BA (Hons) Commercial Photography
Course overview
Start date
September 2020
Subject area
Art and Design
Attendance
Full-time, 3 years
Part-time, six years
Learning
On campus, dual delivery
Course summary
Studying on the BA (Hons) Commercial Photography course will prepare you for a successful career in fashion, editorial, beauty, advertising, architectural photography, fashion film (moving image) and post-production or set and run photography studios and even set up a magazine (we have successful alumni doing all of this and more!).
You will learn outstanding and innovative advance image production skills with expert workshops and tuition. Contextual studies, professional practice (Mental Wealth) and entrepreneurial skills will be supporting your development and readiness for industry 4.0.
Interdisciplinary collaborations with students from our BA Design Interaction, Graphic Design, Illustration and Animation courses or with our award-winning fashion students, architecture or urban dance students will allow you to exchange skills, technical support and subject expertise across disciplines. Collaborative and interdisciplinary practice is what we do well and we have many examples of outstanding student projects commended by our industry contacts.
You will be encouraged to experiment and develop emerging technology such as AR/VR and eg. 3D technologies designed to give you edge in the competitive job market. We see these as future skills for fourth industrial age (4iR) in commercial photography.
Image credit: Chloee Allen
Return to campus: dual delivery
In a Covid-secure environment, enjoy learning on our state-of-the-art campuses and flex between online delivery
Find out moreCommercial networks
You will be studying in East London with access to the Europe’s largest commercial photographers’ networks and our successful photography alumni
Career focused
You will work on interdisciplinary collaborations with students from BA Design Interaction, Graphic Design, Illustration and Animation or eg. with our award-winning fashion, architecture or urban dance students allowing you to exchange skills (such as AR/VR/ 3D technologies) and access to technical support and subject expertise across disciplines designed to give you edge in the competitive job market. We see these as future skills for fourth industrial age (4iR) in commercial photography.
Placement
Optional placement year
Fees and funding
Tuition Fee Loan
You can apply for a loan to cover the cost of your tuition fees, which will be paid directly to UEL. There are no up-front fees required. Repayment only starts after you finish your course and are earning over £25,000. If you haven’t finished repaying your loan after 30 years it will be automatically cancelled.
To apply visit gov.uk/student-finance
Maintenance Loan
You can apply for a loan to help with living costs such as food, travel and accommodation. How much you can borrow depends on where you live and study, and whether you are currently on welfare benefits. The maximum loan you can apply for is £12,729.
To apply visit gov.uk/student-finance
Supplementary Grants
The government also offer the following additional support:
- Parents' Learning Allowance
- Adult Dependants' Grant
- Childcare Grant
- Disabled Students’ Allowance
- All nursing and many allied health students on courses from September 2020 will receive a payment of at least £5,000 a year from the government.
For further information visit gov.uk/student-finance or contact Student Finance England.
All students will receive:
Bursaries Schemes for which you can apply
- Care Leaver and Foyer Bursary - up to £1,500
- Progression Bursary - up to £2,000
- Engagement Bursary - up to £2,000
- Hardship Bursary - up to £2,000
- Helena Kennedy Foundation - £1,500
- Going Global – awards range from £300 - £700
Scholarships Schemes for which you can apply
- Vice Chancellor Scholarship - up to £27,750 over three years
- Dean Scholarship - up to £13,500 over three years
- Civic Engagement Scholarship - £1,000
- EU Scholarship (EU Only) - £1,000
- ELSEF Scholarship - £1,000
- UTC Scholarship - £1,500
- Sports Scholarships - up to £6,000
There are a number of external organisations that offer financial help to
students. Please see the list below list to view additional support options.
Alternatively, you can visit the Scholarship Search website.
Please note that the University of East London is not responsible for
the content of these external sites and is not associated in any way
with the funding schemes and their application processes.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate your finances while you are a student at the University of East London.
We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement.
Email: study@uel.ac.uk
Phone: 020 8223 4444
Tuition Fee Loan
You can apply for a loan to cover the cost of your tuition fees, which will be paid directly to UEL. There are no up-front fees required. Repayment only starts after you finish your course and are earning over £25,000. If you haven’t finished repaying your loan after 30 years it will automatically be cancelled.
For information visit gov.uk/student-finance
Please note EU students can only apply for their funding using a paper application form.
