Photography BFA
Photography BFA
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Contact Us
thinkparsons@newschool.edu
212.229.5150
Program Contacts
Freya Powell, Program Director
The Photography BFA is a research-based, studio-intensive program that prepares you to participate in the future of photography and visual communication. The curriculum explores the convergence of commercial, documentary, fashion, and artistic image making across diverse channels of distribution. You study and experiment with photography and video as the language of contemporary culture, central to print media, the Web, video, social media, installation, performance, and emerging technologies such as motion capture and 3D imaging.
Program Highlights
Creative Support
Access state-of-the-art labs, shooting studios, student exhibitions, and critiques that inspire your creativity and build your network.Deep Dive
Work closely with faculty to create an individualized body of work over the course of a year, which culminates in an exhibition in Manhattan.
NYC Opportunities
Visit museums, collections, archives, and studios relevant to your creative ambitions and practice. Explore internships at galleries, publishers, and cultural organizations.
Learn from Leaders
Learn from prestigious speakers; past guests include Wolfgang Tillmans, Renee Cox, Stanley Wolukau-Wanambwa, Sally Mann, Tina Campt, and Antwaun Sargent.
Future Focused
Participate in portfolio reviews that share your work with professionals in the fields of commercial, editorial, and fine art spaces. Learn from professionals and alumni during Professional Practice panels.
Global Perspectives
Study alongside students from around the world, a cross-cultural and social justice-based experience that prepares you to succeed in the global creative economy.
- DegreeBachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
- FormatFull-time, on campus
- Credits120
- Duration4 years
Curriculum
Your BFA begins with Parsons’ first-year curriculum, which serves as the academic foundation for all undergraduate programs at Parsons. From your second year on, you dive into courses in your major field of study. Art and design history and theory courses develop your research, writing, and critical reasoning skills, and university electives broaden your perspectives. You can also pursue a minor in photography.
Career Paths
Many BFA Photography students undertake internships during their studies that help launch their careers. Graduates enter fields that include commercial, editorial, and fashion photography; visual art; photojournalism; publishing; gallery and studio management; and arts production and administration.
Explore Our Community
Discover what our students, alumni, and faculty are doing in NYC and worldwide.
Student Work
Beyond the Classroom
Internships
New York City’s thriving creative industry and cultural institutions are part of your Parsons education. Our Career Services Office is deeply connected to the art and design industries and can help you advance your career with industry-oriented internships.
Making & Academic Resources
Enjoy access to extensive resources including New School libraries, computer labs, archives, and studios, along with Parsons’ state-of-the-art Making Center, facilities offering a broad array of tools to support your creative and academic growth.
Industry Engagement
Connect to the organizations, businesses, and entrepreneurs driving global creativity and commerce. In classes, internships, and extracurricular projects, you gain marketable problem-solving skills in sectors ranging from government and nonprofits to tech and creative industries.
Study Abroad
Enrich your learning and prepare for work in global contexts with study abroad that exposes you to new perspectives and settings in which to apply your creativity. Our study abroad destinations include, Paris, London, Florence, and more.
Related Programs
Undergraduate
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Graduate