How Many GCSE Media Studies Papers Are There?

For AQA, OCR and Eduqas GCSE Media Studies, you'll sit two written exam papers. Your exams make up 70% of your final GCSE grade, with the remaining 30% coming from non-exam assessment (NEA), where you'll create your own media product. 

Knowing how your two papers are organised can make revision feel much more manageable. Although the three exam boards use the same 70% exam and 30% NEA split, the content, length and weighting of the individual papers aren't always the same.

Key Takeaways

• AQA, OCR and Eduqas GCSE Media Studies all have two written exam papers.

• The two exams together are worth 70% of your final GCSE grade, with NEA worth the remaining 30%.

• AQA's two papers are equally weighted at 35% each, while OCR's are also worth 35% each. 

• Eduqas has an uneven split: Component 1 is worth 40% and Component 2 is worth 30%. 

GCSE Media Studies Assessment Structure Explained

GCSE Media Studies combines written exams with non-exam assessment (NEA). For AQA, OCR and Eduqas, your two written papers make up 70% of your final GCSE grade, while the remaining 30% comes from creating your own media production.

You'll learn how to analyse media products by exploring areas such as media language, representation, audiences and media industries. You'll use these areas throughout the course to understand how different media products are created, how they communicate meaning and how they reach and appeal to audiences.

You'll study a range of media forms, including television, newspapers, magazines, advertising, radio, music videos, video games, and online media. The exact products and media forms you need to prepare for your exams depend on your exam board, so make sure you're revising the ones specified for your course.

Check our guide to GCSE Media Studies topics for a more detailed breakdown of the course content.

Your NEA gives you the chance to apply what you've learned by responding to a set brief and creating media for an intended audience. It's worth 30% of your GCSE, so remember to give your production the same care as your exam preparation.

How Many Exam Papers Are There for GCSE Media Studies?

There are two written exam papers for AQA, OCR and Eduqas GCSE Media Studies. Together, the papers account for 70% of your final GCSE grade, with the remaining 30% assessed through your NEA.

The length, weighting and content of the individual papers vary between exam boards, so let's look at what you'll face for AQA, OCR and Eduqas.

Breakdown by Exam Board

AQA

AQA GCSE Media Studies (8572) (opens in a new tab) has two written exams, each lasting 1 hour 30 minutes and worth 35% of your GCSE. Your remaining 30% comes from creating your own media product for the NEA. 

Media One includes questions based on unseen material as well as your Close Study Products, plus a 20-mark extended response. 

Media Two includes short, medium and extended-response questions. So make sure you’ve practised adapting the depth of your answers to the marks available.

OCR

OCR GCSE Media Studies (J200) (opens in a new tab) has two written exams, each worth 35% of your GCSE. The remaining 30% comes from the Creating Media NEA, where you'll produce your own media product in response to an OCR-set brief.

Although OCR's two written papers have the same weighting and number of marks, they aren't the same length. Television and Promoting Media lasts 1 hour 45 minutes, while Music and News lasts 1 hour 15 minutes, so make sure you practise timing for each paper separately.

Eduqas

Eduqas GCSE Media Studies (opens in a new tab) has two written exams, but they don't carry the same weighting. Component 1 is worth 40% of your GCSE, while Component 2 is worth 30%. The remaining 30% comes from your Creating Media Products NEA.

Both exams last 1 hour 30 minutes, but Component 1 carries more marks and a higher weighting. Keep that difference in mind when planning your revision, rather than automatically giving both papers the same amount of preparation time.

Component 1 also includes a comparison involving an unseen resource, so include unseen media analysis in your exam practice.

Tips for Preparing for GCSE Media Studies Papers

GCSE Media Studies asks you to remember key content and use it to analyse media products. That means your revision needs to cover both knowledge and application. These tips can help you prepare for both papers.

Know Your Set Media Products

Make sure you know the set media products for your exam board and which paper they can appear in. Organise them by paper and media form, then connect each one to the areas of the theoretical framework you could be asked about, such as media language, representation, industries and audiences.

Practise Analysing Unseen Media

Some GCSE Media Studies questions require you to analyse media material you haven't studied in advance. Practise identifying evidence in unfamiliar adverts, magazine covers, newspaper pages or other media products, then consider what it shows about areas such as media language or representation.

Prepare for Longer Responses

Practise explaining your ideas clearly and supporting them with specific examples from media products. When using past papers, pay attention to the marks available so you get used to judging how much detail different questions require.

Keep Your NEA in Mind

Your media production is worth 30% of your GCSE, so give it the same care as your written papers. Make sure you understand the requirements of your brief and intended audience, and use what you've learned about areas such as media language and representation to inform your own work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are All GCSE Media Studies Papers Compulsory?

Yes. For AQA, OCR and Eduqas GCSE Media Studies, you'll need to take both written exam papers as part of the qualification. You'll also complete the required NEA, which makes up the remaining 30% of your GCSE.

There aren't any optional written papers to choose between, so make sure your revision covers the content and set media products required for both exams. 

Do GCSE Media Studies Papers Have Equal Weighting?

It depends on your exam board.

For AQA and OCR, the two written papers are equally weighted at 35% of your final GCSE grade each. For Eduqas, Component 1: Exploring the Media is worth 40%, while Component 2: Understanding Media Forms and Products is worth 30%. 

That difference is useful to know when you're planning your revision. If you're taking Eduqas, for example, Component 1 contributes more towards your final grade than Component 2.

Can I Resit Individual GCSE Media Studies Papers?

No. You can't normally choose to retake just one GCSE Media Studies paper. If you resit the qualification, you'll need to retake the required written exam components.

Your NEA result may be carried forward, depending on your exam board and entry arrangements. OCR and Eduqas both explicitly allow NEA marks to be carried forward when retaking the qualification. 

Check with your school or college before entering a resit so you know exactly which assessments you'll need to complete.

Final Thoughts

For AQA, OCR and Eduqas GCSE Media Studies, you'll sit two written papers, which together are worth 70% of your final grade. The remaining 30% comes from your non-exam assessment.

Knowing which media products and topics belong to each paper will make it much easier to organise your revision. You’ll find more support in Save My Exams’ GCSE Media Studies resources, including revision notes and past papers to help you prepare.

References:

• GCSE Media Studies 8572 | Specification | AQA (opens in a new tab)

• GCSE - Media Studies (9-1) - J200 | OCR (opens in a new tab)

• GCSE Media Studies | Eduqas (opens in a new tab)