BA (Hons) Photography with foundation year
Award
BA (Hons)
Start Date
To be confirmed
Duration
4 years
Mode
Full-time
Location
University of Greater Manchester
UCAS Points
48
UCAS Code
W641
Photography has the power to connect with people around the world, sharing moments that inspire, inform, communicate a point of view or capture the passing of time. The University of Greater Manchester’s BA (Hons) Photography with Foundation Year degree prepares you for professional practice and careers across a wide range of specialist areas within photography and the wider creative industries.
Block Teaching
Course Overview
Photographs are the most exciting and important visual form of global communication, forming a significant part of everyday life. 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. You will experience student life at our supportive, student-focused, multicultural campus while developing essential knowledge and skills ready for a career in photography.Your foundation year allows you to discover and strengthen research, design, practical and communication skills that are essential for success as you study photography. You will expand your creativity beyond photography by experimenting with drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, installation, performance, AI, digital 3D, video and sound art. These skills will give you a multidisciplinary approach to producing visuals that can go beyond lens-based media. The foundation year will build your confidence in academic skills such as research, academic referencing, and written and oral communication techniques.
Following the foundation year, you will develop a broad underpinning in both analogue and digital photography, developing the technical, critical and creative skills needed to establish your own distinctive photographic voice. Through experimentation, research and making, you will be encouraged to explore photography's expanding possibilities, from traditional image-making processes to emerging technologies and contemporary visual culture.
As part of a vibrant creative community, you will work on collaborative, sustainable and public-facing projects that explore the social, cultural and political value of photography. Alongside developing professional skills, you will gain the confidence to shape a meaningful creative identity and position your practice within local, national and international contexts.
The course encourages interdisciplinary working, offering opportunities to collaborate with students across the School of Arts and Creative Technologies. You will discover how photography can be used to tell powerful stories, challenge assumptions and create new ways of understanding the world around us.
Throughout your studies, you will have access to purpose-built photographic studios, specialist darkrooms, digital imaging facilities and professional exhibition opportunities, enabling you to push the boundaries of your practice and prepare for a wide range of careers within the creative industries and beyond.
Highlights
- You’ll be taught by a team of experienced photographers, artists and researchers who are passionate about contemporary photographic practice. Through a combination of face-to-face teaching, studio-based learning and one-to-one tutorials, you'll receive personalised support throughout your studies, helping you identify your strengths and develop both your creative confidence and professional ambitions, whether these lie in commercial photography, editorial practice, fine art, visual storytelling, education or creative entrepreneurship.
- Professional presentation and exhibition are central to the final year experience. You will have the opportunity to showcase your work in public exhibitions and as part of the School of Art and Creative Technologies End of Year Showcase, gaining valuable experience in curating, exhibiting and presenting your practice to audiences.
- Learning extends beyond the classroom, with exhibitions, archives, galleries, museums and arts organisations across the UK and internationally. Previous study visits to destinations including Iceland, New York, Paris, Berlin, The Netherlands and London have enabled students to experience different cultures, encounter world-class photography and create work in inspiring new environments.
- As part of a vibrant creative community, you will collaborate across disciplines, working with students from other subject areas to explore new ideas, perspectives and approaches to image-making.
- Following graduation, you can continue your academic and professional development through our postgraduate programmes, including MA and PGCE routes, allowing you to deepen your specialist practice, pursue research interests or develop a career in teaching and education.
- Throughout your time with us, you will see photography not only as a profession, but as a powerful creative and critical tool for engaging with the world, communicating ideas and shaping culture.
Key Features
- Our purpose-built photography department offers outstanding industry-standard facilities, including darkrooms, dedicated computer suites, large-format photographic printing facilities and professional studios equipped with the latest Profoto lighting.
- We have an extensive range of professional photographic equipment covering both traditional and digital image-making. Students can gain hands-on experience with 35mm, medium-format and large-format traditional cameras, alongside the latest professional digital systems. Our equipment includes cameras from leading manufacturers such as Hasselblad, Sony, Fujifilm, Canon and Nikon, including Hasselblad/Fujifilm digital medium-format cameras and professional Sony full-frame systems. This gives you the opportunity to experience a wide variety of technologies and professional workflows. Our computer suites offer industry-standard software, including Capture One and Adobe Creative Cloud accounts, giving you access to professional applications for image editing, digital workflow, design and creative production.
- Practical knowledge, including studio lighting, location photography and specialist camera techniques, is combined with research, experimentation and critique to help you develop your ideas and produce innovative, research-led photographic work.
- You’ll also benefit from our visiting speaker programme, which provides valuable insight into the professional practice of photographers and other industry experts, alongside current developments within the photographic and wider creative industries.
- The programme offers opportunities to take part in masterclasses, awards, competitions, exhibitions and open calls, helping you gain experience beyond the classroom and begin building your professional profile.
- Our specialist tutors and technical support staff bring extensive professional experience and industry connections, providing guidance and support throughout your studies.
