Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography
- San Francisco, USA
- Online
Bachelor's degree
DURATION
8 semesters
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Jan 2027
TUITION FEES
USD 1,463 *
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning, On-Campus
* per unit for international students / USD 1,239 per unit for domestic students
Key Summary
About : The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography focuses on developing artistic and technical skills in photography. Students will explore various techniques, styles, and the history of photography, enhancing their creative vision and understanding of the medium. The program emphasizes hands-on experience, encouraging students to create a diverse portfolio of work throughout their studies.
Career Outcomes : Graduates can pursue a variety of careers, including professional photographer, photojournalist, studio manager, and commercial photographer. They may also find opportunities in marketing, advertising, and art direction, providing them with a solid foundation for success in visual arts.
The BFA degree builds on the core curriculum of fundamental principles by emphasizing the aesthetic and conceptual skills necessary for a professional portfolio. After completing the core curriculum, students choose to focus on commercial or editorial, fine art, or documentary courses. Upon graduation, students will be required to demonstrate an individual style and a unique approach to their chosen area of study.
Unit Requirements
Degree Requirements
BFA Photography Degree Requirements:
- Minimum grade of C- in all core courses, major courses, and LA 107 Writing for the Multilingual Artist or 108 Composition for the Artist
- Minimum 2.0 GPA and the following general education requirements:
- 1 Written Communication: Composition
- 1 Written Communication: Critical Thinking
- 1 Written Communication: Context & Style
- 2 Art Historical Awareness: Western Art
- 2 Art Historical Awareness: Surveys
- 1 Historical Awareness
- 1 Quantitative Literacy
- 1 Cultural Ideas & Influences
- 1 Employment Communications & Practices
After the above general education requirements are met, take Liberal Arts electives as needed to fulfill the Liberal Arts unit requirement.
Undergraduate students will meet the following student performance criteria:
Conceptual and Problem-Solving Skills
- Make creative decisions that optimize conceptual impact, cohesiveness, and memorability of created images
- Integrate key conceptual elements (such as mood, narrative, introducing the unexpected) with technical elements (such as composition, lighting, point of view) to suggest a story or elicit an emotional response from the viewer
- Solve creative and technical problems that include project parameters and modeled client expectations
Lighting Skills
- Master indoor and outdoor lighting, studio lighting techniques, lighting with constant light sources, and mixed lighting situations
- Work effectively with natural light and demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between time of day and variations related to the quality of light
- Work effectively with a point source, flood, spot, diffused and reflected light
Camera Capture Skills
- Demonstrate full knowledge of digital SLR components
- Demonstrate a complete understanding of exposure controls
- Effectively use a light meter for multiple lighting situations
Digital Imaging
- Apply advanced Photoshop techniques using various tools, layers, curves and selections with digital images
- Apply retouching skills and color correction knowledge consistent with industry standards
Digital Printing
- Produce professional-quality prints
- Create a high-quality print portfolio demonstrating printing skill and overall quality of images required for the petition to graduate
- Demonstrate an understanding of archival qualities, including ink and paper stability
Professional Readiness
- Produce and present a professional portfolio that meets department expectations and industry standards
- Create promotional materials to support print portfolio and website
- Demonstrate knowledge of industry trends and professional practices related to professional photography
Academy of Art University Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the Academy of Art University will demonstrate the ability to:
- Produce a body of work suitable for seeking professional opportunities in their chosen field of art and design.
- Solve creative problems within their field of art and design, including research and synthesis of technical, aesthetic, and conceptual knowledge.
- Communicate their ideas professionally and connect with their intended audience using visual, oral, and written presentation skills relevant to their field.
- Execute technical, aesthetic, and conceptual decisions based on an understanding of art and design principles.
- Evaluate work in their field, including their own work, using professional terminology.
- Recognize the influence of major cultural and aesthetic trends, both historical and contemporary, on art and design products.
- Learn the professional skills and behaviors necessary to compete in the global marketplace for art and design.
Semester 1
- LA 108: Composition for the Artist
Liberal Arts / 3 Units - LA 147: History of Photography
Liberal Arts / 3 Units - PH 108: Photography Principles and Techniques
Core / 3 Units - PH 115: Visualization
Core / 3 UnitsSemester 2 - LA 120: Art History Through the 15th Century
Liberal Arts / 3 Units - LA 121: Art History Through the 19th Century
Liberal Arts / 3 Units / Recommended for summer - PH 107: Imaging Workflow & Process
Core / 3 Units - PH 112: Quality of Light
Core / 3 Units - PH 225: Photo Design and Concept
Core / 3 Units - PRO 314: Social Media Content Development
Major / 3 Units /Recommended for summerSemester 3 - LA 291: Designing Careers
Liberal Arts / 3 Units - PH 177: Imaging for Photographers
Core / 3 Units - PH 235: People Photography
Core / 3 Units - PH 256: Motion for Photographers
Core / 3 Units - PH 385: Advanced Photo Imagery
Major / 3 UnitsSemester 4 - LA 280: Perspective Journalism
Liberal Arts /3 Units - PH 197: Digital Printing
Core / 3 Units - PH 250: Location Lighting
Core / 3 Units - PH 275: Concept Project
Core / 3 Units - PH 300: Architectural Landscape Photography
Major / 3 Units / Recommended for summer - PH 356: Motion Project
Major / 3 Units - PH 493: Study Abroad Photo Intensive
Major / 3 Units / Recommended for summerSemester 5 - LA 110: Writing the Short Story
Liberal Arts / 3 Units - LA 124: Physics for Artists: Light, Sound, and Motion
Liberal Arts / 3 Units - PH 260: Documentary
Major / 3 Units - PH 310: Fine Art Photography
Major / 3 Units - PH 365: Commercial Photography
Major / 3 UnitsSemester 6 - FA 493: Study Abroad: Printmaking in Florence, Italy
Elective / 3 Units / Recommended for summer - LA 274: Study Abroad: Art & Architecture of Renaissance Florence
Liberal Arts / 3 Units / Recommended for summer - LA 315: Social Media Strategies
Liberal Arts / 3 Units - LA 462: Power of Myth and Symbol
Liberal Arts / 3 Units - PH 345: Still Life 1
Major / 3 Units - PH 355: Portfolio Development 1
Major / 3 Units - PH 372: Environmental Portraiture
Major / 3 UnitsSemester 7 - LA 218: Blogging: Content Creation & Promotion
Liberal Arts / 3 Units - LA 359: Urban Sociology
Liberal Arts / 3 Units - PH 425: Advanced Digital Retouching
Major / 3 Units - PH 475: The Business of Photography
Major / 3 UnitsSemester 8 - LA 316: Social Media Data Analytics
Liberal Arts / 3 Units - LA 317: Social Media Management
Liberal Arts / 3 Units / Recommended for summer - PH 338: Fine Art Portraiture
Elective / 3 Units - PH 464: Self-Promotion & Marketing
Major / 3 Units - PH 495: Senior Portfolio
Core / 3 Units - PH 500: Internship in Photography
Elective / 3 Units / Recommended for summer