BA (Hons) Commercial Photography

at Bournemouth University

Year 1
 

• Introduction to Photographic Practice: You will develop an understanding and knowledge of camera function, exposure and creative control, lighting and image capture techniques that form the foundations to successful photographic expression. You'll also take part in post-production workshops that offer practical and technical support in the use and application of editing software e.g. Adobe Photoshop and Capture One Pro and hard copy printing to ensure images are presented to a professional standard. 

• Approaches to Commercial Practice: This unit will extend your experience of key skills, theories, and techniques to produce fiction or non-fiction narrative images. By developing your narrative skills this unit focuses on documentary and editorial photography, seen by industry as a key entry route to commercial opportunities. 

• Professional Development: Produce an online reflective journal (blog) and photographic profile that will be used as an evolving practical learning plan throughout the course. You'll be encouraged to produce an online presence and identity that showcases your work and it’s commercial potential as well as ongoing and adaptive self-reflective commentary of your position within the commercial photographic practices that will shape your future career pathway.

• Moving Image 1: You'll be introduced to moving images and its application in contemporary commercial photography. This collaborative unit will develop your ability to work effectively as part of a project team and build on the interactions between theory, practice and research.

• Image Concepts and Contexts: This unit will introduce you to the early formation of commercial photographic practice in Europe and beyond at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th Century. You'll be encouraged to reflect upon the impact the industrial revolution had on the evolution of early photographic technology, aesthetics, and practice. The unit also aims to introduce you to relevant critical and contextual analytical skills and with that, develop academic confidence.  

Year 2
 

• Applied Photographic Practice: Building on the technical skills and underpinning concepts introduced in year 1, you'll continue to develop your technical competence. Theoretical understanding is put into practice by applying your unique photographic signature to an editorial or advertising campaign brief. You'll have the opportunity to impose a ‘personal style’ to your response and will be expected to provide a critical reflection of your approach including a review and rationale of the concept and implementation strategies adopted. 

• Collaborative Project: Working as a team you'll produce and capture a collaboratively produced artefact. You'll be required to show an ability to deliver work to a specified length, format, brief and deadline making use of a problem-solving approach to teamwork and to extend your technical skills and aesthetic judgement.

• Moving Image 2: Working as part of a small production team you'll produce a self-promotional video of your practice production techniques and general ‘on-site’ modus operandi. The unit aims to record your unique approach to photographic production and/ or a post-production to be presented on a social media platform or form part of a promotional page of a website presence.

• Investigating Industry: During this unit you'll develop your critical understanding of the role of the commercial practitioner as a producer of material for a variety of media, and as a collaborative manager working with other media professionals. 

• Media Theory: You'll become more independent in your studies and will have the opportunity to pursue your own research interests using appropriate methodologies, which may become the foundation of your final year project.

Placement year

This course includes a two week professional placement, usually completed between year 2 and 3. Alternatively, the course can be taken as a 4-year sandwich when your third year will be spent on professional industrial placement.

The placement is an integral part of the course and will give you the opportunity to relate theory to practice and to develop a real understanding of the profession you will enter upon graduating.

Final year
 

• Concept Development: This unit will develop your communication and pitching skills, idea generation and development and knowledge of ethical, professional and regulatory issues relating to contemporary media practice. You'll learn how to reflect critically on your own practice, and how to respond to feedback.

• Graduate Project: You'll produce and direct a substantial piece of work/collection of work that is uniquely your own. You'll work within a framework that attempts to emulate commercial photographic practices and prepares you in the processes necessary for a sustainable and rewarding career in the image making industry. 

• Research Project: Your research project will focus on a specific individual, community or commercial issue central to your long term academic and/or business objectives. The study will critically evaluate researched material to produce a clear and original argument. The form of the submission and method of investigation will be the result of a formalised and recorded research plan.

• Commercial Contexts: This unit provides the opportunity to stress test how employment ready you are and build on your professional and interpersonal skills to gain employment. You'll be asked to prepare and present a production pitch to secure pinnacle work in the highly competitive commercial world of advertising photography.

2023 entry

Numeracy and literacy requirements (e.g. GCSEs)    
 

• 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. 

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 2023 entry: IELTS (Academic) 6.0 with minimum 5.5 in each component, or equivalent.

Annual Tuition Fees:
 

• £9,250 (UK, ROI & CI)

• £15,250 (Int'l)

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:
 

• Laptops, tablets and mobile devices and any software used on personal devices. Access to a personal computer is strongly recommended for your study. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, visit our website for information regarding hardship funds

• Travel costs to and from your placement (both in the UK and overseas) if this is part of your course of study. Placement year funding information can be found on our website.

• Accommodation and living costs. Our accommodation price guide can be found on our website

• Clothing or equipment costs required for your placement if this is part of your course of study.

• 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 for optional field trips, outdoor wear and footwear for mandatory and optional field trips (if applicable).

• Travel costs to and from the University campus. An annual bus pass can be purchased alongside your rent if you are living in halls of residence/Unilet accommodation or may be purchased separately.

• SportBU membership.

Among the roles that our graduates have moved into are:
 

• Staff Photographer

• Freelance Photographer

• Photographer’s Assistant

• Picture Editor

• Publisher.