- As a graduate, you will leave with a strong understanding of photographic practice and the ability to develop an independent and distinctive photographic style, informed by your own research, planning, experimentation and creative development.
- By choosing to study with us, you will also have the chance to enjoy Bolton's many shops, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities. Manchester, one of the UK's most vibrant and multicultural cities, is less than 20 minutes away, while the North West of England is renowned for its beautiful countryside, coastline and heritage. This makes the University of Greater Manchester an ideal base from which to explore some of the best cultural and outdoor experiences the UK has to offer.
Entry Requirements
- 48 UCAS points. We accept a full range of qualifications that carry UCAS points, including A-levels and BTECs. 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. Creative subjects are strongly preferred.
- You should also have five GCSEs at grade 4/C or above (or equivalent), including English.
- You'll be required to attend an interview and provide a portfolio of appropriate work. Your portfolio should demonstrate your skills in a range of relevant creative media and styles.
- 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. Relevant work or voluntary experience will also be considered. In these cases, we may ask applicants to undertake additional assessments to determine their suitability for the course.
- 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.
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
Photography is an important part of our everyday culture. From advertising products and illustrating stories in magazines and books to social media, websites and digital content, photography is a powerful way of communicating ideas, stories and experiences to a wide range of audiences.
A career in photography can offer opportunities to work independently as a freelance photographer or as part of a creative team or organisation. Our BA (Hons) Photography degree will help you develop both specialist photographic skills and a broad range of valuable transferable skills.
These include:
- Developing and communicating creative visual ideas
- Understanding digital imaging and photographic workflows
- Teamwork, collaboration and presenting and explaining your ideas with confidence
- Creative problem-solving
- Planning and managing complex projects and meeting deadlines
- Working professionally to a brief
These transferable skills can also support careers beyond photography, including areas such as marketing, communications, creative industries, customer engagement, project management and other professional roles.
What can I do with this qualification?
- Advertising and commercial photography
- Fashion photography
- Photojournalism and documentary photography
- Fine art photography
- Publishing, marketing and content creation
- Travel photography
- Studio photography and management
- Medical photography
- Television, film and visual media
- Freelance photography
Typical employers include:
- Advertising and creative agencies
- Magazines, newspapers and publishers
- Film and television companies
- Photography studios
- Medical organisations and police services
- Travel and holiday companies
- Universities, colleges and schools
- Retail, design and media organisations
Many photography graduates are self-employed or work on a freelance basis, developing careers in areas such as commercial photography, portraiture, weddings, events, editorial photography and content creation. We offer excellent support and advice for those wishing to work for themselves whilst at University and beyond.
A range of photography-related postgraduate options are also available, allowing graduates to develop specialist skills, extend their creative practice or pursue research-based study.
Postgraduate study can support graduates wishing to develop a specialist or portfolio career. Possible areas of further study include:
- Fine art photography
- Photojournalism
- Curatorial practice
- Teaching
- Design and creative enterprises
Alternative career options
Graduates also use the qualification as a stepping-stone into a range of other careers. Some roles may require relevant professional experience and/or postgraduate study, including:
- Film, video and image editing
- Secondary and college teaching
- Art gallery management and museum curation
- Art direction, graphic and web design
- Wedding and event photography
- Photographic laboratories and conservation
- Forensics
Fees & Funding
Funding your studies: From January 2027, eligible students may be able to use the new Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) to access tuition fee loan funding for this course. The LLE is designed to make student finance more flexible and support people to study, retrain or develop their skills at different stages of life. Find out more about the LLE and eligibility Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) | Skills for Careers
Home/EU Fees
| Year of study | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Year | 2026/27 | 2027/28 | 2028/29 | 2029/30 | 2030/31 | |
| 2026-27 | £9,790 | £9,790 | £9,790 | £9,790 | - | £39,160 |
| 2027-28 | - | |||||
International Fees
| Year of study | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Year | 2026/27 | 2027/28 | 2028/29 | 2029/30 | 2030/31 | |
| 2026-27 | £17,500 | £17,500 | £17,500 | £17,500 | - | £70,000 |
| 2027-28 | - | |||||
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.
Home Undergraduate Tuition Fee Adjustment
The tuition fee applicable to the first year of your programme of study is confirmed in your offer letter. The tuition fee set is based on the regulations and guidance in force at the time of offer but remains subject to adjustment in accordance with any government-approved inflationary increase. The University reserves the right to amend tuition fees for all years of study, including the first year, by no more than the maximum increase permitted under legislation and regulatory guidance issued by the UK Government and the Office for Students.
Where such increases are approved, they will not exceed the rate of inflation, as measured by an appropriate index such as the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), or any successor measure specified by government. The University will apply any adjustment consistently across affected student cohorts and will give reasonable notice to students of any confirmed change to the published fee before the start of the relevant academic year.
This approach ensures that tuition fees remain compliant with applicable legislation, proportionate to inflationary changes, and consistent with government policy linking permitted fee uplifts to the maintenance of high-quality education and outcomes. For more information, please refer to the government guidance at: gov.uk – Universities to deliver better outcomes in return for full fees.
