This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

Is Media Studies really a soft subject? Are people not just being prejudiced?

Scroll to see replies

Reply 20

carlylwright

Its a lot of work.
And I personally hate it with a passion.
Anyone want to do my media coursework for me?

Reply 21

bob247

DJ AgnieszkaA

unis dont like it.
it is not prejudice, it is regular old judgment. i think cambridge might know a little more about what subjects are useful than you, OP.
get over it, you picked a dossy subject.

Several students who took media studies in my school have gotten accepted into Oxbridge. :smile:

Still have not finalised my a level choices.

Reply 22

bob247

mxcs

Inclined to disagree with that statement..it really does require a lot of effort outside of class as well as specialist knowledge of media terms and time to dedicate to projects and coursework.

I'm doing Media AS at the moment, though not enjoying it quite so much now we're doing music videos for coursework..my one actor refuses to be a part of it! I think that practical projects for coursework should have more thought put into it, as things like having your actors back out, or bad weather, can completely wreck your marks.

My big problem is re-shooting. Once I've done a video and then gotten teh feedback to improve, gathering up all the actors to the same place, with the same place and actually convincing them as well as getting the conditions and equipment right is a pain in the arse.

Reply 23

raisin.

In my opinion (and I did three essay based subjects for A level!) it is a soft subject, yes.

It's easier than the likes of sociology, which itself is ridiculously easy to get an A in. As long as you have the ability to remember a few names and theories, a bog standard level of english, and know how to use a computer then I see no reason why you shouldn't be able to do very well in it.

The reason it's a 'soft' subject is because it doesn't require a particularly high level of intelligence. That's not to say that everyone who takes it is thick (quite the contrary) but that's generally why people who enjoy it also choose other, more challenging subjects alongside it. :smile:

Reply 24

Simplicity

Yes. It could be hard work, however most stuff is hard work or takes time. The point is that Cambridge has put out a list of subjects they don't want people to do, and media studies is like at the top of it.

P.S. The thing I don't particularly understand about media studies is that if you wanted to get a job in say film making, then having a art degree would be better. The same with say if you wanted to go into journalism, then you would probably be better doing a English degree, certainly you will have more options like writing for a newspaper e.t.c.

Reply 25

HumorousGent.

i do it and find it incredibly easy.
hence, it is soft.
k bro

Reply 26

thegaffer91

I never did media studies, but I think part of the reason that it is seen as a soft subject is that it seems pretty much anybody who puts in the effort can do it, which isn't the same for the more traditional subjects

Reply 27

amizzle91

If you like doing Media Studies and it's something that will be helpful to a future career then you shouldn't worry about whether people consider it a soft subject or not. I doubt many Universities (except maybe Top 5) would not accept it in an application.

Reply 28

AnonymousPenguin

bob247

Doubt you konw how the colour connotations of ads on this website were set up in an attempt to manipulate you.

Yes, but that is just application of factual knowledge. It does not involve any abstract ideas like the sciences do, nor does it include any advanced analysis like harder essay-based subjects.

Reply 29

touchofclass

Evanesyne

But it doesn't matter if it's a soft subject or not. If it's what you want to do, then what people think about Media being a soft subject is irrelevant.

Well, it's not quite that simple

Obviously people shouldn't be judged by doing 'softer' subjects but nor should they be led to believe in sweeping platitudes like 'just do what you enjoy the most!'. Life's a little bit more complicated than that.

I did Media for GCSE and it was a great laugh, as it probably would have been for A level. However, life isn't all about short term fun, and looking ahead I wouldn't have been able to apply to top unis if I hadn't chosen respected subjects. No the more rigorous academic subjects aren't always as fun, but if you've got a career in mind they're often necessary.

Careers in the media for example are fiercely competitive and it's often those with a grounding in the more classic subjects (which then get them into the better unis) that get ahead. I'm not writing off media studies, but it shouldn't just be a case of 'I love media, I want to work in the media, I should do media studies'. Practical skills can always be learnt later on.

Obviously people shouldn't do subjects they hate just for the sake of it, but if there's a more respected subject they like and think they can do well in, they should stop and think a minute before simply selecting the one that is most fun or immediately appealing.

