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Undergraduate

BA (Hons) Fine Art: Photography

Abstract photographic print with different textures and shades of blue by Alex Burgess - BA Fine Art Photography.
Alex Burgess., Alex Burgess.
BA (Hons) Fine Art: Photography, Camberwell College of Arts, UAL
College
Camberwell College of Arts
UCAS code
W642
Start date
September 2024
Course length
3 years

BA Fine Art Photography at Camberwell College of Arts offers an open and experimental approach to fine art photographic practice.

Course overview

Photography is not just an artistic practice. It is social and political tool that can be used to both uncover and obscure truths about the world around us.

On this specialist fine art course, you will learn about the history and practice of photography. Following its evolution, you will explore how photography has been used to influence collective and individual memory. Interrogating this relationship will help you understand the powerful status that a photographer holds as an artist, a historian and a memorialist.  

Practical workshops will help you develop technical skills in analogue and digital processes including 3D camera construction and printing, photogrammetry and model-making. From capturing personal memories to documenting global histories, you’ll be encouraged to experiment with different modes and techniques. 

By the end of your degree, you will have developed your own unique photographic style. Your portfolio of work will demonstrate your strong storytelling skills, which you will be able to showcase to potential clients and employers. 

What to expect

  • Theoretical knowledge: Learn about traditional and emerging theories in photography and related fine art practices.
  • Experimentation: Explore the creative possibilities and limits of photography through practical work.
  • Employability and enterprise skills: Develop the necessary skills and creative attributes to take on future challenges in a wide range of professional settings.
  • Exhibitions and audiences: Test out different exhibition techniques and learn how to successfully engage with audiences through your work and curatorial style.
  • Expanded photographic practices: Learn how photography is used across a range of sectors including journalism, machine vision, physics and medical sciences.
  • Collaboration: Attend lectures and collaborate on projects with students from Camberwell’s other fine art degrees including Computational Arts, Drawing, Painting and Sculpture.
  • Access to facilities: Use Camberwell’s large range of facilities including printmaking machines, photography and film studios and ceramics, wood and metal workshops. View the Camberwell facilities.

Industry experience and opportunities

All our students have the opportunity and are supported in exhibiting their work to an external audience. Students can take part in a wide range of seminars and workshops hosted by a variety of professionals and external arts organisations. Students will be able to take part in the College’s international exchange scheme to study abroad.

Third year students have the option to undertake a work placement, instead of a written dissertation or practical live project. Students and graduates can register with UAL Arts Temps, an employment agency, which offers students paid opportunities within the creative sector.

Mode of study 

BA Fine Art: Photography is offered in full-time mode. It is divided into 3 stages over 3 academic years. Each stage consists of 30 teaching weeks. You will be expected to commit an average of 40 hours per week to your course, including teaching hours and independent study.

Course units

Year 1

Unit 1: Introduction to Fine Art

This unit is an introduction to your course, the university and London as a resource.

Unit 2: Establishing practice

With support from your tutors, you will develop your own fine art practice through identifying areas of interest that have emerged in Unit 1. This will be through self-directed projects leading to sustained and increasingly independent practice. There will be timetabled workshops, seminars, lectures and tutorials.

Unit 3: Ideas into practice

You will focus on further developing and strengthening your skills and confidence in articulating and exploring your chosen areas of research through writing and art practice. By identifying specific skills and strategies, you will develop your work for public exhibition.

Unit 4: Activating practice

You will be introduced to working outside a studio environment and situating your work in the public realm.

Year 2

Unit 5: Exploring context through practice

You will extend the independent practice you established in Year 1. This will deepen your understanding and articulation of the ideas influencing your practice.

Unit 6: Collaborative and collective practices

You will be introduced to different ways in which collaborative working can help you to focus and enhance your own creative strengths. You’ll have the chance to work with fellow students and creative communities.

Unit 7: Refining practice

This unit will build on some of the collaborative skills gained in Unit 6 in order to facilitate the presentation and contextualisation of your work. You will research and present an essay to help situate your work critically.

Unit 8: Audiences

In this unit, you are prompted to professionally plan and communicate your work in the third year, focusing the direction and context of your practice.

Year 3

Unit 9: Practice and articulation

You will develop work for a public audience, supported by a piece of research produced either in written form, presentation, live project or work placement.

