BA(Hons) Photography (with Foundation Year)
This course is open for applications
Introduction
Study in a studio environment with professional-standard facilities and the focus on the real-world skills you need to succeed in your career.
Accreditations and partnerships:
Why study 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?
BA(Hons) Photography is based in the city of Bristol, a vibrant arts and media community that will challenge and inspire you.
The course offers a vibrant, collaborative environment, modern facilities, supportive workshop instruction and expert input, all underpinned by theory and critique.
Study at Bower Ashton Studios, part of our City Campus, where exceptional facilities and resources include industry-standard digital media studios.
Explore traditional tools and the latest technology in our production and fabrication workshops. Develop your creativity and the high-level practical skills needed to become a successful photographer. Work across all areas of the discipline, from editorial and documentary to fashion, advertising and fine art.
We'll encourage you to transform your broad-based photographic practice into an individual visual style. On graduation, you'll have a unique and compelling body of work for the marketplace.
Work to briefs set and assessed by external individuals and organisations, including photographers, filmmakers, publishers, clothing labels, product designers, theatre groups, musicians and festivals. Build your CV with work experience, and access to job opportunities, throughout the course.
Our partnerships with Bristol Photography Festival and IC Visual Lab, two highly reputable Bristol-based photography organisations with national and international influence, will provide you with a wide range of work experience placements and live briefs to work on. You'll also have access to industry talks, events and opportunities to display your work at prestigious exhibitions and venues.
Our City Campus is a creative powerhouse. It spans across Bristol and is made up of Bower Ashton and renowned contemporary arts centres Spike Island, Arnolfini and Watershed.
Attend talks from creative professionals and visit photographers' studios, agencies and picture libraries. Showcase your work to talent scouts and potential employers at the final year Degree Show and graduate with an impressive portfolio of work.
Hear from Photography graduate, Africa Barrero-Alexander, about their final year degree show project.
Take a look at our students' 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.
Structure
Content
Year zero (foundation year)
You'll study:
- Academic Skills
- Developmental Projects: Building a Creative Identity
- Foundation Project
- Observation and Making.
Year one
Youll work on practical and contextual modules, learning technical skills and concepts related to contemporary photography.
Through lectures, reading groups, tutorials and technical workshops, youll have opportunities to explore ideas and creative approaches before producing a personal, meaningful visual response to a brief. Youll learn key discipline-specific skills such as digital image capture and postproduction, analogue photography and darkroom techniques, studio lighting, photobook production and moving image.
Youll also study modules introducing you to models of critical thinking and professional practice. Assignments will explore ways of considering photographic practices as a mode of communication and cultural production and consumption.
Year two
Youll continue to expand your photographic practice through longer form practical projects that will develop your curiosity and creativity. Youll begin the process of setting your own creative agendas as you direct the development of your creative skill set through a combination of lectures, individual and group tutorials and specialist technical workshops.
Through the exploration of theoretical perspectives, creative collaborations and external exhibition strategies, youll continue to develop your understanding of professional contexts for photographic and wider creative practices.
Final year
Youll be supported to develop ambitious, self-directed practical projects, underpinned by extensive creative exploration and research. Consolidating your skills in independent project management, youll produce a substantial body of portfolio work representing your voice as a photographic or creative practitioner.
A combination of lectures, industry speakers and individual and group tutorials will enable you to develop a critical dialogue between the practical and contextual elements of your photography. Youll identify relevant audiences and markets for your work and develop a route map for your career aspirations beyond university.
Finally, at an ambitious Degree Show youll promote your work to guests from the wider creative industries.
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 this course 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.
Youll 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.
The balance between taught sessions and independent study in your timetables may vary between modules and at points across the academic year, to enable both the development of new skills, concepts, and knowledges and to facilitate the space for the production of assessment tasks.
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 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.
Assessment
There are no formal exams on this course. 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.
Features
Professional accreditation
This course is affiliated with the leading professional body for photographers in the UK and beyond, the Association of Photographers (AOP), which promotes good professional practice and protects the intellectual property rights of its member practitioners. Our affiliation is testament to the School's commitment to professional practice.
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, 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.
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.
Get help to find placements and support throughout from College staff and our award-winning careers service.
Fieldwork
Where possible, you'll visit photographers' studios, agencies and picture libraries throughout the course.
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 Berlin included studio talks from photographers Jan von Holleben and Jorg Bruggemann, and talks from curator Ann-Christin Bertrand at C/O Gallery, and from alumni Steph Third and Mel Flash about working in Berlin.
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.
Take a personalised virtual tour of the Filmmaking, Animation and Photography facilities and experience what a typical day could look like here for you.
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.
Careers
Careers / Further study
Photography is largely a freelance practice and students with experience of live briefs are best placed to make a smooth transition to industry. Tailoring what and how you study, you can shape the course towards your chosen career path.
Our 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.
Visit our Employability pages to find out about careers, employers, real world experience and what our students are doing six months after graduating.
Be inspired
Watch Sarah's YouTube video about her passion for photography and the work opportunities she has found within the media.
Useful links
Fees*
Full time course
Indicative Additional Costs
Supplementary fee information
*The UK Government recently proposed that tuition fees for Home students will increase by 3.1% to £9,535 from 1st August 2025. This increase is subject to Parliamentary approval and the vote is expected to take place later this year.
Any tuition fee which is impacted by this change will be updated following approval.
Please see GOV.UK for further information.
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.
Entry
Typical offers
- Tariff points: 72
- Contextual tariff: See our contextual offers page.
- GCSE: Grade C/4 in English, or equivalent.
- English Language Requirement:
International and EU applicants are requirement to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 5.5 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 our English language requirements page. - A-level subjects: No specific subjects required.
- Relevant subjects: Art and Design.
- 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.
- 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
Applicants may be required to submit a digital portfolio for review within three weeks of their application being received. For more details on the process, please visit our selection page.
Entry requirements
If you exceed the entry requirements you may be eligible for BA(Hons) Photography.
International applicants
For country specific entry requirements please find your country on the country information pages.
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