This BFA fosters creative photography practices and enhances your visual literacy skills with image creation and purposeful critique at the core of all courses. Hands-on assignments offer opportunities to create experiences and objects in response to various themes while engaging critically with classmates and instructors. Projects may include portraits, landscapes, videos and print-to-order books. Upper-division courses build on your understanding of introductory techniques and encourage you to pursue self-defined projects.
Coursework emphasizes the relationship between technique, aesthetics and concept. Along with learning the tools and techniques of photography, you’ll focus on the meaning they create and how they function within and beyond art contexts. You’ll also develop the skills to ask critical questions, process what you see intuitively and embrace your creative potential. Graduates complete the program with a portfolio with a cohesive artist statement, a community of peers and mentors, and the ability to give and receive critical feedback.
Who’s a good fit for this photography program?
This program is compatible with a variety of backgrounds, interests and goals. It’s ideal for those passionate about creative expression and who want to refine their vision as photographers and artists. Courses provide opportunities to create and direct experiences for viewers, as well as expand on elements, objects and ideas. If you’ve always wanted to study art and photography but haven’t due to location, time and accessibility, this program is an excellent option.
You’re also a good fit if you want to begin a career or pursue graduate study in art and photography. You’ll gain the skills needed to excel in creative careers including editorial, commercial advertising photography, journalism, design, photo and art direction, museum curation, gallery direction and more. While courses don’t provide occupational training for running a photography business or entering the advertising world, graduates have used their skills to pursue these paths.
Camera and equipment requirements
As a digital photography major, you must obtain various equipment and tools to complete your assignments. We recommend you use a digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera, but any quality, mirrorless camera with fully manual options and video capacity is acceptable. You’ll also need several memory cards, a portable hard drive, an external desk hard drive and cloud space to store your images in multiple locations.
Additionally, your computer should meet certain requirements including the capability to send and receive large files, conduct video conferencing and edit digital images. The software you’ll use includes Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Premiere and other creative tools. Note: as an ASU student, you can use Adobe Creative Cloud complimentary.
Capture, create and understand art in new ways when you earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in art with a concentration in digital photography online from Arizona State University. Ideal for visual and intuitive thinkers, you’ll learn about contemporary, creative and expressive forms of digital photography. Join a program in which your peers, professors and world-class art photographers will see and offer constructive critiques of your work.
In your courses, you’ll engage with creative prompts, study existing work and participate in critiques to realize your artistic vision. Core courses are designed based on a studio model, which prioritizes creative work and personalized critiques. To culminate the program, you’ll complete a capstone course in which you’ll work on a self-defined project. You’ll also create a final portfolio and artist statement—useful tools for applying to jobs and submitting your work to exhibitions.
The Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts is home to world-class scholars, artists and designers who inspire students to shape the future. Research conducted by our faculty is grounded in the transformative power of art and its ability to change the world. Research areas include:
- Arts and design for social justice.
- Arts, education and arts-integrated education.
- Arts, entrepreneurship and cultural policy.
- Community engagement and public policy.
- Creative health collaborations.
- Design, arts, science and engineering.
- The study of creative work.
ASU’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts is the home to top-ranked programs from a variety of disciplines ranging from the arts, media and engineering to film, dance and theater. We train artists and designers to leverage their creativity and problem-solving abilities to advance culture, build community and transform society.
students.
internationally recognized faculty members.
programs in arts, media and engineering, design, dance and theater, film and music.
among fine arts schools in the nation, ahead of Cornell University, Parsons School of Design and the University of California.
No, Arizona State University’s diplomas don’t specify whether you earn your degree online or in person. All diplomas and transcripts simply say “Arizona State University.”