BA (Hons) Photography

Home / Study at NUA / Courses / BA (Hons) Photography

BA (Hons) Photography

Connecting your passions and unique perspective to the world of professional photography is at the heart of our BA (Hons) Photography degree course, recognised by the Association of Photographers.

You will develop your own approach at NUA – not a standard house style.

You will learn how to apply your creative vision to a range of industry briefs, from fashion to advertising and editorial photography.

Whatever your aspirations, your work will be unmistakable as you emerge as a professional practitioner with a distinctive portfolio.

Thinking beyond the frame

We will encourage you to think about client needs and expectations.

We want to see you produce stand-out work that could wow creative teams in whatever industry drives your interest.

But it will always be your vision.

You’ll also be part of a community of photographers – collaborating with other students and taking part in peer review and cross-year critiques to give and receive feedback.

Designed for the future

Studying at NUA will give you access to a wide range of industry-level photographic and lighting equipment.

You will have access to tools to produce imaginative and original images to the highest standards.

There will be opportunities to work at the cutting edge of digital photography; exploring the possibilities of moving image and computer-generated images (CGI).

Inspiration from professional photographers

Inspirational guest speakers covering a range of photographic roles will feature in your timetable almost every week.

And you’ll get feedback from professionals by pitching your work to industry panels.

Insight from renowned professionals like Dean Chalkley, Tim Flach, Lottie Davies and Carol Sharp will help you understand latest trends as you hone business skills like self-promotion, networking and client management.

Graduates work in a broad range of careers including

Photographer
Photographic Assistant
Art Director
Image Producer
Picture Editor
Digital Retoucher Picture Librarian

Curator
CGI Artist
Teaching Technician
Digital Assistant
Photographer’s Agent
Picture Researcher
Studio Assistant

You’ll also get specialist creative careers advice from our team in the Ideas FactoryNUA to help support you as you plan your career.

Course information

Institution code: N39
Course 3 Year UCAS code: W640
Course 4 Year UCAS code: W641
Course length: 3 or 4 year options
Sandwich courses: Creative Professional Development (1 year, Level 5 diploma), or Creative Computing (1 year, Level 5 diploma), available between years 2 & 3

All courses run as a blend of on-campus and digital teaching and learning, and follow current UK government safety advice. Applicants and students will be notified directly if any changes need to be made.

Course specifications
Three year degree
Four year degree
Course related costs

Book an open day

Order a prospectus

Ask a Student

Course content

Year 1
Explore your individual approach to photographic practice through a range of projects
Learn to strengthen your understanding of the communicative aspects of photography through subtle changes and the use of visual elements, technique and context
Work with studio and location lighting, digital cameras and large format inkjet printers
Develop production and post-production skills in the Digital Darkroom.

Year 2
Explore the application of your creative practice within professional contexts including fashion, advertising and editorial projects
Apply your visual approach across a range of genres utilising new and emerging technologies - digital moving image and CGI
Investigate the opportunities of collaborative practice to develop your ideas and image making beyond the boundaries of photography
Enter national competitions like AOP Awards, D&AD and Canon Shoot Like a Pro.

Year 3
Apply your unique individual approach - informed by your interests and passions - to the production of a professional portfolio
Develop your understanding of the photographic industries and build your networks
Gain entrepreneurial and employability skills
Participate in a London graduate showcase, presenting the very best work to industry
Prepare a detailed Research Report that informs your professional practice.

Student work

Tap to expand

Alex Foxley - Image of a yellow lighting bolt on blue background

Alex Foxley - Image of a ping pong ball on paddle, on a background with dark blue and lighter blue separated by a diagonal

Visit the Degree Show website

Entry requirements
Portfolio guidance
Fees & funding
Level 5 Diplomas
Four year degree

Typical UK offers

A / AS Levels – GCE
GCE A/AS Levels 3 A-level qualifications at grades BBB. Where candidates are not taking 3 A-levels, NUA will consider combinations of A-level/AS-level and other Level 3 qualifications.

BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF or RQF)
Distinction, Merit, Merit in an art, design or media related subject

BTEC Diploma (QCF or RQF)
Distinction*, Distinction* in an art, design or media related subject

T Levels
A T Level in any subject with overall grade Merit or above

UAL Extended Diploma
Merit

UAL Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Merit

UAL Level 4 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Pass

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Merit

Access to Higher Education Diploma (Art and Design)
Pass

International Baccalaureate Diploma
A minimum of 27 points

NUA welcomes applicants of all ages from all backgrounds. Your application will be primarily assessed through your portfolio, responses to questions asked and personal statement, so even if you have no formal qualifications or do not meet our typical offers it can still be worth applying.

If you are studying at the time of your application and your application is successful it is likely that you will receive a conditional offer.

International applications

We accept qualifications from all over the world. To find our entry requirements from a specific country, please check our dedicated international pages.

Most international students are required to hold an English language qualification. Applicants are required to have a minimum UKVI approved IELTS exam score of 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each section. Equivalent English language qualifications are acceptable such as, IB English language syllabus A or B/English Literature (Grade 4).

