As a photography major, you will gain expertise in both traditional and digital techniques and explore photographic imagery in all contexts. When you pursue your BFA in Art + Design: Photography, you will develop your own photographic vision and deepen your expressive communication.
The BFA is a professional degree with concentrated areas of specialization, so you will take more art courses than you would in a BA program. At UMass Dartmouth, you also have the advantages of a university education where you can diversify your studies and expand your career opportunities.
Your studies will include:
- black & white darkroom photography
- color digital imaging & printing
- large format photography
- studio lighting
- video
- the history of photography
- contemporary practice
Your work will culminate in a gallery exhibition and a portfolio that demonstrates your individual style, technical proficiency, and aesthetic sophistication.
A degree in photography will prepare you for a career as a fine art and commercial photographer, photojournalist, videographer, photo editor, gallery or museum director, curator, image consultant, multimedia designer, photo educator, photo archivist, studio manager, filmmaker, web designer, lab technician, and professional printer.
Our curriculum fuses traditional photography with digital experience. In addition to gaining darkroom experience in film, contact, and enlargement printing, you'll master contemporary imaging techniques.
The program emphasizes the importance of the artistic and technological progression of the field from its invention to the current day. Working closely with faculty, you'll explore topics such as studio lighting, experimental techniques, and professional standards.
For the BFA in Art + Design: Photography, you'll complete 78 credits in courses related to your major, and 120 credits overall.
Enhance your artistic abilities with a minor in photography. You'll develop your technical and aesthetic skills as you study traditional and contemporary artists, practices, and techniques.
For the minor, you'll complete 18 credits.
Photography Student Work
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Photo retoucher and production artist at Life is Good in Boston
Internship placements
- City of New Bedford
- Fall River Herald News
- Lakeville Community Access Media
- Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art
- Southcoast Living
- The Marble Collection
Graduate schools
- George Mason University
- Lesley University
- School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
- Simmons College
- Virginia Commonwealth University
Career placements
- Amherst College
- Blazing Editions
- Examiner.com
- Fall River Herald News
- New Bedford Standard-Times
- Panopticon Imaging, Inc.
- Precision Images
- Regal Press
- Ross-Simons
- Spinner Publications
- TD Garden
- WHDH-TV
UMassD advantages
- Internships: enhance your studies while gaining first-hand photography experience
- Studio facilities include a 19-station black & white darkroom, film-developing facilities, fully equipped lighting studio, digital printing/scanning lab, and large-format cameras
- Campus Gallery: opportunities to exhibit your work on campus
- Honors College: take advanced courses, pursue research, and be part of a community of scholars
- Study Abroad: earn academic credits and gain a global perspective on your field
- Undergraduate Research: faculty work with students on cutting-edge research projects
- University Studies: gain the benefit of a broad university education to enhance your knowledge and skills
Master of Fine Arts in Visual Design: Continue your education with a master's in visual design. You can choose to specialize in digital media, graphic design, illustration, photography, or typography.
Master of Art Education: With an emphasis on how the arts are integrated into daily life, the MAE program leads to a single-level professional certification in Massachusetts as an art teacher in grades Pre K-8 or 5-12.