Course summary
MA Photography is the perfect springboard for ambitious photographers wishing to become practitioners at the forefront of the industry. The course is designed for ambitious photography graduates, or experienced photographers who wish to develop their knowledge and expertise in order to reach the very top of their field. We look for students with a passion for the subject and who are willing to take risks, and in doing so push themselves to new heights. What you will learn This course offers the opportunity to study in the genres of advertising, fashion, editorial or documentary photography, whichever genre you choose to pursue will define your experience of the course. In each genre you will develop a comprehensive understanding of techniques and knowledge relevant to that specialism combined with a critical awareness of developments in that area of professional practice. Highly practice-focused, the course offers an exciting combination of art and commerce and comprises of three units. This is to allow the production of substantial bodies of work that could become an exhibition or publication. The course is founded on the assertion that commercial photography is a powerful form of mass communication that potentially connects with an audience of millions. What defines it as commercial is that it is conceived and created with a specific audience in mind, conscious of how meaning is affected by socio-political criteria. The course is structured in such a way that learning develops systematically and with an emphasis on the independent learning abilities required for continuing professional development and the advancement of your career. By a combined approach of practice, theory and professionalism, the course will provide a challenging and stimulating environment in which you are able to develop your full potential, with the aim of becoming a practitioner at the forefront of the discipline. You will expand your commercial potential by applying genre practices across contexts; for example, the aesthetics of documentary can be applied to advertising, editorial, and fashion outcomes. The course enables you to develop an in-depth and critically informed understanding of the commercial photography industry. You will engage with key themes in emerging and established critical analyses that underpin each professional genre. This will equip you with the theoretical understanding to progress your practice and effectively articulate your concepts through the production of advanced outcomes to specialist and non-specialist audiences. These specialist areas of study will be supported by the staff team who have extensive commercial experience and specialist knowledge. Several of the staff are leading practitioners in their field with decades of industry experience. In addition, there will be a team of well-known and respected industry practitioners, including not just photographers, but associated roles such as agents and picture editors, to act as mentors and visiting tutors. By the end of the course you will be able to...
- Produce complex and advanced work that is informed by critical debates at the forefront of the discipline, and evidences originality in the application of ideas.
- Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of photographic genres and commercial contexts, and communicate effectively through the presentation of visual outcomes to targeted and wider audiences.
- Demonstrate and apply in-depth conceptual, practical and professional understanding of current practices and techniques to innovative commercial outcomes.
- Critically reflect upon your work in order to direct and advance your professional practice through the development of high-level image making skills.
- Act autonomously in the production of solutions to complex problems, and advance your career through the continued development of entrepreneurial skills.
Modules
The course comprises of three units that should be seen as one integrated body of study. Depending upon your own individual approach and learning style, you will be given the opportunity to run one major project across all three units, or produce a smaller projects for each, its your choice. The course is project focused and builds towards the completion of a major portfolio of work through self-initiated practical assignments, which are supported by written commentaries.
Assessment method
Your performance in terms of production and presentation will be judged in the context of the criteria of the Learning Outcomes for each Unit. The course uses a range of different assessment methods, the forms of which include written submissions, verbal presentations, practice based work and critical analysis and evaluation.
Entry requirements
BA (Hons) degree with minimum 2:1 (second-class, upper division) classification in relevant creative subject or equivalent undergraduate level; applicants with other than the required academic qualifications may be considered for entry if there is sufficient evidence to indicate that they have the potential to fulfil the objectives of the course of study and to achieve the standard of the final award. Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to obtain IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in every component (reading, writing, speaking and listening), or an equivalent English language qualification. For more information on AUB’s entry requirements please refer to the website.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5 | 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each component (reading, writing, speaking and listening) |
| Cambridge English Advanced | C | Overall score of 180 |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | C | Overall score of 200 |
| PTE Academic | 54 | Minimum score of 51 in each component (reading, writing, speaking and listening) |
IELTS, Pearson and TOEFL scores must be less than two years old at the time the course commences to be valid.
English language requirements
https://aub.ac.uk/international/english-language/english-language-requirements
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| England | £8000 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £8000 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £8000 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £8000 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £8000 | Year 1 |
| EU | £18500 | Year 1 |
| International | £18500 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £18500 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Please see our website for more information https://aub.ac.uk/fees/postgraduate
Sponsorship information
Please see our website for details of scholarships, bursaries and funding.
Provider information
Arts University Bournemouth
Wallisdown
Poole
BH12 5HH