BA (Hons) Photography
Course Overview
Photographs are the most exciting and important visual form of global communication, forming a significant part of everyday life. It’s estimated that 5.35 billion people now use the internet (1) and that around 1.81 trillion photos are taken each year (2). The image has become the most widely used international language, and the ability to communicate concise visual statements that engage audiences is at the heart of our course and teaching.Our broad-based degree offers you a unique pathway to visual self-discovery. You’ll benefit from the freedom to pursue your own interests while receiving expert support from our industry-experienced tutors, developed with help from a panel of industry professionals. We offer a supportive market-aware environment where you can explore various photographic genres such as documentary, fashion, editorial, photojournalism, commercial advertising, portraiture, architectural, wildlife, landscape and fine art.
We’ll invite industry experts to share their knowledge during guest lectures and offer you opportunities to work on placements, ‘live briefs’ and commissions. Our industry links will help to enrich your learning experience and provide you with invaluable ‘insider’ information and possible employment opportunities. You can be part of this fully integrated programme of practical and theoretical knowledge, building your confidence and skills, ready for a career in this dynamic industry.
(1) https://www.statista.com/statistics/617136/digital-population-worldwide/ accessed 6 February 2024
(2) https://photutorial.com/photos-statistics/ accessed 6 February 2024
Highlights
- Our team of highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic photography lecturers offer face-to-face sessions and one-to-one support, ensuring you can access help and advice when you need it.
- Based on your interests and strengths, our experienced team will work to help you identify a potential career path and plan your future professional development based on your individual needs. We want to support you as you establish the foundation of your career in your chosen area of the photography industry.
- Exhibition and display are key themes in the final year. We’ll offer you the opportunity to present your work in an external exhibition and during Bolton School of the Arts’ Creative Showcase.
- We offer opportunities for you to participate in foreign study trips and visit collections and current exhibitions at galleries, museums, and arts centres around the UK. In recent years, visits to major cities such as New York, Paris, London and Toronto have proved valuable learning opportunities for our students.
- You’ll also have the opportunity to progress seamlessly onto one of our postgraduate programmes.
Key Features
- Our custom-designed photography department offers outstanding facilities, including darkrooms, a dedicated computer suite with a high output printing facility and four studios with specialist lighting.
- Practical knowledge, such as studio lighting and location techniques, combined with research and critique, help you learn to develop your ideas and produce innovative research-led work.
- You’ll have access to a rich visiting speaker programme, providing insight into industry experts’ professional practice and up-to-the-minute developments in the sector.
- The programme offers work placements, internships, masterclasses, awards, competitions and open calls, such as the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition.
- Our specialist tutors and technical support staff have professional experience and industry connections.
- As a graduate, you’ll have a wide range of independent, specialist photographic styles based on your own planning and development.
- The Guardian University Guide 2022 ranks our Film Production and Photography courses as fourth in the UK for student-to-staff ratio, so you can be assured that we offer you excellent access to individual tutor support and small group teaching.
- By choosing to study with us, you'll have the chance to enjoy Bolton's many shops, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities. Manchester, one of the UK's most multicultural and lively cities, is less than 20 minutes away by train. Not forgetting, the North West of England is renowned for its beautiful countryside, coastline and heritage. This makes Bolton an ideal base from which to explore some of the best cultural and outdoor activities the UK offers.
Entry Requirements
- 96 UCAS points. We accept a full range of qualifications that carry UCAS points, including A-levels, BTECs and T-levels. Please see our guide to the UCAS Tariff for examples of how to achieve these points. For most courses, we are also able to consider non-tariffable qualifications.
- Any subjects are acceptable at Level 3. Relevant creative and art and design-related subjects are preferred.
- You should also have five GCSEs at grade C or above or grade 4 to 9 (or equivalent), including English and Mathematics.
- You’ll be required to attend an interview and provide a portfolio of recent photographic or image-related (or video) work. A basic working knowledge of photography through either creative application, digital or traditional process (or combinations of the three) is expected and assessed at interview.
- The quality of the portfolio/interview is the primary basis on which applicants are selected; therefore, special consideration will be given to applicants without the above qualifications who have a strong portfolio.
