MA Photography at Nottingham Trent University

This practice-based course helps you to explore the creative and intellectual possibilities of photography through practice and research, supporting your development as an artist photographer. It takes a critical and discursive approach, with the expectation that you’ll reflect and evaluate your practice in relation to contemporary photographic discourse and the wider contexts of image culture.

You will be supported in the use of traditional and digital production methods through a range of practical and technical workshops, and be encouraged to experiment across the boundaries of production technologies. You’ll produce a project proposal known as a learning agreement through which you will establish your research objectives and practice ambition. You will develop a substantial body of work for public exhibition or publication that will enable your future independent and sustainable creative practice.

Our photography staff team offer a wide range of knowledge and expertise across a breadth of photographic practices and will support your learning and individual interests, through informative and responsive teaching.

Key features

• Develop a project tailored to your own personal interests and career aspirations
• Have the opportunity to engage with and discuss the critical, historical and contextual frameworks surrounding your practice
• Enjoy gallery visits to London and across the region
• Benefit from optional study visits to photo festivals in the UK and Europe, such as Paris Photo and Photo London
• Hear from visiting speakers – these have recently included Emma Bowkett, Francis Hodgson, Sarah Jones, Martin Parr, Joy Gregory, Simon Roberts, Simon Webb, and Sunil Gupta
• Take advantage of our excellent industry links, including companies such as Mamiya Leaf, Phase One, Genesis Imaging, Wex Photographic, and Red Photographic
• Benefit from our staffs’ international links and contacts across Europe
• Join the 75 years’ worth of NTU graduates who have achieved success, won awards, or otherwise distinguished themselves in the field of photography
• Opt for an additional advanced research module if you’re thinking of progressing to PhD or Professional Doctorate study.
• We are proud to be in the top ten in England and Wales for Art and Design (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020).

Careers and employability

Career Prospects

This course leads to a wide range of career opportunities within photography including freelance photographer; artist; curator; picture researcher; photojournalist; picture editor; gallery manager; and exhibitions coordinator.

Graduates also use this course to support careers in teaching, lecturing, and progression on to MPhil or PhD study.

Our aim is to produce highly employable graduates, and we are committed to offering experiences throughout the course that will enhance your understanding of the creative industries in which photographic practice is situated.

The University’s Employability team can help to prepare you, offering a variety of activities including CV building, writing job applications, and preparing for interviews.

Connections with Industry

Alongside the Photography department and the University’s Employability team, this course will help to prepare you for a career in photography.

You’ll benefit from regular master classes from high-profile guest lecturers, from a diverse range of backgrounds. This is supported by industry visits from Phase One, Red Photographic and WEX Photographic.

We have also taken students to visit trade fairs at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) and major photographic archives, both in the UK and mainland Europe.

You will be encouraged and supported to undertake work experience opportunities, to help enhance your understanding of the industry.

YouFirst – working with our Employability Team

Our friendly, experienced careers consultants will work closely with you at every stage of your career planning, providing personal support and advice you won't find in a book or on the internet. You can benefit from this at any time during your studies and up to three years after completing your course.