BA (Hons) Photography

Course details

On this course you will usually be taught by a range of staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This will include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners and research students.

Placements

At BU, we recognise that placements are extremely valuable and can give you a head start when it comes to your future career. That’s why we offer every new student the opportunity to undertake a work placement as part of their course.

You could even choose to undertake your placement abroad, giving you the opportunity to develop yourself personally, academically, and professionally and gain skills to help you stand out in the job market.

How placements benefit you

The benefits to you as a placement student are many. You will have the chance to:

Put the theory learnt throughout the course into professional practice
Enhance your study and help you decide on subject options (where appropriate)
Learn a wide range of skills such as time management, problem solving and team work (all of these are important to succeed in any career)
Make contacts, as it is not uncommon for our students to be offered permanent positions to return to after graduating
Gain a real insight into how the industry operates in roles that would be almost impossible to achieve for an outsider.

Many of our students, during their placement, are given responsibilities normally associated with graduate trainees.

Help and support

The faculty running your course will offer the support of a Placement Coordinator.

They’ll help you plan your placement so make sure you get the right experience for you. That includes offering help and support if you need to move to another part of the UK – and even another country – to get the most out of your time.

We’ve also built close industry links over the years – so our network of employers that are keen to work with placement students is always growing. Or if you’d prefer to arrange your placement independently, we can offer advice on how to do that too.

Your application

For BA (Hons) Photography, we are looking for applicants who can:

Demonstrate a passion for photography, either through influences or experiences
Demonstrate examples of engaging with photography beyond your educational curriculum
Genuinely reflect on your positive attributes, but also what you want to come to university to improve upon

You should be able to communicate why you want to come on this course, what appeals to you about working in this industry and why you feel you have the edge over your peers. You must have basic computer literacy, including knowledge of Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Selection methods

How we assess your application

We look at individual applications and make a tailored offer based on your potential to succeed on the course considering a range of factors, including your academic achievements, work and other experience, reference and personal statement, and in some cases, your performance at an interview or a portfolio review. Typically, we make an offer at the bottom of the tariff range.

AccessBU gives you the chance to tell us more about you and your life experiences if you haven’t had the same educational opportunities as other applicants. If you are eligible for AccessBU, your offer could be up to 16 UCAS Tariff Points below the published tariff.

Our offer-making process

Our offer-making will typically be based on your most recent qualifications, including any required subjects where applicable. We'll consider all qualifications when assessing your application, although these may not be part of our offer.

If you do not meet the criteria of your original offer, we may still offer you a place. We will review your whole application and consider all academic qualifications (including those not in the offer) to see if you have the academic potential to succeed on the course. If we feel the answer is yes, we will confirm your place.

Supporting your study

This course has compulsory elements involving practical production activities. When required, students must complete a health and safety risk assessment to take part in these activities, for their safety and that of others. As part of that assessment students provide information about any conditions or disabilities that might affect their ability to undertake these activities fully or safely.

If you have such a condition or disability, please let us know as soon as possible. You can contact our Additional Learning Support (ALS) service about this before or after making an application. We will then work with you to identify any support or adjustments you would need. Our ALS team works with the Faculty to seek to put in place reasonable adjustments and health and safety plans.

Exceptionally, it may not be possible to arrange for a student to access these courses without either over-riding their core standards or competencies or creating unacceptable risks to health and safety. If that is the case we will help you explore alternative course choices.

Entry requirements

We use the UCAS Tariff in our entry requirements and will accept a combination of grades and qualifications to meet the overall tariff requirement. You can use the UCAS calculator to see how your qualifications equate to UCAS tariff points.

We have outlined our entry requirements below using the most common qualifications that we consider for this course. If your qualification is not listed, please contact our Future Students Enquiry Team who can advise accordingly. You can also find out more about how we consider your application in our offer-making process section.

104 - 120 UCAS tariff points including a minimum of 2 A levels or equivalent.

For September 2021 entry: 104 - 120 UCAS tariff points including a minimum of 2 A levels or equivalent.

