Bachelor of Arts (Honours) - Photography

The BA (Hons) Photography course at the University of Derby is designed to help students become highly creative and technically skilled professional photographers. The program encourages students to develop imaginative approaches to photography that will set them apart in the creative, media, and arts industries. Students are empowered to challenge conventions, break moulds, and create a distinctive identity as informed and highly creative thinkers and image makers.

The School of Arts has earned a long-standing reputation for excellence in photography, with state-of-the-art facilities that rival those used by professional photographers. Students have access to a free equipment loan centre, stocked with high-spec analogue and digital equipment, allowing them to fully realize their creative visions. Virtual tours of the facilities are available to explore these cutting-edge resources.

As one of the first UK institutions to offer a photography degree, the university boasts over half a century of heritage in photographic education. This rich tradition blends seamlessly with modern technology, providing students with the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals and highly skilled tutors. With access to extensive darkroom and digital facilities, students engage in real-world experiences, including live briefs from external clients, gallery visits, overseas study trips, exhibitions, festivals, and competitions—all of which contribute to an exciting and enriching learning experience.

The BA (Hons) Photography course at the University of Derby takes students on a creative journey, exploring the evolution of photography—what it has been, what it is now, and what it can become in the future. The program challenges students to push beyond the conventional boundaries of photography, helping them to develop the confidence, skills, and ambition necessary to create work that defines their own identity as innovative image makers.

The course blends creative and experimental approaches to photographic image making, spanning a wide range of media. It also develops high-level skills in research, critical thinking, communication, presentation, exhibition, and dissemination, as well as essential digital technology skills. Students are encouraged to explore and exceed the traditional limits of photography, pushing the medium to new and exciting places throughout their academic journey.

The program fosters students' passions, supports their goals, and provides guidance to help them develop the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to become sought-after professionals. The course prepares students for a successful future in the creative sector and beyond.

Throughout their studies, students engage with both traditional analogue and contemporary digital media, exploring time-based and moving image media. They also have opportunities to work with installation, sculptural, and performance approaches, as well as the hybridization of photography—combining various media to create new forms and uses of image making.

The degree culminates in a professional final exhibition at the university's Degree Show, where students can connect with industry professionals during the Private View evening. Students may also choose to further their studies with the university’s MA Arts course. The program also offers students the opportunity to apply to exhibit their work at the Format International Photography Festival, the UK's leading international contemporary festival for photography and related media.

Applicants should be aware that entry requires a strong personal statement, a good reference, and, where applicable, a portfolio, as part of the admissions process.