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Photography at Hereford College of Arts - UCAS

Hereford College of Arts

Degree level: Undergraduate
Awarded by: University of Wales Trinity Saint David (Prifysgol Cymru Y Drindod Dewi Sant)

Photography

Course options

Course summary

Photography is universal with a trillion pictures now taken round the globe a year. It has an importance to individuals, groups and businesses like no other art form, capturing stories, representing dreams, driving political change, promoting ideas and brands. Professional photography, that stands out in this age of the image, is at a premium in a host of different sectors. Our course is wide-ranging and flexible, giving you the skills and experience to find the areas that excite you most, and you’ll be able to work in moving image as well as still. Great photography requires much more than technical learning; we’ll give you pathways and inspiration to develop a powerful, individual, creative approach. You don’t need to have studied photography previously to join this course but you need a photographer’s hunger to explore your world and imagine or discover others through a lens. You will have access to the latest equipment and facilities as well as traditional darkrooms and film cameras. Our team of experienced lecturers and technicians have rich and varied professional experience. They will empower you with creative and technical skills, and a deep understanding of the context and potential of your own practice. After exploring a range of genres within studio and location photography, you can choose to pursue either the Editorial Photography pathway which includes: Documentary, Fashion, Portrait; or the Photographic Art pathway with a focus on: Landscape, Constructed Image and Fine Art. You will take part in exhibitions and visit photo festivals both in the UK and abroad to broaden your horizons. We have collaborative projects with USA photography courses as well as projects at community level. You will be supported by a team of experienced Lecturers and Technicians all talented photographers in their own right who bring rich and varied professional experience to the learning environment. We teach in small groups and provide individual tutorials and tutor support throughout your studies. Live projects and industry links with image agencies such as Alamy and Troika provide a professional edge to your studies. Industry Links You will work on live projects for a variety of clients such as HSBC, Mind & Alamy and engage through specialist lectures with some of the best UK photographers such as Simon Roberts, Anna Fox, Zed Nelson, Chloe Dewe Mathews and others. Final Year Students have opportunity for portfolio reviews from important industry insiders such as Bridget Coaker of Troika Editions and Lorentz Gullachsen. Our fellows include world class photographers Don McCullin and John Bulmer. After this Course Our graduates have a diverse range of photographic practice including: documentary, travel, wedding and events, architectural, advertising and fashion, photo retouching, magazine features editor, television camera operation, fine art and curation. Many graduates have also continued to postgraduate MA study or developed careers in teaching and arts administration. Highlights 1. A stimulating creative media studio environment 2. Excellent facilities including two photographic studios and a traditional darkroom. 3. Small group teaching with great access to tutors and expert technical support. 4. Professional exhibition experience, at regional or national level. 5. Opportunity to work alongside media professionals on live briefs and participate in national photographic competitions. 6. A range of inspiring modules to enable you to experience the diversity of photography. 7. Visiting lecturers including some of the most successful UK photographers. 8. Visits to exhibitions and visit photo festivals both in the UK and Abroad. 9. No house style – we value your creativity and individuality.

Modules

From your first day at HCA you will work as a creative, developing your skills and your own voice through a series of projects. You will develop your creative practice, practical skills alongside your critical awareness and theoretical knowledge. You will study a range of modules that build your knowledge and confidence and total 120 credits each year. YEAR ONE: Practice in Context 1 (20 Credits), Practice 1 (30), Practice 2 (30), Foundations for Learning (20). Skills 1 (20) YEAR TWO: Practice in Context 2 (20), Practice 3 (30), Practice 4 (30), Professional Practice 1 (20), Skills 2 (20) YEAR THREE: Practice in Context 3 (20), Practice 5 (30), Practice 6 (60), Professional Practice 2 (10)


How to apply

Application codes

Course code:
W643
Institution code:
H18
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1
  • Year 2

International applicants

International applicants must be 18 years of age as at the 01 September in the year of entry.