Postgraduate and International Tuition Fee Adjustment
The tuition fee applicable to the first year of your programme of study is confirmed in your offer letter. The University reserves the right to amend tuition fees for subsequent years of study in accordance with its Course Fees Policy. Where such increases are approved, they will not exceed the rate of inflation, as measured by an appropriate index such as the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), or any successor measure specified by government. The University will apply any adjustment consistently across affected student cohorts and will give reasonable notice to students of any confirmed change to the published fee before the start of the relevant academic year.
How to apply
Home Applicants
Multiple courses or institutions (September entry):
Apply via UCAS (www.ucas.com), where you can select up to 5 courses for a fee of £28.95.
Institution: University of Greater Manchester
Code Name: UGM
Code Number: B44
Tel: 0870 1122211
Single course applications (any intake):
You can apply directly to the University using our online application form. This route is:
Free, secure, and straightforward
Supported by direct contact with Admissions
Includes regular application updates
Provides access to offer-holder events and taster sessions
Important:
You cannot apply both via UCAS and directly in the same academic year — a UCAS application will invalidate any direct application.
For September entry, accepted direct applicants will have a simplified UCAS record created and shared on their behalf. By applying directly, you agreed to these terms.
Before you apply:
Check the entry requirements and ensure you select the correct start date/location.
Prepare the following:
Education history and dates
Qualification certificates (image files for upload)
Employment history (if applicable)
Personal statement (to enter or upload
Contact details for two referees (including at least one academic)
Document formats: PDF or JPEG (Word accepted for personal statements). Ensure all information is accurate before submitting.
Need Help?
Undergraduate Admissions Team
Phone: 01204 903394
Email: admissions-team@greatermanchester.ac.uk
International Applicants
The University welcomes applications from international students from all over the world. We try to make the application process as simple and as fast as possible for our international applicants.
This course is not currently accepting international online applications.
Please contact Admissions by telephone on 01204 903903 or email enquiries@greatermanchester.ac.uk
Admissions
University of Greater Manchester
Deane Road
Bolton, BL3 5AB
United Kingdom
Tel: 01204 903903
Email: enquiries@greatermanchester.ac.uk
Partner Organisation Applicants
University of Greater Manchester Group Partners
Bolton College
University Collegiate School
Alliance Learning
University of Greater Manchester
For valued members of the University of Greater Manchester 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 the University of Greater Manchester. Submitting an application to any university through UCAS during the same academic year will void any direct application you make to the University of Greater Manchester.
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 Greater Manchester, 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@greatermanchester.ac.uk
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 approach, meaning you'll attend face-to-face sessions alongside online learning. You can expect lectures, seminars, tutorials, critiques, self-directed learning, e-learning and practical workshop sessions.
You will develop practical skills through technical introductions and support, workshop sessions, demonstrations, and activity-based assignments. Live briefs and personal projects promote active learning, while research in libraries, art galleries, museums and relevant educational visits further enhance your learning experience.
You will benefit from guest lectures and visiting speakers, which feed directly into our teaching programme and provide up-to-date insight into photography and the wider creative industries. Group critiques and tutorials allow you to discuss, evaluate and develop your work in progress through individual tutorials, interim reviews, and small-group sessions. Our lecture programme and access to current research also contribute to your learning.
There are no formal examinations, and assessment is continuous. You may be asked to provide a range of evidence, including portfolios, practical projects, presentations and written work.
Assessments take place at key points during each module and are linked to the module learning outcomes. Formative assessment, offered both face-to-face and online, helps you develop your knowledge, skills, and work in progress. Summative assessments contribute to your final module grade. You will also receive written feedback and feed-forward following assessment to support your continued development.
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.
- Creative Foundations
- Professional and Academic Skills
- Creative Explorations
- Project Design, Academic Integrity and Ethics
- Collaborative Project
- Creative Project
- Digital Photographic Technologies
- Principles of Photography
- Creative Industries Contexts
- Still and Moving Image
- Creating Photography
- Photo Story
- Future Evolutions
- Authorship and Voice
- Praxis: Photography Exhibition
- Creative Careers: Action and Engagement
- Innovate
- Incubate
- Concepts and Experimentation
- Major Project
- Professional Practice and Self-Promotion
Assessment methods
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 0 | Coursework 100% |
| Level 1 | Coursework 83% Practical exams 17% |
| Level 2 | Coursework 83% Practical exams 17% |
| Level 3 | Coursework 90% Practical exams 10% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 0 | Guided independent study 60% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 40% |
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 66% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 34% |
| Level 2 | Guided independent study 66% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 34% |
| Level 3 | Guided independent study 68% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 32% |
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.
Postgraduate Options
Programme Contacts
Disclaimer: The “Greater Manchester Way” represents our preferred teaching and learning approach; however, not all courses follow a block-teaching model. While course structures and delivery patterns may vary to meet Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB) requirements, all courses benefit from the GM Way approach to curriculum design and assessment. Applicants and students should refer to individual course specifications for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
