The fine art photography option prepares students for careers as visual artists, educators, editorial photographers, or freelance artists. Graduates are employed in a number of professional fine-art related institutions such as museums, archives, studios, and commercial galleries. The primary goal is to nurture the artist's personal aesthetic vision through photographic expression. Studying the theoretical and practical skills needed to create thought-provoking and meaningful images develops technical, conceptual, and aesthetic abilities, and furthers students' goals as contemporary image-makers. This option is part of the photographic and imaging arts BFA program.
The interdisciplinary curriculum enables students to explore other related fields in the fine arts, including painting, drawing, sculpture, graphic design, video, film, animation, printmaking and printing, computer graphics, and web publishing. Foundation and specialized courses include digital imaging workflow, alternative processes, new media, history and aesthetics of photography, and exhibition display.
Students have the opportunity to enroll in independent projects, educational internships, or co-ops in galleries, workshops, or other art and imaging centers. Students may choose to spend a year abroad earning credit in an applicable field of their choosing.