Top Photography Schools in the US

Interested in earning a photography degree and wonder what the best photography school is in the US nowadays? We have created a list with highly rated photography schools around the States to choose from. The following institutions offer a wide range of photography programs, along with a chance to work with renowned professionals from around the world.

Photography School: Yale School of Fine Art

Location: New Haven, Connecticut

Courses:

Yale School of Fine Art offers an MFA in Photography, which is a two-year program of study focused on a broad definition of photography as a lens-based medium. Yale is a top rated institution and you should expect a tough competition. Only nine students have the change to achieve a place there every year.

Website: art.yale.edu

Yale School of Fine Arts - photography school

 

Photography School: University of California

Location: Los Angeles, California

Courses:

UCLA offers an undergraduate photo program focusing on the conjunction between photography and art. Beside photography, they encourage students to experiment with art and video installation, as well as to know about photography history and narrative studies.

Website: www.art.ucla.edu/photography

 

Photography School: School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Courses:

The Department of Photography at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago is open to graduate and undergraduate applications. The courses they offer are eclectic and experimental, encouraging students to explore both the practice and theory of photography.

Website: www.saic.edu

Art Institute of Chicago Photography School

Photography School: Rohde Island School of Design

Location: Providence, Rhode Island

Courses:

At RISD you can learn how to ‘read’ and create images by following both a Bachelor’s program and a Master’s program. Undergraduates are thought to explore the social, cultural and historical aspects of photography as a cultural medium, while graduate students develop visual and critical expertise, along with a deeper knowledge of contemporary art practices. If you are curious about what they do there, take a look at BFA student work, as well as at MFA student photographs.

Website: photo.risd.edu

 

Photography School: School of Visual Arts

Location: New York, NY

Courses:

SVA has a diverse curriculum on photography, offering no less than 111 undergraduate courses on photography, as well as a MPS in Digital Photography, and a MFA in Photography, Video and Related media. What makes this photography stand out is their mentor program for seniors with renowned professionals working in the NYC photographic art scene.

Website: www.sva.edu

school of visual arts New York - photography school

Photography School: University of Arizona School of Art

Location: Arizona, Phoenix

Courses:

UVA offers both a BFA and MFA in Studio Art with a focus on photography. Students are thought about the role of photography in contemporary culture along with being encourage to explore the boundaries of this medium and experiment with different kinds of photographic practices. The curriculum includes diverse courses, ranging from traditional black and white darkroom techniques, to video and performance.

Website: art.arizona.edu/students/programs-of-study/photography

 

 

Photography School: University of New Mexico – College of Fine Arts

Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Courses:

The College of Fine Arts at UNM offers a BFA and MFA in photography with an emphasis on the creativity, innovation and interdisciplinarity. Students have the opportunity to explore multiple possibilities of lens-based imaging along with developing a critical understanding of contemporary art theory. At UNM facilities include digital classrooms, darkrooms for film processing, lighting equipment and DSLRs, among others.

Website: art.unm.edu/photography

 

Photography School: University of Washington School of Art

Location: St. Louis, Missouri

Courses:

With 22 Nobel laureates, Washington University deserves to be part of our top selection of educational institutions. At the School of Art + Art History + Design, students can pursue a Photomedia undergraduate program (a BFA in digital imaging and photography) focused on a wide array of studio art and media practices. The courses are meant to provide a historical perspective on photography as a social and cultural medium, along with video and installation work. Specifically, the program offers instruction in lighting, large format digital and analog practices, and in contemporary digital image processing.

Website: art.washington.edu/art/undergraduate2/photomedia/courses

university of washington school of art exhibition space

Photography School: Drexel University

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Courses:

Drexel University is a top ranked institution offering a unique photography program combining both applied and theoretical teaching methods. Apart from photography foundation courses, students in the first year of study can benefit from internships every six months. Juniors have the chance to work in diverse types of businesses from Advertising Photography to Fashion Photography or Digital Technology.

Website: www.drexel.edu/westphal/undergraduate/PHTO

Photography School: Massachusetts College of Art and Design

Location: Boston, Massachusetts

Courses:

Massachusetts College of Art and Design offers a BFA Photography program focus on photography as fine art. Teachers encourage MassArt students to develop a personal, creative vision, along with technical excellence. The curriculum offers foundation courses of both film-based and digital tools. Facilities include a three-studio digital facility with large printers, scanners and workstations, analog black & white developing and printing areas, and two-large gang darkrooms. At MassArt students can work with a 20×24 Polaroid ‘Land Camera’ built by the founder of Polaroid, as well as benefiting from the support of renowned teachers and visiting professionals from around the world.

Website: www.massart.edu/academic_programs/photography

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