Program Overview

BA (Hons) Digital Photography

Course Overview

The BA (Hons) Digital Photography course at Ravensbourne University London is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge required to succeed in the creative and digital industries. The course focuses on the development of a diverse skillset across a range of digital photography sub-disciplines, including photojournalism, editorial, documentary, portraiture, advertising, fashion, music, and architecture.

Key Study Topics

• Photojournalism
• Editorial
• Documentary
• Portraiture
• Advertising
• Fashion
• Music
• Architecture
• Picture research
• PR

Course Structure and Admissions

Year 1

• Students will build fundamental skills in photographic equipment.
• They will learn about still and motion and post-production software alongside a working proficiency and knowledge of the industry.
• Students will begin to think about their own practice and build confidence in image generation and platform selection.
• Modules may include:
  • Beginning of craft
  • The Industry
  • Study options - mini briefs
  • Specialist workflows
  • Professional Life Practice: "Developing your Practice"
  • Professional Life Practice: "Exploring your Practice"

Year 2

• Students will gain a greater understanding of equipment and software such as Leica M, Phase One, and Hassleblad and Linhof medium format cameras.
• They will think about the specialist areas of photography and where they are applied.
• This will allow them to enhance their practice and develop their own approach to the digital creative work.
• We set a variety of live project briefs, and encourage students to take up work-based learning.
• Modules may include:
  • Exploring the Industry
  • Narrative and Sequence
  • Portfolio and Context
  • Professional Life Practice: "Applying your Practice"
  • Work-based learning

Year 3

• Students will bring their learning together in a final major digital photography project, ready for exhibition at the degree show.
• By this stage, many students will already be published and working on projects in the creative industries.
• Alongside this, they will create a self-initiated, experimental brief that addresses their own personal creative direction, and will form part of your principal working portfolio.
• We ask students to show your contextual studies research and thinking in a long form dissertation.
• Modules may include:
  • Client Brief
  • Personal Folio
  • Professional Life Practice: "Situating your Practice"
  • Professional Review

Entry Requirements

• At Ravensbourne, we accept a wide range of qualifications for entry onto our courses, whilst also considering the context in which they were achieved.
• For this course, we would usually require a GCSE Grade 4 or above in English in addition to any of the below;
  • Two A Levels at grade CC or above
  • BTEC Extended Diploma at grade MPP
  • UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma
  • T Level (pass or above)
  • Access to Higher Education Diploma
  • International Baccalaureate at grade 24 or above
  • Other/Mixed qualifications equivalent to 64 UCAS Tariff points

Selection Criteria

• Students should ideally have a background in art, creative media, or design.
• Applicants are expected to submit a portfolio of work which shows a range of their skills and demonstrates why they would be a good fit for the course.
• We may also consider a combination of portfolio and academic qualifications and take into consideration progress made during studies and/or relevant work experience.

Fees and Funding

• UK: £9,535 (2025/26)
• INT: £17,000 (2025/26)

Industry Connections

• You can’t learn in a vacuum. At Ravensbourne University London, industry connection is ingrained into everything we do.
• We will equip you for success in the creative and digital industries, ensuring you are truly industry-ready upon graduation.
• Our tutors are respected academics and practitioners with substantial experience and industry links.
• You will be part of a diverse community of creatives, working collaboratively to explore new professional practices.
• Ravensbourne have strong industry links with a range of high-profile companies, including: Apple, Barclays, the BBC, European Space Agency, Marks & Spencer, Museum of London, the Royal Shakespeare Company, Samsung, and many more.

Careers Pathway

• Our graduates will be industry-ready to work across a range of disciplines and approaches within photography and the wider creative industries, including in areas such as:
  • Photojournalism
  • Editorial, documentary
  • Portraiture, advertising
  • Fashion
  • Music
  • Architecture
  • Picture research
  • Public relations

Facilities

• Our facilities are open to every student
• One of the best things about our facilities is that they are open to all students no matter what course they are studying.
• iMac suite at Ravensbourne
• Kit Store at Ravensbourne
• Materials library
• Library at Ravensbourne

Lecturers

• Geraint Cunnick
• Ellen Nolan
• Ellen Rogers
• Tiana Lea
• Chris Frazer Smith
• Sabela Peinado
• Michele Turriani

Alumni Stories

• Ope Odueyungbo
• Naim Heerah
• Shemu Mohammad
• Christian Wood

Honours Board

• Student nominated for Sony World Photography competition
• A graduate's life in a London photography studio
• Ravensbourne student shortlisted for Sony World Photography Award
• Lecturer’s photography celebrated by National Portrait Gallery
• Photography students collaborate on new Lenslife app
• Students impress former Head of Photography at The Guardian and Sony during masterclass
• Ravensbourne launches photography project with Above+Beyond
• Photography students celebrate Greenwich Peninsula in virtual gallery
• Lecturer wins the ‘Portrait Award’ at the British Photography Awards

In the Media

• FAD Magazine April 2023
• Montcalm East hotel
• Ravensbourne's collaboration with Moncalm Hotels

Unistats Details

• 61% say staff value students views and opinions about the course
• 83% of students say teaching staff have supported their learning well
• 90% in work or doing further study 15 months after the course

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