Photography

Photography as a degree subject goes far beyond technical instruction in how to operate a camera. It is a discipline that examines the photograph as a cultural object, a political instrument, a form of documentary evidence, and a site of artistic expression, while simultaneously developing your practical and creative abilities as a maker of images. The history of photography is inseparable from the history of modernity itself, and understanding how photographs work, what they mean, and what power they wield requires engaging with art history, cultural theory, journalism, and the ethics of representation.

At the University of Chester, this three-year degree develops you both as a photographer and as a critical thinker about photography. You will work across different photographic genres and contexts, including documentary, portrait, landscape, and conceptual photography, developing your technical skills in both digital and analogue processes alongside your creative and artistic vision. Critical and contextual study runs through the degree, examining the history of the medium, the work of significant photographers, and the theoretical frameworks that help us understand how photographs produce meaning.

The programme includes a year abroad, which gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in a different visual and cultural environment, developing your practice and perspective in a new context.

Photography graduates pursue careers across a wide range of industries and contexts. Commercial photography, including fashion, product, food, events, and corporate work, provides opportunities for freelance and employed roles. Editorial and documentary photography, for newspapers, magazines, and online platforms, draw graduates with strong journalistic instincts and technical ability.

The arts sector, including galleries, museums, and cultural organisations, employs photography graduates in curatorial, education, and production roles. Advertising, film, and television production are further destinations. Many graduates combine photography practice with other work, building a portfolio career that spans commissioned work, exhibition, and teaching.

Some continue to postgraduate study in fine art photography or documentary practice.