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MA in Photography – (M.A.)
Sotheby´s Institute of Art London
Sotheby's Institute of Art
| Application Deadline: | July 31; Non EU: May 31; Scholarships: April 30 | ||
| Annual Tuition Fee: | ≈ € 27,850 - | ||
| Location: | London / United Kingdom / View location on map ▾ Hide location on map ▴ | ||
| Duration: | 14 months | Start Date: | September |
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| Languages: | English | ||
Location of Sotheby´s Institute of Art London
For over forty years Sotheby´s Institute of Art has been preparing students for careers in the international art world. Our vision is to be universally acknowledged as the premier provider of advanced object-based art education, whose graduates combine passion for the visual arts with scholarship, connoisseurship and market sophistication in order to flourish as leaders in the global art market. MA programmes at Sotheby´s Institute are validated by the University of Manchester in the UK.
This programme is aimed at those who wish to study in-depth the significance of photography in modern visual culture and to pursue a career as a specialist in photographic imagery and objects.
The primary focus of the course is the critical analysis of the ways in which the earliest photographic experiments through to the latest contemporary photographic images have established a significant presence in private collections, public museums, commercial galleries and publishing.
There is a varied programme of guest lectures by distinguished scholars and experts as well as study visits to museums, art fairs and collections in the UK and abroad.
Graduates go on to pursue a variety of careers, often within the photographic gallery and auction network or the contemporary art world.
Contents
SEMESTER ONE: CANONISING PHOTOGRAPHY
Semester One provides an historical and theoretical survey of major photographic images, practices and practitioners from 1839 to c.1970. Students learn about how these practices accrued significance and how other practices were marginalised by the creation of a canon for photography. This is achieved through three course units: The Nineteenth Century: History and Theory (Dr Juliet Hacking), The Twentieth Century: Photography and Modernism (Dr Lucy Soutter) and The Photographic Body: A Network for Photography (Dr Juliet Hacking).
The Nineteenth and Twentieth Century course units are based upon a series of lectures and seminars which consider not only `art photography´ but also practices such as commercial portraiture, police records and fashion imagery. Each core lecture is followed by a seminar in which students discuss key texts. The Photographic Bodycourse unithas tutor lectures, student-led presentations and key text seminars that examine the establishment of a network for those interested in photography as a liberal pursuit. Students chart the development from 1839 to the present day of the societies, journals, galleries, museums and collectors involved with photography and assess the role that they have played (and continue to play) in determining how certain practices accrue both symbolic and actual value. In addition to the core course unit lectures, there is an extensive programme of guest lectures and talks by distinguished specialists. In 0809 the students have heard from (among many others) Dr Nigel Warburton (on Bill Brandt), Professor Roger Taylor (W.H.F. Talbot), Liz Wells (photographic journals), Professor Mark Durden (John Szarkowski) and Michael Wilson (collecting contemporary photography). The programme of guest lectures continues into Semester Two and includes talks by artists (artists to date include Martin Parr, Thomas Joshua Cooper, Liz Rideal, Anderson & Low and Richard Billingham). There is also a full programme of visits to galleries, archives and collections designed to introduce the students to the extensive photographic resources in London and to object-based study. These visits support the lecture-based teaching. The fourth course unit in Semester One is Academic and Professional Practice, which runs through to the end of Semester Two. In Semester One, classes offer guidance on academic researching and writing and students are introduced to analysis of the market, both current and historical, through visits to galleries, auction previews, auctions and lectures. There are two major study visits in Semester One. In addition to a two-day visit to the National Media Museum in Bradford, Yorkshire, the students also make a four-day visit Paris to attend Paris-Photo, the leading European photography fair, see major temporary exhibitions and enjoy specially-designed sessions in important photographic archives.