To download a form visit www.gov.uk/student-finance-forms
All students will receive:
Bursaries Schemes for which you can apply
- Care Leaver and Foyer Bursary - up to £1,500
- Progression Bursary - up to £2,000
- Engagement Bursary - up to £2,000
- Hardship Bursary - up to £2,000
- Helena Kennedy Foundation - £1,500
- Going Global – awards range from £300 - £700
Scholarships Schemes for which you can apply
- Vice Chancellor Scholarship - up to £27,750 over three years
- Dean Scholarship - up to £13,500 over three years
- Civic Engagement Scholarship - £1,000
- EU Scholarship (EU Only) - £1,000
- ELSEF Scholarship - £1,000
- UTC Scholarship - £1,500
- Sports Scholarships - up to £6,000
There are a number of external organisations that offer financial help to
students. Please see the list below list to view additional support options.
Alternatively, you can visit the Scholarship Search website.
Please note that the University of East London is not responsible for
the content of these external sites and is not associated in any way
with the funding schemes and their application processes.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate your finances while you are a student at the University of East London.
We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement.
Email: study@uel.ac.uk
Phone: 020 8223 4444
At UEL, we understand that studying in another country is a big financial commitment. If you apply early for an undergraduate, you may be entitled to a scholarship of up to £3,000.You can find out more about the international scholarships here.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) also run an Emergency International Fund to assist international students in hardship.
You can contact our SMART team on 02082233333 or study@uel.ac.uk
As part of the Tier 4 student visa requirements, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) estimate that you will need £1,265* per month to cover your living costs. It includes expenses for accommodation, food and drink, travel within London, text books, entertainment, clothing, toiletries and laundry. Most Tier 4 students are required to show they have sufficient funds to cover the first nine months of the course before they start- a total of £11,385- in addition to the tuition fees. You can find more information about the specific requirements of the Tier 4 student visa here. The amount that you will spend can vary depending on your lifestyle. The UKCISA International Student Calculator can help you plan and manage your money. Please make sure you also factor in the fees for the visa application and immigration health surcharge when budgeting.
* Please note the Immigration Rules are subject to change and this figure is likely to be increased by UKVI year on year. Please therefore check our ISA pages for more information at the time of preparing your visa application.
Deposits and paying by instalments
International students are required to pay a deposit prior to being issued a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).
Your remaining balance will be paid in five monthly instalments over your first term. The first of these instalments must be paid when completing your enrolment on arrival at UEL. Please follow the payment instructions here.
After the required payment has been made, you will be asked to complete the online International Student Reply Form to confirm your acceptance of our offer and of our terms of admittance and fees policy.
Our International team at UEL are available for advice and guidance on studying in London, fees, scholarships and visa requirements.
Email: international@uel.ac.uk
Entry requirements
- September 2020
-
Degree
96
New UCAS Points
We would like you to submit a digital portfolio of
15-20 photographs. Ideally you should submit a .pdf file or a link to a digital
platform containing the requested work.
We would like your portfolio to include:
1) Your
current coursework and /or personal photographic work. We are looking for
potential, passion, how you communicate through your images.
2) Your
portfolio can consist of just digitally shot images. However, if you have shot
analogue/ film, please include some of these in your portfolio, including
darkroom prints.
3) We welcome you to include drawings, multi-media work
and moving image as part of your portfolio (by e.g. including a link to your
work on a YouTube site).
4) Present
work that shows your passion & interest in photography.
5) Include a
sample page/s of your sketchbook/ visual experimentation/ note book.
Access to HE Diploma (QAA approved) with 60 credits overall and 45 credits at Level 3
We will also consider the UEL New Beginnings pre-entry course
Overall IELTS score of 5.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking (or recognised equivalent).
If you do not meet the academic English language requirements for your course, you may be eligible to enrol onto a pre-sessional English programme. The length of the course will depend on your current level of English and the requirements for your degree programme. We offer a 5-week and an 11-week pre-sessional course. Find out more here.
Level 2 equivalences such as Level 2 Functional Skills in English / Maths, Level 2 Key Skills in Communication / Application of Number and Level 2 Adult Literacy / Adult Numeracy
Please note that some courses require applicants to meet the entry requirements outlined on the course page. Our pre-entry Information Advice and Guidance Team are able to provide further advice on entry requirements and suitability for study.
What you'll learn
Through BA (Hons) Commercial Photography you willgain fresh perspective and approaches (divergent thinking) giving you an edge in the competitive job market, and skills for the fourth industrial age (4iR). You will undertake interdisciplinary collaboration with students from BA Design Interaction, Fine Art Technology, Graphic Design, Illustration and Animation or find collaborators from e.g. our successful fashion department or our unique urban dance course, gaining access to exchange of skills, technical support and subject expertise across disciplines.
