BA (Hons) Photography

What will I study?

Year 1

The first year focuses on enabling you to better articulate ideas and concepts. This is accomplished by ensuring the craft and art of photography are integrated within teaching and learning. Photography has been set within a historical and social context. A sound understanding of the visual language of photography also features. This helps ensure you can better articulate concepts and relay visual messages to your intended audience. You are intended to have a clear understanding of your dual role as a service provider and a creative artist. You will also be made aware of the career opportunities and work placement opportunities available to you. In essence, you will be provided with the skills and knowledge of how to take photographs.

Year 2

The second year provides a focus for more specialist work. You are encouraged, whenever appropriate, to work on live projects. At this stage you are expected to manage photographic activities. This involves briefing colleagues, monitoring the way activities are carried out and making any necessary changes in organisation. This approach to your work prepares you for a world where informed judgement and the confidence to resolve new challenges are seen as the norm. In essence, you are required to answer the question 'why' you are taking photographs.

Year 3

The third year further develops your ability to work independently but with supervision. The essence of this year is to put into practice everything learnt in the prior two years and develop an individual theme to your own work. This can then be taken into the final show at the end of the year. You will also be required to develop your portfolio at this stage of the degree.
An experienced team with a wide range of interests reflecting all areas of photographic practice will work with you. Lecturers are active researchers in their field and have experience of working in industry?

Year 1 (Level 4) AR4910 Image and Exploration (20 credits)

Images and exploration will introduce the notion of critical thinking, by analysing photographic imagery and thematic works. The emphasis will be placed on the research of key historical works through to contemporary imagery and practice. Students will be introduced to a range of questioning approaches, encouraging the development of independent investigation and research. Using appropriate IT packages will be required to produce conclusions orally and in written formats.
Students will be introduced to photography and its histories, practitioners, movements and key debates surrounding the medium. This will be supported by the delivery of relevant study skills, including the Harvard Referencing system to aid their research and investigatory skills.

AR4911 Photographic Techniques (60 credits)

In semester 1 this module has been designed to start from quite a basic level in order to help students starting without any significant analogue experience in photographic practice. The skills learnt within this module will be relevant and can be used within practice throughout the forthcoming levels of the undergraduate course. Those students who already have experience of the analogue process will be offered the opportunity to further develop their skills in this area.
Semester 2 of this module requires students to make a series of presentations to the group which will include both research conducted into photographic practitioners and digitally produced thematic imagery.

AR4912 Contemporary Media and Apps (20 credits)

This module is designed to develop new and existing skills through lectures, workshops, group and individual practical activities. Tutor led lectures, seminars and workshops will lead the students through practical exercises that will allow learners to develop as a group and on an individual level.

AR4920 Personal Project One

This module will be practice based, placing emphasis on short tasks to aid research development and visual awareness. The first half of each task will be directed by the tutor, the module theme will be the creation of visual imagery in response to a range of locations and their context. Students will work under three themes: The Urban Experience, the Non-Urban and the No Mans Land. They will be introduced to each theme considering word associations exploring visual references and initial site visits.

Year 2 (Level 5) AR5910 Research Methods (20 credits)

For this module students will be required to engage with research as a practice. This will act as a tool to increase critical awareness forming an intellectual response to a variety of material such as paper based, electronic and first hand accounts. Students will be expected to interpret and analyse primary information and secondary data. The exploration of research methodologies and theory to support research as practice will be covered. Students will look at specific areas of the arts, evaluating and disseminating information and data to a wider audience.

AR5911 Personal Project Two (20 credits)

This module is a continuation from the first year module. Students will produce a research proposal in response to a location/theme they intend to investigate. The proposal will support and underpin the practical work undertaken. This module will draw from the research methods module adopting appropriate research methodologies to help students when making investigative research into a chosen theme/location. Students will be introduced to new ways of presenting work such as; installation, projection, interactive paper based materials, site-specific locations (non gallery or alternative spaces) and virtual spaces. They will be shown work of contemporary photographic practitioners who employ alternative ways of presenting and disseminating their work to a wider audience. This module will require students to work independently over an extended project. Tutorial support will be provided though group and individual sessions.

AR5912 Professional Development (60 credits)

This module will use a range of lectures, workshops, presentations, visiting industry/lecturer presentations and external visits to guide and inform students to the opportunities and application of their photography in the contemporary market place. The curriculum will include: 'live' studio activity, exhibition/gallery/industry visits, visiting lecturer/industry specialist presentations, research and documentation techniques, technical experimentation, studio practice, location practice, business/professional practice and presentation, health and safety.

AR5913 Freelance Project (20 credits)

This module will run over both semesters of the second year. Students will be required to enter two separate national photographic competitions over the course of the academic year. The students will be given an assignment brief detailing an annual photographic competition and its specific entry requirements. Initial presentations will detail historic assignment briefs and a range of respective award winning imagery. The details of the specific competitions should shift throughout the academic year as and when different adhoc competitions come online.

Year 3 (Level 6) AR6909 Personal Project Three (20 credits)

The module will be self-directed with ongoing tutorial support and guidance from the Module Leader. The module will consist initially of an individual 'Student Proposal Presentation' and then two further Group Critiques throughout the semester. Students will be expected to book individual tutorial slots with the Module Leader throughout the course of the module. The practical output from this module could be used for inclusion within a portfolio.

AR6910 Professional Practice (40 credits)

Following the initial introduction of the module, students will be actively encouraged on a one to one tutorial basis to live, breathe, sleep and work photography. Through a self-assigned action plan, students will explore and venture into the professional photographic industry. Establishing and maintaining contacts in the field of art and design is an essential element for the success of any practitioner. This module will enable and encourage students to take control and begin establishing a network of contacts and information gathering. Competition entries, funding applications, portfolio building, exhibition entries, professional practitioner visits, work placements, new image production, artist workshops, artist collaborations and trade show visits are examples of potential avenues which students can be explored in order to develop a professional level practice in the field of photography and the art and design industry.

AR6911 Final Show (60 credits)

This module will be delivered over both semester 1 and 2 of the final year. Students will be required to initially deliver a short presentation to the rest of the group detailing their research interests. Examples of different photographic project outputs should be researched and presented to the group. Semester 1 will consist mainly of student presentations and visits to see practitioner's photographic work and project outputs. Semester 2 will be tutorial driven and mainly consist of the design and planning of the contextual report on an individual basis. There will be a midway group critique session available in semester 2 for students to present their research to date. The module will be self-directed with ongoing tutorial support and guidance from the programme team. The module will consist initially of an individual 'student proposal presentation' and then two further group critiques throughout the semester. Students will be expected to book individual tutorial slots with the Programme Leader and programme team throughout the course of the module.