BA (Hons) Commercial Photography
When can you start this course? | UCAS code | Fees | Entry requirements
Why choose this course?
- You'll build up a mix of technical and creative abilities in photography, including traditional craft based skills and skills in new digital technologies. You'll also look at how to apply what you've learned in the workplace.
- You'll enjoy some prestigious work experience and produce a number of professional projects with a range of clients. In fact, this exchange of creative ideas and experience between you and people working in the industry, is a core feature of the programme.
- The course has been accredited by the British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP). The course also has PQP status (Professional Qualifying Programme) enabling you to apply to have your portfolio assessed for Licenciateship or Associateship once you graduate.
About the course
We've just adapted our BA (Hons) Commercial Photography course so it takes on board key changes that have taken place in the imaging sector and the demands on new professionals entering the industry. So this is a new course with new aims - to prepare you so you can work successfully in the commercial photography industry of tomorrow.
The first major development in the imaging sector is the growth of digital technologies, from high end large and medium format digital capture, through to the increasing use of technologies brought together in the day to day capture and exchange of images. The second development is the increasing strengths of the image libraries and their use in the mainstream advertising and commercial markets. Taking a flexible approach to learning you will learn how to adapt existing technologies and adapt and utilise new technologies, which will enable you to deal with changes within the industry.
Commercial photography is still a thriving and lucrative market and it's the most adaptive and widely used medium.
Here at Derby, we encourage you to adapt to the changes in the business environment and we'll help you to look for bespoke solutions, which suit you as an individual.
Find out more about what subjects and modules you'll be studying...Your career
Gabrielle Prince recently beat over 400 entrants to win the Tetley Student Photography Competition: "I'm very grateful to my tutors at the University for their advice and encouragement". Read the full story...
The course aims to give you an advantage when you're looking for a job in the image industry. The skills you'll develop, both academic and practical, will enable you to work in a variety of different areas, such as commercial, advertising and editorial photography to location finding and management, photo retail, image manipulation, or being a photographer's agent or picture researcher.
You'll also be able to go on to postgraduate study.
View more student success stories on our Commercial Photography website.
What our students say
How you'll learn
Studio workshops, group and individual tutorials, seminars and lectures. This is supported by a programme of visiting photographers and trade suppliers.
How you're assessed
The assessment of all your practical modules is by submission of practical work, formal presentation of course work, and contribution to individual tutorials, group tutorials and seminars. The context and dissertation modules require you to submit essay work and course work. Practical work makes up 75% of the course, and critical studies 25%.
Fieldtrips
Each year we organise an educational field visit to a cultural centre in Europe or the USA and we visit trade shows and galleries nationally. Day-long field visits to a variety of locations are also offered.
Anything else?
We will be accepting applications up until the 24 March 2010 however we would encourage you to apply by the 15 January 2010.
Click here to find out more about about applying for the second or third year of the course.
Start dates
If you're from the UK or EU you can apply to study this course in:
- September 2010 (part time only, if available)
- September 2011
See a list of courses we are still taking applications for in September 2010.
If you're from a country outside the EU you can apply to study this course full time in:
- September 2010
- September 2011
UCAS code
W640Fees *
UK/EU students
- Full time: £3,290 (per year)
- Part time: £270 per single module (you usually take 24 of these modules in total)
International students
- Full time: £8,500 (per year)
*These fees apply if you're starting this course between September 2010 and August 2011. We recommend you check fee details with us though, as they can change. Costs can increase each year and there may be extra costs eg for exams, trips or special modules.
Entry requirements
Our entry requirements are usually 180-240 UCAS points from A levels or equivalent ...
