Photography and Video

UCAS code: W640

Here's what De Montfort University says about its Photography and Video course.

*This course was previously called Photography BA (Hons)

Our course offers a dynamic and comprehensive education that combines creativity and technical expertise. This course is tailored for aspiring photographers and videographers, we encourage you to push the boundaries of visual storytelling through both still and moving images. You’ll engage with a variety of practices, from traditional darkroom techniques to cutting-edge digital media, ensuring a well-rounded and versatile skill set.

This course focuses on both individual creativity and collaborative projects, fostering a dynamic studio environment where you can develop your artistic voice and professional expertise. The curriculum features hands-on workshops, industry-driven projects, and experimental practices, preparing you to excel in the evolving landscape of visual media.

Throughout the course, you will sharpen your technical skills while developing a critical understanding of visual culture and its societal influence. Our graduates emerge with a strong professional portfolio and the confidence to pursue diverse careers in photography, video production, and beyond.

Key features

• Boost your portfolio through working on live briefs for external clients and work experience opportunities at businesses such as the National Space Centre, FABRIC (formerly Dance4), Soft Touch Arts and Gymshark.

• We collaborate with top creative industries and media organizations, offering students unique opportunities for internships, projects, and real-world experience that enrich their learning journey.

• Participate in exhibitions, film festivals, and international exchange programmes, providing you with platforms to showcase your work and build a global network of creative professionals.

• Learn with industry standard equipment and spaces to ensure you are equipped with a versatile skill set that includes technical proficiency, creative thinking, and professional experience, ensuring strong career prospects.

• Engage in cutting-edge research within visual culture, media theory, and innovative practices, contributing to the field and expanding your critical understanding of contemporary issues.

• The award-winning Vijay Patel Building provides an ideal environment for both traditional and modern photography and video production techniques. You will be able to work in state-of-the-art digital video editing suites, video and stills studios, digital imaging labs, HD digital recording facilities and large format and traditional black and white darkroom.

• Benefit from block teaching, where most students study one subject at a time. A simple timetable will allow you to really engage with your learning, receive regular feedback and assessments, get to know your course mates and enjoy a better study-life balance.

First year Block 1: Photography Ideas and Practice Block 2: Moving Image Ideas and Practice Block 3: Contextual and Visual Research Block 4: Presenting and Contextualising Your Work

Second year Block 1: Studio Practice: Themes and Techniques Block 2: Curation and Exhibition Blocks 3 and 4: Experimental and Emerging Practice Blocks 3 and 4: Critical Research and Contemporary Visual Culture

Third year Blocks 1 and 2: Final Major Project Development Blocks 1 and 2: Critical Research Blocks 3 and 4: Final Major Project Blocks 3 and 4: Professional Practices

You deserve a positive teaching and learning experience, where you feel part of a supportive and nurturing community. That’s why most students will enjoy an innovative approach to learning using block teaching, where you will study one module at a time. You’ll benefit from regular assessments - rather than lots of exams at the end of the year - and a simple timetable that allows you to engage with your subject and enjoy other aspects of university life such as sports, societies, meeting friends and discovering your new city. By studying with the same peers and tutor for each block, you’ll build friendships and a sense of belonging.

Overview Our curriculum is designed to support you to become confident, critical, creative, adaptable, articulate and aspiring.

In your first year you will explore the role of the still and moving image within culture and the techniques of creating high-quality imagery. You will gain a foundation in both historical and contemporary production processes of still and moving images, alongside starting to develop your creative skills to become a producer of meaningful content. You will also begin to build an understanding of display and exhibition practices of producing work for an audience and learn how critical research informs your work.

The second year builds on the first year to give you greater ownership of your work, extending your knowledge of production and techniques. You can choose to focus on cutting-edge technical and creative explorations within a fine art setting or develop your understanding of social documentary techniques by visually responding to contemporary cultural issues. You will begin to build your professional knowledge of curating images by producing a real museum-quality exhibition.

In the third year you will become a full-fledged producer and content creator whose creative identity is backed by solid theory and practice. You will be given industry-specific training in freelancing and commercial work via real-world and simulated briefs. Substantial research and reflection through research-focused modules, coupled with experimental approaches in production, will prepare you to complete a major self-directed project.

Throughout the course you are supported by an experienced and friendly staff team. Our staff are all practising photographers, artists, researchers and video practitioners, with a wealth of experience in the industry. Guest lecturers from a variety of lens-based backgrounds give you an insight into commercial and artistic professional practice.

You will be assessed through portfolios, group work, critiques and essays, with opportunities to receive feedback on your work in each module.

Contact hours You will be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, workshops, studios, group work and self-directed study. You will normally attend around 14 hours of timetabled taught sessions (lectures and tutorials) each week, and we expect you to undertake at least 25 further hours of independent study to complete project work and research.