We also accept some alternative English qualifications. Learn more about our English entry requirements.

You can email us on international@nua.ac.uk if you’d like to discuss your application individually.

BA (Hons) Photography degree portfolio guidance

Your portfolio should be relevant to this course, but you can include a wide range of work that shows your creativity, technical competence and understanding of what makes an image stand out.

You may wish to include some of the following:

Photography (that demonstrates your personal interests)
Film, animation or moving image work
Constructed/ staged images
Logbook extracts of development work and evaluations of images that grab your attention
Collaborations with other students and creatives

Further portfolio advice and tips

Get more advice on presentation formats, layouts and when to submit your portfolio in the application process.

2022/23 University fees for new entrants

NUA will assess students’ tuition fee status using the guidance provided by the UK Council for International Student Affairs

Students from the UK or Ireland and EU students with ‘Settled’ or ‘Pre-Settled’ status will be charged ‘Home’ fees if they meet the relevant residency requirements. They will usually be eligible for a tuition fee loan from the UK government, meaning that they won’t have to pay NUA’s tuition fees up front.

Students who do not meet the necessary residency requirements will usually be charged ‘Overseas’ fees and will not be eligible for the UK government tuition fee loan. Since 2021/22, this includes new entrants from the EU, EEA, and Switzerland who do not have ‘Settled’ or ‘Pre-Settled’ status, because the UK has now formally left the EU.

Fee status	Course	Annual fee
Home	Undergraduate degree (full-time three and four year degree)	£9,250
Overseas	Undergraduate degree (full-time three and four year degree)	£17,500

In subsequent years inflation may be applied to the fees of those who started in 2022/23, at no more than the Office for Students’ recommended measure based on forecast RPI-X.

Financial support for UK students in 2022

Tuition fee loans and loans for living costs are usually available to UK and some EU students, as well as non-repayable NUA bursaries based on family income. Find out more about applying for funding.

All students have an opportunity to spend a year, between the second and third year of their course, enhancing their employability options through a Level 5 Diploma.

These courses are offered in Creative Professional Development; a structured programme of input sessions and work-based learning, and Creative Computing; designed to build the foundation skills in coding and software design that are in high demand in the digital and creative industries.

Four year degree

Four year degrees are exactly the same as our three year degrees but include an extra year of study at the beginning – Year 0.

Year 0 is about developing the skills, knowledge and the confidence you need to successfully complete your degree course. Building on your experience from A Level or equivalent courses, the Year 0 curriculum allows time to develop the practical, creative and conceptual skills that are critical to successfully completing an undergraduate degree at NUA. You will achieve this, making full use of the University workshops and studio facilities.

While studying Year 0 BA (Hons) Photography you will build upon key technical and craft skills that are fundamental to a sustainable photographic practice. The first project is centred upon studying and utilising techniques of lighting, composition and framing of key photographic references, working both on location and within the studio.

You will then build on these skills through exploration of ideas around self-portraiture. Project briefs encourage visual research, documentation and communication within a range of different contexts. You will work with course tutors and have the opportunity to join first, second and third year students for guest lectures.

Typical UK offers and entry requirements for Year 0 entry

GCE A/AS Levels
2 A-level qualifications at grades CC or higher.

BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF or RQF)
Merit, Merit, Pass in an art, design or media related subject

BTEC Diploma (QCF or RQF)
Distinction, Merit in an art, design or media related subject

T Levels
Pass (D or E on the core)

UAL Extended Diploma
An overall Pass

UAL Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
An overall Pass

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Pass

Access to Higher Education Diploma (Art and Design)
Pass

International Baccalaureate Diploma
A minimum of 24 points

If you are studying at the time of your application and your application is successful it is likely that you will receive a conditional offer.

Find out more

Related Courses

Students

Jordan Hudson

"Norwich is a beautiful fusion of modern and historic buildings; there’s an endless list of cafes and restaurants, modern shopping complexes and a river running through the heart."

BA (Hons) Photography

Explore Jordan's photos

Leoni Lessmann

"When I first started at NUA my work was mainly portraiture but the course has enabled me to develop my skills in still life photography – it really pushed me into finding my own photographic focus and style."

BA (Hons) Photography

Charlotte Simpson

"Throughout my course I’ve seen my work improve both technically and visually. I feel really aware of the industry."

BA (Hons) Photography

Facilities

Photography Studio

East Garth Photography Building

Media Resource Centre

Digital Darkroom

Digital Design Studios

East Gallery

Media Labs

Teaching staff

James Smith

Course Leader

James Bell

Senior Lecturer

Gretchen Geraets

Lecturer

Katy Hammond

Lecturer

Ross Trevail

Lecturer

Professor Richard Sawdon Smith

Director

Lecturers

Andi Sapey
Andy Earl (Visiting Lecturer)
Music Photographer and NUA Visiting Professor
Fiona Yaron-Field (Visiting Lecturer)
Co-founder and co-editor of ‘Uncertain States’