GCE Subject Level Conditions for Media Studies

Condition GCE(Media Studies) 1: Compliance with content requirements

GCE(Media Studies)1.1

In respect of each GCE Qualification in Media Studies which it makes available, or proposes to make available, an awarding organisation must -

1. (a) comply with the requirements relating to that qualification set out in the document published by the Secretary of State entitled ‘Media studies GCE AS and A level subject content’, document reference DFE-00031-2016,
2. (b) have regard to any recommendations or guidelines relating to that qualification set out in that document, and
3. (c) interpret that document in accordance with any requirements, and having regard to any guidance, which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

GCE(Media Studies)1.2

In respect of each GCE Qualification in Media Studies which it makes available, or proposes to make available, an awarding organisation must comply with any requirements, and have regard to any guidance, relating to the objectives to be met by any assessment for that qualification which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

Condition GCE(Media Studies) 2: Assessment

GCE(Media Studies)2.1

Condition GCE4.1 does not apply to any GCE Qualification in Media Studies which an awarding organisation makes available or proposes to make available.

GCE(Media Studies)2.2

In respect of the total marks available for a GCE Qualification in Media Studies which it makes available, an awarding organisation must ensure that -

1. (a) 70 per cent of those marks are made available through Assessments by Examination, and
2. (b) 30 per cent of those marks are made available through assessments set by the awarding organisation that are not Assessments by Examination.

GCE(Media Studies)2.3

An awarding organisation must ensure that in respect of each assessment for a GCE Qualification in Media Studies which it makes available it complies with any requirements, and has regard to any guidance, which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

Subject content requirements

Requirements in relation to subject content for GCE Qualifications in Media Studies

The subject content for GCE Qualifications in Media Studies is set out in the Department for Education’s Media Studies GCE subject content, document reference DFE-00031-2016 (the ‘Content Document’).

Condition GCE(Media Studies)1.1(c) requires awarding organisations to interpret the Content Document in line with any requirements, and having regard to any guidance, published by Ofqual.

We set out our requirements for the purposes of Condition GCE(Media Studies)1.1(c) below.

Media products

An awarding organisation must interpret the Content Document as if the requirements in relation to the creation of media products by Learners can be met through the submission by the Learner of a mock-up or prototype rather than a finished product.

Assessment objectives

Assessment objectives - GCE Qualifications in Media Studies

Condition GCE(Media Studies)1.2 allows us to specify requirements relating to the objectives to be met by any assessment for GCE Qualifications in Media Studies.

The assessment objectives set out below constitute requirements for the purposes of Condition GCE(Media Studies)1.2. Awarding organisations must comply with these requirements in relation to all GCE Qualifications in Media Studies they make available.

Assessment objective	Description	A level weighting	AS weighting
AO1 (A level)	Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of: • the theoretical framework of media • contexts of media and their influence on media products and processes	25 to 35%	25 to 35%
AO2 (AS)	Apply knowledge and understanding of the theoretical framework of media to: • analyse media products, including in relation to their contexts and through the use of academic theories • make judgements and draw conclusions	n/a	35 to 45%
AO2 (A level)	Apply knowledge and understanding of the theoretical framework of media to: • analyse media products, including in relation to their contexts and through the use of academic theories • evaluate academic theories • make judgements and draw conclusions	35 to 45%	n/a
AO3	Create media products for an intended audience, by applying knowledge and understanding of the theoretical framework of media to communicate meaning.	30%	30%

Assessment requirements

Assessment requirements - GCE Qualifications in Media Studies

Condition GCE(Media Studies)2.3 allows us to specify requirements in relation to assessments for GCE Qualifications in Media Studies.

We set out below our requirements for the purposes of Condition GCE(Media Studies)2.3. Awarding organisations must comply with these requirements in relation to all GCE Qualifications in Media Studies they make available.

Non-examination Assessment

Condition GCE(Media Studies)2.2(b) states that an awarding organisation must ensure that, of the total marks available for a GCE Qualification in Media Studies, 30 per cent of those marks are made available through assessments that are not Assessments by Examination.

An awarding organisation must ensure that all of that 30 per cent of marks are made available in respect of assessment objective AO3 (i.e. assessing AO3 in its entirety).

Non-examination Assessment (A level)

The requirements in this section apply to GCE A level qualifications in Media Studies which an awarding organisation makes available or proposes to make available.

In respect of the assessments which are not Assessments by Examination, an awarding organisation must ensure that each Learner is required to complete a single task which -

1. (a) requires that Learner to complete an individual cross-media production, or a mock-up or prototype of such a production with supporting evidence as necessary, in response to a brief set by the awarding organisation, and
2. (b) must be taken under conditions specified by the awarding organisation, including, in particular, conditions which ensure that the evidence generated by each Learner can be Authenticated.

Where a mock-up or prototype is provided, the supporting evidence provided may include -

1. (a) original and non-original photographs, images, drawings or sketches with annotations to illustrate intentions,
2. (b) storyboards,
3. (c) a television screenplay,
4. (d) a shooting script, or
5. (e) a radio script and directions.

An awarding organisation may set more than one brief, although the evidence generated by each Learner, as described above, must only respond to a single brief.

Non-examination Assessment (AS)

The requirements in this section apply to GCE AS qualifications in Media Studies which an awarding organisation makes available or proposes to make available.

In respect of the assessments which are not Assessments by Examination, an awarding organisation must ensure that each Learner is required to complete a single task which -

1. (a) requires that Learner to complete an individual media production comprising a single product of the media (audio/visual, print or online), or a mock-up or prototype of such a production with supporting evidence as necessary, in response to a brief set by the awarding organisation, and
2. (b) must be taken under conditions specified by the awarding organisation, including, in particular, conditions which ensure that the evidence generated by each Learner can be Authenticated.

Where a mock-up or prototype is provided, the supporting evidence provided may include -

1. (a) original and non-original photographs, images, drawings or sketches with annotations to illustrate intentions,
2. (b) storyboards,
3. (c) a television screenplay,
4. (d) a shooting script, or
5. (e) a radio script and directions.

An awarding organisation may set more than one brief, although the evidence generated by each Learner, as described above, must only respond to a single brief.

Marking of assessments

Evidence generated by a Learner in an assessment for a GCE Qualification in Media Studies which is not an Assessment by Examination may be marked -

1. (a) by the awarding organisation or a person connected to the awarding organisation,
2. (b) by a Centre, or
3. (c) through a combination of (a) and (b).

In any event, the awarding organisation must demonstrate to Ofqual’s satisfaction in its assessment strategy that -

1. (a) it has taken all reasonable steps to identify the risk of any Adverse Effect which may result from its approach to marking the assessments (and to Moderation where appropriate), and
2. (b) where such a risk is identified, it has taken all reasonable steps to prevent that Adverse Effect or, where it cannot be prevented, to mitigate that Adverse Effect.