Media Studies

Media Studies has become very a popular choice in the CAO system. A media Studies career path allows entry into what is thought of as glamorous, exciting and demanding. Yep, “media” is the word on many Leaving Cert lips right now. “Media” of course encompasses many things. Journalism, film-making, web design, and printing are just some of the older and more modern careers which can be slotted under the “media” moniker. This writer followed the path now increasingly worn: I took a degree in journalism. I´d recommend it; you’re educated in a wide range of subjects as well as being taught how to report and write. And now, we’ve had a look at some of the better options for those interested in this “media” lark:

Practical Media Studies Courses

Getting decent media training courses can be expensive. There is so much training involved and so much new media which teachers have to become familiarised with. And you need professional training courses that cover the principal new media software applications. You need courses that are aimed at participants looking to update existing skills, or learn new ones. And you really need some follow-on support, perhaps on-line resources and tutorials, allowing you further training, refreshing and advice once you´ve finished the course.

You shoul always consider the location of any course before you choose – perhaps you could persuade your present employer to set something up at work as many of the new media educators are geared towards this type of tutoring. Also, very importantly, you should know what type of qualifications you´re going to get when it´s all over!

At the moment some of the colleges of furhter education offr some very fine media courses. Pearse College and Dun Laoghaire College of Further Education in Dublin, for instance, both run recommendable Media Studies courses, which are certified and very popular with mature students. If you decide to go with a College of Further education, you can be assured of quality teaching and a decently priced fee if, of course, you´re obliged to pay at all.

For example, Pulse College offers night-time radio, media, filmmaking training and broadcasting courses for beginners and advanced levels. The company operate training courses right throughout the year and are have a reputation for bringing out the best in students by training in actual broadcasting surroundings.

Academic Training

While many courses will repare the learner  for working in the industry, if you chose an academically-focussed training course, you’ll be studying the analysis of communications. Most of these training programmes will cover a range of contemporary issues in media and communication and will teach you how to study them in depth. You will use the tools of semiotics and questions posed by philosophy to break down the subtext of certain adverts/films/images. What are your unconscious biases? How do they interfere with your reading of a text? On courses like these, you will generally learn to understand the theoretical foundations of communications, undergo research on interpersonal, mediated and mass communications in all formats. A course in this field will generally be chosen by those who want to work teaching or enter the world of research, writing or academia.

Do Your Homework

Media studies is a general term, and it’s important as a potential student you do your research as what you’ll be learning. For example, if you do plan on training in web design or editing software, it’s important you that you know what the industry standard is – there’s no point in wasting your time and money studying software that’s obsolete. On the flipside, if you want to work in academia, make sure you have a vague idea of what your planned thesis or area you’d like to study is, and pick a course with modules taught by a specialist in that field.