Program Overview

Our course takes a very contemporary approach to studying photography with video. It combines practice, theory and professional experience to help you develop unique and innovative photographic work. You will learn a wide range of skills across both still and moving image, using analogue and digital. Our facilities include a photographic studio, portable lights, Imacon film scanners, a 44” Epson printer, new iMacs, medium and large format cameras and a darkroom. We also have two photographic technicians to help you.

The teaching team consists of photographers who exhibit and publish around the world. We invite visiting speakers to give lectures and recently hosted photographers Lorenzo Vitturi, Tereza Zelenkova, Matthew Finn and Eleanor Macnair, writer Sean O'Hagan, and curator/publisher Hannah Watson.

You will learn through a programme of lectures, seminars, critiques, tutorials and gallery visits. Contextual studies are integrated into the practice modules to build your understanding of contemporary ideas and help you develop sophisticated, cutting-edge work. Your project outcomes will include photobooks, exhibition prints, moving image, research blogs, presentations and portfolios.

You will have opportunities for funded study abroad through Erasmus and Study USA as well as undertaking placements in industry. The close links we have with galleries and photo festivals help you build your own networks and experience from the start of your studies and beyond. Our students and graduates have been selected for high-profile prizes including the Jill Todd award, the RUA Young Artist award, the Genesis Imaging award and the Kassel Photobook Dummy award.

We have been profiled by the British Journal of Photography as one of the most significant photography schools in Europe. The digital era has brought new possibilities for the creation and distribution of images. This is a hugely exciting time to study photography.

Associate awards

Diploma in Professional Practice DPP

Diploma in International Academic Studies DIAS

Diploma in Professional Practice International DPPI

Attendance

The course runs over three years with a timetable covering lectures, seminars, critiques, visits and tutorials. Teaching usually takes place over three days each week. On the other days you will be photographing on location or in the studio as well as carrying out your own research.

Year 1 is an exciting, intense year with three practical modules and two contextual modules running alongside. Year 2 consists of four 12-week modules, two practical and two contextual, which build your own voice as a photographer. In Year 3 you will complete one self-directed practice module, a dissertation and a professional practice module.

You will learn practical skills at all stages. Throughout the course we emphasise independent study to build on what you learn in the taught sessions.

Start dates

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

We teach through a combination of illustrated lectures, seminars, practical workshops and tutorials. Throughout the course you will build your ideas and processes through a Research Development Book (RDB). This is a really key element in your learning. Its design, format and structure are entirely down to you - the important thing is that it is meaningful and useful for you. You will submit it for each module, along with other outputs such as wall prints, photobooks and presentations.

We introduce every module with a clear explanation of what you need to produce and how we will assess it. You are also given a handbook for each module and access to extra materials and information on our learning website Blackboard. This gives you access to helpful information both on and off campus, at any time.

Academic profile

Members of the course team are Fellows of the Higher Education Academy

The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 59% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.

Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (25%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (20%) or Lecturers (55%).

We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher. Most academic staff (81%) are accredited fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) by Advanced HE - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning. Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.

The profiles of many academic staff can be found on the University’s departmental websites and give a detailed insight into the range of staffing and expertise.  The precise staffing for a course will depend on the department(s) involved and the availability and management of staff.  This is subject to change annually and is confirmed in the timetable issued at the start of the course.

Occasionally, teaching may be supplemented by suitably qualified part-time staff (usually qualified researchers) and specialist guest lecturers. In these cases, all staff are inducted, mostly through our staff development programme ‘First Steps to Teaching’. In some cases, usually for provision in one of our out-centres, Recognised University Teachers are involved, supported by the University in suitable professional development for teaching.

Figures correct for academic year 2021-2022.