Unit 10: Practice and presentation

You will work to build a sustainable and ethical practice for your degree show. You will consolidate your research in the creation of new work which engages audiences.

Optional Diploma between Years 2 and 3

Between Years 2 and 3 of the course, you’ll also have the opportunity to undertake one of the following additional UAL qualifications:

Diploma in Professional Studies (DPS)

This optional diploma can be taken between years 2 and 3. With support from your tutors, you’ll undertake an industry placement for a minimum of 100 days/20 weeks. As well as developing industry skills, you’ll gain an additional qualification upon successful completion.

Diploma in Creative Computing

Between years 2 and 3, you can undertake the year-long Diploma in Creative Computing. This will develop your skills in creative computing alongside your degree. After successfully completing the diploma and your undergraduate course, you’ll graduate with an enhanced degree: BA (Hons) Fine Art: Photography (with Creative Computing).

Learning and teaching methods

  • Events, screenings and visits
  • Group and individual critiques, tutorials and formal reviews
  • Individual programmes of study
  • Key ideas lecture programme
  • Learning skills in practical and technical workshops.
  • Lectures and visiting speakers
  • Staff and student led seminars and discussions

BA Fine Art: Photography

Open day recording

Course Leader Maia Conran gives an overview of BA Fine Art: Photography at Camberwell College of Arts.

Student work

  • Camberwell-Oliver-Newman-BA-Photography-2017.jpg
    Oliver Newman - BA Photography
  • camberwell-BA-Photography-Szilvia-Bolla.jpeg
    Szilvia Bolla - BA Photography
  • camberwell-BA-Photography-Sofia-Ginevra-Gianni-1860.jpg
    Sofia Ginevra-Gianni - BA Photography
  • camberwell-BA-Photography-Lee-Mann-1000.jpg
    Lee Mann - BA Photography
  • camberwell-BA-Photography-Lea-Collet.jpg
    Lea Collet - BA Photography
  • camberwell-BA-Photography-katie-Pankowski-1000.jpg
    Katie Pankowski - BA Photography
  • camberwell-BA-Photography-Izaak-Brandt-1000.jpg
    Izaak Brandt - BA Photography
  • camberwell-BA-Photography-Hannah-Jetschmann.jpg
    Hannah Jetschmann - BA Photography
  • camberwell-BA-Photography-Giacomo-Raffaelli-1000.jpg
    Giacomo Raffaelli - BA Photography

Film

Show 2022: Jakkaphat Bunmachertchai

Staff

Fees and funding

Home fee

£9,250 per year

This fee is correct for entry in autumn 2024 and is subject to change for entry in autumn 2025.

Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students.

Home fees are currently charged to UK nationals and UK residents who meet the rules. However, the rules are complex. Find out more about our tuition fees and determining your fee status.

International fee

£28,570 per year

This fee is correct for entry in autumn 2024 and is subject to change for entry in autumn 2025.

Tuition fees for international students may increase by up to 5% in each future year of your course.

Students from countries outside of the UK will generally be charged international fees. The rules are complex so read more about tuition fees and determining your fee status.

Scholarship search

Entry requirements

The standard minimum entry requirements for this course are one or a combination of the following qualifications:

  • Pass at Foundation Diploma in Art and Design (Level 3 or 4)
  • 2 A Levels at grade C or above
  • Merit, Pass, Pass (MPP) at BTEC Extended Diploma
  • Pass at UAL Extended Diploma
  • Access to Higher Education Diploma
  • Or equivalent EU/International qualifications, such as International Baccalaureate Diploma at 24 points minimum
  • And 3 GCSE passes at grade 4 or above (grade A*-C)

Entry to this course will also be determined by the quality of your application, looking primarily at your portfolio of work, personal statement and reference.

APEL - Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning

Applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered in exceptional cases. The course team will consider each application that demonstrates additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by:

  • Related academic or work experience
  • The quality of the personal statement
  • A strong academic or other professional reference
  • A combination of these factors

Each application will be considered on its own merit but we cannot guarantee an offer in each case.

English language requirements

All classes are taught in English. If English isn't your first language you must provide evidence at enrolment of the following:

Selection criteria

We look for:

  • An ability to explore, articulate and develop ideas
  • An ability to research information and visual material to support your ideas
  • Your portfolio to demonstrate a range of appropriate skills and technical abilities
  • An ability to communicate your ideas visually, verbally and in writing
  • An ability to self-direct and evaluate your own work

Apply now

Application deadline

31 January 2024 at 18:00 (UK time)

If there are places available after this date, the course will remain open to applications until places have been filled.

