The Documentary Photography and Photojournalism MA at University of Westminster will guide the development of your work through practice-based teaching and discussion of critical contexts.
You will be taught by professional photographers, artists and writers within a supportive course atmosphere that includes peer-based activities and access to a range of visiting professionals.
We support a broad approach to producing work and consider your own relationship with the subject matter while remaining focussed on the real world. We approach documentary photography and photojournalism as expanding areas taking many forms in the 21st century.
The course may be taken in full-time or part-time modes and applicants may include undergraduate photographers, artists wishing to focus their activities on a more social practice, as well as suitably experienced individuals from other disciplines.
Aims
The emphasis of the course is on the development of your work, through experimentation, and knowledge creation as understood within contemporary approaches to documentary and photojournalistic practice.
In addition, technical skills are acquired enabling the photographic production of works and involving competent use of a variety of hardware, software, including Premiere editing software, InDesign, advanced Photoshop and so on.
As well as photographic skills, the MA involves the development of various other areas such as management of large and small scale projects, direction, curating, facilitatory methods (such as in educational or community roles), advocacy, and experience of group and collaborative working.
Our priorities are that we hope that our graduating student will be able to function as a still photographer, documentary film-maker, artist and/or writer. We would imagine our graduate to be a well-rounded and confident individual with adaptability, facilitating new ways of seeing.
All modules involve classroom teaching, tutorials, seminars, workshops, group work and your own fieldwork and are designed to equip you with advanced ways of working and negotiating your practice.
We support you to activate the production of your own practice by:
- Creating an informal learning agreement which emphasises a real-world engagement
- Considering appropriate responses to given situations
- Development of methodology
- Exploring writing as part of your practice
- Challenging expectations.
You will choose from the indicative modules below acquiring 180 credits to complete the course, and choose from either Final Major Project or Dissertation as your final module.
Skillset, BJTC (The Broadcast Jounalism Training Council), IMI (The institute of Medical Illustrators), JAMES (Joint Audio Media Educational Support)
