Overview
The curriculum is designed to stimulate visual exploration, encourage intellectual debate, inspire creative practice, support academic study, foster enquiry and innovation, promote independent study, and develop skills in research, planning and time management. The course is primarily concerned with approaches to contemporary photographic practices and provides aims to meet the needs of aspiring practitioners – photographers and/or related artistic, creative, academic and professional practices - in this wide and multifaceted subject area, so central to our digital age.
This is a creative course which offers both traditional and digital photographic techniques (black & white and colour) in addition to time based media. Emphasis is placed on the development of the student’s own practice and aspirations. There is a variety of visiting lecturers and national/international gallery/cultural visits. Students can take advantage of the professional experience gained through a variety of collaborative projects with employers and agencies. Contemporary photographic practice grounded within a broad academic context.
The course is assessed through a variety of methods including practical projects, essays and seminar presentations, in addition to exhibited bodies of work.
Content and Modules
The first year is exploratory and introduces the students to basic technical, practical, critical, historical and theoretical skills across the subjects of photography. The second year gives more scope for independent research and discovery whilst the third year brings these experiences together in the modules: Dissertation and Specialist Project. Through the combined experiences students are encouraged to develop their work towards potential employment and/or creating future job opportunities, self-development or further study. Participation in national competitions is strongly encouraged. It is expected that students’ work will become increasingly independent as they progress through the course, and that students will work creatively with their peers and external agencies.
Modules studied
Year 1 - Darkroom Practice; Introduction to Colour; Introduction to Digital Media; Studio Practice; Contexts of Place; Introduction to Time Based Media.
Year 2 - Sequential Imagery; Advanced Photography; Advanced Photoshop for Photographers;Developing Practice; Contextual Study; The Photograph as a Document; Photography and Memory.
Year 3 - Dissertation; Cinema and the Still Image; Photography and Surveillance; Specialist Project
Further Information
Student testimonial
The BA photographic and digital media course has introduced me to and developed my understanding of a wide range of technical, contextual and stylistic ideas and practices. The knowledge and critical analysis received from the tutors on the course is valuable and is challenging me to
produce work of a higher technical and conceptual standard than I was previously producing. The course encourages me to explore old and new technologies related to the still and moving image whilst allowing me a great deal of freedom to direct my projects as I desire. Focused class sizes ensure that support and facilities are always available when they are needed and this allows me to feel free to express my own thoughts and ideas amongst my peers and tutors. The studio in which we work is an energetic and passionate environment because with many students studying various visual disciplines new and inspiring work is always being produced.
Daniel Clegg, 2nd Year student