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Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Commercial Photography with Foundation Year
University of Derby
Entry requirements
Here's what you will need to get a place on the Commercial Photography with Foundation Year course at University of Derby.
Select a qualification to see required grades
A level
D,D,D
Tuition fees
| Location | Fees |
|---|---|
| England | £9,535 per year (provisional) |
| Scotland | £9,535 per year (provisional) |
| Wales | £9,535 per year (provisional) |
| Northern Ireland | £9,535 per year (provisional) |
| Channel Islands | £9,535 per year (provisional) |
| EU | £16,900 per year (provisional) |
| International | £16,900 per year (provisional) |
Course summary
What this course is about
UCAS code: W6FY
Here's what University of Derby says about its Commercial Photography with Foundation Year course.
Study Commercial Photography at the University of Derby and become one of the 'most employable' graduates in the UK. On this degree, you will develop skills such as critical thinking and research, to equip you well for diverse roles across the photo-imaging sector and beyond.
Derby has been ranked 2nd for career prospects (Film Production and Photography) Guardian University Guide 2025.
KEY FEATURES OF THE COURSE
-
Graduate from this degree being one of the very few specifically commercial photography programmes in Britain that offers the opportunity to work professionally from the outset
-
Innovate beyond existing, conventional commercial practices to set new standards of visual language that advocates for contemporary and future-visioning clients
-
Hone your skills in an excellent learning environment featuring extensive photographic studies, black and white and colour darkroom, film processing facilities, dedicated digital suites, and Mac suites offering industry-standard software.
-
Take a hands-on approach and to apply to exhibit your work for Format International Photography Festival, the UK's leading international contemporary festival of photography and related media.
-
Benefit from our partnerships such as FORMAT, Association of Photographers, GRAIN Photography Hub, Derby Museum and Art Galleries, Magnum Photos, MAC Birmingham, ESMAD Porto, the Art Institute of Las Vegas and more.
HOW YOU’LL LEARN:
The programme is delivered through a combination of practice-led workshops alongside lectures, seminars, tutorial support, national and international study visits. Whilst progressing through their studies, students work with the support of both actively working and researching photographic lecturers and industry professionals. Through engaging in exciting and intensive periods of risk-taking and creative explorations, students grow as autonomous practitioners and independent professionals with highly distinctive approaches that separate them from typical industry expectations.
YOUR CAREER:
The course places an emphasis on critical thinking, research, writing and oral communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills. As such, you will be well equipped for diverse roles across the photo-imaging sector and beyond, making excellent use of transferable skills.
Our graduates have gone on to become artists, academics, teachers, curators, critics, professional photographers, editorial photographers, picture editors. Here are what some of our graduates are doing now:
-
Idris Kahn OBE, leading UK artist
-
Jenny Anderson, Director, Argentea Gallery
-
Nicola Shipley, director GRAIN Photography Hub
-
Michael Sargeant, On-line Education Manager, MAGNUM Photos
-
John McLean, leading photographic artist and architectural photographer
-
Steve Edwards, leading editorial photographer for UK and US publications
-
Bethany Kane, Programming Officer FORMAT Photography Festival
Source: University of Derby
Course details
Qualification
Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Department
Department of Media and Performing Arts
Location
Main Site | Derby
Duration
4 Years
Study mode
Full-time
Subjects
• Photography
Start date
September 2026
Application deadline
14 January 2026
University of Derby reviews
Showing 306 reviews
3rd year
Forensic science
The student union care for the university and its students ensuring we are happy, healthy and thriving during our time in university. They put on events with freebies to boost morale as well.
9 months ago
3rd year
Forensic science
The halls and university are really close to the city so getting around is easy, especially with the university buses. The city is definitely a student friendly place with plenty of clubs and late night food places, as well as a variety of shops and other entertainment for those who aren’t into club...
9 months ago
3rd year
Forensic science
The university is definitely value for money and so are the halls. There is financial support available for those who need it and the union ensures that you still have fun even if you are on a strict budget by hosting free events on campus.
