COURSE CURRICULUM

The Documentary Photojournalism programme for the 2026/27 academic year provides students with a comprehensive education in visual storytelling, photography, documentary practice, and professional development within the creative industries. The course begins with core modules such as Creating and Telling Stories, Skills for Still and Moving Image, The Zine, and Creating Your Visual Language, which introduce students to contemporary editorial, advertising, and photojournalism photography. Students explore how images and text work together to communicate ideas and create engaging visual narratives for newspapers, magazines, online media, and advertising campaigns. Learning is supported through tutor guidance, peer discussions, research activities, and contributions from guest speakers working in the creative industries. Practical assignments encourage experimentation and creativity while developing technical abilities in studio and location photography using DSLR and medium-format film cameras. In later stages, students study Communications for the Creative Industries, People, Places and Society, Sport and Action Photography, Documentary Film Making, and The Gallery Setting, gaining knowledge of professional communication, social media, websites, blogs, presentation skills, and portfolio development. Industry placements form an important part of the programme, allowing students to gain practical experience within organisations linked to their career ambitions and reflect on their professional growth through presentations and self-evaluation. Advanced study focuses on Major Project Research and Development, Documentary Practice, The Creative Professional, and the Documentary Photojournalism Major Project. Students plan, research, and manage an extensive long-term photographic project involving site visits, networking, access arrangements, testing, and print production while developing a clear theoretical framework for their work. Teaching includes 72 scheduled and 218 independent learning hours in the first stage and 60 scheduled with 240 independent learning hours in later stages. Assessment for the major project consists of a 30% portfolio equivalent to 3,000 words and a final 70% portfolio equivalent to 7,000 words.