Apply to UAL

Home students can apply to this course through UCAS with the following codes:

University code:

U65

UCAS code:

W642

Start your application

Apply now

Application deadline

31 January 2024 at 18:00 (UK time)

If there are places available after this date, the course will remain open to applications until places have been filled.

Apply to UAL

International students can apply to this course through UCAS with the following codes:

University code:

U65

UCAS code:

W642

Start your application
or

Apply with a UAL Representative

Based across the world, our local UAL representatives can support you with your application from your home country. Check to see if there is a representative available in your country currently.

Find your representative

How to apply

Follow this step-by-step guide to apply for this course

Step 1: Initial application

You will need to submit an initial application including your personal statement.

Personal statement advice

Your personal statement should be maximum 4,000 characters and cover the following:

  • Why have you chosen this course? What excites you about the subject?
  • How does your previous or current study relate to the course?
  • Have you got any work experience that might help you?
  • Have any life experiences influenced your decision to apply for this course?
  • What skills do you have that make you perfect for this course?
  • What plans and ambitions do you have for your future career?

Visit the UCAS advice page and our personal statement advice page for more support.

Step 2: Digital portfolio

We will review your initial application. If you have met the standard entry requirements, we will ask you to submit a digital portfolio.

You’ll need to submit this via PebblePad, our online portfolio tool.

Digital portfolio advice

Your portfolio should consist of recent work that reflects your creative strengths.

It should:

  • be a maximum of 30 pages
  • include a wide range of artwork to showcase your diverse skillset and ability to experiment with different techniques and mediums. This could include photographic or multimedia work.
  • demonstrate your ability to develop and explore ideas
  • include work in progress as well as final outcomes to demonstrate your creative and developmental processes.

For more support, see our Portfolio advice and PebblePad advice.

Step 3: Interview

You may be invited to an interview following our review of your application. All interviews are held online and last 15 to 20 minutes.

For top tips, see our Interview advice.

You also need to know

Communicating with you

Once you have submitted your initial application, we will email you with your login details for our Applicant portal.

Requests for supplementary documents like qualifications and English language tests will be made through the applicant portal. You can also use it to ask questions regarding your application. Visit our After you apply page for more information.

Visas and immigration history check

All non-UK nationals must complete an immigration history check. Your application may be considered by our course teams before this check takes place. This means that we may request your portfolio and/or video task before we identify any issues arising from your immigration history check. Sometimes your history may mean that we are not able to continue considering your application. Visit our Immigration and visas advice page for more information.

External student transfer policy

UAL accepts transfers from other institutions on a case-by-case basis. Read our Student transfer policy for more information.

Alternative offers

If your application is really strong, but we believe your strengths and skillset are better suited to a different course, we may make you an alternative offer. This means you will be offered a place on a different course or at a different UAL College.

Deferring your place

You must apply in the year that you intend to start your course. If you are made an offer and your circumstances change, you can submit a deferral request to defer your place by 1 academic year. You must have met your conditions by 31 August 2024. If you need an English language test in order to meet the entry requirements, the test must be valid on the deferred start date of your course. If not, you will need to reapply. Requests are granted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Contextual Admissions

This course is part of the Contextual Admissions scheme.

This scheme helps us better understand your personal circumstances so that we can assess your application fairly and in context. This ensures that your individual merit and creative potential can shine through, no matter what opportunities and experiences you have received.

Careers

Our BA Fine Art Photography graduates have exhibited their work in major UK competitions and exhibitions, including The Photographer’s Gallery’s Fresh Faced and Wild Eyed exhibition of most promising graduates, Saatchi New Sensations, Sony Professional Photography Awards and The Sovereign Asian Art Prize.

Others have gone on to work for major galleries and publishers, whilst many former students progress to postgraduate study.

Alumni

  • Pedro Alfacinha - Photography publishing, Steidl and Mack Books
  • Lea Collet - Artist
  • Jon Maguire - Freelance documentary filmmaker
  • Robert Zhao Renhui - Artist
  • Katherine Reynolds - Curator

Find out how careers and employability helps our students and graduates start their careers.