Numeracy and Literacy requirement: GCSE English Language or English Literature and Mathematics grade 4 (or grade C in the old grading system). We also accept iGCSEs, Key Skills and Functional Skills and other qualifications at Level 2 of the National Qualifications Framework. See all the equivalencies.

Other useful information

AccessBU: AccessBU provides you with the opportunity to tell us about your circumstances that are not always evident in your UCAS application. This widening access initiative also considers relevant criteria such as being in care or if you live in an area with a low participation rate in Higher Education - if you are eligible, your offer could be up to 16 UCAS tariff points below the published tariff.

Apprenticeships: We recognise the transferable knowledge and skills gained through apprenticeships and welcome applications from students with a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship recognised by the Institute for Apprenticeships. Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Deferred entry: We are happy to consider eligible applicants for deferred entry. If you have already submitted your application, you can request a deferral by contacting our Admissions Team.

Mature applicants: We recognise that mature applicants may have a wealth of experience rather than formal qualifications, so we’ll consider your application on these merits if included in your application. You’ll need to apply to BU in the usual way through UCAS and you may be invited to an interview to discuss your suitability for the course based on the experience you tell us about in your application.

International entry requirements

You can find details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our entry requirements for non-UK students' page.

Please see below some examples of the qualifications for entry onto Year 1 for September 2021 entry:

Диплома за средно образование (Bulgarian Diploma of Completed Secondary Education) or Диплома за средно специално образование (Bulgarian Diploma of Completed Secondary Specialised Education). Minimum score of 4.5
Hong Kong HKDSE Diploma with required scores (4,3,3 to 4,5,5. Minimum 4 in English required)
Italian Esame di Stato[AB1] with minimum 60%+
Spanish Curso de Orientaciòn Universitaria (COU) prior to 2009 or if you hold a Titulo De Bachillerato awarded from 2009 onwards with a minimum of 6/10+
USA High School Diploma with minimum GPA 3.0 plus SAT Reasoning (1200) or ACT (24-26).

We offer a number of preparatory programmes through Bournemouth University International College. These courses offer you progression from High School in your home country to a Bachelor’s degree at BU.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you can understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally:

For September 2021 entry: IELTS (Academic) 6.0 with minimum 5.5 in each component, or equivalent.

View further information about our English language requirements.

If you do not meet the English language requirement for your degree then why not join our Pre-Sessional English course? Successful completion of our Pre-Sessional English course will meet your English language requirement.

Careers

This course seeks to generate enterprising and entrepreneurial practitioners that are not only geared up to work in industry as it currently stands, but to have an active role in shaping how it may be in the future.

Typical starting job roles

The course is designed with opportunities to develop a portfolio in a specific area of photography that interests you, from photojournalism to wildlife, fashion to sports. This means you can shape your learning based on your career aspirations. Our graduates will be prepared with the business and entrepreneurial skills to navigate a career as a photographer in a competitive field.

Further study

Costs and fees

All fees are quoted in pounds sterling and are per year. Your tuition fees will be the same for each year of your course. You can find full information about funding your studies and paying your fees in our undergraduate fees and funding section. That’s also where you’ll find information about the scholarships and bursaries on offer – including unlimited Academic Excellence Scholarships for UK, EU and International students.

Fees quoted are for tuition only unless stated otherwise, and we’re committed to ensuring there are no hidden extra costs while you’re at university – that’s why we’re clear about what you can expect us to cover, and what your cost of living will be.

No hidden extras

What’s included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

Materials for laboratory and field-based teaching activity
Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and fieldwork, and non-financial support whilst on placement
A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service
The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces
IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow
Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) scheme
Disability and additional learning support
The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills
24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team.

Costs of living and other expenses you need to consider

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

Accommodation and living costs. Our accommodation price guide can be found on our website
Optional fieldwork travel, outdoor wear and footwear (where applicable)
Textbooks, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of textbooks and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shops stock a wide range of stationery supplies on both campuses.
Travel costs to and from your placement (both in the UK and overseas). Information about funding your placement year can be found on our website at www.bournemouth.ac.uk/students/help-advice/financial-support/placement-year-funding .

