Photography and Video Art BA Hons

Course title:	BA (Hons) Photography and Video Art
Apply:	via UCAS
Code:	W600
Start (ft):	September
Mode:	full-time
Duration:	3 years full-time
Location:	Luton campus, Park Square
Faculty:	Faculty of Creative Arts, Technologies & Science
Department:	Bedfordshire Institute of Media and the Creative & Performing Arts: Division of Art & Design

Summary

Much contemporary art practice embraces photographically produced images, still and moving, as well as digital media.

By developing an approach to photography and video through ideas-based teaching, students are prepared with the skills and confidence to explore creative, editorial and documentary photography, on location or within a studio.

While digital techniques and technical skills in film and photography, image manipulation, editing and after-effects are important, the photography and video art course also embraces darkroom photography and places great emphasis on developing and strengthening personal creativity through the still or moving photographic image. Much of the teaching on this course focuses on helping you to develop ideas and execute practical work that is creative, engaging and personally rewarding.

Photography and Video Art are terms that describe lens-based practices used in the creation of still and moving images by artists, photographers, designers and those working in visual communications.

These are practices that have developed from traditional chemical photography and film but with the added creative potential of digital media for image manipulation, moving image editing and after-effects and a range of other possibilities such as the internet and installation-based work.

The structure of the Photography and Video Art course reflects the fact that it is essentially practice-based. Students are required to be able to develop creative practice, relate practice to theory and gain insights into the contexts that in this instance are specific to Photography and Video Art specifically, as well as Art and Design more generally.

The structure is consistent with courses both within the Field of Art and Design at this University and Art and Design degree courses at other institutions. Throughout all three stages of the course students acquire insights into the significance of a diverse range of photographic and moving images and relevant production practices and the ideas that underpin their making and the interpretations of their meaning.

The course structure enables students progressively to forge a synthesis between their own emerging practice and their understanding of critical ideas and knowledge of cultural contexts. The ultimate purpose is to give students an intellectual ownership of and confidence in their own creative output.

Students will benefit from excellent video editing facilities, technical support and have access to new digital photography equipment.

Areas of study include:

- Developing and Exploring Creative Approaches to Still and Moving Photographic Images
- Using Traditional Photographic Methods and Processes alongside New Media
- Software-based Post production

Why choose this course?

- Cross-disciplinary approach, with the opportunity to explore a range of creative media for specialist study
- Predominantly practice-based study regime
- Dedicated studio spaces within a lively and stimulating studio environment
- Professional practice and personal development
- Teaching staff are practising artists and designers who regularly exhibit
- You will acquire knowledge and experience of using up-to-date technologies and software
- An emphasis on developing personal creativity and self-expression, and on professional practice

Career Opportunities

Various roles within the television and film industry - production technicians, assistants, direction. freelance work as photographer, film-maker, photo-journalist, fine-art photographer, advertising development.

Graduates of our Visual Art Practice courses have progressed to successful and rewarding careers in the creative industries, galleries and museums sector, public/community arts education, fashion design, documentary photography and post-production.

Assessment

Assessment emanates naturally from the teaching and learning of the course and students should be able to meet the demands of assessment in their stride.

Practical Projects are a key learning and assessment tool within the course and formative and summative assessments of practical assignments are seen as an important method of ensuring students' understanding and progress.

Continuous assessment is a feature of the course and although there are no end-point examinations, formative assessment is carried out in relation to all the assignments that are an integral part of the course.

An accumulation of the work that is done in response to assignments is assessed summatively at the end of each module.

Further details about the course

The following course information refers to current courses running. This information is therefore subject to review.

Stage 1
Photography and Video Art 1 (Studio Practice & Key Skills)
Introduces students to basic practical and critical skills involved in photography and video art. Key tools of studio practice, both in terms of media/processes and basic theoretical engagement, and provides the first steps towards mediation between the conceptual and practical demands of professional art practice using lens-based, still and moving images and digital media.

Art and Design PPaD (level1)
Enables needs, aspirations and expectations to be identified in working in the professional world of art and design. Understanding the coherence of the art and design course.

Photography and Video Art 2 (Practice & Research)
Introduces research activities as part of the ethos of lens-based artistic practice at an early stage. Develops further the students' experience and ability to identify a range of sources and processes that will widen the scope and the context of their creative thinking and their production of digital photographic and video work.

Contemporary Issues 1
Introduces both European and non-European key concepts and models of twentieth and twenty-first century art and design practice. It is intended to encourage a critical engagement with some visual arts/design issues.

Visual Research 1
Introduces working attitudes, procedures and concepts essential for effective visual research. Provides knowledge, skills, and conceptual strategies to be able to identify, investigate, organise and interpret visual information.

Skills for Academic Writing
Develops core study skills, irrespective of discipline, involved in producing academic essays/reports and oral presentations.

Stage 2
Photography and Video Art 3
Builds on experience gained in working with photography and video at stage 1. Exploration of the means of achieving a synthesis between content, medium, aesthetic form and context. Encourages and supports students in positioning their practice within a particular theoretical and creative/practical context.

Photography and Video Art 4
Develop a focus to working with still and moving lens-based media and aims to foster personal creative development through a more individual approach. Encourages an attitude of creative risk taking that will involve both an exploitation of equipment and media with the location of creative practice broadly within the context of fine art. Self-directed courses pursuing identified personal creative/artistic interests.

Contemporary Issues 2
Advances and develops ability to reflect critically upon contemporary art and design concepts and practices and become familiar with the language and use of visual/oral and textual analysis.

Art and Design PPD
Prepares for the dissertation in the following year as well as developing an understanding of the professional context of art and design specialisms.

Stage 3
Advanced Studio Practice
Advances previous research and production, into a more coherently defined programme of study -fosters a more independent and rigorous approach to a level of professional standards. Helps to clarify the student's main working concerns, concepts and skills and prepare to build upon them for the final project.

Art and Design Dissertation
Independent learning through the writing of a dissertation of approximately 8,000 words.

Art and Design Major project
Production in a body of creative art/design work that is intended to be represented in a public exhibition.

Entry requirements

Standard entry requirements apply for this course.

Special entry requirements

Applicants will be invited to an interview and will be expected to bring a portfolio of work that will be the basis of discussion at the interview.

(For overseas students, special arrangements will be made on receipt of your application.)

Fees, Bursaries, Scholarships, Costs

UK and EU students studying on this full-time Bachelor's course are eligible to receive the £329* University of Bedfordshire Bursary. Visit www.beds.ac.uk/money to find out more

*Figures are based on 2010 entry.

Find out more

Please contact John Stephens, Principal Lecturer, for detailed questions about the course content:

E: john.stephens@beds.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)1582 743185

General Enquiries

• www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply for information about standard entry requirements, application routes, open days, fees and funding.
• T: +44 (0)1582 489286 UK/EU Admissions
• T: +44 (0)1582 489326 International Admissions
• Order a prospectus form. Enquire about courses and order a printed undergraduate or postgraduate prospectus.
• T: +44 (0)1234 400 400 University switchboard