Programme summary for MA Photography

About the programme

Aimed at Artists, Designers and Photographers, this programme enables you to develop your creativity and intellectual understanding through a high level of debate, subject-specific discourse and practical application. This programme will use your practice to engage you in critical debate around issues of representation, contextualization through historical and theoretical frameworks, and contemporary dialogues in interdisciplinary photographic practice.

The programme has been designed to interconnect with MA Fashion, MA Print Design, MA Graphic Design and MA Design Studies, as suite of MA programmes that utilize shared modules and interdisciplinary learning structures and experiences. The aim of this strategy is to provide a flexible postgraduate learning environment appropriate and relevant to the students own professional context, future aims and ambition.

Programme structure

The programme can be followed over twelve months full time or twenty four months part time.

The programme consists of 2 x 30 credit (single) modules and 2 x 60 credit (double) modules

Creative Practice (Photography)
The main aims of this module are to develop advanced independent, original work and research within the subject area, and to facilitate students to critically reflect on their own work within a wider context of professional process and progress.

Options
The programme has a 30 credit ‘option’ module that enables the student to diversify their studies through Photography Discourses, Graphic Design Discourses, Entrepreneurship in the Creative Industries, Textiles Exploration and Practice or Fashion Exploration and Practice.

Professional Engagement
The programme has a 30 credit ‘Professional Engagement’ module that facilities opportunity for outward facing professional activities that could take the form of publications, exhibitions, collaborative projects, internships, or the design and organisation of workshop activities.

Negotiated Practice
The main aim of this module is for students to develop a coherent and sophisticated body of work for exhibition or presentation, as appropriate to their subject. The module culminates in a final showing of work, which will demonstrate a sustained and advanced level of practice necessary to achieve a Masters qualification.

Career opportunities

This programme will equip the graduates with a set of transferable skills suitable for work in the creative industries.

Job titles might be:

Photographer
Photography Researcher
Photographic Technician
Photographic Artist
Design Director
Projects Manager
Photography Academic
Exhibition Designer
Magazine Editor
Curator
Publisher

Support

The university provides a comprehensive range of support services for students which include: residential/student finance advice/careers advice/study skills development/IT/learning resources. The programme provides strong personal tutor guidance and professional advice related to the practice. Visiting artists, designers and other professional practitioners regularly visit the programme and study trips to working environments are an important component.

Admission

The programme is suitable for:

Candidates with an honours degree in Photography
Candidates with an honours degree in Art, Design or Media, with a particular interest, experience and ability for developing creative and innovative approaches to Photography
Photography, Design or Media professionals who wish to readdress their professional practice through creativity and innovation.
Lecturers from Further or Higher Education Institutions wishing to gain a higher qualification.

Applications are welcomed from the EU and overseas.
Students whose first language is not English will have achieved a score of 6.0 in IELTS or equivalent. Eligibility for students without degree equivalent qualifications will be assessed on the basis of a personal statement and a portfolio. Places will be offered after a successful interview (in person or online) with a member of the programme team.

Accredited Learning

Students that apply to enter stages of the programme may be admitted through normal Accreditation of Experiential Learning (AEL) or Accreditation of Certificated Learning (ACL) processes, or through an approved articulation agreement. Therefore such applicants must be able to demonstrate and evidence that they have the required learning outcomes as listed in the modules for which they are seeking exemption.