Program Overview

There are many incredible stories in our world that demand to be told. From the local hero to international disasters, from an unforgettable music gig to the Champions League final, photography can capture the moments that define our lives. For example, during the Covid-19 pandemic, photojournalists and documentary photographers were classed as key workers in the UK, feeding images of our empty high streets and full hospitals to the nation, providing a valuable service for news agencies and online sources. These photographers offered a window into hidden worlds, playing an essential role in communicating the crisis and its human cost. Our BA (Hons) Photojournalism and Documentary Photography degree will focus on developing your abilities to create engaging visual stories.

Bolton has a rich heritage of documentary photography, thanks particularly to the Mass Observation Work Town project documenting and observing the community in the 1930s. More recently, our MA in Visual Journalism lecturer DJ Clark has had notable success with his immersive 360 film, Battleground PolyU, which won a series of awards, including World Press Photo Interactive of the Year and a Webby nomination.

Our BA (Hons) Photojournalism and Documentary Photography degree will develop your technical skills and bring you to the cutting edge of the industry. Scheduled visits, placements, and guest lectures from key industry professionals will help you start to build your network and deliver live briefs. In addition, you’ll have the opportunity to work on producing an annual magazine and undertake our organised UK and overseas trips (additional costs may apply).

We’ll help you build a professional photographic portfolio and offer opportunities to exhibit your work in galleries and online. In addition, our final-year career development module aims to prepare you for the transition from graduation to full-time work and a successful start to your photography career.

Visit https://www.instagram.com/photoboltonuni/ to see examples of work from our students and graduates.

Highlights

• The Guardian University Guide 2022 ranks our Film Production and Photography courses as fourth in the UK for student-to-staff ratio, so you can be assured that we offer you excellent access to individual tutor support and small group teaching.
• You can expect regular external engagements, such as UK visits, exhibitions, portfolio review, professional placements and competitions. Some of these will form part of your modules, and others will be additional opportunities designed to enhance your development over and above your studies.
• You’ll have opportunities to participate in international travel and engage with the global photographic community (additional costs may apply).
• We offer access to cutting edge ideas and debates around industry developments.
• We foster a friendly and engaged photographic community that supports all learners, encouraging and promoting critical friendships where students help and develop each other’s practice.
• We offer hands-on teaching from dedicated tutors who deliver practice, theory and research.
• You’ll benefit from extra support from our photographically-trained, expert technical team with out-of-module learning opportunities for all.

Key Features

• Our academics have an open-door policy, and we pride ourselves on offering support and going that extra mile for you.
• Our custom-built state-of-the-art photographic resources offer industry-standard technology and up-to-date software.
• We prefer to keep our teaching groups smaller, allowing us to offer support you can identify with and rely on.
• You’ll also be expected to complete a fully assessed work placement. Our final year career development module is designed to prepare you for the transition from graduation to full-time work.
• By choosing to study with us, you'll have the chance to enjoy Bolton's many shops, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities. Manchester, one of the UK's most multicultural and lively cities, is less than 20 minutes away by train. Not forgetting, the North West of England is renowned for its beautiful countryside, coastline and heritage. This makes Bolton an ideal base from which to explore some of the best cultural and outdoor activities the UK offers.