BA (Hons) Photography

Core units

• Photography Fundamentals: This unit will introduce you to fundamental tools and techniques of photography. Through practice, theory and historical context, you will develop an understanding of the technology within the camera and how it works. From a practical perspective the unit will advance your skills and knowledge in a broad range of photographic practices, terminology, methodologies and techniques. There will be an introduction to studio, lighting and post production effects. The final output will be a portfolio that can demonstrate your understanding of various techniques.
• Understanding the Image: This unit emphasises the practice of analysing and interpreting photographs from historical, stylistic and aesthetic perspectives. Key historical movements, trends and styles will be explored from different theoretical frameworks including: representations of reality, photographic composition, visual culture, narrative structure, etc. This unit will help you develop a stylistic, aesthetic and intellectual orientation for your future work. You will work on a number of published works and photographers in order to analyse, apply and interpret the content discussed in class.
• Ambitions: You will explores different techniques for reflection, organisation and study skills. You will explore the various prospects for personal growth while at university, in a learning context but also through to social and well-being opportunities on campus and in the wider community and industry.
• Portfolio: During this unit you will be introduced to different styles and forms that exist within contemporary practices of photography, including but not exclusively fine art, portraiture, fashion, product, lifestyle, event, sports, architectural and speciality photography. You will build an understanding of the various types of photography through practice, theory and historical context. Working with a range of photograhic equipment, you will advance your skills and knowledge in a broad range of photographic practices, terminology, methodologies and techniques. The final output will be a portfolio.

Option units (choose two)

• Creative Collaboration: This unit aims to introduce you to the process of effective collaboration through a series of exercises and workshops designed to explore and examine how creative people work together.
• Community: Here you will engage in a short project that focuses on a particular issue within your community. The aim is for you to develop confidence and a sense of global citizenship; working with external partners on causes that benefit society.
• Negotiated Project: The aim of this unit is to enable you to claim ownership of all stages of the initiation, development and realisation of a media production, as you apply your experience from across the course so far to a self- directed project. The unit reflects the group work realties of contemporary creative media production and will benefit you in terms of professionalism, knowledge of industry practices and personal development.

Core units

• Specialist Portfolio: You will develop a deep understanding within a particular area of photography and build a portfolio that demonstrates your understanding of the practice, theory and historical context of their chosen specialist area.The unit advances your experimental and reflective processes, driven by independent study and organisation. It helps to prepare you for the experiences within the final year, which are much more self-directed.
• Work in Media Industries: The aim of this unit is to develop your broad and critical understanding of media industries, their dynamic nature, and the implications of this changing culture for the professional demands upon, and subjective experiences of, industry workers.

Option units semester one (choose two)

• Studio Photography: You will learn a range of photographic studio practices and develop an understanding of the process of photographic production, as well as learning techniques including studio composition, lighting and equipment. You will develop a portfolio of images that can demonstrate your understanding and skills in studio photography.
• Media Perspectives: This unit aims to further develop your scholarly and analytical skills, as you choose two options from a selection of perspectives/ approaches to addressing media. Optional routes through the unit are not specific to any one medium; you will be asked to critically apply unit content to your own media practice/ interests.
• Documentary Practice: Here is an opportunity to explore a range of approaches to documentary, drawing on practical, ethical and critical perspectives to inform your own work. Through your own practice, you will reflect on the relationship between the filmmaker, the context of production and what Grierson described as the 'creative treatment of actuality'.

Option units semester two (choose two)

• Photojournalism: The unit explores the theory behind how narrative and images interact. You will learn through an investigative approach to various forms of photojournalism (e.g. sports photography, anthropological photography, smartphone journalism etc.) and link these to your understanding of cultural influences, industry developments, and technological advances. 
• Professional Project: You will engage in a short project that focuses on a particular issue within a professional context. The aim is for you to develop confidence and an experience of work in the wider world; working with external partners on a project that may support their business.
• Open Project: The unit asks you to address one core question: "what do you want to change?" In responding to this question, you are encouraged to work collaboratively, interdisciplinary and transmedially as you take ownership of your project and learning. The unit reflects the complex group work realties of contemporary creative media and encourages you to consider the power of media in relation to change, as you conceptualise, initiate, develop and realise a 'media intervention'.
• Camera & Lighting: This unit explores the specialist field of camera and lighting for filmmaking, including but not exclusively camera technology, grip and the principles of lighting. You will engage with professional practices and demonstrate your understanding with a portfolio that showcases your ability to act as a director of photography, and reflect upon the role within the context of a larger production coexisting with other specialisms.