- If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
- If you don't meet the entry requirements for this course, please consider our BA (Hons) Photography with foundation year course.
Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.
Career Opportunities
Photographs are viewed by everyone and are a part of our everyday culture. From advertising products, illustrating stories in magazines and books to appearing on apps and websites, it's an ideal medium to communicate beyond barriers.
A photography career offers opportunities to work independently or as a staff photographer for an employer. Our BA (Hons) Photography degree helps you to develop valuable transferable skills, such as team working, problem-solving, managing large and complex projects to deadline, the discipline of working to briefs and set deadlines, the ability to exploit creative and challenging visual ideas, a comprehensive understanding of digital imaging issues, and the ability to solve and put forward your ideas to address creative problems. These skills can also lead to other professional opportunities such as employment in sales, marketing and customer care, management and other roles.
What can I do with this qualification?
Typical employers include retail sales companies, design companies, publishing (including magazines, books and newspapers), film and television, wedding photographers, medical-related organisations, the police, holiday companies, universities, and media organisations such as advertising agencies. A large number of photography graduates are self-employed and work on a freelance basis.
There is a range of photography-related postgraduate options available which can support you to develop a strong portfolio career. Some courses look at specific, practice-based areas of photography, such as fine art photography or photojournalism, while others offer a more research-focused approach. Other postgraduate research areas include curatorial, teaching, design, film, editing, journalism and creative enterprise.
Alternative career options
Graduates can also use the qualification as a stepping-stone into a range of other careers, bearing in mind that relevant experience and/or postgraduate study may be required. Some of these careers include:
- Film, video and picture editing
- Secondary education
- Visual merchandising
- Museum curation
- Art gallery management
- Graphic design
- Web design
- Art direction
- Fashion
- Wedding
- Photographic laboratories
- Conservation
- Forensics
Fees & Funding
Home/EU Fees
| Year of study | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Year | 2025/26 | 2026/27 | 2027/28 | 2028/29 | |
| 2025-26 | £9,535 | £9,535 | £9,535 | - | £28,605 |
| 2026-27 | - | ||||
International Fees
| Year of study | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Year | 2025/26 | 2026/27 | 2027/28 | 2028/29 | |
| 2025-26 | £17,500 | £17,500 | £17,500 | - | £52,500 |
| 2026-27 | - | ||||
Bursaries
Important note regarding tuition fees: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
How to apply
Home Applicants
If you wish to apply for multiple institutions or multiple courses at Bolton for September entry, then apply through UCAS
You can apply for up to 5 courses through UCAS (at the same or different institutions) for a fee of £27. Alternatively, if you only wish to apply for a single course at a single institution then a reduced applicant's fee of £22.50 is applicable.
The online application form and guidance notes are available on the UCAS website.
You will need the following information to complete your UCAS application form:
Institution Code Name: BOLTN
Institution Code Number: B44
Tel: 0870 1122211
Web: www.ucas.com
If you wish to apply for a single course offered by the University of Bolton for any intake, you can apply directly
If you have carefully considered your course and institution choices and decided that this course is the best option for you, you may apply directly to the University using our online application form shown below.
A direct application to Bolton provides the following features:
Free of charge to apply
Secure, simple and streamlined
Contact us directly for any admissions queries
Regular updates on your application directly from the University
Invites to offer holder events and taster sessions where you can meet your future tutors and get a flavour of university life
NOTE: You cannot apply both through UCAS and directly to Bolton. Submitting an application to any university through UCAS during the same academic year will void any direct application you make to Bolton.
For courses starting in September, please be aware that we are required to share your information with UCAS if we accept you on this course. We will create a simplified UCAS acceptance record on your behalf and return this to UCAS. By submitting your application directly to the University of Bolton, you agree to these terms.
If you are ready to apply directly, please select your chosen start date from the list below.
Before applying, please read the entry requirements section of this page.
If your course runs at multiple locations or has various start dates, please be sure to select the correct application link from the list below.
Before beginning your application, you should have the following information to hand:
Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates
Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies
Details of any employment history, including name, address, dates and role
Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately
Details including e-mail addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference
Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format. Personal statements may be word documents.
Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page. If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already inputted.
