BFA in Design with concentration in Photography
Illuminate, challenge, and innovate with advanced photographic practice.
The Photography program at KU offers in-depth instruction in a range of analog, digital, still, and moving lens-based techniques within a rigorous intellectual and creative environment. In today's constantly-evolving media landscape, photography is still the most essential and universal visual medium for documenting the world and conveying ideas. KU Photography students learn to apply and decipher photography and video in a world where image is everything and images are everywhere. With a focus on both visual literacy and the development of a diverse technical skillset, the program develops creative students into confident, versatile practitioners who can evaluate and innovate visual culture in a variety of fields. Graduates of the KU Photography program possess the personal vision and conceptual, technical, and critical thinking skills vital to success as practitioners working in film, video, digital media, publishing, and more.
The BFA in Design, Photography degree consist of a carefully-arranged sequence of courses that follow a four-year track from the fall semester of a student's year of admission to the program. Studios are typically only available in either fall or spring semesters and cannot be compressed into an accelerated time frame.
| Year 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| BDS 101 (Studio) | 4 | PHTO 200 or 205 (Studio) | 4 |
| BDS 103 (Studio) | 4 | VISC 301 (Studio) | 4 |
| PHTO 210 | 3 | ADS 340 | 3 |
| HA 100 (Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE))060** | 3 | Core 34: English (SGE)010 | 3 |
| ADS 320 | 1 | Core 34: Math and Statistics (SGE)030 | 3 |
| 15 | 17 | ||
| Year 2 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| PHTO 303 (Studio) | 4 | PHTO 304 (Studio) | 4 |
| HA 380 | 3 | HA 567 | 3 |
| Core 34: English (SGE)010 | 3 | Core 34: Natural and Physical Sciences (SGE)040 | 4 |
| Core 34: Social and Behavior Science (SGE)050 | 3 | Core 34: Communications (SGE)020 | 3 |
| ADS 320 | 1 | ADS 320 | 1 |
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Year 3 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| PHTO 400 (Studio) | 4 | PHTO 314 (Studio) | 4 |
| PHTO 313 (Studio) | 4 | PHTO 316 (Studio; May be taken in spring of the Third or Fourth Year.) | 4 |
| ADS 450 | 3 | Major Studio Electives | 4 |
| Major Studio Elective | 4 | ADS 402 or 345 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Year 4 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| PHTO 450 (Studio) | 4 | PHTO 500 (Capstone Studio) | 4 |
| Major Studio Elective | 4 | Major Studio Elective | 4 |
| Core 34: Social and Behavior Science (SGE)050 | 3 | ADS 455 | 1 |
| Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)060 | 3 | Core 34: US Culture (SGE)070 | 3 |
| Core 34: Global Culture (SGE)070 | 3 | ||
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 120 | |||
Notes
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ADS 560 | Topics in Design: _____ | 4 |
| PHTO 313 | Lighting Studio (Can be repeated for credit) | 4 |
| PHTO 315 | Experimental Processes (Can be repeated for credit) | 4 |
| PHTO 360 | The Photobook | 4 |
| PHTO 560 | Special Topics in Photography: _____ | 4 |
| ADS 531 | Internship Credit | 1-6 |
| ADS 532 | Study Abroad: _____ | 3 |
| ADS 533 | Study Abroad Documentation | 3 |
| VISC 310 | Letterpress | 4 |
| VISC 410 | Digital Letterpress | 4 |
| VISC 440 | Bookmaking | 4 |
Notes:
* - This course is a Required major course and is also part of Core 34: Systemwide General Education. If this course is not taken to fulfill the Core 34:SGE requirement, it must be taken in place of elective hours.
** - This course is a Recommended Core 34: Systemwide General Education course. This specific course is not required but is recommended by the program’s faculty.
*** - This course is a Required Core 34: Systemwide General Education course. This program is approved by the Kansas Board of Regents to require this specific Core 34:Systemwide General Education course. If a student did not take this course it must be taken in addition to other degree requirements.