University of Bolton, Deane Road, Bolton. BL3 5AB
“At the University of Bolton, we take great pride in providing a quality, supportive learning environment for our students.”
Professor George E Holmes DL | President & Vice Chancellor
“...tutors are very supportive and you’re not just a student ID number, at this university you are an individual with a name.”
Ellisse Vernon | BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing
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The University of Bolton’s BA (Hons) Photojournalism and Documentary Photography allows you to explore, capture and inform society through a combination of news gathering, storytelling and technical photography skills. Our expert team will support you to gain the critical understanding and practical know-how you’ll need to create still and moving images and stories for publication by today’s mixed-media outlets.
Award:
BA (Hons)
Mode of Study:
Part-time
Duration:
54 months
Location:
University of Bolton
UCAS points:
96
UCAS code:
W750
Start date:
To be confirmed
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.
Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.
As a graduate of our BA (Hons) Photojournalism and Documentary Photography, you’ll be able to work in a wide spectrum of media industries, from large corporations to hyperlocal news blogs. Entrepreneurial photojournalism is an important aspect of the course, and we’ll encourage you to consider how your ideas and projects can be monetised. The media industry is rapidly changing, giving new opportunities for emerging talented multi-skilled journalists who adapt quickly to innovations. Good storytelling remains at the heart of what you’ll learn but being able to creatively use a variety of skills to deliver the story on multiple platforms will give you an edge in this very competitive marketplace.
Home students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Home fee of £6,000 for the academic year 2022/23.
Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2021-2022 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for ‘Home’ fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for ‘Home’ fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance eligibility 2021-2022 policy on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student’s course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
For 2021-2022 entry, the maximum government approved undergraduate tuition fee for UK students is £9,250 per year. The University is able to charge this fee subject to an approved Access and Participation Plan for 2021-2022 and its current rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework.
For details of how to apply for this course, please choose your status from the options below:
Please contact Admissions by telephone on 01204 903903 or email enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
Admissions
University of Bolton
Deane Road
Bolton, BL3 5AB
United Kingdom
Tel: 01204 903903
Email: enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
As an international student you are not allowed to study this course because of the restrictions on your visa.
We offer a wide range of full-time courses in lots of different subjects, many of our courses start in September and January. If you would like to see what courses are available please visit our Course Search.
Please contact Admissions by telephone on 01204 903903 or email enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
Admissions
University of Bolton
Deane Road
Bolton, BL3 5AB
United Kingdom
Tel: 01204 903903
Email: enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
Learning and teaching methods are varied, and we use a blended style, meaning you'll attend face-to-face sessions and take part in online learning. You can expect lectures, seminars, tutorials and critiques, self-directed learning, e-learning and workshop sessions. You'll also have opportunities to engage with employer facing and work-related activities.
You'll gain practical skills through technical introduction and support, workshop sessions, demonstrations and activity-based assignments. Live briefs and personal projects will promote active learning. Your learning will also be enhanced by research in libraries, art galleries, museums and other educational visits (where relevant).
You'll benefit from opportunities to attend guest lecture events. These feed directly into our teaching and offer relevant and up-to-date photographic industry information. Group critiques and tutorials will allow you to discuss and consider your work in progress, either in individual tutorials, interim reviews, or small groups. Our lecture programmes, visiting speakers and access to the latest research all feed into your learning experience.
Assessment is carried out at key points during the modules. We may ask for various types of assessment evidence, for example, portfolios, practical projects, presentations, examinations and written pieces. We'll use formative assessment methods to help you learn and develop your knowledge and skills. You'll also undertake summative assessment on which you'll be graded.
Formative assessment (face-to-face and online) will be offered during each module. You'll also receive written feedback, and feed-forward will be provided following summative assessment. Assessment tasks are linked to the learning outcomes of each module and are normally completed by the end of each module.
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
Level | Assesment method |
---|---|
Level one | Coursework 100% |
Level two | Coursework 90%, Practical exams 3%, Written exams 4% |
Level three | Coursework 47%, Practical exams 53% |
Level | Learning activity |
---|---|
Level one | Guided independent study 66%, Scheduled learning and teaching activities 34% |
Level two | Guided independent study 69%, Scheduled learning and teaching activities 31% |
Level three | Guided independent study 76%, Placement/study abroad 5%, Scheduled learning and teaching activities 19% |
Disclaimer
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
The academic staff detailed above teach across a range of courses in this subject area and may not teach on this course specifically.
R.McHaffie@bolton.ac.uk
+44 (0)1204 903362
enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
+44 (0)1204 903903
University of Bolton
University of Bolton
University of Bolton
University of Bolton
University of Bolton
University of Bolton
University of Bolton