Photography BA (Hons)
- Level(s) of Study: Undergraduate
- Start Date(s): September 2018
- Duration: Three years full-time
- Study Mode(s): Full-time
- Campus: City Campus
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Entry Requirements:
More information
Introduction:
Explore all aspects of what it means to be a professional photographer in the 21st Century. Learn practical skills including exposure and metering, digital workflow, colour and black and white printing, studio lighting, large and medium format, planning and installing exhibitions, professional photographic portfolio development and moving image.
You’ll work across the subject of photography choosing to focus on areas such as art, documentary, editorial, commercial, advertising and critical writing on photography, tailored to your own personal interests and career aspirations.
With access to traditional and digital photographic facilities with industry-standard equipment, you’ll learn how to use and adopt skills to develop your creativity, working between analogue and digital. Explore a range of self-directed learning experiences combining practice with theory, enabling you to develop the creativity and autonomy to establish your own photographic practice.
Our graduates are leaders within the creative industries and you will be joining an extended alumni club who help us to create opportunities for you in terms of work experience and graduate career prospects.
Key features
- NTU is leading arts provider and is ranked 8th in the UK for Art and Design (The Complete University Guide 2019).
- This course produces graduates that are in high demand - 96% of our students are in employment or further study within six months of graduating (DLHE survey 2016/17).
- Work with industry-standard facilities, learning skills in traditional photographic methods, digital media and emerging technologies.
- Work broadly across the subject, including art, documentary, editorial, advertising and fashion photography, and critical writing.
- Develop your professional skills through work experience placements, industry competitions, and collaborations with organisations.
- Benefit from our guest lecturer series, with speakers from a range of photographic practices.
- Opportunity to apply for an international exchange to one of our partner institutions around the world.
- Take part in the development and organisation of a photography festival in your final year, showcasing your work at venues across Nottingham, with further opportunities to exhibit at other graduating events.
- Alumni have gone on to roles such as creative director at Jamie Oliver and companies such as Getty Sports Images.
Student work
What you’ll study
Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves
Video Gallery
Careers and employability
Photography at NTU has an excellent employment rate, with 96% of students in employment or further study six months after graduating (DLHE 2016/17).
The course prepares you for a career in photography or photo-related activities. Depending on your particular interest, you will identify your practice, and research picture agencies, image libraries, arts organisations, and photographers' agents.
You'll learn about proposals and CVs; how to cost your work; how to prepare estimates and invoices; and your rights, responsibilities and obligations as a photographer.
You’ll enhance your employability through things like live projects, guest lectures, industry visits, trade fairs, and work experience.
The following factors also continue to develop, to support the employability of our students:
- live projects
- guest speaker series
- industry visits
- trade fairs
- work experience
- increasing contacts with creative businesses
- success of our alumni
- research profile of our academic staff.
Many of our students go on to become photographers in different areas of the industry, from art to fashion, and from sport to documentary. Recent graduates include:
Other roles graduates from this course have gone into include:
- Jamie Oliver, senior creative
- GQ magazine, assistant picture editor
- Vogue magazine, picture researcher
- Museum of Islamic Art, Qatar, exhibitions coordinator
- EC Language Centres, photographer and film maker
- Vision Express, digital photographer
- Storm Model Management, assistant image coordinator
- Media Museum Bradford, artist in residence
- Getty Images, various roles.
Graduates also become stylists, studio managers, writers, web designers, photographers' agents, curators, arts administrators, and teachers.
YouFirst – working with our Employability team
Our friendly, experienced careers consultants will work closely with you at every stage of your career planning, providing personal support and advice you won't find in a book or on the internet. You can benefit from this at any time during your studies, and for up to three years after completing your course.
Connecting with industry
Take advantage of our excellent industry links, including companies such as Mamiya Leaf, Phase One, Genesis Imaging, Wex Photographic, Red Photographic, Calumet, Canon, RIBA Royal Institute of Architects, and international brand ambassadors for Manfroto.
You’ll benefit from industry professionals visiting the course to guest lecture and share their experience.
Recent visitors include:
- Martin Parr, Magnum photographer
- Federica Chiocchetti, photography consultant, editor and curator
- Chris Floyd, fashion and celebrity portrait photographer
- Adam Hinton, documentary photographer (NTU alumnus)
- Tim Clark, editor-in-chief and publisher of 1000 Words magazine
- Marco Bohr, photographer and cultural blogger
- Alec Dudson, editor-in-chief of Intern magazine
- Giles Duley, photographer
- David Birkett, managing director of DMB Media
- Mark Sealy MBE, director of Autograph ABP (Association of Black
Photographers) - Emma Bowkett, photography director of FT Weekend Magazine
- Emma Blau, photographer and curator.
Recent events run by industry organisations for our students include:
- Genesis Imaging, London: bursary scheme.