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

Mature applicants with relevant experience will be considered. Applicants whose first language is not English and require a Student Visa must achieve Level B2 in an approved secure English language test prior to enrolment. For further guidance please visit the UK Visa and immigration website: https://www.gov.uk/student-visa.

Additional entry requirements

Portfolio

You will be invited to share a portfolio of your work related to this course. A selection of 20 images showcasing concepts, inspirations, sketches and finished work which can presented in person or digitally via a PowerPoint presentation or PDF document. You will receive an email with full guidance on this after we have received your application. In some cases, we may contact you to arrange a further chat. Don’t worry, this will be an informal meeting either face-to-face or online, to find out more about you and your work.


Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
90%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
90%
Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £9275* Year 1
Northern Ireland £9275* Year 1
Scotland £9275* Year 1
Wales £9275* Year 1
Channel Islands £9275* Year 1
Republic of Ireland £9275* Year 1
International £14150 Year 1

*This is a provisional fee and subject to change.

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

In addition to the degree fees, the nature of creative arts practice means you'll need to allow for additional costs, such as the materials you choose to use in your work and for trips to external events & exhibitions. The courses at HCA have been designed to minimise the impact of additional costs; all course leaders have an annual budget with some trips & materials fully funded by the College or heavily subsidised. Typically, a student will choose to spend an additional £250 in the first year, £375 in the second year & £400 in their final year, depending on the nature of their work and materials chosen. We appreciate that not all students can invest the same money in their work, and staff assessing it will not judge work by the cost of resources. The college shop includes many specialist materials at good value and digital equipment can be borrowed from the media stores at no cost to students. Students are offered an optional Adobe Creative Cloud subscription for use outside of college. In the 2023-24 academic year this cost £16.24 per month. NB: Adobe Creative Cloud is provided free to use for any student working within the college. Students on all courses may also have the chance to take part in optional trips that require payments towards their costs. Again, non-attendance will not incur assessment penalties, though trips are designed to help students develop their practice. There is an optional annual cross-course residential trip abroad. In the 2023-24 academic year, the trip was a four-day visit to Paris at a cost to students of £425. This fee included a shared dorm room and all travel costs from Hereford to Paris including Eurostar tickets. *Support Available from Hereford College of Arts* The HCA Cash Bursary: is designed to benefit students who are starting Higher Education for the first time; are ordinarily resident in England; the student must be liable to pay the full £9,000 tuition fee for their course and be from a low-income family (£25,000 a year or less). The student must also be in receipt of the full Higher Education Maintenance Loan. Each cash bursary is £1,000 which students receive in their first year only. *Care Leaver Bursary* Care leavers will be offered free accommodation with City Heart at Station Approach accommodation for their first year only. Care leaver students will be able to stay there until the end of their first year (not over the Summer) and will also receive the Cash Bursary of £1,000. Care leaver students will also receive a Care Leaver Bursary of £1,000 in both their second and third year. Evidence of being a care leaver must be in the form of an original letter showing Care Leaver Status from your local authority. *Partner Colleges Progression Bursary* A Progression Bursary of £500 for full-time study or £250 for part-time is available to students from our progression partner colleges*, in their first year only, who have successfully completed a Level 3 or equivalent course within the last 2 academic years and progress on to a degree programme at HCA. *Partner Colleges: Bath College, Belfast Met, Bourneville, South & City College, Cirencester College, City of Bristol College, Coleg y Cymoedd, Dudley College, Evesham College, Gloucestershire College – ALL Campuses, Gower College, Grantham College, Halesowen College, Heart of Worcestershire College, Hereford College of Arts, Herefordshire & Ludlow College, Hereford Sixth Form, Malvern Hills College, Newent Sixth Form, NWRC Derry, NPTC group, Plumpton College, Shrewsbury College, South Gloucestershire & Stroud College, Stratford Upon Avon College, Swindon College & Worcester Sixth Form. *Internal Progression Bursary* All students who have successfully completed a Level 3 course within the last two academic years at HCA and progress to undergraduate study at HCA will be eligible to receive a bursary of £500 for full-time study or £250 for Part-time in their first year only.
Photography at Hereford College of Arts - UCAS