Experiment and develop emerging technology such as AR/VR and e.g. 3D technologies.
What you'll study and when
We consistently review our courses to ensure we are up-to-date with industry changes and requirements from our graduates. As a result, our modules are subject to change.
- Professional Life (Mental Wealth)
- Art & Design Workshops, Processes & Skills
- Art & Design Studio Practice Practise & Portfolio
- Art & Design Specialist Workshops, Processes & Skills
- Art & Design Specialist Studio Practice & Portfolio
- Art & Design Contextual Studies
- Contextual Studies 1 (Core)
- Practice 1 (Core)
- Experimentation and Application (Core)
- Experimentation and Application 1B (Core)
- Research into Practice 1 (Core)
- Professional Life 1 (Mental Wealth) (Core)
- Contextual Studies 2 (Core)
- Practice 2 (Core)
- Advanced Experimentation and Applications (Core)
- Advanced Practice (Core)
- Research into Practice 2 (Core)
- Professional Life 2 (Mental Wealth) (Core)
- Practice 3 (Core)
- Research into Practice 3 – Commercial Photography (Core)
- Independent Major Project Part A (Core)
- Independent Major Project Part B (Core)
- Professional Life 3 (Mental Wealth) (Core)
How you'll be assessed
We’ll assess you through a combination of coursework and exams. Coursework will include presentations, exhibitions, pin-ups and critiques. Furthermore you'll also be assessed through learning, research journals, online portfolios and degree shows. You’ll always receive detailed feedback outlining your strengths and how you can improve.
Students with disabilities and/or particular learning needs should discuss assessments with the Course Leader to ensure they are able to fully engage with all assessment within the course.
How you'll learn
You shall benefit from our progressive approach to learning through forward thinking and inclusive blended/ flipped learning and patchwork assessment, allowing you to make connections between modules, technical skills and research and your practice.
You will think critically to undertake complex problem solving, to be able to succeed in 4iR and beyond (we call this emotional intelligence).
Gain insights in our yearly cluster employability initiative Detour Ahead: Roadmaps for the Art and Design Industry, a week-long inter-disciplinary guest talk event as well as advice about copyright and licensing, freelancing and tax.
Who will teach on this course
The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the teaching team will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.
Teaching staff for this course include Dr Antigoni Memou, Minna Kantonen.
Your future career
The changes in digital technology and distribution has provided opportunities for the new generation of photographers and graduates, who are more able to adapt to the technological challenges and processes, but also opportunities in multi-disciplinary and expanded practice such as fashion films, moving image digital billboards etc., aided by high quality moving image capabilities of the current DSLR cameras.
The majority of the BA (Hons) Commercial Photography graduates will work as self-employed and/or freelance. They may start work as photography assistants gradually progressing into freelance photography or they may set up their own studios/ entrepreneurial ventures such as magazines. Increasingly graduates may take on roles such as producer, project manager, social media manager; digital marketing and design or marketing and PR.
The BA (Hons) Commercial Photography will offer not only technical and creative skills but opportunities in multi/ inter-disciplinary and expanded practices, prepare students on the course to bring interdisciplinary practices into their practice such as e.g. producing fashion films. Students and graduates may also seek opportunities to work with e.g. bloggers and other opportunities created by social media. The graduates are able to market to wider international audiences through platforms such as Instagram, gaining opportunities such as one of our recent BA Photography graduates getting retouching jobs through Instagram posts, now retouching for photographers working for high-end magazines such as Vogue.
We expect BA (Hons) Commercial Photography graduates continue to follow career destination that our current BA (Hons) Photography alumni have achieved.
Currently the BA (Hons) Photography course alumni work in wide range of careers such as: Freelance Photographer, Award-winning Feature and Documentary Director, Flight Test Photographer, Senior Photographer at NET-A-PORTER GROUP, Director of a Photographic Studio (The White Rabbit studio and Espero Studio), Co-director of Location Scouting Company, Fashion Photographer, Interior Photography, Portraiture Photographer, Property Photographer, Documentary and Portrait Photographer, Lifestyle, Portrait and Product Photographer, Videographer, Freelance Camera Operator, Digital Operator, Freelance Lighting and Digital Photographer's Assistant.
Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our Career Coach portal.
