Photography BA (Hons)
- Level(s) of Study: Undergraduate
- UCAS Code(s): W640
- Start Date(s): September 2023
- 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 on this degree course.
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 your creative style and establish your unique 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.
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You’ll have the opportunity to complete a work experience placement of up to a year in length. Dependent on the duration of your placement, you could gain an additional Diploma or Certificate in Professional Practice. -
Work broadly across the subject, including art, documentary, editorial, advertising and fashion photography, and critical writing. -
Develop your professional skills through live projects, industry competitions, and collaborations with organisations. You will also benefit from our guest lecturer series, with speakers from a range of photographic practices. -
Opportunity to apply for a European or international exchange to one of our partner institutions, such as RMIT in Australia.
What you’ll study
Develop your creativity and independence to establish your own unique photographic practice, investigating areas such as art, documentary, editorial, commercial, advertising, fashion photography and critical writing.
Conversations with Photography
(20 credit points, full year)
This module will help you to understand, critically engage with, and challenge what you think photography is as a subject. You will be introduced to concepts and themes related to historical and contemporary photography, and start to question how photography functions in the wider world.
Exploring Photography
(100 credit points, full year)
The emphasis in this module is on making and creating. You will be responding to briefs during workshop sessions and exploring and questioning the definitions and possibilities of photography. This will expose you to technical skills, and your work will be centred around the critical ideas and themes you explored in Conversations with Photography.
Photography and the World
(60 credit points, full year)
Combine theory and practice as you explore contemporary photographic culture, debates and issues such as surveillance and the data image, documenting the 21st Century, temporalities of still and moving image, activism, ethics of participation and class perspectives, the ethnographic portrait and colonial discourse, space, place and architecture, and the Anthropocene landscape.
Futures
(20 credit points, full year)
Through a live project and a development portfolio, you will apply your practical and critical skills and begin to focus on identifying opportunities and areas of interest around your own personal, subject and career development.
CoLab: Research, Exploration and Risk-taking
(20 credit points, half year)
Through active participation with team-based problem-solving, you will work together in mixed teams on a project where you will use your creative ideas to generate solutions to the challenge or brief. Your project will allow you to explore how creativity can make an impact in society, as you choose a theme of sustainability, social justice, enterprise and innovation or community. This collaborative learning experience will expose you to a range of new processes and approaches that will develop your creative thinking.
Optional module
You will also choose one 20-credit module from:
- Materials and Making
- Publishing: Experimental Formats
- Telling Stories
- Ethical Design
- Typography: Use and Expression
- Digital Marketing and Communication
- The Art of the Video Interview
Writing Photography
(20 credit points, full year)
Drawing on your learning across the first two years of the course, you will research and critically evaluate an area of photography theory and practice and produce a written piece of work that explores your ideas.
Photography Final Project
(80 credit points, full year)
You will test ideas and explore themes as you plan and prepare your final year project before setting a brief with your tutor. Your project will develop from your research and development over the module, and culminate in an exhibition, portfolio or publication that effectively communicates your ideas and themes.
Futures II
(20 credit points, full year)
This module encourages you to reflect on your personal development and learning experience throughout the course, and to extend your skills and networks to support you in identifying and pursuing your future career aspirations.
Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves
Video Gallery
How you’re taught
Teaching and learning experiences will include:
- lectures and seminars
- studio workshops
- darkrooms
- on location practical demonstrations
- portfolio reviews
- tutorials
- live projects
- study trips
- peer and self-evaluation.
A series of technical workshops will help you to develop practical skills, and will include:
- exposure and metering
- black and white film processing
- colour printing
- black and white printing
- digital workflow (scanning, processing, printing, and managing your digital images)
- large and medium format
- moving image.
Collaboration across courses
This course offers our new innovative collaboration module. This gives you the opportunity to work collaboratively with your contemporaries from a range of different art and design subjects and beyond. You’ll be working alongside artists, designers, illustrators, animators, and filmmakers on daring and creative projects that prepare you for a rewarding career in your chosen industry. Your project will allow you to explore how creativity can make an impact in society, as you choose a theme of sustainability, social justice, enterprise and innovation or community.
International exchanges and study trips
Go on organised study trips to galleries, exhibitions and cultural cities, both in the UK and abroad. Recent destinations have included: New York; Hepworth Gallery, Yorkshire; Paris Photo; European Month of Photography, Bratislava; and Berlin.
If you’re thinking about studying part of your degree abroad, the course has exchange agreements with a number of institutions around the world.
Exchanges take place in Year Two of the course. You’ll receive guidance from the university about where you can go and study, and help in completing your application and arranging your exchange.
Recent destinations include FAMU, Czech Republic; Universitat de Barcelona, Spain; École Supérieure d’Art et Design, France; and RMIT, Australia.
