ABOUT THE COURSE

This one year degree gives experienced photographers the opportunity to ‘top up’ their existing skills and qualifications into a full honours degree and spend a year producing work for their portfolio. A degree in photography from Solent University will help position you at the cutting edge of this medium, preparing you to enter the world of work having received training from experienced practitioners on a wide range of techniques and equipment.

Key to securing these opportunities is creating a rich and varied professional portfolio. Solent’s teaching team will guide students through this process, ensuring that they have the creative freedom to make a portfolio that best represents their own unique style, while at the same time demonstrating that they are a competent, adaptable and employable practitioner.

Students may also get the opportunity to exhibit work in our purpose built Solent Showcase gallery. Not only is this a great chance to get work seen by the public, it also teaches valuable curation skills.

Regular lectures are often supported by a programme of industry guest speakers, which in the past have included appearances from Richard Billingham, Catherine Yass, Charlotte Cotton, Ori Gersht, Brian Dillon, Peter Fraser, Dan Holdsworth, Chrystel Lebas, Jeremy Millar, Sophy Rickett, Margaret Salmon and Tom Hunter. These speakers, as well as the regular teaching team, focus on contemporary photographic debates and industry best practise, as well as essential business skills and entrepreneurship.

Think a career as a photographer might be for you? With first-class facilities and a unique emphasis on freelance work, Solent University’s photography top up programme can help you to turn your existing experience into a full honours degree and take your first steps into the industry.

Suitable roles for graduates include:

• Freelance photographer
• Fashion photographer
• Digital photographic retoucher
• Photographic agencies or libraries
• Marketing departments
• Newspapers and periodicals
• Museums and other arts organisations
• Education
• Postgraduate study

Professional practice is an essential part of this course. We are an affiliated centre with AoP, and have an established educational partnership with the renowned worldwide agency, Magnum Photos Ltd.

Students have recently worked in partnership with Southampton City Council and Southampton City Art Gallery to produce public exhibitions and live projects.

We also have links with international publications including Vogue, the Sunday Times Magazine, the Sunday Telegraph, The Guardian and the New York Times, as well as the BBC, the National Portrait Gallery and Tate Britain.