Bachelor of Arts (Photography) (Honours)

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Arts (Photography) (Honours) at RMIT University is a one-year program designed for students with a three-year photography degree. It focuses on advanced photographic production, research methodologies, and critical understanding of photography. Through personalized mentorship and intensive studio practice, students develop creative autonomy and make significant cultural contributions in their self-initiated projects. The program prepares graduates for careers in commercial photography, photojournalism, art, design, and other creative industry professions.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Bachelor of Arts (Photography) (Honours) at RMIT University is designed for students who have successfully completed a three-year degree in photography and wish to undertake a further year of study to focus exclusively on an individual project. The degree is also suitable for commercial photographers, photographers with commissioned practices, photojournalists, socially engaged practitioners, artists, designers, and other creative industry professionals seeking a more advanced studio practice in photography.

Objectives:

The program aims to provide students with the advanced knowledge and skills to effectively adapt to various ways of thinking and making photographic images. Students will be guided through personalized mentorship and individual supervision as they are introduced to practice-led research and research methodologies. Through intensive studio-based research and workshop practice, students will develop creative autonomy and a critical and ethical understanding of photography that will allow them to make significant cultural contributions.

Program Description:

The Honours program is an opportunity for students to develop their professional practice through immersion in a year-long, self-initiated, inquiry-focused, creative project. Over the course of producing this project, students will become familiar with advanced principles and conventions of practice-based research.

Outline:

Content:

• Practice-led research and research methodologies
• Advanced photographic production and workshop practice
• Critical and ethical understanding of photography
• Creative autonomy and self-directed study

Structure:

• Full-time, one-year program
• Individual supervision and mentorship
• Intensive studio-based research and workshop practice
• Regular engagement in the review, critique, and analysis of work
• Independent research focusing on locating and developing photographic practice within a broader understanding of historical and contemporary photographic narratives

Modules:

• Individual Honours Project
• Research Methods in Photography
• Advanced Photographic Techniques
• Critical and Ethical Issues in Photography
• Contemporary Photographic Practice

Assessment:

• Development of a range of project-based photographic works
• Written reflections
• Oral and visual presentations
• Proposals and exegesis documents

Teaching:

• Expert academics, professional photographers, photojournalists, artists, editors, writers, and curators
• Personalized mentorship and individual supervision
• Intensive studio-based research and workshop practice
• Regular engagement in the review, critique, and analysis of work
• Access to specialized photographic facilities and equipment

Careers:

• Commercial photography
• Commissioned photography (advertising, editorial, fashion)
• Photojournalism
• Socially engaged photography
• Art and design
• Creative industry professions
• Higher education and research