MMP306 Documentary Photography
Bachelor (BA) degree (in Arts or Humanities) or equivalent sufficient to follow a Master’s degree level of study. Verifiable practical skills in photography, and mastery of the English language sufficient to participate in dialogue lecturing. Admission will be based on study programs and a letter of application to include reasons for applying, as well as an academic CV (all to be submitted in English), together with a portfolio of 12-15 recent photographs by the applicant relevant to the course framework. The photographs should be submitted as one PDF-file not exceeding 5 MB. Admission papers and photographs need to be uploaded into Søknadsweb, in folder "Documents" when applying, or by deadline December 1st 2020, at the latest. Students following relevant master programs will be given priority. Required personal equipment: Personal equipment fit for documentary photography plus access to digital photographic post-production software.
The course is designed for Master level students who wish to develop their skills as professional photographers as well as students who wish to develop their academic understanding of documentary photography. Main elements of the course will be: 1. Learning through experience – the opportunity to work on in-depth documentary projects within the boundaries of set assignments and self-directed work. 2. Learning through peer-reviewed and tutor-assessed critique within a supported academic environment.3. The opportunity to undergo in-depth research and practice within documentary photography.
In accordance with the National Qualifications Framework the student will achieve the following learning outcomes after completing the course:
The student
- can analyze existing theories, use methods and interpretations in the field, and work independently on practical, theoretical and ethical problems
- can evaluate contemporary discourse on representation, technological change and ethics within documentary practice
- can critically analyze documentary photography within both historical and theoretical frameworks and engage in self-reflection and critique
The student
- can analyse and deal critically with various souces of information and use them to structure and formulate scholarly arguments
- will have conducted rigorously planned and academically informed self-directed photographic work, to industry standard, for documentary projects within an appropriate critical, contextual and theoretical framework
- will have produced focused and self-directed written work to an academic standard based on an approved summary, framed within documentary theory or practice
- will have learned to demonstrate a broad and clear understanding of visual storytelling, based on the experience of understanding narrative both in theory and practice
- will have learned to demonstrate proficiency in photography, editing and "versioning" of work for different outputs
The student
- can use methods for research and scholarly and /or artistic development work in an independent manner
- can carry out an independent, limited research or development project in accordance with applicable norms for research ethics
- will have acquired communication and advocacy skills through the experience of exploring and presenting critical research and argumentation
- can apply her/his knowledge and skills in new areas in order to carry out advanced assignments and projects
Teaching is organized as a combination of lectures, seminars and tutorials – all to be held online. These teaching sessions will be concentrated into one-week blocs, to be held between January and June, with further support opportunities in between. Students will complete a series of coursework requirements between the teaching blocs, to be handed in electronically. Submitted photographic work will be discussed during the online plenary sessions and tutorials as part of the course.
Students will complete two written assignments. One will be a short 700 review. The other will be a longer 2500 essay on an approved topic within the framework of documentary photography. In addition, students will be required to complete one short photographic assignment and one in-depth photographic project to be assessed, as the work progresses, in class and finally at the exam. It will be necessary to supply a written proposal ahead of starting the in-depth assignment, and relevant captions to the photographs must be submitted. The course has compulsory attendance of an active and engaged character. To qualify for the final exam the student will need to have attended the online course for a minimum of 80% of class time.
Grading will be done in accordance with the Regulations governing admission, studies and examinations at Volda University College.
| Assessment Form | Grouping | Duration | Grading scale | Proportion | Comment | Support Materials | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mappeeksamen | Individuell | 1 semester | A-F, der A er best og E er siste ståkarakter | Students will be continually assessed on work in progress by the course director. Final assessment will be based on a submitted portfolio of 15-20 photographs and an academic essay of 2500 words in English on an approved subject. | One grade will be given for the photographs and the essay, judged together. Portfolios should be submitted with captions explaining the journalistic context of each photograph. |