Middle Tennessee State University
BS in Photography
Murfreesboro, USA
BSc
DURATION
4 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
About: Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU)'s Photography concentration in Department of Media Arts covers image capture, manipulation and storytelling across digital, traditional and alternative-process darkroom workflows. The program uses a state-of-the-art digital facility, film darkrooms to train students for careers as commercial photographers, artists and photojournalists, emphasizing technical craft, practice and distribution.
Career Outcomes: Career opportunities include aerial, archival, commercial/advertising/corporate, automotive and industrial photographer; cinematographer; creative/art director; digital imaging specialist; documentary and photojournalist; educator; fashion, food, medical, portrait, product or real estate/architectural photographer; freelance photographer, gallery curator/owner, photo editor, lab owner/operator, restoration/retouching specialist, studio/staff photographer, videographer and virtual reality photographer.
Today there is more photography being made, consumed, and used for more purposes than at any time in history – and there’s no sign of things slowing down. Major advances in image capture, image manipulation, and distribution have redefined what is possible. MTSU's Photography program is designed to help students see the world in new ways and capture what they see as, commercial photographers, visual artists, or photojournalists. The program is implemented in a state-of-the-art digital facility and also maintains traditional and alternative process darkrooms. This unique blend sets the program apart and establishes a foundation for the students to build upon and evolve with the medium of photography. MTSU’s Photography concentration is in the Department of Media Arts.
Recommended Curriculum: Photography
Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.
Freshman Fall
- EMC 1010 - Orientation to Media Arts 1 credit hour
- ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
- MATH 3 credit hours
- PHOT 1050 - Basic Digital Photography 3 credit hours
- EMC 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours (Soc/Beh Sci) or
- JOUR 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours (Soc/Beh Sci) or
- RIM 1020 - American Media and Social Institutions 3 credit hours (Soc/Beh Sci)
Subtotal: 13 Hours
Freshman Spring
- ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
- HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours
- COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 credit hours (Comm)
- ART 1610 - Two-Dimensional Design 3 credit hours
- PHOT 1800 - Narrative Strategies in Photography 3 credit hours
Subtotal: 15 Hours
Sophomore Fall
- ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) or
- ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) or
- HUM 2610 - World Literatures 3 credit hours (Hum/FA)
- Natural Sciences 4 credit hours
- PHOT 2000 - History of Photography 3 credit hours
- PHOT 2500 - Photographic Lighting I 3 credit hours
- VFP 3020 - Screenwriting I 3 credit hours or
- IAM 3060 - Writing for Interactive Experiences 3 credit hours or
- JOUR 2710 - Media Writing 3 credit hours
Subtotal: 16 Hours
Sophomore Spring
- PHOT 2900 - Photography Sophomore Seminar 3 credit hours
- PHOT 3200 - Advanced Digital Photography 3 credit hours
- Social/Behavioral Science 3 credit hours
- Natural Science 4 credit hours
- Minor course 3 credit hours
Subtotal: 16 Hours
Junior Fall
- EMC 3001 - Success in Media Arts 1 credit hour
- Humanities and/or Fine Arts 3 credit hours
- Minor courses 6 credit hours
- PHOT elective 3 credit hours
- HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours or
- HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours
Subtotal: 16 Hours
Junior Spring
- PHOT 3100 - Contemporary Issues in Photography 3 credit hours
- PHOT 3300 - Picturing People 3 credit hours
- Humanities and/or Fine Arts 3 credit hours
- PHOT electives 6 credit hours
Subtotal: 15 Hours
Senior Fall
- EMC 4250 - Mass Media Law 3 credit hours or
- JOUR 4250 - Mass Media Law 3 credit hours or
- PHOT 4190 - Ethics and Law for Visual Communicators 3 credit hours
- PHOT 4001 - Professional Practices in Photography 3 credit hours
- PHOT 4900 - Photography Capstone I 3 credit hours
- Minor course 3 credit hours
- PHOT elective 3 credit hours
Subtotal: 15 Hours
Senior Spring
- PHOT 4910 - Photography Capstone II 3 credit hours
- Electives 4 credit hours
- Minor course 3 credit hours
- Minor course/elective 3 credit hours
- PHOT elective 1 credit hour
Subtotal: 14 Hours
MTSU's Photography program prepares students for commercial, artistic, and photojournalistic career paths. Prospective professional opportunities include:
- Aerial photographer
- Archivist/historian
- Artist
- Automotive photographer
- Cinematographer
- Commercial/advertising photographer
- Corporate photographer
- Creative/art director
- Digital imaging
- Documentary photographer
- Educator
- Fashion or food photographer
- Freelance photographer
- Gallery curator/owner
- Industrial photographer
- Medical photographer
- Photo editor
- Photo lab owner/operator
- Photo restoration
- Photo retouching
- Photographer's assistant
- Photojournalist
- Portrait photographer
- Product photographer
- Real estate / architectural photographer
- Staff photographer
- Studio owner
- Videographer
- Virtual reality photographer