If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Undergraduate Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or admissions-team@bolton.ac.uk
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Apply online: University of Bolton BA(Hons) Photography - 22 September 2025
International Applicants
Thank you for your interest
In order to determine your suitability for this course as an international student and also to confirm you meet any initial eligibility criteria, we need you to answer a few short questions.
Partner Organisation Applicants
University of Bolton Group Partners
Bolton College
University Collegiate School
Alliance Learning
University of Bolton
For valued members of the University of Bolton Group and progressing students, we try to make our application process as simple and as fast as possible.
If you have carefully considered your course and institution choices and decided that this course is the best option for you, you may apply free of charge to the University. By selecting the appropriate link from the list shown below, you will be taken directly to our online application form. Please read the user guidance before completing this, and ensure you upload all supporting documents such as certificates and your personal statement when you apply.
When you are asked to add a contact email address, please ensure you add your college/university email account address as well as your personal address. If you do not add your college address as your contact address, we will be unable to identify you as a partner and offer you the benefits of being part of our group.
NOTE: You cannot apply both through UCAS and directly to Bolton. Submitting an application to any university through UCAS during the same academic year will void any direct application you make to Bolton.
For courses starting in September, please be aware that we are required to share your information with UCAS if we accept you on this course. We will create a simplified UCAS acceptance record on your behalf and return this to UCAS. By submitting your application directly to the University of Bolton, you agree to these terms.
If you are ready to apply directly, please select your chosen start date from the list below.
Before applying, please read the entry requirements section of this page.
If your course runs at multiple locations or has various start dates, please be sure to select the correct application link from the list below.
Before beginning your application, you should have the following information to hand:
Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates
Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies
Details of any employment history, including name, address, dates and role
Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately
Details including email addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference
Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format. Personal statements may be word documents.
Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page. If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already inputted.
If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Undergraduate Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or admissions-team@bolton.ac.uk
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Apply online: University of Bolton BA(Hons) Photography - 22 September 2025
We look forward to receiving your application and you continuing your academic journey with us!
Teaching & Assessment
Learning and teaching methods are varied, and we use a blended style, meaning you'll attend face-to-face sessions and take part in online learning. You can expect lectures, seminars, tutorials and critiques, self-directed learning, e-learning and workshop sessions. You'll also have opportunities to engage with employer facing and work-related activities.
You'll gain practical skills through technical introduction and support, workshop sessions, demonstrations and activity-based assignments. Live briefs and personal projects will promote active learning. Your learning will also be enhanced by research in libraries, art galleries, museums and other educational visits (where relevant).
You'll benefit from opportunities to attend guest lecture events. These feed directly into our teaching and offer relevant and up-to-date photographic industry information. Group critiques and tutorials will allow you to discuss and consider your work in progress, either in individual tutorials, interim reviews, or small groups. Our lecture programmes, visiting speakers and access to the latest research all feed into your learning experience.
There are no formal examinations, and continuous assessment is used. We may ask for various types of assessment evidence, for example, portfolios, practical projects, presentations and written pieces.
Assessment is carried out at key points during the modules. We'll use formative assessment methods to help you learn and develop your knowledge and skills. You'll also undertake summative assessment on which you'll be graded.
Formative assessment (face-to-face and online) will be offered during each module. You'll also receive written feedback, and feed-forward will be provided following summative assessment. Assessment tasks are linked to the learning outcomes of each module and are normally completed by the end of each module.
Modules
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
- Digital Imaging
- Pre, Present, Post Photography
- Creating Photography
- Editorial Photography
- Analogue
- Video Documentary
- The Photo Story
- Explorations
- The Creative Studio
- The Photographic Industry
- Concepts and Practice
- Employment, Enterprise, Entrepreneurship
- Consolidation and Display
Assessment methods
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Coursework 93% Practical exams 7% |
| Level 2 | Coursework 80% Practical exams 20% |
| Level 3 | Coursework 47% Practical exams 53% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 66% Placement/study abroad 0% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 34% |
| Level 2 | Guided independent study 69% Placement/study abroad 0% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 31% |
| Level 3 | Guided independent study 76% Placement/study abroad 5% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 19% |
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
