Online Photography Foundation Course

Our online photography course will shape your identity as a photographer who possesses the confidence and skills to challenge contemporary practice. Our expert tutors will teach you the technical photography skills necessary to expand your ideas through a set of course projects, from analogue to the latest digital technologies.

Our one-to-one face-to-face unlimited tuition will help you to develop a highly personal and original conceptual approach to your practice. You will complete your foundation diploma with a superior portfolio as well as the professional knowledge to launch your career in photography or continue in education to university.

As a successful graduate, you will earn a Foundation Diploma qualification that is equal to 3 A Levels and is nationally accredited by one of the UK’s largest vocational awarding bodies, SEG ABC Awards.

Foundation Diplomas Will Get You To University and Creative Careers – Guaranteed! Limited Places Each Year So Apply Now!

To enrol in our online Foundation Photography course, students must meet the following criteria:

Be aged 16 years or over
Hold 5 GCSEs / IGCSEs including Maths, English and Art or Photography (or have a strong portfolio), or equivalent international qualifications
Mature students do not need to have an exam qualification. You will need to have a keen interest in photography and a desire to succeed. Please send an example of your work if unsure of the level.

Our foundation photography course is fully online, students must have access to a strong internet connection as well as basic art materials to complete the course.

Study Options

Study photography with flexibility, to suit your schedule:

Part-time programmes (2 years): available all year around – enrolling now
Full-time programmes (1 year): start December to January and September to October. Exceptions may apply.

Accreditations and UCAS Points

Our online foundation photography course is accredited by one of the nation’s leading education awards. Meaning graduates will complete the course with a recognised photography qualification.

Accreditation: SEG ABC Awards
OFQUAL Regulated: Yes (Ofqual number 500/8476/8)
UCAS Tariff: up to 112 points – equivalent to two A Levels at A* grade – university entry requires 80 -100 UCAS points
UCAS application supported: Yes

Additional Course Information

Portfolio support: Yes
Tuition: Face to face, one to one – unlimited
Progression: to any University / BA Honours Degree

Level 3 or Level 4?

The qualification that students will receive is a Level 3 Diploma. Level 3 qualifications are FE (further education) and prepare for University. LEAs fund students up to this level and the qualification carries UCAS points for entry into HE (higher education).

There is a final graded unit which is actually a Level 4 unit, which helps students prepare for HE, as it gives experience at this slightly higher level. This unit shows on your transcript for the qualification (the sheet that breaks down all units, credits and grade) as a Level 4 unit. However, the qualification is awarded as a Level 3 qualification overall.

The exam board do offer a Level 4 foundation diploma, but it does not carry any UCAS points whatsoever, so it is unlikely to be useful to any of our students. (This is because Level 4 is seen as HE and not FE.) If students want to go for a Level 4 version of the course, they can, but this is to be discussed once enrolled, as it will mean no UCAS points! The degree that students go on to study will be level 4+, so there is no need to gain a Level 4 qualification at this stage.

Students will receive access to their own online studio where they can work through their course and utilise extra learning support. Units and assignments are listed along with supporting resources, video tutorials for skills development, step-by-step guides and further supporting materials. Photographs of students’ completed work are uploaded to their college e-portfolio for assessment and constructive, friendly written feedback on how to progress.

Additionally, students are invited to discuss their progress with an experienced and qualified personal tutor. Our online photography course provides ample opportunity for development with face-to-face verbal feedback, encouragement, and support. Students may also benefit from relationships with their fellow online students as they can view profiles and comment on each other's artwork if they wish.

Our online foundation Photography course is made up of three stages: the Exploratory stage, the Pathway stage, and the Confirmatory stage. Each stage lasts 12 to 24 weeks, depending on whether you are studying full-time or part-time and can be extended if needed.

The Exploratory stage

The Exploratory stage is the first stage of the course and as the title suggests it gives you the opportunity to understand at a deeper level what art and design is and to experience working in a number of disciplines. Within each discipline, you will use a range of materials and processes and learn the value of drawing and photography as a starting point.

You are offered 5 projects from which you study 3.

Photography (mandatory)
Fine Art
Graphic Design and Illustration
3D (Architecture, 3D Design, Sculpture)
Fashion and Textiles
Animation

The Pathway stage

The Pathway stage gives students the opportunity to explore a specific discipline in more depth. The choice on what to study is completely yours, tutors will be on hand to provide guidance based on your work from the Exploratory stage.

The Confirmatory stage

The Confirmatory stage is the final stage of the foundation photography diploma and is the only stage that will decide your grade. Your final major project is practical and can be in any form you choose; show reel, a dress, a series of photographs, a painting, an animation, a design for an interior, architectural design, a video game etc. Your tutors will work with you to help decide what style of work best suits your skills.