Fashion Photography

With strong industry links and a team of internationally renowned academics and practitioners, the Fashion Photography BA degree encourages you to approach photographic practices through challenging and exciting projects. You'll gain an in-depth understanding of visual aesthetics, concepts, and techniques of image production and consumption. You'll also gain proficient knowledge of conceptual and technical skills essential in today’s fast-paced, image-led world, developing innovative and highly creative work through industry-facing projects.

You'll have access to high-end facilities and equipment such as photographic studios and industry standard cameras, film processing suites, black and white and colour darkrooms as well as digital processing suites. The course channels aesthetic understanding and creative development through industry-linked project briefs. We offer strong links with practitioners and the course features portfolio reviews, visiting lecturers, exhibitions and studio visits.

The course promotes work placements and current students on the Photography BA have already obtained, with the support of our tutors, work experience with Espero Studio and Cityscapes Digital. Each year, students are offered a yearly trip to Paris Photo (additional fees apply).

Assessment

There are no exams on this course. Instead, you'll be assessed through practical and written coursework at the end of each year and throughout the course. You’ll be given valuable verbal and written feedback as your work progresses. You'll be assessed through a combination of diagnostic, formative and summative methods, and you're expected to participate reflectively in assessment. Self-evaluation is an aspect of a number of modules. You'll use the criteria given to reflect upon your development on the module. This, together with the assessment teams written assessment report, forms the basis at Levels 4 and 5 for discussion at assessment feedback sessions.

Formative assessment is built into all modules and is designed to provide you with feedback on progress and inform development. You're expected to maintain appropriate records of your work as it develops within each module, throughout all levels and to take part in regular tutorial, critique and seminar discussions regarding your own and others’ coursework. These sessions have a diagnostic function aimed at enabling you to meet the intended learning outcomes of each module.

Summative assessment provides a measure of achievement made in respect of performance in relation to learning outcomes. On completion of each level, you'll be required to submit a portfolio of your work on each module together with all supporting material. Assessment criteria reflect the learning outcomes for each level.

Entry requirements

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you should have:

• A minimum of grades BBC in three A levels in art or design subjects (or a minimum of 112 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification, eg BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma/Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Progression Diploma or Access to HE Diploma with 60 credits)
• A portfolio interview
• English language GCSE at grade C (grade 4) or above (or equivalent)

Applicants with relevant professional qualifications or extensive professional experience will also be considered on a case by case basis. We encourage applications from international/EU students with equivalent qualifications. We also accept mature students with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Suitable applicants living in the UK will be invited to a portfolio interview. Applicants living outside the UK will be required to submit a portfolio of work via email. If you do not have traditional qualifications or cannot meet the entry requirements for this undergraduate degree, you may still be able to gain entry by completing the Film, Photography and Media Extended Degree (with Foundation Year).

All applicants must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. Applicants who require a Tier 4 student visa may need to provide a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. For more information about English qualifications please see our English language requirementss.

After the course

At a time when the skills of flexible working are in demand, photography graduates are well-positioned to succeed in the contemporary world of work. Graduates of the Fashion Photography BA degree have a high rate of employability, and success stories include roles in picture editing, post-production, fashion and editorial photography, galleries, magazines, modelling agencies, picture libraries and in technical and creative industries.

Careers open to graduates of this course include fashion and the visual arts as freelance or in-house photographers, magazine editors, art directors, media and advertising professionals as well as careers in further and higher education. You could also progress to further study at MA and PhD level.