You'll have the option to complete either a 4-week or optional 30-week (minimum) work placement during the course, working in a professional environment.

The placement provides you with the experience of how an organisation operates, as well as an opportunity to enhance your personal development and future employability.

Core units

• Entrepreneurship for the Creative Industries: We live in a complex and rapidly changing environment, in terms of social, economic, technological and cultural factors, all of which are closely interdependent. The cultural and creative industries are increasingly dependent on new forms of economic engagement, while creative individuals increasingly expect to have ‘portfolio careers'. The aim of this unit is to explore some of the tools, skills and strategies that can be utilised to build a career as an independent producer or freelance worker in the contemporary creative industries.
• Graduate Project Development (Photography): The aim of this unit is to provide a route-map for your development and provide you with the skills and support to flourish in your graduate project.
• Graduate Project (Photography): During this unit you will develop a project, (e.g; dissertation/ portfolio etc.) to produce 'calling cards' for industry. The emphasis is on the appropriate treatment of ideas, and how they are communicated effectively to identified audiences and users through the process of their specialist field of production.
• Exhibition: The exhibition is a chance for you to select and share the work that you are proudest of from across the course and a platform to invite external stakeholders that may be interested in the work. You will work with your fellow students to arrange, manage and promote an exhibition.

Option units (choose one)

• Enquiry & Experiment: The aim of this unit is for you to undertake a practice led or research based project. You will look to identify, examine and demonstrate a systematic and critical understanding of a question, issue or debate within your practice. In doing so you will conceptualise your research act through engaging with relevant scholarly literature and appropriate research approaches and method. You will create a research 'artefact' and offer a critical reflection on the artefact, research act and findings. Within this unit you are encouraged to creatively challenge practice conventions.
• Professional Research Project: Here you will have the opportunity to critically examine your chosen area of practice through the application of research into an aspect of media professions, including ethical and theoretical considerations.

Programme specification

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the university's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry.

If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

The benefits to you as a placement student are many. You will have the chance to:

• Put the theory learnt throughout the course into professional practice
• Enhance your study and help you decide on subject options (where appropriate)
• Learn a wide range of skills such as time management, problem solving and team work (all of these are important to succeed in any career)
• Make contacts, as it is not uncommon for our students to be offered permanent positions to return to after graduating
• Gain a real insight into how the industry operates in roles that would be almost impossible to achieve for an outsider.

Many of our students, during their placement, are given responsibilities normally associated with graduate trainees.

You'll have the option to complete either a short 4-week placement (on the three year option) or a 30-week work placement (on the four year option) during the course, working in a professional environment. The placement begins after completion of your second year of study and provides you with an opportunity to enhance your personal development and future employability.

The faculty running your course will offer the support of a Placement Coordinator. 

Through timetabled sessions and one-to-one appointments, they’ll help support you in your placement search including advice on finding a placement, information and advice on all aspects of job searching and job applications, as well as ensuring your proposed placement meets the requirements of your course.

Our CareersBU service is also available throughout your time at BU, offering services like CV checking and careers fairs to meet employers.

Placement Development Advisors will support you once you have started your sandwich placement – so you will be able to maintain contact with the university throughout.

AccessBU: AccessBU provides you with the opportunity to tell us about your circumstances that are not always evident in your UCAS application. This widening access initiative also considers relevant criteria such as being in care or if you live in an area with a low participation rate in Higher Education - if you are eligible, your offer could be up to 16 UCAS tariff points below the published tariff.

Apprenticeships: We recognise the transferable knowledge and skills gained through apprenticeships and welcome applications from students with a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship recognised by the Institute for Apprenticeships. Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Deferred entry: We are happy to consider eligible applicants for deferred entry. If you have already submitted your application, please submit your deferral request through our website.

Direct entry: We welcome applications from students who have previously studied at degree level at other institutions and wish to transfer onto a BU course. Our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) procedure enables credit awarded from one institution to contribute to a BU award, subject to an application process. Please visit our RPL webpage for more information.