SEMESTER TWO: PHOTOGRAPHY BEYOND PHOTOGRAPHY
Semester Two is designed to familiarise the students with photographic practices since 1968 and to enhance the students´ skills of critical and theoretical analysis and of academic and professional practice. The course unit Contemporary Photography since 1968 (Dr Lucy Soutter) examines photography´s place beyond the canon of so-called `Classic Photography´ (19th and 20th century masterworks). Beginning with the widespread use of the camera in conceptual art practices of the 1960s and 70s, the course examines both the various challenges to the modernist-derived idea of photography´s identity and the significant role that photography plays in postmodernist theory and practice. The lectures and seminars bring students up-to-date with practices and ideas that are emerging as significant within art discourse.
The course unit Critical Approaches (Dr Bernard Vere) introduces the students to major theoretical movements and writings. Student-led seminars examine key critical and cultural theories for their impact on our understanding of visual culture and photography, and explore how theory can be applied to specific photographic practices. The course unit Global Photography: Photography and Difference (Mark Sealy) develops the students´ understanding of photography´s place in the politics of representation. The course is structured around the critical study of contemporary `global´ photographic practices and the key theoretical issues raised by the appropriation of `non-Western´ art by the internationalised art world. Finally, the course unit Academic and Professional Practice focuses on, on the one hand, the development of a major research topic (the MA dissertation or PG dip long essay) and, on the other, the skills and knowledge needed for working in the art world. As regards Academic Practice, the process culminates in an oral presentation of the proposal to the tutors and students. As regards Professional Practice, students continue to meet with a range of art world professionals and the sessions explore issues arising from curation, preservation and conservation; running a gallery, archive or not-for-profit organisation.
Towards the end of Semester Two, students apply their skills of professional practice to The Project. Divided into small groups, students plan a hypothetical exhibition at a London venue, propose a re-hang of a museum gallery dedicated to photography or create a hypothetical photography journal. The students then `pitch´ these projects to a panel of tutors and students.
The study visit in Semester Two is to New York. The students attend sessions in major photographic archives such as those of MoMA and the Met, and are introduced to the network of photography galleries in Chelsea and Midtown. The focus of the visit is The Photography Show (AIPAD), the leading photography fair in North America.
IELTS
You are normally required to take an English Proficiency Test.
Most European Universities recognise the IELTS test.
Take testRequirements
All postgraduate programmes (Master´s Degrees and Postgraduate Diplomas) require the completion of a BA degree or equivalent, with a major or minor in Art History. Exceptions to the undergraduate art history requirement can be made, based upon an applicant's experience in the visual arts or the relevance of other areas of study.
Transcripts
Transcripts are required for entry onto one of our Master´s Degrees or Postgraduate Diplomas. Please forward your official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate-level programmes attended directly to the Institute from your college or university.
Letters of RecommendationYou will need to designate 2 referees to support your application. These can be both academic references or, in case you have working experience, one can be a professional reference.
Sample of Written Work You will be required to include in your application a marked paper (from your BA course) or a newly-written 1000-word review of an art exhibition or artist that you like
InterviewsAll full-time applicants for postgraduate programmes will be invited to schedule an interview with a member of the Institute's staff after receipt of all required application materials. Interviews will be scheduled by the Admissions Manager. You will be contacted at the appropriate time to make such arrangements. The interviewer will assess the candidate's aptitude for the programme, level of English skill and commitment to study. Interviews are held in London throughout the year and can also be conducted by telephone.
UK Visa ApplicationsIn line with the new UK Border Agency rules all non-EU students must now apply for a Tier 4 Points Based System General Adult student visa, details of which can be found at:
Students from non EU countries are strongly recommended to submit their application as early as possible. Please note that new visa requirements mean that after a student is enrolled the visa process may take up to 10 weeks. Visas must be applied for in your home country and NOT once you have arrived in the UK.
Additional Requirements
| Minimal degree required: | Bachelor's degree |
| Minimal amount of work experience | Not specified |
Language Proficiency
| IELTS Band: | 7.0 |
| TOEFL Computer-based: | 250 |
| TOEFL Internet-based: | 100 |
Accreditation
Our degrees are awarded by the University of Manchester in the UK and combine professional training with academic study.
Ask a Question
You can contact Manuel Mindreau to ask a question about MA in Photography at Sotheby´s Institute of Art London.
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