Repeat units

Our staff

On this course you will be taught by staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This could include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners and research students, many of whom are actively engaged in research and/or professional practice which is integrated into the teaching of this course. Please note that staff can change.

James Fair - Principle Academic

James joined Bournemouth University in 2014 to develop the BA (Hons) Film programme. Having led that to success, he is developing the BA (Hons) Photography programme to address the challenges that contemporary photographers face in a competitive marketplace.

James has a background in multimedia experiences including photography and filmmaking. His Crushing Snails project invited photographic contributions from all over the globe and compiled into a book and exhibition at the Birmingham Artsfest in 2013. James also produced 360-degree photography for the Strongroom Studios in 2004, one of the first recording studios to do so.

View James Fair's profile

Dr Claudy Op Den Kamp - Senior Lecturer

Claudy has a background in film restoration, with a particular interest in the chemistry of cinematographic film and development techniques. She studied Photography at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague, Netherlands, during which time she ran the (wet) darkroom at Greenpeace International in Amsterdam, and finished an internship at Cineco / Haghefilm restoration laboratories, which she later joined as an account manager.

She was a studio assistant to fashion photographer Arthur Elgort in New York, and a photographer’s assistant to Marcel van der Vlugt in Amsterdam, who specialises in working with Polaroid, and who, because of the unique status of that material, was one of the first to take up digital reproduction techniques.

She went on to write her undergraduate thesis on the work of Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn, and interned at Magnum Photos in New York, where her interest in image licensing was piqued. Recently she was in charge of rights clearance and licensing of all the images in her co-edited volume A History of Intellectual Property in 50 Objects (CUP, 2019).

View Dr Claudy Op Den Kamp's staff profile

Mark Bond - Senior Lecturer

Mark is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Media and Communication where his professional industry experience informs his research and teaching across media production programmes. Mark studied Photography, film and video, at Westminster University before going on to establishing himself as a freelance Director of Photography. Mark has a passion for image making, designing his own darkroom and printing and processing his own work, before moving on to digital. He has photographed six children’s books published by Hoder International, while working as the DoP on The Wombles series 3&4 FilmFair, Cinar Films. Installations include Digital Visions 2016, A photographic exhibition and screening. A spatiotemporal, sensory experience - drawing on childhood memories of imagined worlds. Mark continues his professional practice combining research and teaching, collaborating with students, external stakeholders and professional industry bodies.

View Mark Bond's staff profile

Statistics shown throughout this page are taken from Unistats and BU institutional data unless otherwise stated.

BA (Hons) Photography

Why study BA (Hons) Photography at BU?

Key information

Next start date:

Location:

Duration:

Entry requirements:

International entry requirements:

Scholarships

Course details

Placements

How placements benefit you

Help and support

Your application

Selection methods

How we assess your application

Our offer-making process

Supporting your study

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

Other useful information

International entry requirements

English language requirements

Careers

Typical starting job roles

Further study

Costs and fees

No hidden extras

What’s included in your tuition fee?

Costs of living and other expenses you need to consider

Additional costs

Repeat units

Our staff

James Fair - Principle Academic

Dr Claudy Op Den Kamp - Senior Lecturer

Mark Bond - Senior Lecturer

BA (Hons) Photography

Course search

Search form

Why study BA (Hons) Photography at BU?

Key information

Next start date:

Location:

Duration:

Entry requirements:

International entry requirements:

Scholarships

Course details

Placements

How placements benefit you

Help and support

Your application

Selection methods

How we assess your application

Our offer-making process

Supporting your study

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

International entry requirements

Careers

Typical starting job roles

Further study

Costs and fees

No hidden extras

Costs of living and other expenses you need to consider

Repeat units

Our staff

James Fair - Principle Academic

Dr Claudy Op Den Kamp - Senior Lecturer

Mark Bond - Senior Lecturer