Why study Media?

The media plays a central role in our world. It affects society at all levels, from economics, politics, community, culture and individual.

In this course you will analyse the media and its role in everyday life. You will develop your analytical and critical skills through looking at various examples of texts from newspapers, TV, film, radio or the internet. And, you will improve your creative and expressive skills when you learn to create your own media content.

The skills you learn in this course are useful in many career areas. This includes writing, the performing arts, journalism and publishing.

Career Pathways

To see what career areas this subject could lead to and the routes to get there, download and view these career pathways:

Communications and Media

What do I need to get in?

The school or college will decide on the entry requirements for the course. You would normally have achieved:

• National 4 Media

What will I study?

The course gives you the opportunity to develop knowledge of the role of media and the key aspects of media literacy: categories, language, representation, narrative, audience, institution and society.

You will:

• analyse and create media content as appropriate to purpose, audience and context
• develop knowledge and understanding of the key aspects of media literacy as appropriate to content
• develop knowledge and understanding of the role of media within society
• develop knowledge and understanding of how to plan and research when creating media content as appropriate to purpose, audience and context
• develop evaluation skills.

How will I be assessed?

Course Assessment

The course assessment has two components totalling 108 marks:

• Component 1: question paper – worth 60 marks
• Component 2: assignment – worth 48 marks.

For the assignment component (which has 2 sections - planning, 20 marks and development, 28 marks), you will be asked to generate ideas appropriate to a brief, develop and justify media content choices, create media content and evaluate the strengths and/or weaknesses of the finished content.

Both the assignment component and the question paper will be set and externally marked by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

The grade awarded is based on the total marks achieved across all course assessment components.

The course assessment is graded A-D.

Study Materials

• SQA Past Papers Media National 5
• SQA Specimen Paper Media National 5
• SQA Understanding Standards Media
• Ushare Study Resources

What can I go on to next?

If you complete the course successfully, it may lead to:

• Higher Media

Further study, training or employment in:

• Communications and Media

Which jobs are related to this subject?

• Media - Related Careers

Where can my parents find out more?

Your school will give your parents an Options or Choices information booklet, which has detailed information on the curriculum and the individual subjects or courses you can study. It will also invite them along to a Parents’ Information Evening.

They can also read the information leaflet(s):

Nationals in a Nutshell - Media (National 5)