Bachelor of Creative Arts and Design (Photography)

What is this course about?

CSU's Bachelor of Creative Arts and Design (Photography) addresses all aspects of photo-practice and techniques from fine art and photo documentation through to advertising and commercial photography.

About the course

Students learn a wide range of photographic skills and practices from fine art to commercial. Photo-techniques from analogue to the latest digital imaging are covered.

Graduates of this course will have a well-developed aesthetic sense, strong visual problem solving skills and be technically well equipped to produce innovative, exciting and questioning photo-based work.

Supplementary consultations

One of the unique things about CSU's Bachelor of Creative Arts and Design (Photography) is that we have small class sizes, which allow intensive learning and interaction with your lecturers and fellow students, as well as the opportunity to work with the latest software and learning tools, not just watch the work being done. This makes our course very competitive. To give you the best opportunity to gain entry into the Bachelor of Creative Arts and Design (Photography), CSU offers you the opportunity to undertake a supplementary course consultation as part of your application process. This gives you the chance to meet with the course lecturers and demonstrate your interest, enthusiasm and talent for this career area, as well as finding out more about the course, our excellent facilities and exceptional work placements.

Course components

The Bachelor of Creative Arts and Design (Photography) offers an integrated program combining subjects which provide foundational and contextual knowledge and skills with specialised studies in photography. A minor or elective sequence adds breadth, enabling you to select subjects from another specialisation or discipline area. Minor studies can be chosen from areas such as acting, advertising, art history, animation and visual effects, design for theatre and television, graphic design, imagemaking and illustration, photography, sound or television production.

The program finishes with a professional capstone subject which prepares students to embark on a career in their chosen area.

The emphasis in the first year is on the acquisition of technical and aesthetic skills for the production of photographic works via both digital and analogue mediums.

In the second year the course concentrates on exploring, extending and building upon technical and conceptual skills gained in the first year. Emphasis is placed on students producing creative works of a high standard. Topics such as advanced digital photography, studio formats and lighting, imaging theories and techniques including critical analysis and interpretation of photographic imagery are introduced at this level.

In the third year students identify and investigate areas of photographic practice of particular relevance to their career aspirations. These studies are linked and supported by a research seminar program.

Hands-on experience

Students work collaboratively or individually on a range of photographic projects which may culminate in the production of a book, a CD-ROM or DVD, and a public exhibition of the work.

Academic expectations

For each 8 point subject at CSU, students should normally expect to spend between 140-160 hours engaged in the specified learning and assessment activities (such as attending lectures or residential schools, assigned readings, tutorial assistance, individual or group research/study, forum activity, workplace learning, assignments or examinations). The student workload for some subjects may vary from these norms as a result of approved course design.

Students will be assessed on the basis of completed assignments, examinations, workplace learning, or other methods as outlined in specific subject outlines.

Where applicable, students are responsible for travel and accommodation costs involved in workplace learning experiences, or attending residential schools (distance education students).

Expectations relating to academic, workplace learning, time and cost requirements for specific subjects are provided in the subject abstracts and in course materials.