Overview
Immerse yourself in our BA (Hons) Commercial Photography degree. This Commercial Photography course will prepare you for a diverse career in fields like fashion, editorial, beauty, advertising, and architectural photography. What exactly is commercial photography? It involves creating impactful, market-driven images tailored to branding and advertising. It's photography that helps sell things. Our comprehensive commercial photography degree programme will give you the creative and business skills needed to succeed in the dynamic world of commercial photography.
- Gain exceptional and cutting-edge commercial image production skills through expert workshops and tuition
- Engage in interdisciplinary collaborations with students from other creative courses like graphic design, fashion or fine art.
- Explore new technologies like AR/VR and 3D. Benefit from state-of-the-art facilities, including access to one of London's largest darkrooms for analogue photography experimentation.
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Course modules
Commercial Photography BA (Hons) is focused on developing skills that prepare you to become an independent working photographer who can excel as a freelancer or business owner, a partner or an employee in a media company. You could also work as a studio manager, a creative director, a picture editor, or a skilled retoucher. The programme focuses on research-led practice-based photography modules that are supported by opportunities offered to you as photographers, both within and outside of UEL. It is not uncommon for our students to start developing a professional practice while finishing their degree, taking advantage of industry connections made available to them from careers staff, faculty and guest lecturers. The programme has a strong focus on editorial photography (digital and print) but also covers product, corporate, architecture, and food. Through Commercial Photography BA (Hons) you will gain fresh perspectives and approaches (divergent thinking) giving you an edge in the competitive job market, and skills for the fourth industrial age (4iR). You will have the chance to collaborate with students from Fine Art, Graphic Design and Fashion gaining access to the exchange of skills, technical support and subject expertise across disciplines.
In the second year of the Commercial Photography degree, you'll get to refine your technical and conceptual skills through advanced practice, experimentation, and research. You'll get to work on your professional development. You'll do this through client briefs, industry collaborations, and live projects to enhance your career readiness. Modules focus on critical thinking, contemporary art and design theory, and personal creative growth, preparing you for independent projects and industry placements in the final year.
In the final year of the Commercial Photography degree, you'll focus on independent creative projects, industry engagement, and professional development. Through advanced research, studio practice, and critical analysis, you'll get to refine your photography skills. You'll produce a public-facing final project showcased at the degree exhibition. Modules focus on career readiness, offering opportunities to manage live projects, work on industry briefs, and develop entrepreneurial skills, preparing you for employment or further study.
NOTE: Modules are subject to change. For those studying part time courses the modules may vary.
Download course specification
Entry requirements
What makes this course different

Commercial networks
You will be studying in East London with access to Europe's largest commercial photographers' networks and our successful photography alumni.

Industry 4.0 career focused
Work on collaborations with students from other arts subjects. Access technical support and subject expertise across other disciplines. This will give you an edge in the competitive job market.

Our facilities
A wide range of photographic facilities are open from 8am-9pm, allowing access to areas like our large Analogue Darkroom.
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Your future career
The shift to digital technology and distribution has created new opportunities for photographers and recent graduates. As a graduate of our Commercial Photography course, you will be well-equipped to handle the technical demands of the modern photography industry. With a commercial photography degree and a strong portfolio, you can pursue a fulfilling and creative career in the photography industry.
Industry links
Recent visitors to UEL have included influential figures from the photographic industry. These include Emma Bowkett from FT Weekend Magazine, former British Vogue picture editor Mike Trow, and representatives from Morel Books, Metro Imaging, the Association of Photographers, TJ Boulting Gallery, and the National Portrait Gallery.
Our connections with commercial photography London networks help prepare you for real-world challenges.
Graduate employers
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.
Our graduates frequently engage with commercial photography clients in London, which is a key advantage of this course.
Job roles
BA (Hons) Commercial Photography graduates have pursued a wide range of successful careers. They work as freelance and studio photographers specialising in areas such as fashion, portraiture, interior, and product photography. Many graduates have also found roles in film and media, including documentary and feature film directing, camera operation, and video production. Additionally, some alumni have established their own businesses in photography, location scouting, and studio management. Organisations they've gone on to work for are Net-a-Porter Group, White Rabbit Studio and the Espero Studio.
Further study
If you want to diversify your creative skillset you could undertake further study in a similar arts subject such as:
- MA Filmmaking,
- MA Media and Communication Industries
- MA Data Journalism or
- MA Directing for Stage and Screen.
Having both photography and film skills could set you apart in your future career.