Genesis Imaging is a leading supplier of photographic printing, professional mounting and bespoke framing service. The company is a long-standing supporter of the course and help with production, advice and mentoring to our students through a series of bursaries (2 x £500 and 1 x £1000). This year, Jade Fantom was awarded with the £1000 bursary and a solo exhibition at Nottingham Lakeside Art Centre. - Alamy: the launch of the 100% Student project, designed to promote, showcase, and sell student images through an international picture library
- Press Association: working to a set brief in New York given by Martin Stephens, managing director, Press Association Images
- Sam Robinson, photographer: mentoring scheme
- The Martine Hamilton Knight architectural photography placement scheme
- FORMAT Festival, Derby: placement.
Hear from our Photography alumni
Work placement and internship opportunities
You’ll be encouraged to undertake work experience alongside your studies. Course staff and our NTU Employability team will be on hand to support you with advice on how to approach companies and get the most from your experience.
Our Photography students have recently gained work experience with companies and organisations such as:
- ASOS
- Brides magazine
- Getty Imaging
- GQ magazine
- Notts County Football Club
- The Observer
- the Press Association
- The Times
- Vogue magazine
- Mark George, photography agent
- DMB Media, London
- Scene Photography, Nottingham.
Campus and facilities
How to apply
Application for this course is through the UCAS application form.
Ready to join us? Then apply as soon as you can. Just click the Apply button at the top of the page and follow the instructions for applying. Make sure you check the entry requirements above carefully before you do.
Selection for this course takes place through UCAS application form and, where invited, online work submission, interview and portfolio.
If you are invited to attend an interview at the University, you will need to bring your portfolio with you for assessment. For more information about what we look for during an interview, and some useful tips for your portfolio, download our BA (Hons) Photography interview and portfolio information.
Application deadline
This course starts in September and applications should be submitted by the UCAS deadline – 15 January.
Applications received after this date will only be considered if places are still available, after all applications received by the deadline have been assessed.
Non-standard applicants
We welcome applications from non-standard students (such as if you are over the age of 21) for this course. We will assess applicants of this nature on an individual basis.
If you are a non-standard applicant, you will still need to apply to us by UCAS form, but you don't necessarily need to meet our minimum entry requirements. You must, however, have a portfolio to present at interview.
Writing your application and personal statement
Be honest, thorough and persuasive in your application. Remember that we can only make a decision based on what you tell us, so include all of your qualifications and grades, including resits or predicted grades.
Your personal statement is a really important part of your application – it's your chance to convince us why we should offer you a place. You've got 4,000 characters to impress us, so make sure you use them to show how your skills and qualities are relevant to the course(s) you're applying for.
For more hints and tips, take a look at our page on how to write a good personal statement.
Keeping up to date
After you've applied, we'll be sending you important emails throughout the application process – so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.
You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU on our Your Application page.
Getting in touch
If you need any more help or information, please email our Admissions team or call +44 (0)115 848 4200.
Application for this course is through the UCAS application form.
Ready to join us? Then apply as soon as you can. Just click the Apply button at the top of the page and follow the instructions for applying. Make sure you check the international entry requirements above carefully before you do.
Selection for this course takes place through UCAS application form and, where applicable, online work submission, interview and portfolio.
If you are resident in the UK and invited to attend an interview at the University, you will need to bring your portfolio with you for assessment. For more information about what we look for during an interview, and some useful tips for your portfolio, download our BA (Hons) Photography interview and portfolio information.
If you aren't resident in the UK, we'll ask you to make an online work submission. Download our BA (Hons) Photography work submission information.
Application deadline
This course starts in September and applications should be submitted by the UCAS deadline – 15 January.
Applications received after this date will only be considered if places are still available, after all applications received by the deadline have been assessed.
Mature students
We welcome applications from mature students (over the age of 21) for this course. We will assess applicants of this nature on an individual basis.
If you are a mature student, you will still need to apply to us by UCAS form, but you don't necessarily need to meet our minimum entry requirements. You must, however, have a portfolio to present at interview.
Writing your application and personal statement
Be honest, thorough and persuasive in your application. Remember, we can only make a decision based on what you tell us. So include all of your qualifications and grades, including resits or predicted grades,
Your personal statement is a really important part of your application. It's your chance to convince us why we should offer you a place! You've got 4,000 characters to impress us. Make sure you use them to show how your skills and qualities are relevant to the course(s) you're applying for.
For more hints and tips, take a look at our page on how to write a good personal statement.
Keeping up to date
After you've applied, we'll be sending you important emails throughout the application process – so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.
Please also take a look at our International students page and our application guide for international students, which are full of advice and information about to the University.
If you need any more help or information, please contact our International team or call on +44 (0)115 848 4200. Alternatively, you can get in touch with our staff at the International Development Office, who are always happy to help. Or speak to one of our official NTU representatives for your country.