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Creative subjects at Doha College

Myth: creative subjects are easier than mathematics, English or sciences, require less effort and are chosen by some students as a means to reduce their workload.

Truth: Art, design and technology, drama and music exams involve a range of challenging components which are designed to test technique, knowledge and composition. Controlled assessments in Art at GCSE level, for example, can take up to 10 hours. They are just as challenging and demanding as mathematics and English, if not more so. Studies have demonstrated that participation in creative subjects is vital in improving learning across all academic areas. These subjects teach valuable skills such as creative problem-solving, mental and visual agility, communication skills, and mastery of a range of media and technology. 

Doha College offers the broadest range of A Level subject choices in the country, without restricting the possible combinations through subject blocks or otherwise. It provides courses in art, design technology, drama and theatre studies, media, music, and photography at the highest standards. This blog will explain why our school pulls all the stops to teach these subjects at the highest standards, alongside the ever-popular core disciplines.

Besides the curriculum, creative subjects instil a myriad of other competencies that greatly enhance other aspects of students' lives. Here are some of the most valuable skills that come with each subject:

Art and Photography

Art students learn to interpret visual information, take creative risks, develop deferred-reward working habits, act with the interests of the larger community in mind, know and appreciate diverse societies, interpret and evaluate others’ perception of reality, be fluent with technology.

Design and Technology

DT students use theoretical knowledge to design solutions to real life problems. They learn how to understand users, devise imaginative ideas, use ground-breaking new materials, master the use of tools and machines, including 3D printers, analyse how things work: mechanisms, electronics and computers including robots.

Drama

Drama students learn how to work collaboratively, give and accept feedback, communicate with or without words, manage insecurities; they acquire memorising techniques, the ability to express emotions. They learn discipline, routine and structure, all without going to military school! For example, if they miss a performance, their absence affects the whole dynamics of the show.

Before scrolling on, tap this button to book a tour of our campus, where you can see all these subjects come to life:

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Our students' results are a clear testament to the quality of the teaching of creative subjects at Doha College. Over the years (minus the pandemic gap, which halted external examinations), their performance was nothing short of stellar. Here are some who achieved highest marks in Qatar, in the Middle East or indeed in the world:

Jay Stearns GCSE Music 2017 Highest mark in the Middle East
Jay Stearns GCSE Photography 2017 Highest mark in the Middle East
Aaleen Ahmed  GCSE Music 2017 Highest mark in the Middle East
Sarah Mekhaimar  GCSE Music 2017 Highest mark in the Middle East
Danya Khalid Al-Thani  GCSE Art 2017 Highest mark in Qatar
Hayat al Dasooqi GCSE Photography 2018

Highest mark in the world

Anastasia Ceban GCSE Photography 2018 Highest mark in the world
Francesca Jones A Level Art 2018 Highest mark in the world
Jerehmico Bautista A Level Media Studies 2018 Highest mark in Qatar
Jack Dillon GCSE Music 2018 Highest mark in Qatar
Fathima Farhan GCSE Art 2018 Highest mark in Qatar
Alison Goonan Villavicencio GCSE Photography 2019 Highest mark in the world
Amy Lawrie GCSE Art 2019 Highest mark in Qatar
Phoebe Lawrie A Level Art 2019 Highest mark in the world
Jack Dillon AS Music 2019 Highest mark in Qatar
Maha Al-Abduljabar GCSE Photography 2022 Highest mark in the world
Eliza Bjorkhammer GCSE Drama 2022 Highest mark in Qatar

 

Not listed in this table, because external examinations were suspended during Covid, is DC alumnus Jack Daly. His achievements, however, should definitely have earned him a spot on that list, and more!

Here is what he has been up to since leaving Doha College in June 2022:

I have been pursuing my passion, in a full-time position, as a High Degree Apprentice in Electronics Systems at Jaguar Land Rover Research and Development Centre in the UK. As a part of my training, I am also completing a degree at Warwick University, in Electronics. I love the balance of both work and study, enabling me to apply what I learnt at university, in my workplace. I have been involved in several exciting, but highly secretive projects at JLR, some aimed at the company meeting the new launch date of the new fully electric car. Looking ahead, I am eager to explore placements that focus on ADAS (Advanced Driver Assist Systems).  

Watch his speak with unparalleled passion about Design Technology, in his final year at Doha College:

Jack is also a savvy entrepreneur. He founded a company called "8BitCADE" that sold kits enabling students interested in coding and gaming to make their own handheld console. He then sold "8BitCADE" and created a new company named "Microcade," which sells even more intricately-made, tiny arcade-type consoles. The "micro" in the name in an obvious clue, but it is still hard to believe Jack can make them this small, yet perfectly functional.

Jack's "Microcade" Space Invaders machine, next to its larger scale brothers...

By choosing creative subjects for A levels, students select an education that will not only challenge them but will also equip them with valuable competencies for their future success. To learn more about our broad range of A level subjects, tap below:

6th form at Doha College