With the well-equipped facilities it has given me the opportunity to experiment with new types of materials and mediums, which have all pushed me creatively and learnt lots of new technical skills from.Phillip Christou
How you'll learn
When not attending timetabled lectures or workshops, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. This will typically involve skills development through online study, reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects and preparing coursework assignments and presentations. Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, and specialist facilities, such as our darkroom and photographic studios, the library, the full Microsoft Office software, including MS Teams, and Moodle: our Virtual Learning Environment.
Guided independent study
We are investing in key areas beyond your studies including our career services, library and well-being, to be available both face-to-face on campus and online with many of these available 24/7. We have new, modern library facilities on both campuses offering inspirational environments for study and research. Libraries contain resources in print and digital formats, a range of study spaces and a dedicated librarian who can assist with your learning.
Academic support
Students are supported with any academic or subject-related queries by an Academic Advisor, module leaders, and former and current UEL students.
Dedicated personal tutor
If you need a bit of extra help with certain skills such as academic writing, English, maths or statistics, our Academic Tutors offer workshops, drop-in sessions and one-to-one appointments to help our students achieve their potential. You can receive advice and guidance on all aspects of the IT systems provided by the university from our IT Service Desks located on all three campuses. Our Student Support hubs in Docklands and Stratford feature centralised helpdesks to cater for your every need. UEL provides also support and advice for disabled students and those with specific learning difficulties (SPDs).
Workload
Each year you will spend around 300 hours of timetabled learning and teaching activities. These may be lectures, workshops, seminars and individual and group tutorials. Contact hours may vary depending on each module.
The approximate percentages for this course are:
Year 1: scheduled teaching - 300 hours; guided independent study - 900 hours.
Year 2: scheduled teaching - 300 hours; guided independent study - 900 hours.
Year 3: scheduled teaching - 300 hours; guided independent study - 900 hours.
Your timetable
Your individualised timetable is normally available to students within 48 hours of enrolment. Whilst we make every effort to ensure timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week between 9.00am and 6.00pm. For undergraduate students, Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities, but there may be occasions when this is not possible.
Class sizes
The size of classes can vary depending on the nature of the course, module and activity. This can range from large groups in a lecture theatre setting, to smaller groups taking part in seminars and collaborative work. You will receive your personalised timetable at the beginning of the academic year depending on your course.
How you'll be assessed
Assessment tasks are mainly spread across the year to make the workload manageable. Assessment methods include group work, exams and individual work including essays, presentations, case studies, professional development and practical activities depending on the nature of the course. All grades count towards your module mark. More details will be included in the student handbook and module guides. You will always receive detailed feedback outlining your strengths and how you can improve. We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 15 working days, although you will receive immediate feedback following many of our face-to-face assessments.
Campus and facilities
Docklands Campus, London, E16 2RD
Our waterfront campus in the historic Royal Docks provides a modern, well-equipped learning environment.
Join us and you'll be able to make the most of our facilities including contemporary lecture theatres and seminar rooms, art studios and exhibition spaces, audio and visual labs and a multimedia production centre.
Features include our 24/7 Docklands library, our £21m SportsDock centre, a campus shop and bookstore, the Children's Garden Nursery, cafés, eateries, a late bar, plus Student Union facilities, including a student lounge.
The University of East London is one of the few London universities to provide on-campus accommodation. Our Docklands Campus Student Village houses close to 1,200 students from around the world. We are well connected to central London and Canary Wharf, with London City Airport just across the water. We also run a free bus service that connects Docklands with Stratford campuses.
Who teaches this course
This course is delivered by the School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering
The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.
What our students and staff say

"UEL is a space to freely experiment and explore, where learning is never confined to the classroom."
Adam Wiseman
Senior lecturer and course leader for BA (Hons) Commercial Photography

Studying at UEL has been the best decision I ever made. I was unsure if I would fit in as a mature student, but my age provided me with experience that was an advantage. I worked well with my fellow students and my lecturers. I have learned so much about photography, but also about subjects relating to photography like putting together books and curating exhibitions, which has and continues to benefit my career. Studying here has improved my knowledge and technical skills as well as my confidence, giving me contacts in the industry and a bunch of new, creative friends."
Karin Bultje
BA (Hons) Photography graduate