9 months ago
3rd year
Forensic science
The university and halls have a great support system which ensures you get the help you need quickly and from a diverse team of professionals.
9 months ago
3rd year
Forensic science
The facilities are very clean and up to standard for our labs and lectures. Any maintenance is quickly sorted as well.
9 months ago
3rd year
Forensic science
Forensics is an amazing course to study with a blended mix of lectures and labs, you are sure to have a broad knowledge about every main path of forensics. The staff are very knowledgeable and supportive and the sessions are action-packed and full of useful information. Labs are weekly and are criti...
9 months ago
National Student Survey (NSS) scores
The NSS is an annual survey where final-year students are asked to rate different aspects of their course and university experience.
Here you can see ratings from University of Derby students who took the Commercial Photography with Foundation Year course - or another course in the same subject area.
Select an option to see a detailed breakdown
Teaching on my course
80%
med
Teaching on my course
80%
med
How often does your course challenge you to achieve your best work?
85%
med
How good are teaching staff at explaining things?
83%
low
How often do teaching staff make the subject engaging?
82%
med
How often is the course intellectually stimulating?
72%
low
Learning opportunities
81%
med
Learning opportunities
81%
med
To what extent have you had the chance to bring together information and ideas from different topics?
86%
med
How well does your course introduce subjects and skills in a way that builds on what you have already learned?
82%
med
How well has your course developed your knowledge and skills that you think you will need for your future?
78%
med
To what extent have you had the chance to explore ideas and concepts in depth?
86%
med
To what extent does your course have the right balance of directed and independent study?
75%
med
Assessment and feedback
79%
med
Assessment and feedback
79%
med
How well have assessments allowed you to demonstrate what you have learned?
87%
med
How fair has the marking and assessment been on your course?
90%
med
How often does feedback help you to improve your work?
72%
med
How often have you received assessment feedback on time?
70%
low
How clear were the marking criteria used to assess your work?
77%
med
Academic support
80%
low
Academic support
80%
low
How easy was it to contact teaching staff when you needed to?
73%
low
How well have teaching staff supported your learning?
87%
med
Organisation and management
56%
low
Organisation and management
56%
low
How well were any changes to teaching on your course communicated?
67%
med
How well organised is your course?
45%
low
Learning resources
93%
high
Learning resources
93%
high
How well have the IT resources and facilities supported your learning?
91%
high
How well have the library resources (e.g., books, online services and learning spaces) supported your learning?
91%
med
How easy is it to access subject specific resources (e.g., equipment, facilities, software) when you need them?
95%
high
Student voice
78%
med
Student voice
78%
med
How clear is it that students' feedback on the course is acted on?
68%
med
To what extent do you get the right opportunities to give feedback on your course?
85%
med
To what extent are students' opinions about the course valued by staff?
80%
med
How well does the students' union (association or guild) represent students' academic interests?
79%
high
Other NSS questions
Other NSS questions
During your studies, how free did you feel to express your ideas, opinions, and beliefs?
88%
med
How well communicated was information about your university/college's mental wellbeing support services?
77%
med
Student information
See who's studying at University of Derby. These students are taking Commercial Photography with Foundation Year or another course from the same subject area.
| Most popular A-levels studied | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Grade | |||||
| Photography | A | |||||
| Business Studies | C | |||||
| English Language | B | |||||
| History | B | |||||
| Media Studies | C | |||||
Graduate prospects
What graduates do next
We have no information about graduates who took Commercial Photography with Foundation Year at University of Derby.
Earnings after graduation
Earnings from University of Derby graduates who took Commercial Photography with Foundation Year - or another course in the same subject area.
Earnings
£20.1k
First year after graduation
£22.6k
Third year after graduation
£24.5k
Fifth year after graduation
Shown here are the median earnings of graduates at one, three and five years after they completed a course related to Commercial Photography with Foundation Year.
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree
Discussions
Discussions
Students are talking about University of Derby on The Student Room.
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