Study Photography in the USA

Get your photography degree in the US

The United States is home to hundreds of colleges and universities offering top degrees in photography. Some of these schools include the Art Institute of Chicago, Rhode Island School of Design, San Francisco Art Institute, and the list goes on and on. Students studying photography will assemble a visual portfolio of their work, which will be reviewed by faculty and peers at the end of their degree program, and can be used to present to potential employers or to graduate programs following graduation.

What to expect from a photography program

Bachelor’s degree programs in photography help students develop their skills in the foundational techniques of photography, including black and white or color photography, digital photography, darkroom procedures, and color balance. Students learn basic skills such as positioning and point-of-view techniques, shooting indoors and in sunlight, neutralizing backgrounds, and finding points of emphasis. As a photography student, you will likely work with a variety of equipment while you learn how to photograph both 2-D and 3-D subjects, shoot with a 35mm camera, and learn how lenses, tripods, and film function.

Photography programs encourage students to develop their own personal style through which they convey ideas, emotions, and information.

Some courses you may expect to take as a photography student include:

    Digital cameras
    Art history
    2-dimensional design
    Photojournalism
    3-dimensional design

Earning a graduate degree in photography

Earning a master’s degree in photography usually take about two to three years. Don’t expect to be attending classes with your fellow students or going to lecture halls; the majority of your time will be spent working individually and meeting with your professor/advisor a few times a week. You’ll also need to prepare a thesis to present before being awarded your graduate degree. Although every degree program is different, there are some core characteristics graduate degree programs tend to have in common:

Individual work/faculty advisor: Students explore their personal direction under the supervision of a faculty advisor. Students meet with an advisor and attend regular critiques with their peers. Most likely there will be a committee who assesses each student’s progress at the end of each semester.
   
Attend seminars/listen to guest speakers: Students explore contemporary issues in art and photography. Some semesters focus on specific topics and students meet with visiting professionals who critique their work and present critical and theoretical topics for discussion and research.
   
Thesis and Exhibition: Faculty advisors work with students as they prepare their thesis (written statement) about their exhibits and complete an oral examination or presentation. This is usually the final step before earning your degree.

Wherever you choose to pursue your graduate degree you can expect to participate in activities similar to the ones mentioned above; graduate degrees usually always consist of peer and faculty critiques, independent/personal work, and a thesis and exhibition of your portfolio.
Source