Undergraduate

Photography

BA (Hons)

Study options

BA (Hons) - Full time, 4 years - with foundation year

BA (Hons) - Part time

BA (Hons) - Full time, 3 years

Apply to start in:

Open day

What is Photography BA (Hons)?

Express your creativity and communicate your ideas through photography. This broad-based photography degree will allow you to explore and develop expertise in a range of photographic genres that will enable you to turn your passion and creativity into a career path.

Studying and researching photography, you’ll develop unrivalled technical and artistic skills, using dedicated facilities including traditional wet darkroom processing labs, large studios and industry-standard computers, software spanning all forms of image manipulation and film, video and animation.

You’ll explore still and moving photography, exhibition work, installations and curation and produce a rich portfolio of work, research sketchbooks, exhibitions and essays.

We’re ranked in the top 10 for photography degrees by Guardian University Guide 2019.

Study style

You’ll learn from award-winning staff and work with prestigious brands. Lecturer Professor Richard Billingham is a Turner Prize-nominated artist
and one of our highly-acclaimed staff.

We scored 91% for learning resources in the National Student Survey 2019.

You can find out more about the Photography staff and see student work on our blog.

Get Photography BA (Hons) course updates and hear more about studying with us.

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Entry requirements

Passion and creativity, not tariff points
- Because we want to offer this course to creative students with talent and potential (and because we know that exam grades don’t always tell the whole story), we make offers following an interview instead of using tariff points.
  
  You will need to have, or be studying for, a NQF level 3 qualification – that’s A-level/BTEC/Welsh Baccalaureate or equivalent.
  
  Once you apply, we will invite you to interview so we can decide whether to make you an offer.
  
  Check out our Interview Guide to learn what to expect and help you prepare.
Haven't got enough tariff points?
- This course is available with an integrated foundation year to help you prepare.
Mature students
- We welcome applications from mature students (aged 21 and over) and do not necessarily require the same academic qualifications as school leaving applicants though the entry requirements still apply.
  
  Some courses require several years of working experiences in the relevant industry.
International students
- Please read the entry requirements for your country – and you’re welcome to contact our admissions team if you have questions.
Required subjects/grades
- English and Maths Grade 4/C in GCSE (or equivalent) are normally required.

Course modules

Fees and costs

See the further details of fees and potential extra costs when studying a course at the University of Gloucestershire.

Start date	Location	UCAS code	Fee (UK) per year	Fee (international) per year
Sep 2021	Hardwick, Cheltenham	—	—	—
Sep 2022	Hardwick, Cheltenham	—	—	—

Possible careers

Graduates from this course can go on to work as:

Photographer (studio, journalism, product, lifestyle, fashion, commercial, location)
Curator
Digital Imaging Specialist
Exhibiting/Publishing Artist.

Industry links

We have strong international links with arts schools, universities, museums and collectives in Australia, USA, Canada, Bangladesh, India and the Netherlands. This includes Magnum in New York, Photoworks Magazine, Delhi Photo Festival, Paris Photo, Berlin Transmediale, Capture the Event (sports photography for 2012 Olympics), David Cook (food photographer), Clifton Cameras, Athens Community Arts, and Hardwick Gallery.

Work with famous brands and international projects

Work with prestigious brands such as Magnum in New York, Photoworks Magazine, National Geographic, Mead Gallery and Capture the Event (sports photography including 2012 Olympics). Visit international photo festivals, including Delhi Photo Festival, Paris Photo and Berlin Transmediale.

Students on the MA Photography course looking into a camera

Learn from a Turner Prize-nominated artist

Learn from award-winning staff. Richard Billingham is a world-renowned photographer, film-maker and artist who has been a Turner Prize nominee and winner of the prestigious Deutsche B’rse Group photography prize. His work has also been held in many major collections such as the Metropolitan Museum in New York and the V&A in London.

Film Production and Photography - Career Prospects - Guardian University Guide 2021

Our Film Production and Photography courses rank in the UK top 20 for career prospects, according to the Guardian University Guide 2021.

Film Production and Photography - Value Added - Guardian University Guide 2021

Our courses in Film Production and Photography rank in the UK top 25% for added value, according to the Guardian University Guide 2021.

Trips and experiences

You’ll have the opportunity to visit international photo festivals, including the
Delhi Photo Festival and Paris Photo.

Placements

As part of your course you can gain valuable experience on an optional placement year.

Duration – 12 months, full-time (minimum 35 hours a week)
Location – popular destinations include the UK, USA, China and Europe
Visa – you may need a visa if you’re on placement abroad
Finance – your tuition fee is reduced for your placement year – and you can still apply for a maintenance loan and get money advice
Placement support – we’ll help you find a great placement and get the most out of the experience

"I chose to study photography in this context as I always felt I wanted to use photography as an artist… I wanted my work rooted within that medium."

Former student, Felicity Hammond, has earned a number of high-profile accolades since graduating. She has been a nominee for the Saatchi New Sensations Prize and she won the RCA Metro Prize for her work ‘Restore to Factory Settings’. In 2016, she was showcased as part of the British Journal of Photography’s International Photography Awards.

Her work has been exhibited widely, including stints at the South Kiosk Gallery at Unseen in Amsterdam, at the Saatchi Gallery in London and at the Lowry in Manchester.

Felicity Hammond, Photography student

A girl in a colourful top poses for a photo

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