Program Overview

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Photography BA (Hons)

Overview

By providing you with a solid foundation in photographic theory and practice, this photography course will offer you the opportunity to take risks, explore ideas and realise your creative potential. This photography degree course aims to create flexible, resourceful, and creative photographers with well-developed transferable skills, that can be applied to a broad range of commercial, and art-based careers.

Course Details

Attendance

• Full-time
• Three-year course
• Next enrolment: September 2025

Introduction

This photography degree course will provide you with a solid foundation in photographic theory and practice, allowing you to take risks, explore ideas, and realise your creative potential. You will work with industry-standard equipment and studios to support you from image capture through to exhibition.

Career Opportunities

Some of the career routes that photography graduates go on to include:

• Archivists
• Art directors
• Curators
• Digital artists
• Exhibiting photographers
• Freelancers
• Picture researchers
• Printers
• Retouchers
• Studio managers
• Teachers
• Videographers

You will also have the potential to move across into related careers in marketing, branding, technical support, and PR.

Course Structure

Year One

• Imagined Communities
  • Camera Control (shutter, aperture, ISO)
  • Processing 35mm B&W film
  • Darkroom techniques (contact printing, enlarging, graded printing, presentation)
• Urban and Rural
  • Appropriated capture and mapping
  • Digital post and interpretation of statistical and geographical data
  • Hybrid and large format output
• Street and Studio
  • Digital Camera Control & Tethered Capture
  • Introduction to digital post production (Adobe Photoshop), studio and location-based lighting
  • Archival pigment printing & archival mounting and finishing
• Photography and the Book
  • Digital post production (Adobe PhotoShop) & desktop publishing (Adobe InDesign)
  • Stitching and binding techniques
  • Book design & production techniques (concept, editing, printing)
• Establishing Frameworks
  • Presentation and research skills
  • Introduction to copyright and legal issues
  • Constructing a portfolio for defined markets
• Exploring Creative Contexts
  • Critical and contextual awareness
  • Knowledge and understanding of contemporary image making
  • Research and communication skills

Year Two

• Photography in Context
  • Art handling and curation
  • Marketing and exhibition promotion
  • Making site specific work
• Exploring Possibilities
  • Introduction to convergent, 3D, hybrid capture
  • Experimental modes of presentation
  • Engage with the interdisciplinary nature of photography
• Constructing Worlds and Meanings
  • Set building
  • HD video capture and large format camera control
  • Proposal writing
• Opportunities and Industry
  • Career development and planning
  • Entering competitions and awards
  • Constructing a portfolio and marketing materials
• Responding to Creative Contexts
  • Presentation skills
  • Structuring written assignments
  • Research and referencing skills

Year Three

• Towards Resolution
  • Guided supervision
  • Planning and research
  • Investigation, experimentation and evaluation
• Resolution
  • Guided supervision
  • Extended project conception, execution and output
  • Applying appropriate skills and processes
• Applying Frameworks
  • Personal career planning for graduates working in photography (and related fields)
  • Exhibiting and promoting your work
  • Constructing a final portfolio and marketing materials
• Independent Research Project
  • Advanced presentation skills
  • Structuring extended written assignments
  • Advanced research and referencing skills

Teaching and Assessment

• Teaching: lectures, tutorials, workshops, seminars, and individual tutorials
• Assessment: project work, presentations, and the ability to incorporate feedback

Employment and Stats

• Employment: exhibiting photographer, digital artist, art director, arts administrator, picture researcher, or studio manager
• Further study: graduates showing strong academic and research skills can pursue a further postgraduate path
• Career Links: meet industry professionals, including guest speakers, curators, artists, organisers and/or affiliated non-profit organisations involved in the promotion of photography

Requirements

• Application profile: personal statement and meet our entry requirements
• Standard entry requirements:
  • GCSE: English Language at grade C/level 4 or above (or equivalent), Maths at grade C/4 or above (or equivalent) is preferred but not essential
  • UCAS tariff points: 104-112 points
  • A level: 104-112 points
  • T level: Merit
  • BTEC National Diploma: DMM Including Art & Design subject
  • BTEC Higher National Diploma: Applicants may be considered for entry on to year two
  • Foundation Degree: Applicants may be considered for entry into year three
  • Foundation Diploma in Art and Design: Distinction = 112 UCAS points
  • Scottish Highers: 112 points including an Art & Design subject
  • Irish Leaving Certificate: 112 points including an Art & Design subject
  • International Baccalaureate: 29 points including art and design related subjects
  • European Baccalaureate: Pass Diploma with 73% overall (relevant subject)
  • Access to HE: Pass Level 3 Access to HE Diploma with 112 points (relevant subject)
  • International students: we accept qualifications from all around the world

Tuition Fees

• Full-time home: £9,535 per year (2025/26), £9,535 per year (2026/27)
• Full-time international: £17,650 per year (2025/26), £18,120 per year (2026/27)

Additional Costs

• Optional costs may include £150 for field trips and £250 for a European visit per year
• In addition, students will be required to pay from £100 for show participation in their final year
• Costs are approximated based on the current academic year

Scholarships for International Students

• If you are a high-achieving international student, you may be eligible for one of our scholarships
• Explore our international scholarships

UCAS Information

• Course ID: W640
• Institution: S03

Student Information

• Terms and conditions
• UCAS information

Related Courses

• BA (Hons) Fashion Image Making and Styling
• MA Socially Engaged Photography
• BA (Hons) Photography With Foundation Year

Data for Photography (Full time) at The University of Salford

• 79% say staff value students views and opinions about the course
• 83% of students say teaching staff have supported their learning well
• 85% in work or doing further study 15 months after the course

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