Our bachelor of fine arts (B.F.A.) degree program begins with the premise that photography is aesthetically complex and varied. Rather than promoting a particular tradition, we provide essential critical and technical skills to help you gain confidence to take risks and find your own voice.
Admissions + Portfolio Requirements
[Above, art photo faculty and alumni give a sneak-peak into the program and how it helped them succeed in their creative careers]
And because contemporary photographic practices embrace a wide array of idioms, including cinema, documentary, fashion, ecology, and other contemporary art, our classroom discussions are a marriage of professional skill development and a strong engagement with the world.
When we recently redesigned our B.F.A. degree program, we grappled with several questions: how has technology impacted the craft and concepts of photography? To what degree have commercial practices informed fine art photography? What skills and knowledge do students need to prosper during and after their education?
With these questions in mind, we created a program that immerses you in the creative process, giving you the confidence to produce work that is both technically and visually professional. Students have easy access to a range of professional cameras and lighting equipment through our check-out program. We maintain excellent digital, color, and black-and-white facilities, allowing students to produce museum-quality photographs. And with our strong partnership with Light Work, a world-renowned photography center housed on the Syracuse campus, students benefit from access to their production facilities, lectures, and workshops. Light Work also hosts our annual B.F.A. student exhibition, the Photography Annual.
By emphasizing creativity, intellectual development, and the acquisition of skills, our students have succeeded in finding employment at museums, photo studios, magazines, galleries, and in the fashion industry.
Student Work
Curriculum
Below are the general program requirements for art photography.
View official major requirements.
Major requirements: 48 credits
Academic requirements: 6 credits
Studies in culture electives: 21 credits
Academic electives: 28 credits
Studio electives: 18 credits
Total Credits: 121