Photography with Foundation Year
Photography is a creative discipline that has transformed from a technical process of light and chemistry into one of the most powerful and culturally pervasive media of our time. Photographers work across an extraordinary range of contexts, from documentary and photojournalism to fashion, advertising, fine art, portraiture and architectural photography, using both analogue and digital processes to create images that communicate, persuade, document and interpret the world. A degree in photography develops not only technical skill and creative vision but also the critical and conceptual thinking that separates a thoughtful practitioner from one who simply operates a camera.
At the University of Derby, this four-year full-time programme includes a foundation year, a sandwich placement year, a year abroad and work placement opportunities, giving you a richly structured set of developmental experiences across the full length of your studies. The foundation year builds your creative and technical foundations, and the degree develops imaginative approaches to photography that will set you apart within the creative, media and arts industries. You will be encouraged to challenge conventions, develop your own distinctive identity as an image-maker and build the professional portfolio and industry experience that photographic careers require.
Photography graduates go on to careers as commercial, editorial, documentary and fine art photographers, photo editors, art directors, visual content producers and photography teachers. The industry is largely project-based and often freelance in its early stages, and the portfolio, professional networks and practical experience you build during your studies are central to establishing your career. Many graduates also develop their practice at the intersection of photography and other creative disciplines, working in film, publishing, advertising, arts education and the cultural sector.
Postgraduate study in photography, fine art or visual communication is available for those who wish to develop specialist creative or research-based practice.