Photography (MA)

On the MA in Photography at Kingston School of Art you will embark on a fascinating journey that employs creativity, practical skills and theory. You will develop a major body of practical work for exhibition and publication over the duration of the course in a supportive and dynamic environment in the Department of Film and Photography.You will develop your own practice-led research, and share with us an enquiry into the expanded definition of the photographic medium in a variety of forms including analogue and digital, new media and technology, still and moving image, installation, performance and engagements with the archive.

In exploring the photographic medium we encourage a rich interdisciplinary approach that crosses the boundaries between forms, disciplines and subject matters. Our modules are designed to help you become an independent practitioner who is able to speak across a range of practices and theories and find your own practically resolved and theoretically informed practice. Your aesthetics and ethics will be challenged by reflections upon the technological, political, environmental and social role of the photographic with your journey culminating in a final show at an Art School that has been cultivating creativity since 1890.

TSee examples of the work that our students have produced in their Photography MA over the last few years. Also see the exhibition of student work.

See a gallery of student work >

Key features

• Unique course ethos with highly tailored and bespoke support to build student's self -confidence and evolving practice and enble students to take on ambitious projects and ownership of their ideas.
• Practice is underpinned by a thorough grounding in contemporary critical theory related to photographic and visual culture as a catalyst for interdisciplinary exchange and debate. 
• Supported by a team of research-active academic and technical staff.
• Access to new state-of-the art photo facilities including analogue and digital suites, wet darkroom, professional photo studios, finishing and demonstration area and camera store. In addition, you will have access to new film and animation suites, bookmaking, printmaking and 3-D workshops.
• Opportunity to exhibit your work and take part in off-site visits to galleries, photography festivals and other cultural spaces, as well as study tours.

What will you study?

The course ethos is to build students self -confidence over the duration of the course and enable students to take on ambitious projects and ownership of their ideas.

On the course photography is understood as a medium in its widest sense (analogue and digital, new media and technology, still and moving image, installation, performance and engagements with the archive) with the course located within the new department of film and photography in one of the oldest art schools in the UK. Students on the MA have access to all art school workshops including 3-D sculpture, printmaking, animation, bookmaking as well as our new state-of-the art film and photo facilities. The working agenda is towards experimentation and expanded boundaries of the photographic with students practice evolving in diverse ways.

Students are taught to research and conceptualise their work so that it is both rigorous and reflectively informed. The range of critical theory introduced is not limited to discussions around the photographic but extends across post-colonial theory, globalization, environmentalism, social justice issues, queer theory and gender-based debates, privacy and surveillance, politics of the internet and technological aspects of the photographic medium.

The key emphasis of the course is on supporting and developing the direction of individual students work as a mature practice emerges from tutorials, presentations, and regular seminar discussion. The teaching team foster a strong cohort (year group) ethos with many shared and group activities creating a rich and supportive learning and working environment. The staff team consists of internationally recognised research-active academics.

Assessment

Photographic practice, research portfolios, blogs, essays and oral presentations.

Visit the Photography (MA) page on the Kingston University website for more details!