BA (Hons) Photography & Moving Image has been designed to give you the knowledge and real-life skills that are needed to join and sustain a range of graduate-level jobs in industry.

This is an exciting, but challenging time to be entering the photographic industry. Never has photography been so popular, nor so competitive. As such, this course has been designed to produce graduates that are: socially engaged, culturally and ethically aware photography and moving image practitioners; able to integrate criticality and reflection in their practice; independent thinkers who can collaborate and lead; sophisticated ‘makers,’ able to utilise contemporary and traditional technology and methodology appropriately for a range of audiences and functioning, and commercially-adept practitioners of photography and moving image.

During the course of the programme you will study a range of subjects directly associated with photography and moving image. Alongside all the modules you will develop your academic skills that will help you progress smoothly. All students take a total of 120 credits per level and you will study the following modules:

Level 4 Modules (all modules are mandatory) include:

• Contextual Studies (Photography and Moving Image)
• Creative Process 1
• Location and Studio Practice
• Photography and Moving Image
• Professional Practice 1

Level 5 Modules (all modules are mandatory) include:

• Critical Studies (Photography and Moving Image)
• Creative Process 2
• Professional Practice 2
• Photographic Practice
• Moving Image Practice

Level 6 Modules (all modules are mandatory) include:

• Dissertation
• External Engagement
• Extensive Personal Practice and Exhibition
• Professional Practice 3

You’ll need 80 UCAS points to join this programme. Applicants should have and be able to verify that they have a pass in English GCSE or Functional Skills Level 2 English or equivalent as an entry requirement. Proof of this should be shown at the interview. 

Applicants who do not meet the standard entry criteria but have relevant work/life experience will be considered on an individual basis and may be invited to interview. The interview will consider prior formal qualifications, and evidence of experience gained through employment or other verifiable sources. Students will be admitted when the interviews are confident that the student has demonstrated sufficient prior knowledge, skill, aptitude and interest to be equally able to succeed as a candidate offering the standard entry criteria.

Applicants should also exhibit an interest in the subject of photography and / or moving imagery, either as processes or theoretical. You will also need:

• A functional digital camera that allows full engagement with all stills and moving image aspects of the programme, this usually means a digital single lens reflex camera (DSLR) or digital mirrorless camera with a lens and lens interchangeability and with effective stills and moving image capability. This digital camera must have ‘Manual’ exposure mode capability, a memory card of an appropriate capacity to save photographic images and HD moving imagery files. It must also have an appropriate battery.
• A 35mm single lens reflex (SLR) camera with a lens and lens interchangeability and ‘Manual’ exposure capability. The SLR camera should also have a battery if required.
• Additional photographic film and photography paper for darkroom use.
• A functioning camera tripod able to support and effectively stabilise the student’s own cameras.
• A USB external hard drive with memory capacity sufficient to store still photographic image files and large moving-image files.
• Minimum memory size recommended – 1Tb. As the programme progresses, further external hard drives may be required.

In addition, throughout the programme, you will be required to invest in materials for the production of and presentation of photographic portfolios and moving-image works suitable for assessment and (at Level 6) a public exhibition. We advise that any equipment or materials queries be directed at the programme delivery team. There may be trips to external locations for workshops, conference or another external event that you will be required to pay for.

Assessment will be undertaken through a range of established methodologies at various stages throughout your learning experience. This incorporates standard practices through initial, diagnostic, formative and summative stages. Examples of assessment activity includes:

• Essays
• Seminars
• Projects and Portfolios
• Dissertations
• Reflective/Summative Reports
• Group presentations
• Peer assessment
• Group assessment

You will be taught by an experienced teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. The team could include senior academics, professional practitioners with industry experience, demonstrators and technical officers. You can learn more about our staff by visiting our staff profiles.

Academic Support

We have a dedicated Student Engagement Team who will be able to provide support in the following areas:

• Study Skills (including reading, note-taking and presentation skills)
• Written English
• Academic Writing (including referencing)
• Research Skills
• Work Placement

Graduates from BA (Hons) Photography & Moving Image can progress onto a range of careers including; news and editorial, publishing, picture library and image distribution, advertising, gallery curation, community arts, teaching and postgraduate study.

Download the Programme Specification. The Programme Specification will give you further information about the course structure, learning outcomes and detailed information about the assessment you can expect during the course.

Work Placements

Work placements are subject to availability. You are also responsible for any costs in travelling to and from your work placements, for any accommodation costs and in some instances the cost of acquiring a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) report.