Teaching TV Sitcom

Awarding Body & Level Subject Unit Code Module/Topic
image: tick OCR
AS Level		 Media Studies 2731 Textual Analysis - Gender & Television Sit-com
image: tick OCR
A2 Level		 Media Studies 2735 Critical Research Study - Children & Television
image: tick OCR
A2 Level		 Media Studies 2735 Media Issues & Debates - British Broadcasting Since 1990
image: tick AQA
AS Level		 Media Studies MED2 Textual Topics in Contemporary Media
image: tick AQA
A2 Level		 Media Studies MED4 Texts and Contexts in the Media
image: tick AQA
A2 Level		 Media Studies MED6 Comparative Critical Analysis
image: tick WJEC
AS Level		 Media Studies ME1 Modern Media Forms
image: tick WJEC
AS Level		 Media Studies ME2 Media Representation and Reception
image: tick WJEC
A2 Level		 Media Studies ME4 Investigating Media Texts
image: tick SQA Higher Media Studies D332 12 Media Analysis
image: tick SQA Advanced Higher Media Studies D332 13 Media Analysis

This guide is also relevant to the teaching of Television Genre, Institution, Audience and Representation in the following Media/Communication/Film specifications, as well as for Lifelong Learning and international courses:

  • OCR – GNVQ and AVCE
  • Ed-Excel – GNVQ and AVCE
  • BTech National Diploma

All of the A Level Media Studies specifications on offer to students contain elements which can be explored through the study of sitcom.  The OCR specification for 2003 and 2004 offers AS students the option of studying TV sitcoms' representations of gender for the Textual Analysis paper (Unit 2731).  TV sitcom might also be used as the basis of a research project in Unit 2734 (for example, looking at sitcoms which specifically target young audiences in the Children and Television topic or looking at the development and implementation of a new sitcom for the Concept to Consumption topic) or as an example of the changes in institutional witnessed in British TV, as part of the study of British Broadcasting Since 1990, one of the topics in Unit 2735 – Media Issues and Debates.

The AQA specification offers a wide variety of choice in the texts and topics areas that are taught to students across its six units.  TV sitcom would be an appropriate example to use in a number of these.  The Broadcast and Film Fiction option within Unit 2: Textual Topics in Contemporary Media could employ a comparative analysis of two sitcoms, perhaps accompanying a further comparison of two film comedies.  At A Level, sitcom could be used as the textual basis for a study of media representations in Unit 4: Texts and Contexts in the Media.  Finally, in Unit 6: Comparative Critical Analysis you could explore an historical account of sitcom's development or the study of sitcom's recurrent themes and values. 

The WJEC specification contains a number of general units which could be taught through specific textual examples of sitcom: Unit 1 – Modern Media Forms and Unit 2 – Media Representations and Receptions could both accommodate some classroom work on sitcom.  The comparative analysis required in Unit 4 – Investigating Media Texts is based upon knowledge areas which could all be delivered through a study of contemporary sitcoms or a study of sitcoms from different eras.

Last Updated: 06 Feb 2008