Program Learning Outcomes

Mission Statement

As a Photography & Imaging major, you will work closely with faculty advisors to design a rigorous individualized program of study that challenges you to expand your conceptual and technical boundaries to develop your personal point of view as a visual storyteller. ArtCenter offers financial aid, scholarships, work-study, internships and grants to support tuition while you invest in your creative future. Within a rich transdisciplinary environment, the Photography and Imaging program is taking photographers into the future. Our strong relationships with industry, early adoption of new technologies, and commitment to social impact have opened professional doors for countless graduates since 1935. After earning a BFA, Alumni go on to create award-winning advertising campaigns, publish images in national newspapers and magazines, work in museums and community art, and become art critics, fine artists, documentary photographers, photojournalists, filmmakers, and graphic designers. Images are used to tell stories, elicit emotions, sell products and convey ideas. Images are everywhere and now, more than ever before, professional image-making skills are an essential component to succeeding in the information economy.

Essential Skills

Graduates will be able to:

  • Exhibit technical proficiency that is aligned with aesthetic, theoretical understanding, and fluency in the visual vocabulary of photography and imaging.

Technique: Quality of Execution

Graduates will be able to:

  • Demonstrate the ability to combine excellent technical skills with strong conceptual ideation in the execution of their craft.

Conceptual Development and Critical Thinking

Graduates will be able to:

  • Show original and individual style in their work based on inquiry, mastery of technique, process, and innovation.

Professional Practice

Graduates will be able to:

  • Demonstrate an awareness, competency, and execution of the business and art of photography and imaging. This includes strategic and tactical planning of their career, self-promotion, and marketing.

Innovation & Cultural Literacy

Graduates will be able to:

  • Show progression towards leadership, innovation, cultural awareness, and social impact concerning the business, art and medium of photography and imaging.