BA(Hons) Photography
This course is open for applications
Accreditations and partnerships:
About
Develop your visual voice on BA(Hons) Photography, studying in the creative hub of Bristol. Access industry standard studios, get experience through live briefs, build professional connections and create a standout portfolio. Graduate ready for careers across editorial, fashion, fine art and beyond.
Why study a degree in photography?
Images are everywhere. Studying photography enables you to understand the language of images and develop your 'visual voice' to communicate effectively and with confidence.
It helps you understand the contexts in which images exist and circulate, and locate opportunities to get your images published, exhibited and commissioned.
Becoming a photography professional opens doors to a wide range of careers within a global landscape of creative industries.
Why UWE Bristol?
Study BA(Hons) Photography in Bristol, a vibrant city with a thriving arts and media scene. Based at Bower Ashton Studios within our City Campus, you'll access industrystandard facilities, digital media studios and specialist workshops that support both traditional and innovative practices.
Our Photography degree encourages you to develop a distinctive visual style while working across editorial, documentary, fashion, advertising and fine art. You'll gain realworld experience through live briefs, professional partnerships, exhibitions and talks from industry experts.
With strong links to innovative regional photography organisations such as Bristol Photography Festival and IC Visual Lab, you'll gain valuable industry connections. You'll also showcase your work to talent scouts and potential employers at the final year Degree Show and graduate with an impressive portfolio of work.
Where can it take me?
Our graduates work in fields from editorial and fashion to movie stills and medical photography. Employers include the BBC, Sunday Times Magazine and the Tate.
Past students have assisted photographers such as Steve McCurry, Zed Nelson and Tim Walker, and have been published and exhibited in FT Weekend, Vogue Italia, Oh Comely, The Photographers Gallery, National Portrait Gallery and the Tate.
Graduates have also established important collectives and exhibiting networks such as The Lost Light Recordings, Loupe Magazine and Splash and Grab.
Some graduates go on to further study at Master's level, including our own postgraduate MA Photography course.
The image above shows the fantastic work from one of our students (Megan Hart, 2023 Photography graduate).
Photography student showreel
A showcase of student work from the BA(Hons) Photography course at UWE Bristol.
Entry
Typical offers
You will need to meet the following Level 2 requirements:
- GCSE: Grade C/4 in English, or equivalent.
In addition to the above Level 2 qualifications, you'll need to achieve the published tariff points from your Level 3 studies prior to entry. Below is an indicative list of the main qualification types. However, we will consider any Level 3 qualifications towards meeting our entry requirements.
- Tariff points: 112
- Contextual tariff: See our contextual offers page.
- English Language Requirement:
International and EU applicants must have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0, with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*).
*The University accepts a large number of UK and international qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you'll need in our English Language section. Please visit English language requirements.
- A-level subjects: No specific subjects required.
- EDEXCEL (BTEC) Diploma: No specific subjects required. For information on required Guided Learning Hours please see our minimum entry requirements page.
- Access: No specific subjects required.
- Baccalaureate IB: No specific subjects required. We accept the IB Career-related Programme in conjunction with other Level 3 qualifications.
- Irish Highers: No specific subjects required.
- Welsh Baccalaureate: We accept tariff points achieved from the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales in conjunction with other Level 3 qualifications.
- Cambridge Technical: No specific subjects required.
- T Levels: No specific subjects required.
Selection process
Following our review of your application, if you're not studying a related subject, we may request that you provide us with a digital portfolio.
If you are asked to provide a digital portfolio, you may also be invited for an online interview, if we have any questions about your portfolio.
A decision will then be made on the basis of both your application and our review of your portfolio.
For more details on the process, please visit our selection page.
Entry requirements
If you don't meet the entry requirements, you may be eligible for BA(Hons) Photography (with Foundation Year).
International applicants
If you're applying to UWE Bristol from another country or region, visit the international study pages for tailored application information. If you're an international student and don't meet the academic requirements to study this course, you can qualify by completing one of our Art and Design foundation courses.
If you're applying to study at UWE Bristol and need additional support to meet our English language requirements, you may be able to attend one of our pre-sessional English courses. Read more about our pre-sessional English Programme.
Read more about entry requirements.
How to apply
Read more about undergraduate applications.
Read more about international applications and key international deadline dates.
For further information
- Email:
UK applicants
Admissions@uwe.ac.ukInternational/EU applicants
International@uwe.ac.uk - Telephone:
UK applicants
+44 (0)117 32 83333International/EU applicants
+44 (0)117 32 86644
Structure
Content
You'll study:
Arts Contexts
You'll be introduced to a range of key ideas and contexts relevant to creative arts practice, allowing you to start to position your work, and the work of others, through different aspects of conceptualisation and production.