Mature applicants: We recognise that mature applicants may have a wealth of experience rather than formal qualifications, so we’ll consider your application on these merits if included in your application. You’ll need to apply to BU in the usual way through UCAS and you may be invited to an interview to discuss your suitability for the course based on the experience you tell us about in your application.

You will have the potential to work creatively, individually and in groups. We look for innovative thinkers who are familiar with current practices in photography and media creation. We encourage applicants who are interested in new ideas, can express themselves well and can demonstrate a wide range of interests.

You should be able to communicate why you want to come on this course, what appeals to you about working in this industry and why you feel you have the edge over your peers. You must have basic computer literacy, including knowledge of Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

We select candidates for this course by looking at your application; there are usually no interviews or selection activities needed. For that reason, make sure your application really stands out from the crowd, and leave us in no doubt as to why you should be joining BU. You can find some handy hints about filling in your UCAS form on our how to apply web pages.

We look at individual applications and make a tailored offer based on your potential to succeed on the course considering a range of factors, including your academic achievements, work and other experience, reference and personal statement, and in some cases, your performance at an interview or a portfolio review. Typically, we make an offer at the bottom of the tariff range.

If you are unable to meet the entry requirements, we may be able to make you an offer through AccessBU if you meet certain criteria e.g. you have been in care or live in an area where fewer people typically progress to Higher Education. If you don't meet our published tariff, we will accept you at least 8 points below if your personal circumstances match our AccessBU criteria. 

Our offer-making will typically be based on your most recent qualifications, including any required subjects where applicable. We'll consider all qualifications when assessing your application, although these may not be part of our offer.

If you do not meet the criteria of your original offer, we may still offer you a place. We will review your whole application and consider all academic qualifications (including those not in the offer) to see if you have the academic potential to succeed on the course. If we feel the answer is yes, we will confirm your place.

This course has compulsory elements involving practical production activities. When required, students must complete a health and safety risk assessment to take part in these activities, for their safety and that of others. As part of that assessment students provide information about any conditions or disabilities that might affect their ability to undertake these activities fully or safely. 

If you have such a condition or disability, please let us know as soon as possible. You can contact our Additional Learning Support (ALS) service about this before or after making an application. We will then work with you to identify any support or adjustments you would need. Our ALS team works with the Faculty to seek to put in place reasonable adjustments and health and safety plans.

Exceptionally, it may not be possible to arrange for a student to access these courses without either over-riding their core standards or competencies or creating unacceptable risks to health and safety. If that is the case we will help you explore alternative course choices.

The course is designed with opportunities to develop a portfolio in a specific area of photography that interests you, from photojournalism to wildlife, fashion to sports. This means you can shape your learning based on your career aspirations. Our graduates will be prepared with the business and entrepreneurial skills to navigate a career as a photographer in a competitive field.

Once you have completed an undergraduate Honours degree, you can further develop your education by studying for a postgraduate degree. Please visit our postgraduate section for further details about our range of Master’s degrees.

What’s included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

• Materials for laboratory and mandatory field-based teaching activity.
• Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and fieldwork, and non-financial support whilst on placement if this is part of your course of study
• A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service
• The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces
• Access to Brightspace, our virtual learning environment, which offers a responsive and personalised learning experience with powerful learning analytics capabilities, integrated social media and advanced video features.
• IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow
• Free software download to your personal device of Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus while you are studying, as well as access to applications provided on AppsAnywhere, subject to licensing and compatibility restrictions
• Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) scheme
• Disability and additional learning support, according to individual circumstances.
• The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills
• 24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team.

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

• Laptops, tablets and mobile devices and any software used on personal devices. Access to a personal computer is strongly recommended for your study. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, visit our website for information regarding hardship funds.
• Textbooks, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of textbooks and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shop stocks a wide range of stationery supplies.
• Accommodation and living costs. Our accommodation price guide can be found on our website. 
• Travel costs for optional field trips, outdoor wear and footwear for mandatory and optional field trips (if applicable)
• Travel costs to and from the University campus. An annual bus pass is included in your rent if you are living in halls of residence/Unilet accommodation or may be purchased separately.
• Travel costs to and from your placement (both in the UK and overseas). Information about funding your placement year can be found on our website.
• You will need to meet the cost of any Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check if required by your placement setting, including any Post Office verification changes. 
• Clothing or equipment costs required for your placement if this is part of your course of study.
• SportBU membership.

