Photography MA

Core Practice and Context (60 Credits)

This unit launches your Master’s study at Norwich, supporting the development of your photographic practice through research-led experimentation, critical iteration, and professional presentation.

You will be encouraged to broaden the breadth and depth of your practice and research by asking you to investigate a range of ideas, issues, processes and materials relevant to your work, creative aspirations and role in society.

You will be encouraged to be curious, embracing risk-taking, uncertainty and not knowing as spaces of creativity. You will develop a deeply reflective practice and understanding of your positioning in relation to your projects.

Through self-initiated projects, staff-led briefs and live collaborations, you will respond to urgent global themes including sustainability, ethics, inclusivity and representation.  

Alongside technical exploration, you will engage critically with contemporary and historical photographic contexts, developing an understanding of how research, theory and professional frameworks inform creative practice.  

As the unit progresses, you will move from open experimentation towards more focused enquiry, refining concepts, methods and critical perspectives.  

By the end of the unit, you will have produced a resolved body of work that demonstrates conceptual clarity, technical confidence and a distinctive authorial voice, establishing a rigorous foundation for independent postgraduate study and future professional or research pathways.

Collaborative Challenge (30 credits)

This unit introduces collaborative, cross-disciplinary ways of working, encouraging you to engage with emerging issues in photography such as sustainability, inclusivity and technological innovation.  

Working in supportive environments, you will develop the ability to experiment with analogue, digital, and hybrid media, extending your practice beyond familiar approaches and opening up new creative possibilities.  

Projects may involve real-world scenarios linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals or live briefs set by external partners, giving you opportunities to apply your skills in professional contexts and engage with challenges of direct cultural and social relevance.  

The unit emphasises teamwork, adaptability and critical thinking, helping you to balance personal creativity with collective outcomes while strengthening your collaborative and professional skills.  

The unit culminates in a group outcome and an individual reflective submission, enabling you to consolidate technical knowledge, deepen your independent practice and extend your work in response to the evolving landscape of contemporary photography. 

Project Design and Development (30 credits)

This unit supports you in designing and structuring a significant creative or research project, preparing you for your final major project as well as potential doctoral or industry-based research.  

You will be introduced to a wide range of research methods from the arts, humanities and social sciences, developing the ability to adapt them to your photographic interests and chosen specialism.  

Through tutorials and independent study, you will learn to plan and manage a project effectively, addressing ethical, cultural and professional considerations while refining your technical abilities across analogue, digital and experimental processes such as moving image and AI-assisted imaging.  

By the end of the unit, you will produce a contextual review, a detailed project plan and an ethics review. These outcomes will form a robust framework for your final major project, while also helping you to establish a distinctive photographic voice and an approach to research suited to contemporary professional and creative contexts. 

Major Project (60 Credits)

The major project is the culmination of your Master’s study, enabling you to design, develop and realise a substantial body of photographic work that demonstrates your technical ability, creativity and critical perspectives.  

You will be encouraged to explore themes that challenge conventions, extend the role of photography, and engage critically with its cultural, social and professional impact, including global challenges related to social and environmental sustainability.  

Working with increasing independence, and supported through tutorials, talks, and workshops, you will refine your ideas, select and apply appropriate research methods and determine the most effective format for your outcomes — such as an exhibition, publication, moving image work, or other professional presentation.  

The major project provides a platform for you to consolidate the skills and knowledge developed throughout the course, while preparing to share your work with professional and public audiences.  

By situating your practice within both local and global contexts, you will graduate ready for opportunities in the creative industries, galleries, publishing or further research.