Photography MA

During Study Block 1 you’ll be challenged to open up your approach to photography. You’ll look critically at how you view contemporary visual culture and how you make as a photographic practitioner. By doing so, you’ll identify new creative avenues for your work. 

Experimental Practice 

The medium of photography is going through a period of great change. This module reflects this and sees it as an opportunity for creativity. Throughout the course, you are challenged to break down your practice and begin anew. This process starts here. 

You’ll experiment on individual and group projects, finding exciting ways of working, as well as gaining confidence in a new technical environment. 

You will also consider Photography as a broad creative practice. With this in mind you will have the opportunity to explore different techniques, including moving image, alternative processes, sculptural forms, AI, and more. 

Critical Contexts 

You will examine the myriad ways in which contemporary photography is enriched through critical and theoretical contextualisation. You will be encouraged to decolonize approaches to contemporary critical practice, considering societal and ethical viewpoints.  

You will consider the political nature of photography as a medium, and photography’s relation to current global issues.  

Throughout the module, you will be asked to consider your own practice in relation to these themes, with the aim of developing an appreciation of theories and concepts that are most relevant to your interests as a visual practitioner.   

In Study Block 2, you’ll begin to frame your new working methods through contextual and practice-based research. You will develop and refine your professional practice interests while exploring opportunities to collaborate with peers across other creative postgraduate disciplines to engage with audiences. 

Expanded Practice 

After pulling your practice apart in the first study block, it is now time to re-configure your ways of working in the lead up to the Extended Project. Building on the previous practical and critical exploration, this module aims to ground the working methodology of your practice.  

You will engage in a series of workshops that expand your approach to photography, whilst reflecting on audience and presentation methods. 

Working towards a collaborative exhibition of work-in-progress, you will consider the scope, scale, and methodology of your work, with awareness of context in terms of contemporary photographic practice. 

Sustaining a Practice 

During this module you’ll grapple with the question: how can you sustain your practice as a contemporary photographer in the long-term, and ensure its positive impact?  

You’ll answer this by exploring ideas, methods and processes that can form a foundation for ongoing practice. You’ll deepen your awareness of theory, production tools and wider cultural issues to enable you to place your practice in contemporary culture. 

During your final study block, you’ll work towards the successful completion and delivery of an extended project. Drawing on your experimentation, collaborations and newfound working practices, you’ll produce a professional portfolio, exhibition and critical essay on your body of work. 

Extended Project 

You’ll build on the Expanded Practice and Sustaining Practice modules to produce a highly accomplished final portfolio.

Drawing on experimentation with photographic technologies, collaboration with peers, and the positioning of yourself within contemporary culture, you’ll develop a body of work to speak to our time and place in your own creative voice.  

You’ll accompany this portfolio with critical analysis writing that frames your practice within contemporary visual culture, and puts you at the forefront of photographic innovation. 

The Photography MA is studied over three semesters that run over a one-year, full-time period. Combining taught and independent study, you’ll engage with seminars, workshops, tutorials, collaborative practice and critical reviews. 

You’ll be encouraged to consider photography as a medium, explore and apply traditional as well as emerging technologies, collaborate with peers and across disciplines and use Falmouth’s specialist photography facilities to full advantage. You’ll be particularly focused on sustainable and sustaining practice to become a socially engaged practitioner.

The course is assessed through 100% coursework.  

Assessment methods 

• Portfolios of work 
• Written assessments 
• Exhibitions 
• Collaborative projects 
• Major projects 

Formative assessment points happen throughout delivery while summative assessments mostly fall at the end of the three study blocks.  

Students receive regular tutorial feedback as well as feedback from summative assessments at the end of modules. 

We welcome applications from those with relevant equivalent Level 6 qualifications, or relevant equivalent experience, and a demonstrable interest in the subject. 

We’ll also welcome your application if you have formal or 'certified' learning (such as training courses not run by universities or colleges) and learning from work experience or self-study. This is called Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL), and should have been gained within the last five years, and be equivalent to the learning outcomes of our minimum entry qualifications. 

APL applicants using experience to apply should note there is an application fee for entry with advanced standing or with exemption from specific modules or credit. 

If English isn’t your first language, you'll need to demonstrate English language skills that are sufficiently developed for successful completion of your studies. We accept a range of recognised English language qualifications that are equivalent to the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic minimum score of 6.5 overall, with a minimum of 6.0 in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. 

International applicants who require a student visa to study in the UK must take a recognised language test that is approved and vouched for by the University. Our Applicant Services Team can help with any questions you may have about study visas or suitable language tests.