Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography

"Contemporary photography goes beyond the technical concerns of mastering the technique; it is about nature, the power of the content, and how it can be used because the image is not only a tool of transmission but also an instrument of understanding."

— Klaus Fruchtnis, Chair of Photography

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography degree is a direct-entry, four-year program that balances analog and digital technologies with an emphasis on developing a creative identity and gaining a solid understanding of the image-making process. The photography curriculum balances analog and digital technologies with an emphasis on developing a creative vision and gaining a solid understanding of the image-making process.

The program focuses on new types of visual storytelling: still image, moving image, and multimedia, with a curriculum that emphasizes transdisciplinary skill sets, and understands photography as a hybrid and as a contemporary art form. The curriculum is distinguished by its commitment not only to the technical aspects of image-making and production but also examines how photographs are disseminated, presented, discussed, used, documented, or archived: in short, how they function in today’s image-driven society.

The department equally addresses current concerns as ethics, engaging with the subject and the medium, questioning the position of the maker, and the market as well as the audience. Students leave PCA fully prepared for professional life, with a comprehensive knowledge of various production workflows associated with different commercial and artistic objectives. This includes the understanding of how to produce publications and exhibitions, from A-Z.

The program combines technical knowledge, principles of photography, and image-making research and theory. Studio classes and labs conducted by professionals emphasize the mastery of contemporary techniques and professional practices, while theory-based and seminar courses help students develop their personal creative visions. Students continue to broaden their knowledge and skills through supportive art & design courses and electives. In the second year, students can specialize in Documentary Photography, Fashion Photography, and/or the Constructed Image, and start working on long–term projects.

The four-year photography program includes a direct-entry option, allowing students to specialize in image-making from the first year. However, students who have enrolled in the more general Foundation year program can still declare their major in Photography after the end of the Foundation year and will need to do three more years to complete their photography degree requirements.

What are the advantages of studying in Paris?

Paris is an epicenter for emerging contemporary photography and image-making, between the great photo fairs and events like Paris Photo, Fotofever, Festival Circulations, and photo venues like the Maison Européenne de la Photographie, LE BAL, and the Jeu de Paume. Students will have direct access to Parisian networks and the opportunities to visit these venues regularly, participate in calls for projects and exhibitions.

For many decades, Paris has been considered the center of avant-garde art and, without a doubt, as the hub for new photography in Europe since the 1920s. If the French capital became a forum for photographers from so many different countries and backgrounds, this was because it stood as a model of modernity and a beacon of economic hope in the aftermath of the First World War, but also because it was a haven of political and religious freedom for those forced into exile. Furthermore, the international dimension of both the city and Paris College of Art provides a unique platform for students who would aspire to experience an internship or work abroad.