Program Overview

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Photography MA

Overview

This MA Photography course will build upon your existing skills and passion for photography and visual arts, supporting you as you develop and refine your unique photographic practice and gain confidence in relevant research methodologies.

By extending your photographic work to postgraduate level, you’ll be encouraged to pursue an understanding of the contexts that situate your practice, engage with the debates informing and underpinning contemporary photographic practices, and hone your authorial voice.

This Master’s in photography degree course will provide you with the core knowledge and skills to work effectively across photography-related industries as an artist, educator or researcher, or in broader creative and artistic roles like writing, curating and picture editing. It will also equip you to pursue further study and research at PhD level.

With many opportunities to network, publicise and market your work publicly, you'll be better prepared to take your creative career to the next level once you graduate.

Key Information

• Study mode and duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
• Start date: September 2025

Course Information

Overview

This MA Photography course will build upon your existing skills and passion for photography and visual arts, supporting you as you develop and refine your unique photographic practice and gain confidence in relevant research methodologies.

By extending your photographic work to postgraduate level, you’ll be encouraged to pursue an understanding of the contexts that situate your practice, engage with the debates informing and underpinning contemporary photographic practices, and hone your authorial voice.

This Master’s in photography degree course will provide you with the core knowledge and skills to work effectively across photography-related industries as an artist, educator or researcher, or in broader creative and artistic roles like writing, curating and picture editing. It will also equip you to pursue further study and research at PhD level.

With many opportunities to network, publicise and market your work publicly, you'll be better prepared to take your creative career to the next level once you graduate.

Eligibility

This course accepts UK, EU, and international students.

Course Highlights

• Utilise our extensive photographic studio facilities, including flash and tungsten lighting set ups, digital and traditional darkrooms supporting colour and black and white photography, high-end negative scanners, ink jet printers and projection facilities
• Optimise and fine tune your portfolio with our powerful PCs and Macs, loaded with the software used by professionals, high-spec printers, and film, video and photography editing facilities
• Take part in study visits to galleries and photography festivals
• Connect with internationally-renowned visiting speakers and practitioners

Entry Requirements

Eligibility

This course accepts UK, EU, and International students.

September 2025 start

• UK qualifications: A minimum of a second-class honours degree in a related subject, or equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications. All applicants will be invited to attend an interview or be asked to submit a online portfolio in support of their application.
• Non-UK qualifications: If you're applying as an international student with a non-UK degree, you’ll need to show you meet the UK entry requirements listed above.
• English language requirements: English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 5.5.

Course Costs and Funding

Tuition Fees (September 2025 start)

• UK, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man students: £9,400 (full-time), £3,130 for Year 1; £6,270 for Year 2 (part-time)
• EU students: £9,400 (full-time), £3,130 for Year 1; £6,270 for Year 2 (part-time)
• International students: £17,200 (full-time), £5,730 for Year 1; £11,470 for Year 2 (part-time)

Funding Your Studies

Explore how to fund your studies, including available scholarships and bursaries.

Modules

What You'll Study (Full-time)

Year 1

• Core modules:
  • A Question of Research - 30 credits
  • Exploratory Practice and Proposal - 30 credits
  • Contemporary Photographic Practice in Context - 60 credits
  • Photography Major Project - 60 credits

What You'll Study (Part-time)

Year 1 Year 2

• Core modules:
  • A Question of Research - 30 credits
  • Exploratory Practice and Proposal - 30 credits
  • Contemporary Photographic Practice in Context - 60 credits
  • Photography Major Project - 60 credits

Facilities and Specialist Equipment

• Photography studios and darkrooms
• Device loans library
• Centre for Creative and Immersive Extended Reality (CCIXR)
• CCI Open Access Suite

How You'll Spend Your Time

• 12 months (full-time study)
• 2 years (part-time study)
• 1 day of teaching per week (pro rata for part time students)
• Around 30–35 hours of independent study and use of facilities each week (pro rata for part time students)

Teaching

• Master's study is deeper and more specialised than an undergraduate degree.
• You'll spend more time in independent study and research than you did for your undergraduate degree, but the majority of your teaching time will be in-person and face-to-face.
• Teaching on this course includes:
  • lectures
  • seminars
  • tutorials
  • project work

Assessment

• You'll be assessed through:
  • written coursework
  • practical coursework

Career Development

• Careers this Master's in photography prepares you for:
  • Freelance photography
  • Editorial photography
  • Picture editing
  • Publishing
  • Digital printing and retouching
  • News / Press industries
  • Picture agencies
  • Curation
  • Galleries and museums
  • Design
  • Teaching
  • PhD research / Research related careers

Supporting You

• Master's study is more focused on independent learning than undergraduate study, but you'll get lots of support via video, phone and face-to-face from teaching and support staff to enhance your learning experience and help you succeed.
• You can build your personalised network of support from the following people and services:
  • Personal tutor
  • Student support advisor
  • Creative skills tutors
  • IT and computing support
  • Disability advice and additional support
  • Wellbeing and mental health support
  • Library support
  • Support with English