Exploring Practice in Photography 1
You'll establish key concepts, processes, skills and methodologies fundamental to photographic activity, and be introduced to a range of ideas that inform contemporary practice/s.
Exploring Practice in Photography 2
You'll build on knowledge and skills developed in previous practical modules, and continue to develop your understanding of key concepts, processes, skills and methodologies fundamental to photographic activity.
Creative Collaboration in Photography
You'll develop key skills and knowledge, allowing you to use photography as a tool of communication and engagement; generating ideas and photographic work with an understanding of a given context.
You'll study:
Developing Practice in Photography 1
This module provides the framework for deepening your understanding of the narrative potential of photography and moving image practices, considering how narrative-led forms of image-making convey ideas of representation, fact/fiction and the ethics of storytelling.
Professional Contexts in Photography
You'll explore your individual creative direction through a focussed area of photographic or related practice, developing and locating your professional aspirations within an awareness of the historical and contextual development of your discipline.
Optional modules:
Plus, optional modules (the amount depending on credit requirement) from:
- International Exchange*
- Arts Futures**
- Developing Practice in Photography 2.**
*Compulsory (and only available to study) if you participate in an International Exchange.
**Not available to study if you participate in an International Exchange.
You'll study:
Arts Research Project
Using skills in analysis and critical thinking, you'll develop and produce an individual research enquiry pursuing a specialised interest related to critical debates, contexts and practices in either contemporary Fine Art or Photography.
Independent Practice in Photography
You'll develop and produce a self-directed body of creative work that responds to an individual project proposal. Through the realisation of a considered, research-informed creative process, your work will showcase the skills and knowledge you've developed over the course of your degree.
Career Strategies for Photography
This module will enable you to identify personal career aspirations, articulate relevant graduate attributes and develop materials and strategies for progression to employment or further study.
The optional modules listed are those that are most likely to be available, but they may be subject to change.
This structure is for full-time students only. Part-time students study the same modules but the delivery pattern will be different.
The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved, we'll inform you.
Learning and Teaching
The learning outcomes for our Photography degree are met through a balance of active teaching and learning methods that take place in timetabled sessions as well as tutorial support and independent study.
You'll learn through taking part in activities led or facilitated by members of the academic and technical instruction teams. These include lectures, seminars, tutorials, presentations, peer critiques, technical workshops, and practical studio time as well as off-site visits and events. These sessions will be primarily face-to-face and take place using teaching and technical resources on campus, although blended learning methods may be used to enhance your learning experience on the course.
Independent Learning
One difference between school or college and university is your ownership of your independent study time, where you'll be expected to prepare for scheduled sessions through activities such as practical project development, research tasks and the preparation of materials for assessment. Independent study time tends to increase as you progress through your levels of study, to reflect an increased emphasis on self-directed study.
See our full glossary of learning and teaching terms.
Study time
In a typical week in your first year, you could expect to be timetabled with academic and technical staff for an average of 12 hours, with the expectation that you'll also work on practice and assessment tasks through independent self-study for an additional 12-18 hours.
The balance between taught sessions and independent study in your timetables may vary between modules and at points across the academic years, to enable both the development of new skills, concepts, and knowledges and to facilitate the space for the production of assessment tasks.
Assessment
There are no formal exams on BA(Hons) Photography. Instead, we use a variety of assessments that will enable you to show how you are developing as a creative, professional practitioner as well as a reflective and critical thinker. These may include the creative practice work you make, either individually or in groups, as well as presentations, reports, and written or film essays. These assessments take place at key points in the module. In addition, formative assessment is offered throughout the module to enable you to track your progress and help you develop assessment tasks.
Fees
Full time course
Indicative Additional Costs
Part time course
Supplementary fee information
Additional costs
Additional costs are for items you could need during your studies that aren't covered by the standard tuition fee. These could be materials, textbooks, travel, clothing, software or printing.
Features
Placements
Students who get work experience tend to graduate with better degrees. Experience also hones your skills, industry knowledge and professional network, making you a sought-after graduate.
Find work experience assisting photographers, set designers and curators, or helping with picture desk, agency and gallery work.
The thriving city of Bristol offers opportunities for work experience and placements. We have close relationships with the BBC, Spike Island, the Arnolfini, Watershed, Martin Parr Foundation, Bristol Museums and Galleries and the M Shed, the Royal Photographic Society, IC-Visual Lab, Knowle West Media Centre, local schools and community groups.
