BFA Professional Photography
The BFA Professional Photography Program at MSMU gives the student a hands-on experience from the first day of the first course. The curriculum will provide the student with both the technical foundation skills and critical thinking tools that will help in shaping the students own unique vision. The Professional Photography faculty is made up of industry recognized photographers who have also been recognized for their ability to inspire students in the classroom. We are proud to have our program based at one of the largest production studio facilitates on the West Coast, The Sunset Gower Studios in the heart of Hollywood.
Program Mission
The program integrates liberal arts, ethics, and professional business practices with a core photography and media production curriculum that prepares students for the creative business, and technical challenges of a professional photography career.
Technical Skillset Courses
| Technical Skillset Courses | |
|---|---|
| PHO2 Foundations of Photography | PHO139 Video Production |
| PHO8 Lighting Principals | PHO30 Studio Product Photography |
| PHO34 Photoshop and Digital Printing | PHO102 Digital Image Editing I |
| PHO104 Lighting for People | PHO107 Applied Photography |
| PHO182 Imaging Time | PHO108 The Print |
Aesthetic & Conceptual Skillset Courses
| Aesthetic & Conceptual Skillset Courses | |
|---|---|
| PHO109 Photography as Fine Art | PHO110 Alternative Photography Media |
| PHO111 The Art Director | PHO112 Food and Beverage Photography |
| PHO113 Advanced Tabletop Photography | PHO174 Advanced Advertising Photography |
| PHO175 Fashion Photography | PHO181 Sports Photography |
| PHO188 Wedding Photography | PHO187 Creative Techniques in Digital Imaging |
| PHO190 Architectural Photography | PHO191 Advanced Portrait Techniques |
| PHO192 Advanced Retouching | PHO194 Personality Photography |
Business Skillset Courses
| Business Skillset Courses | |
|---|---|
| PHO197 Internship | PHO198 Senior Capstone |
| BUS4 Business Foundation and Analysis | BUS4 Business Law |
| BUS15 Accounting Principals | PHO140 Business of Photography |
Career Opportunities
| Career Opportunities | |
|---|---|
| Studio Manager | Digital Tech |
| Advertising Photographer | Video Production |
| Travel Photographer | Commercial Photographer |
| Lifestyle Photographer | Fashion Photographer |
| Food Photographer | Studio Product Photographer |
| Sports Photographer | Scientific Photographer |
| Portrait & Wedding Photographer | Digital Retouching |
| Art Director | Artist Representation |
The BFA Professional Photography degree curriculum is made up of 33 credit hours of required core classes and 33 credit hours of additional photography elective courses including 12 credit hours of business courses.
Students may also enroll in the Photography Minor which requires a total of 18 credit hours.
For further information, contact Charles Bunce at cbunce@msmu.edu, or Bill Robbins at wrobbins@msmu.edu.
Core Courses (33 units)
| Core Courses | ||
|---|---|---|
| FLM 2/PHO 2 | Foundations of Photography | 3 |
| PHO 4 | Digital Asset Management & Workflow | 3 |
| PHO/FLM 6 | History of Photography | 3 |
| PHO/FLM 8 | Lighting Principles | 3 |
| PHO/FLM 30 | Studio Product Photography | 3 |
| PHO 34 | Photoshop & Digital Printing | 3 |
| PHO/FLM 104 | Lighting for People | 3 |
| PHO/FLM 107 | Applied Photography | 3 |
| PHO/FLM 109 | Photography as Fine Art | 3 |
| FLM 139A/FLM 205 | Introduction to Digital Video Production | 3 |
| PHO 198 | Senior Capstone | 3 |
Business Courses (12 units)
Complete all of the following:
| Business Courses | ||
|---|---|---|
| BUS 4 | Business Foundation & Analysis | 3 |
| BUS 5 | Business Law 1 | 3 |
| BUS 15A | Accounting Principles 1 | 3 |
| PHO 140 | Business of the Photography Studio | 3 |
Electives (21 units)
Complete any seven elective classes offered by the Film, Media & Communication department (FLM, JRN, PHO, etc.) and/or other classes by advisement, such as:
| Electives | ||
|---|---|---|
| ART 10 | Photography I | 3 |
| ART 108 | Digital Deluge | 3 |
| ART 150A | Photography II: Portraiture | 3 |
| ART 152A | Color Digital Photography | 3 |