Course summary

If you want to pursue a creative degree at Arts University Plymouth but feel you have yet to acquire the experience and range of skills necessary, our Extended BA programme will prepare you for entry to one of our BA (Hons) undergraduate courses. What is Extended BA? Our Extended BA (Hons) Degrees offers a unique four-year route for students aiming to delve into the diverse realm of art, design, and media. This programme provides an initial exploratory year, where you'll cultivate insight into various creative skills and approaches, laying a robust foundation before advancing to a specialised degree of your choice. Whether you're returning to education after a hiatus or entering without formal qualifications, our Extended BA equips you with the requisite skills, knowledge, and experience to secure a place in our full undergraduate program. Our Intensive Extended Degree program is a dynamic blend of lectures, workshops, and practical studio sessions designed to challenge and inspire. Our diverse student body spans from fresh-faced eighteen-year-olds to seasoned creatives in their seventies, fostering a rich collaborative environment. With the freedom to take risks and experiment, you'll develop a diverse skill set through hands-on experimentation with materials, processes, and methodologies. This transformative journey hones critical skills essential for degree-level study, expanding your proficiency in drawing, visual research, contextual studies, digital imaging, and design methods. Gain invaluable experience in a supportive atmosphere that encourages creativity, collaboration, and innovation. Why Choose BA (Hons) Photography? Our BA (Hons) Photography program has been designed to cultivate a dynamic blend of creative and critical practice, positioning you for success in the ever-evolving field of photography. With a keen focus on contemporary art practices, we delve into various forms of photographic image-making, empowering you to unleash your creative potential and excel in the photography industry. As a student, you will develop technical and critical skills throughout the three years of the course, to become an accomplished, independent photographer and critically informed image-maker. Approaching photography with a spirit of enquiry and experimentation, while developing your technical and communication skills, will open up a range of creative and professional possibilities for you as a photographic practitioner. During this course, we consider the expanded and innovative potential of photography within the context of contemporary art. Our students explore a range of conceptual, practical, and experimental approaches to photography in locating their own creative narrative, as emergent and highly individual, contemporary artists. You’ll develop creative and technical production skills using a range of media, covering digital and film-based photography, from 19th Century processes through to the latest technology, in order to proficiently express your photographic vision. You will also be able to critically reflect on your own practice and creativity and understand photography as a key visual language within contemporary culture. You will learn from teaching staff who have a range of internationally recognised experience in art, documentary, curatorial, and participatory-based forms of practice. As a teaching team, they will help you build your own distinctive and innovative creative practice. Over the three years of studying with us, you will be publishing, exhibiting, and presenting your work and your ideas. On successful completion of your Extended Degree year, you will be guaranteed a place on one of our full undergraduate BA (Hons) programmes. Many of our past students have gone on to achieve high grades in their degrees, including a large number with First Class Honours.