Showcase
You will be given the opportunity to exhibit your work during your time at NTU to members of the creative industries. Visit our ‘We Are Creatives’ showcase to take a look at the work of this year's graduating students’.
You may also have the chance to be selected to exhibit your work at graduate exhibitions in London, such as New Designers and Free Range.
Contact hours
- Year 1 lectures/seminars/workshops (24%), independent study (76%).
- Year 2 lectures/seminars/workshops (23%), independent study (77%).
- Year 3 lectures/seminars/workshops (21%), independent study (79%).
Further information
NTU is in the UK’s Top 15 for Art & Design in the Complete University Guide 2023 (Ranked 15th).
How you’re assessed
- Year 1 coursework (100%).
- Year 2 coursework (100%).
- Year 3 coursework (100%).
Assessment is 100% through coursework. You will receive feedback throughout each module and will be awarded a grade. There are different tasks and projects for assessment include practical photographic work, essays and written work, group projects, reflective online journal, development portfolio, research work and final exhibition.
20% of your final degree mark will be based on your work in Year 2, and 80% from your work in your final year.
Careers and employability
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, and work experience.
The following factors also continue to develop, to support the employability of our students:
- live projects
- guest speaker series
- industry visits
- work experience
- increasing contacts with creative businesses
- success of our alumni
- research profile of our academic staff.
Photography students work across the range of the creative Industries when they graduate. Roles include:
- photographer
- picture editor
- artist
- retoucher
- filmmaker
- curator
- teacher
- marketer
- community arts worker
- blogger
- writer
- musician
- stylist
- archivis
- freelancer.
Alumni have gone on to roles such as creative director at Jamie Oliver and companies such as Getty Sports Images.
YouFirst – working with our Employability team
Studying a creative degree in a large university has many benefits, none more so than having access to a large 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
You’ll benefit from industry professionals from a range of photographic and creative industries practices visiting the course to guest lecture and share their experience. Recent events run by industry organisations for our students include:
- Genesis Imaging, London: bursary scheme
- Alamy 100% Student project: designed to promote, showcase and sell student images through an international picture library.
- Colorama brief: working with Vitec Manfrotto.
- The Hive: a live photographic project brief working with freelancers, in conjunction with Santander.
- Art UK Shadowing: opportunities for students to shadow photographers on commissioned projects.
Creative Industries Federation
We are members of the Creative Industries Federation (CIF), which means students in the Nottingham School of Art & Design have the opportunity to sign up to free student membership. Creative Industries Federation are an organisation that represents, champions and supports the UK’s creative industries and membership grants students exclusive access to their selection of resources and events to help advance your career and connect with industry.
Work placement opportunities
You’ll be encouraged to undertake work experience alongside your studies. Course staff and our Employability team will be on hand to support you.
Our photography students have recently gained work experience with companies and organisations such as:
- Surface Gallery
- JD Sports Fashion
- Impact Media
- Focus Gallery
- Nottingham Contemporary.
Campus and facilities
You’ll be based in the Bonington building, a dedicated art and design hub. View our Nottingham School of Art & Design Facilities Hub here. Recent sponsorship with WEX Photographic introduces NTU’s first Camera Club, bringing discounted equipment to both students and staff.
Entry requirements
112 UCAS Tariff points
What are we looking for?
- A-levels – BBC; or
- BTEC Extended Diploma – DMM; or
- 104 - 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications (two of which must be A-level equivalent).
- GCSE English and Maths grade C / 4.
To find out what qualifications have tariff points, please use our tariff calculator.
Other requirements
Other qualifications and experience
We may also consider credits achieved at other universities and your work/life experience through an assessment of prior learning.
This may be for year one entry, or beyond the beginning of a course where applicable, for example, into year 2. Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route.
Contextual offers
A lower offer may be made based on a range of factors, including your background (such as where you live and the school or college you attended), your experiences and individual circumstances (you may have been in care, for example). This is called a contextual offer and we get data from UCAS to make these decisions. NTU offers a student experience like no other and this approach helps us to find students who have the potential to succeed here but who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university. Find out how we assess your application.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form.
- 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications
International qualifications
We accept qualifications from all over the world – check yours here:
Other requirements
Undergraduate preparation courses (Foundation)
If you don’t yet meet our entry requirements, we offer Foundation courses through our partner Nottingham Trent International College (NTIC), based on our City Campus:
English language entry requirements
You can meet our language requirements by successfully completing our pre-sessional English course for an agreed length of time, or by submitting the required grade in one of our accepted English language tests, such as IELTS:
Advanced standing (starting your undergraduate degree in year 2 or 3)
You may be able to start your undergraduate course in year 2 or 3 based on what you have studied before. This decision would be made in accordance with our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy.
