Photography

Course overview
The programme provides graduates with a broad knowledge and experience of photography and post-production techniques across a range of genres, approaches and contexts. The photography degree is designed to provide you with the skills, knowledge and experience required to become a confident and successful image maker within photography, creative media and fine art. Photography is an exciting creative profession that is continually undergoing changes in response to significant technological developments and the resulting demands from both established and new emerging media that enable creative content to be widely distributed and consumed by a potentially vast audience.

Talented and skilled photography graduates are continually sought to provide the industry and fine art sectors with fresh ideas, new perspectives and innovative approaches to creative problem solving in visual communication. The programme aim is to develop and refine distinctive aesthetics that will engage audiences who have increasingly sophisticated levels of visual literacy. Whilst on the programme you will engage with experienced lecturers who come from a wide range of creative and professional disciplines enabling you to increase your technical ability, expand your commercial, cultural and critical understanding of the photographic world and most importantly, enable you to develop your own personal ideas.

Year 1 for full-time students (Level 4)
Year one offers an introduction to photography and its key concepts, themes, genres and approaches. You will receive both practical and theoretical teaching in lens-based media alongside historical and contemporary studies and cultural theory. Students will gain a wide range of skills to underpin their study, offering you the opportunity to develop an awareness of photography and its uses in contemporary media, art and society whilst acquiring additional skills in communication, presentation and problem-solving.

Year 2 for full-time students (Level 5)
Year two builds upon the skills and knowledge you will acquire during the first year, with emphasis on developing a deeper understanding of ideas and concepts. This will be a time for you to work on more self-directed projects taking your practice in particular directions. You will work on 'live' projects to enable you to gain work experience and develop industry contacts, alongside entering national professional photographic competitions. You will also explore personal career development and the relationship between commercial practice and other visual arts.

Year 3 for full-time students (Level 6)
Year three places particular emphasis upon independent learning and the ability to take responsibility for managing your own personal development and planning for your chosen career pathway. These skills are key to supporting your final major project and dissertation. You will complete a substantial body of photographic work that will be presented in an exhibition. You will also work on producing a professional photographic portfolio that is to be supported by a website and other marketing materials that will help you secure employment or further your studies.