Photography (including a Foundation Year)

The University of Chester’s Photography degree fosters a distinct approach to the craft of photography, encouraging independent practice and a critically reflective mindset.

As well as exploring key issues and debates shaping contemporary photography practices, you will also gain an understanding of the social and cultural dimensions of photography and its power to inspire and challenge.

Draw on your personal experience and curiosity to explore a diverse range of contexts and genres, from art and documentary, to editorial and fashion including sports and music photojournalism.

You will benefit from industry connections and expert guidance from our team of experienced researcher-practitioners, who can share their knowledge and insights of the art and photography industries, introducing you to nationally and internationally recognised photographers, curators and writers who are helping to shape photography today.

Connect with galleries, museums and employers in the North West and beyond, opening doors to exciting opportunities and collaborations.

Our Photography degree will equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to succeed as a photographer who has developed a distinctive personal practice and a portfolio to help you make your mark on the industry.

For the latest example of curriculum availability on this degree programme please refer to the University of Chester's Website.

Your folio collections or series of photographs are the result of the week-to-week development of different approaches to practice, based on your personal, subject, or thematic response. Through this, you will be assessed by your problem-solving and experimentation in your response to a diverse range of assignment briefs. You will also engage with photography’s materiality; exploring the material presence of different types of fine printing, including printmaking.

Your folio submissions are accompanied by a visual and contextual journal, which functions as:

a personal sketchbook
technical log
and diary of your working methods and practices.

This contains your practice through contact sheets produced for each shoot, and your choice of work in progress, which signposts each staging point of your project’s development.

A key part is the way in which you reflect upon the development of your practice and how you respond to tutorial input from your peers, as well as the staff who are supporting and working alongside you. Your journal importantly also includes the research of photography, art and industry contexts, artists and photographers as well as other phenomena, which provides a background and support to your emerging visual identity as a photographic practitioner.

Writing and research-based assignments, which are aligned with and inform your practice will include:

essays
(poster) presentations
statements
reports
and ongoing critical reflection (which forms part of your journaling and sketchbook work).