If you need to repeat one or more units during your studies (with or without attendance) the pricing will be pro-rata of the full-time fee.

Sian Gouldstone is a visual artist and a lecturer in photography. She has an MA in Photography and Urban Cultures from Goldsmiths College, London (Distinction), and is a PhD researcher at University of Plymouth. In 2023, Sian exhibited at Vacancy Atlas in Plymouth, in the exhibition RE/EMERGE and in the show Make Good at Leeds Art University. She has aso collaborated with a number of other artist practitioners as part of the collectives A Family Of and Artists for Affect (AFA), participating in creative interventions at Liverpool Look13 (2013) and Les Rencontres d’Arles (2013) and exhibited at Bournemouth Emerging Arts Festival (BEAF) in 2021. Sian has spoken about her research nationally and internationally, including at the conference Visualising the Home at University of Cumbria and HOMiNG: The Home-Migration Nexus, at University of Trento, Italy. (2017).

Richard Page is Programme Leader of BA (Hons) Photography at Bournemouth University. An award-winning photographer, he has exhibited and published his photographic work widely. He received the Urbanautica Institute Award for Visual Anthropology (2022) for his project The Dialogue of the Dogs. A solo exhibition of this work was presented at The Francesca Maffeo Gallery (2017) and was featured in The Guardian. He was the recipient of the Jerwood Photography Award (2004) and his artist’s monograph What We Already Know was published by Ffotogallery in 2007. He is the curator of Paper Geographies, which has exhibited at Manchester’s Central Library (2020), The Arles Photography Festival, France (2022) and Format International Photography Festival in Derby (2023). He also curated and edited the exhibition and publication From Common Differences for Diffusion: The Cardiff International Festival of Photography (2013). A Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and External Examiner at several UK universities, Richard has over 25 years’ experience teaching in Higher Education.

Roz is a Bournemouth based photographer/editor with experience working with award winning businesses, creatives and studios across the UK in producing imagery for online and print publications. Roz's knowledge ranges across both analogue darkroom photography and digital mediums, from conception to exhibition. After graduating, Roz was shortlisted for the Palm Photo Prize* exhibited at the House of Vans, she has received multiple commissions from The Guardian and alongside freelance work and personal projects, Roz continues to develop her knowledge, experience and understanding of the photographic practice.

James joined Bournemouth University in 2014 to develop the BA (Hons) Film programme. Having led that to success, he is developing the BA (Hons) Photography programme to address the challenges that contemporary photographers face in a competitive marketplace.  

James has a background in multimedia experiences including photography and filmmaking. His Crushing Snails project invited photographic contributions from all over the globe and compiled into a book and exhibition at the Birmingham Artsfest in 2013. James also produced 360-degree photography for the Strongroom Studios in 2004, one of the first recording studios to do so.

Henry Loeser earned his PhD in 2016 for research into the societal attributes of community media at Masaryk University in the Czech Republic. He also holds an MA in European Politics, BS in Business Administration, and AS in Mechanical Engineering. From 2017-19 he held the post of research fellow at the Baltic Film, Media, Arts and Communication School in Tallinn, Estonia. His portfolio at Bournemouth University includes media management and professional development in the creative industries. His research involves the intersection of local news, citizens’ media, youth, social media, and community media. Dr. Loeser also is an independent media advocate, with leadership roles at Community Media Forum Europe, and RadioExpert.org, an NGO supporting independent media development worldwide.

Ashley worked in the television industry for many years before joining the teaching and research community at Bournemouth University. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and the Higher Education Academy and lectures in media production and theory. He holds an MA in producing film and television, a PGCE in educational practice and a PhD in children’s media industries and audiences, with a primary research focus on children and cross-platform media. He is Co-convenor of the Children’s Media Foundation (CMF) Academic Advisory Board and a member of the CMF’s Executive Group, as well as Co-Editor of the Children’s Media Yearbook. Ashley was a member of Andrew Bissell’s and Ross Adamson’s successful doctoral supervisory team and is currently supervising Yunfei Li, Alan Fox, Dee Hughes, Annie East and Aneta Postek’s doctoral research – and is keen to work with any future PhD researchers who may have an interest in children’s media/lived experience.