Photography courses

About MA Photography in University of Bolton

Course Details

Our popular MA Photography course has achieved success through the production of student work of the highest standard. Some of the most important photo festivals and exhibitions, both national and international, have included University of Bolton photography students’ work. Their work has also been acquired/collected by local and national galleries and other collections.

We’ll encourage and guide you to develop a critical understanding of the key issues in contemporary photographic culture. You’ll look at ethics, social responsibility, meaning and context in photographs, and see how they are influenced and informed by these issues through a series of research-informed practical assignments. You’ll also explore the work of contemporary practitioners and the relationship between their work and the photographic market.

Our highly skilled and experienced teaching team will encourage you to develop a systematic understanding and critical awareness of knowledge relevant to advanced photographic practice. We also offer opportunities to engage with external creative industry professionals across the full range of photographic cultures. Successful graduates have experienced career progression across a number of creative industry sub-sectors, as freelancers and curators, working for charities, and in broadcasting. Others have chosen to teach in higher and further education.

Key Features:

• The MA Photography programme is practice-based and industry-focused, offering you rich learning experiences and discipline-specific and transferrable employability skills.
• As a successful postgraduate student you’ll be able to continue your studies to gain teaching qualifications or go on to study further for an MPhil/PhD.
• You’ll have access to an exciting visiting speaker programme, providing insight into industry experts’ professional practice and up-to-the-minute developments in the sector. Our specialist tutors and technical support staff have professional experience and industry connections.
• By the time you graduate, you’ll be practiced in the application of business management skills such as creating a business plan and writing proposal briefs for commission, exhibition and project work.
• We make use of e-learning through the University’s virtual learning environment (VLE). All modules will be supported via the VLE helping you to keep up-to-date with the module delivery, even if there are occasions when you can’t attend classes.

Career Opportunities

For both aspiring and practicing photographers, our MA Photography will enable you to understand and interact with international image markets. The degree is specifically aimed at equipping you to work in different cultures and publish your work in a range of domestic and international galleries, and online.

The course is designed to be accessible to a wide constituency from graduates to working professionals. Studying this course will also help you to develop a number of career-enhancing skills in addition to your subject specific knowledge and understanding. These include interpersonal skills, research skills, oral and written communication, independent working, and time and project management skills.

What Can I Do With This Qualification?

Many photography graduates choose to put their creative skills to good use in related areas such as marketing, advertising, web design and digital marketing. Other career prospects include travel photography, photojournalism, studio management, teaching, fashion and press photography, medical illustration, graphic design and visual media, camera operation, commercial/product photography, and teaching.

Typical employers include newspapers, film and television, social photography, health, the public sector, the travel industry, universities and media organisations such as advertising. A large number of photography graduates are self-employed and work on a freelance basis.

Our graduates find employment in a wide range of visual media. Former students have gone on to find careers, both employed and self-employed, in editorial, documentary and social photography, commercial and fashion studios, plus other arts-related sectors such as the media, galleries, museums and commercial environments.

Our Master’s degree is also a springboard for further research, either within academia or the private sector. You could also undertake further research and study for a PhD.

Alternative Career Options

• Film, video and picture editing
• Education and training
• Visual merchandising
• Museum curation
• Art gallery management
• Graphic design
• Web design
• Art direction
• Fashion
• Weddings and social
• Photographic laboratories
• Conservation
• Forensics

Academic qualification equivalents

• Completion of a 4 year degree with upper second class (55%) from a recognised University or Completion of a 3 year bachelors degree with grades of 65% or above from a recognised University

English language requirements (one of the below):

• IELTS               :    6.5 no less than 5.5 in any component
• TOEFL             :     79 including 17 in Listening, 20 in Writing, 18 in Reading and 18 in Speaking

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