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
Fees and funding
Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but there's no need to feel anxious and confused about it. We hope that our fees and funding pages will answer all your questions.
Getting in touch
For more advice and guidance, you can contact our Student Financial Support Service.
Tel: +44 (0)115 848 2494
What's included in the course fees?
The School will cover the costs of any mandatory study trips.
In Final Year, the Nottingham School of Art & Design will provide infrastructure costs for your Showcase. If you’re selected to showcase your work at a graduate show in London, the School will cover the cost of transporting your work and the exhibition stand.
Additional costs
Print and copy costs
We advise you to budget between £50 - £250 (minimum) per year for printing costs.
The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the Printing, photocopying and scanning information on the Library website.
Material costs
Depending on the materials you choose to work with, you should budget a minimum of £100 (Year One), £150 (Year Two), and £500 (Final Year) to cover the production costs associated to your course, including things like your final year work. Of course, you may spend less or more than this depending on the nature of your studies.
Stationery and reading materials
Most study modules will recommend one or more core textbooks, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary between courses and further information is available in the University’s bookshop, Blackwell’s.
A good supply of these essential text books are available in the University libraries, which students can easily borrow or access directly whilst studying in the library.
You should budget between £50 - £100 per year (minimum) for stationery and reading materials.
Field trips
All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may be the opportunity to take part in optional field trips, which do incur additional costs.
If you choose to join an optional UK study trip, you’ll need to budget £20 per year (minimum). If you choose to join an optional international study trip, you’ll need to budget £500 per year (minimum).
Placements
If you're undertaking a placement year, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst on placement. Many of our placement students do earn a salary whilst on placement which can help to cover these living costs.
If you undertake work experience or a longer placement, you will have the chance to gain an additional Certificate or Diploma in Professional Practice, dependent on duration. The Diploma in Professional Practice incurs a fee for the additional placement year.
Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but there's no need to feel anxious and confused about it. We hope that our fees and funding pages will answer all your questions.
You might be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies. We award scholarships to those international students who can demonstrate excellent achievement, passion, and dedication to their studies.
Please take a look at our International students page for information about fees, scholarships for international students, visas and much more.
Getting in touch
For more advice and guidance, you can contact our Student Financial Support Service.
Tel: +44 (0)115 848 2494
What's included in the course fees?
The School will cover the costs of any mandatory study trips.
In Final Year, the Nottingham School of Art & Design will provide infrastructure costs for your Showcase. If you’re selected to showcase your work at a graduate show in London, the School will cover the cost of transporting your work and the exhibition stand.
Additional costs
Print and copy costs
We advise you to budget between £50 - £250 (minimum) per year for printing costs.
The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the Printing, photocopying and scanning information on the Library website.
Material costs
Depending on the materials you choose to work with, you should budget a minimum of £100 (Year One), £150 (Year Two), and £500 (Final Year) to cover the production costs associated to your course, including things like your final year work. Of course, you may spend less or more than this depending on the nature of your studies.
Stationery and reading materials
Most study modules will recommend one or more core textbooks, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary between courses and further information is available in the University’s bookshop, Blackwell’s.
A good supply of these essential text books are available in the University libraries, which students can easily borrow or access directly whilst studying in the library.
You should budget between £50 - £100 per year (minimum) for stationery and reading materials.
Field trips
All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may be the opportunity to take part in optional field trips, which do incur additional costs.
If you choose to join an optional UK study trip, you’ll need to budget £20 per year (minimum). If you choose to join an optional international study trip, you’ll need to budget £500 per year (minimum).
Placements
If you're undertaking a placement year, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst on placement. Many of our placement students do earn a salary whilst on placement which can help to cover these living costs.
If you undertake work experience or a longer placement, you will have the chance to gain an additional Certificate or Diploma in Professional Practice, dependent on duration. The Diploma in Professional Practice incurs a fee for the additional placement year.
How to apply
Apply through UCAS.
We will ask you to provide a digital portfolio. Visit our webpage which has some advice on what to include to help make your portfolio stand out. After you have submitted your portfolio, we may also invite you to an online interview to help us make our final decision.
Keeping up to date
If you need any more help or information, please email our Admissions team or call +44 (0)115 848 4200.
You can apply for this course through UCAS. If you are not applying to any other UK universities, you can apply directly to us on our NTU applicant portal.
Application advice
Apply early so that you have enough time to prepare – processing times for Student visas can vary, for example. 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.
Writing your personal statement
Be honest, thorough, and persuasive – we can only make a decision about your application based on what you tell us:
Your portfolio
If your initial application is successful, you may be asked to upload a portfolio of your work and you may also be asked to attend an interview.
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
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