Photography BA(Hons) Degree

Course outline

Level 1

• Photographic Practice
• Professional & Critical Studies

Level 2

• Photographic Practice
• Professional & Critical Studies

Level 3

• Major Project - Portfolio
• Long Essay & Critical Reflection on Practice

Tell me more about the BA(Hons) Photography course

At Falmouth you'll learn a range of photographic skills, engage with contemporary practices and debates, and be introduced to the spectrum of photographic and creative industries. The course is a progressive and practical experience based on a ‘learning by doing' approach. You'll be introduced to methods of research that will help you generate ideas and hone your ability to solve photographic problems related to a variety of assignments, while Professional Practice will enable you to make all-important contacts and to gain vital experience of working on real live briefs.

By choosing to study for a degree in Photography at Falmouth you will:

• Be introduced to a wide range of photographic practices and disciplines through ‘hands-on' project work, essays, and seminar presentations.
• Benefit from being taught by friendly and approachable staff who are practising professionals with extensive expertise in Higher Education.
• Visit local and national galleries, studios and companies, making all-important contacts.
• Undertake an extensive programme of practical inductions, workshops, seminars and tutorials.
• Develop your professional practice, research, communication and presentational skills.
• Benefit from the Photography Centre's close relationships with Hasselblad, Nikon and Calumet, which ensure our facilities match the requirements of the profession.
• Benefit from high-profile visiting lecturers and attend workshops.
• Be based at the state-of-art Photography Centre.

Links

• www.hasselblad.co.uk
• www.europe-nikon.com
• www.calumetphoto.com

How is the course taught?

Project work is supported by trips to local and national galleries, studios and companies, and an extensive programme of practical inductions, workshops, seminars and tutorials underpinned by lectures that encourage you to question and engage with photographic debates and develop your professional practice, research, communication and presentational skills.

Assessment is continuous with no formal examinations and is through a combination of visual, verbal and written assignments. You'll also be asked to develop peer and self-evaluation skills, which will be used in critical conceptual, productive and professional capacities.

Assessment

• Project work, essays, seminar presentations
• Portfolio
• Critical review
• Long essay

Facilities

Our Photography Centre has a justified reputation as one of the very best in Europe and includes:

• Well-equipped black and white and colour darkrooms and process areas
• Large professional-standard studios
• Film and paper processing machines
• Fully colour-managed digital suites
• Digital training area with Adobe CS4 Creative Suite
• Professional quality film scanners and Adobe Photoshop software
• Professional printing and mounting service equipped with laser and LED digital printers and large format inkjet printers
• Photography store containing a large range of equipment for loan including digital and film cameras, large format cameras, and studio and location lighting

Projects

Audience in the Community

This project by first year BA(Hons) Photography students, with Jon Blyth, Tim Mills, Matt Pontin, Michelle Sank and Alex di Savoia, involved working within the community around Penryn and Falmouth town and coastal areas, making images about these spaces. The final works created were then returned to the community as a series of exhibitions at Miss Peapods café, the Greenbank Hotel, JAM Records, The Pier café, The Front bar, Falmouth Watersports Centre and Gylly Beach Café. There is also an online version of the project, which you're invited to visit: www.kickapps.com/audience in the community project

Audience in the Community 2008 (3.65 MB)

Audience in the Community 2007 (4.67 MB)

Photography symposium

University College Falmouth hosts an annual Photography Symposium, featuring a collection of speakers from every corner of the photographic world, reflecting the international standing of our portfolio of Photography courses.

UCF Photography symposium 2010

Staff websites

At Falmouth, you'll be taught by tutors who practise photography professionally. They'll encourage you to question your assumptions and prejudices about your own work, and to participate in a wide spectrum of different areas of photography - both in the studio and on location. Examples of their work can be viewed on their websites.

Steven Tynan
Award Leader, BA(Hons) Photography
www.steventynan.co.uk

Sue Boafo
Award Leader, BA(Hons) Marine & Natural History Photography
www.axisweb.org

Karen Brett
Lecturer in Photography
www.karenbrett.com

Michelle Sank
Lecturer in Photography
www.michellesank.com

Deborah Baker
Lecturer in Photography
www.deborahbaker.eu

Adrian Brown
Part Time Lecturer in Photography
www.adrianbrown.com

Spencer Murphy
Part Time Lecturer in Photography
www.spencermurphy.co.uk

Justin Quinnell
Part Time Lecturer in Photography
www.pinholephotography.org

Professorial lecture series

Falmouth's Professorial lecture series aims to produce an engaging and challenging public programme that stimulates the intellectual curiosity of our staff, students and alumni, our research collaborators, our industry partners, our local communities and other supporters. Recent lectures relevant to students in the School of Media include Andrew Chitty and Emily Bell.

Andrew Chitty

Seven myths that drive the digital economy

Andrew has been a pioneer in the converging worlds of TV and digital media since the mid 90s when as Editor of BBC2's The Net he was responsible for the BBC's first website and virtual world. Since 1998 he's built Illumina Digital into the UK's leading cross platform production company winning a raft of awards including 4 BAFTAS, 8 RTS Awards, The UN award for e-learning and even a Golden Ladle for the world's best cookery site. In 2008 Illumina joined All3Media, the UK's largest independent production group.

Andrew has been active in policy and industry groups, co-authoring OFCOM's paper New Options for Public Service in the Digital Age and has advised Lord Stephen Carter as a member of the ministerial steering board for the Digital Britain Report. He is a council member of PACT, trustee of TRC Media in Glasgow and a past board member of Skillset. Andrew is currently Chair of the National Skills Council for Digital Media.

A video of Andrew Chitty's lecture can be viewed online here

Download the transcript of Andrew Chitty's lecture (175.81 KB)

Emily Bell

Back To the News Future: Journalism 10 Years from Now

Director of Digital Content for Guardian News and Media, Emily set up www.mediaguardian.co.uk in 2001. www.guardian.co.uk has won multiple awards, including the prestigious Webby for Best Newspaper on the web in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Oxford graduate, Bell is one of the rising stars coming through from a younger, more web-focused generation of senior media figures.

A video of Emily Bell's lecture can be viewed online here

Answers and advice about the course

If you have any queries about the course please visit our HelpMe Forum

HelpMe Forum

For further information about BA(Hons) Photography at University College Falmouth, please email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or telephone Admissions on 01326 255764. 

Career opportunities

Photography at Falmouth will enable you to capitalise on the diversity of opportunities available on graduation - ranging from practising photographer to research or further study. Our recent graduates are employed as independent image-makers in the commercial and fine art fields. Further career opportunities include:

• Freelance or agency photography
• In-house communications
• Media production
• Picture research
• Electronic imaging
• Journalism
• Teaching
• Postgraduate study

Entry requirements

A minimum of 220 UCAS points, equivalent Level 3 qualifications or relevant experience. Due to the high number of applicants, you will be required to submit a portfolio to help us decide who to interview.

Successful applicants are generally those with the strongest portfolios, demonstrating experimentation, research, technical ability and understanding of the art and design process.

Please see our How to Apply page for more information.

For further information about BA(Hons) Photography at University College Falmouth, please email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or telephone Admissions on 01326 255764. 

Interview and selection process

Typically interviews include a campus tour, while portfolios are assessed, followed by individual interviews.

Applicants will be selected for interview based on a submission of work. They will be asked to bring a portfolio to interview, containing not only photography, but evidence of research and writing skills, together with any other artwork, 3D work or evidence of idea development, eg sketchbooks or workbooks.

Location: Tremough Campus

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