Our partnership with the Prince's Trust has seen students working with young people and vulnerable adults. This is particularly valuable for students intending to become teachers or art therapists.
Where possible, you could also spend the second semester studying abroad at one of our partner institutions in Rotterdam, Barcelona, Taipei, Hong Kong, Berlin, Bologna, Linz, Ghent and Bergen.
You'll get help to find placements and support throughout from staff within the School and our award-winning careers service.
Fieldwork
Where possible, you'll visit photographers' studios, agencies, galleries and publishing houses, throughout your Photography degree.
Photography is an international business and where possible, you'll have the opportunity to visit cities like New York, Paris, Marseilles, Barcelona and Vienna for photography festivals.
Professional practice is incorporated into these trips wherever possible. Our recent trip to Paris Photo included talks from photographers Carmen Winant and Sophie Ristelhuber, meetings with artists Erik Kessels and Pia Guilmoth and exhibitions at le Bal, Henri Cartier Bresson Foundation and Jeu de Paume.
Study facilities
The facilities at Bower Ashton Studios offers the latest photography technology.
Our equipment includes:
- a fleet of full-frame DSLR cameras
- 10x8, 5x4 and medium format analogue cameras
- medium format digital equipment
- lighting kits
- fully equipped analogue and digital darkrooms
- seven separate studio spaces.
Get support from our excellent team of technical staff through regular workshop sessions.
Bower Ashton houses the main creative and cultural industries library as well as student support services.
Studying at Bower Ashton offers an excellent base for you within the exciting City Campus, which connects teaching and learning with some of the best creative and cultural organisations in Bristol. You'll attend lectures, seminars and symposia at the Arnolfini and Watershed in Bristol city centre.
A mix of traditional and hands-on learning environments helps you quickly take on essential knowledge and skills, standing you in good stead for your professional career.
Learn more about UWE Bristol's facilities and resources.
Take a personalised virtual tour of the Filmmaking, Animation and Photography facilities and experience what a typical day could look like here for you.
Personalised virtual tour
There's no need to visit us in person to explore our facilities and campuses. Take a personalised virtual tour and discover it all for yourself from wherever you are.
Take a virtual tourCareers
Careers / Further study
Photography is largely a freelance practice. Students with a degree in photography and experience of live briefs are best placed to make a smooth transition to industry. Tailoring what and how you study, you can shape your Photography degree towards your chosen career path. On graduation, you'll have a unique and compelling body of work for the marketplace.
BA(Hons) Photography graduates work in fields including editorial, fashion, fine art, advertising, movie stills and medical photography for employers such as the BBC, Sunday Times Magazine, FT Weekend, the Tate and the National Portrait Gallery, French Connection, Prix de la Photographie Paris, We Folk, British Journal of Photography, the Department for Education and Aardman Animations.
Careers include:
- Freelance photography (editorial, fashion, advertising, portraiture)
- Photographer's assistant
- Picture research
- Photographer's agent
- Studio work
- Publishing
- Teaching and art therapy
- Arts and gallery administration
- Further postgraduate study/academic research
Award-winning careers service
Our award-winning careers service helps you develop your employment potential through career coaching, a vacancy service for internships, placements, jobs, global opportunities, volunteering and community activity plus support for entrepreneurial activity, and access to employer events.
Creating employable students
UWE Bristol places strong emphasis on employability and skills development at every level. Through work placements, volunteering, study abroad and initiatives nurturing talent and innovation, you'll have opportunities to gain valuable real world experience, allowing you to graduate with diverse career opportunities and a competitive place in the job market.
Be inspired
Hear from Photography graduate, Africa Barrero-Alexander, about their final year degree show project.
Take a look at our students' work:
- Lewis Khan's website
- Cian Oba-Smith's website
- Leia Morrison's website
- Dannii Jo's website
- UWE Photography Instagram.
Visit our Employability pages to find out about careers, employers, real world experience and what our students are doing six months after graduating.
Useful links
Watch: Welcome to the School of Arts at UWE Bristol
Life
Accommodation
An excellent range of options for all of the Bristol campuses and the city centre.
Bristol
A stunning city for student living with all the qualities to make you want to stay.
Sports, societies and activities
There is more to your experience here than study. Choose to make the most of it and try new things.
Health and Wellbeing
We provide support in the way you need it.
Campus and facilities
Discover our campuses and the wealth of facilities provided for our students.