Whatever someone thinks of their relative merits, attributes or how misunderstood they are; soft subjects are 'soft' because unis don't value them as good a preparation for an academic degree as other subjects. This is simply fact, and always worth consideration rather than airily brushing over.

Reply 30

jon838

NW86

My reply... I spent 4 years studying something I loved, and had 2 hours a week in my final year, while writing a relativley short dissertation, so pretty much had 6 weeks off... How long did you have? 24 hours a week for 3 years... and we got the same job... funny that. /end convo

Nicely done. :cool:

Reply 31

alecangeltess

Media studies didn't harm my uni app, and one of my unis actually said they quite liked it with English.
At AS though, it was soft in comparison. But it depends on how it is taught.

Reply 32

JW92

It's not often liked by universities because it's quite specialised and not adequate preparation for academic university level study. It's also often taken by people who would struggle with a more traditional subject. So, it's perceived as "soft".

Reply 33

RaspberryHaze

taheki

Yes, but then again I think English is a soft subject too.

I love the way the person doing A-Level General Studies considers English to be a soft subject...

Reply 34

jon838

skipp

Fine Art (which is also on the list...but I think most Art/Media students will agree that Art carries more weight than Media, or at least the ones in my art class did :giggle:

My teacher said that a vid made with the depth of meaning in a fine art lesson would be a tough challenge for a media studies student to compete with. :p:

Reply 35

Bagration

bob247

Following on from my previous thread, is it really? I think it's gotten a lot of unfair stick from all sorts of people. From people on here to Michael Gove, the shadow Education secretary. It is an unfounded prejudice.

You have the media department in my school boasting about how their students have been accepted in IR courses, Medicine courses and how a couple of students were accepted into Oxbridge.

Is it really so much different to English? Instead of analysing Victorian texts you do the same analysis on more modern, relevant texts. The only difference is that one source material is considered worthy and the other not. And why is that?

Is it so much different from DT in that you have to plan and then produce a product? There are some people in my media class who produce truly astounding work that I challenge any Economist to produce. It is a skill onto itself.

Media is every where in the world, manipulating consumers. Media Studies students just understand much better how they are being manipulated and in turn how they can manipulate others. Media is consumed on a daily basis and affects everyone.

I love the subject. I love researching previous campaigns and then deciding on how to structure my campaign. I love looking at the little details, e.g how the colours in my advert will manipulate the audience. I love the gathering of equipment, the organizing of actors, the filming and the editing.

I love looking at different texts and mediums, deciding how they represent different people, what genre/classification they are and what ideologies they present. It's not always easy.

How many of you can name famous media theorists and what their theories were? How their theories still apply to modern day mediums? How they have brought to light many different issues?

So why, oh why, is it considered a soft subject?

Being creative is a talent that people can foster in their spare time. There are people who do degrees who play in bands, for instance. Sure, no layman can match their skill at playing music. But it's not mutually exclusive to doing rigorous academic subjects to. People look down on "creative" subjects like media because everything you've listed can be done and learnt in someone's spare time.

Reply 36

Razor_Sharp87

DJ AgnieszkaA

unis dont like it.
it is not prejudice, it is regular old judgment. i think cambridge might know a little more about what subjects are useful than you, OP.
get over it, you picked a dossy subject.

Don't listen to these batty boys.

I did Media Studies a few years back and it was my favourite subject. I loved it. I got into York as well :biggrin:

Reply 37

skipp

jon838

My teacher said that a vid made with the depth of meaning in a fine art lesson would be a tough challenge for a media studies student to compete with. :p:

Exactly

I think that's the difference, media studies isn't completely worthless...there's a huge difference between 'soft' and completely pointless, but there's a lot more depth, be it through meaning, gained knowledge and understanding or analysis in some subjects than others, this is also often stated as the difference between those who actually learn from their subjects and those who just pass exams i.e. the depth of knowledge gained

Reply 38

AreYouExperienced?

Lol

its true, its not something that should take precedence over serious studies..like sciences, maths

its true, some courses are just much easier than others

e.g psychology, which i did take, did little to no work..never practised an essay and got an a
:smile:

Reply 39