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Photography is approached as a fine-art medium within the context of contemporary art practices. Since its invention, photography has radically influenced the way people understand and experience the world. The curriculum for the OCAD Photography Program is designed to provide students with an understanding of photographic processes, history, theory and contemporary art issues. Through an intensive investigation of photographic tools and concepts, students will be prepared to participate in the ongoing development of photography as an artistic practice.

At the 200 level, students are introduced to photographic concepts and processes, photographic history as well as studio-seminars on contemporary issues. Processes investigated include: black & white, colour, non-silver, experimental and digital photography.

At the 300 level, students progress from development to production as they work through a guided research process that results in a photographic body of work. Studio-seminars on current practices and thematically focused studio electives provide an opportunity to explore a variety of approaches.

At the 400 level, students can choose between the Thesis and the Directed Studio Option. Both Thesis and Directed Studio Option lead to BFA Photography.

Thesis Option
Students work with a thesis panel to research, produce and present a coherent body of work that is of professional exhibition quality. The artistic development process offers the students an opportunity to work comprehensively on their ideas and photographic skills. Students are required to contextualize their artwork with reference to historical and contemporary issues. The Photography thesis students are required to complete:
1.0 credit of PHOT 4C01 PHOT Studio Thesis: Research
1.0 credit of PHOT 4C02 PHOT Studio Thesis Presentation
1.0 credit of 400-level Photography studio option courses
1.0 credit of 200, 300, or 400 level Faculty of Art electives
1.0 credit of Liberal Studies courses

Directed Studio Option:
In the Directed Studio Option, students pursue multiple projects and refine their technical skills and conceptual understanding of photography in the context of assigned and elective course work, as outlined in the program guides. This option allows students greater breadth and flexibility in their final year of studies. Directed Studio stream, fourth year majors are required to complete: 
0.5 credit of PHOT 4B06 Directed Photography Studio-Seminar
0.5 credit of PHOT 4B13 Directed Photography Studio
2.0 credits of 400 level Photography studio option courses or studio-seminars
1.0 credit of 200, 300, or 400, Faculty of Art Electives
1.0 credit of Liberal Studies Courses

Photography Program Guide

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree students must complete the requirements listed below for their program, including the minimum 5.0 liberal studies credits. 

Associate of the Ontario College of Art & Design (AOCAD) diploma students must complete the requirements listed below for their program, including the minimum 4.0 liberal studies credits. Diploma students admitted to OCAD 2002 fall/winter or earlier, may replace up to 1.5 of the 4.0 required liberal studies with studio-seminars. 


See the Liberal Studies requirements that pertain to you.

COURSE CODE	COURSE NAME	DEGREE	DIPLOMA
200 Level Requirements
PHOT 2B03	Introductory Photography: Basic	0.5	0.5
PHOT 2B12	Contemporary Issues: Art Today (STU/SEM)	0.5	0.5**
PHOT 2B13	Introductory Photography: Concept and Process	0.5	0.5
VISC 2B13	History of Photography	0.5*	0.5*
200 Level	PHOT Option Studio or STU/SEM courses	1.0	1.0
200 Level	Faculty of Art electives	1.0	2.0
	Liberal Studies courses	1.0*	0.0
Total Credits		5.0	5.0
300 Level Requirements
PHOT 3B13	Intermediate Photography I: Development	0.5	0.5
PHOT 3B14	Intermediate Photography II: Production	0.5	0.5
PHOT 3B17 ***	Current Practice (STU/SEM)	0.5	0.5**
300 Level	PHOT Option Studio or STU/SEM courses	1.0	1.0
200 or 300 Level	Faculty of Art electives	1.5	1.5
	Liberal Studies courses	1.0*	1.0*
Total Credits		5.0	5.0
400 Level Requirements Towards a Thesis Major
PHOT 4C01	PHOT Studio Thesis: Research	1.0	1.0
PHOT 4C02	PHOT Studio Thesis: Presentation	1.0	1.0
400 Level	PHOT Option Studio or STU/SEM courses	1.0	1.0
200, 300 or 400 Level	Faculty of Art electives	1.0	1.5
	Liberal Studies courses	1.0*	0.5*
Total Credits		5.0	5.0
400 Level Required Toward a Directed Studio Major
PHOT 4B06	Directed Photography Studio/Seminar	0.5	0.5
PHOT 4B13	Directed Photography Studio	0.5	0.5
400 Level	PHOT Option Studio or STU/SEM courses	2.0	2.0
200, 300 or 400 Level	Faculty of Art electives	1.0	1.5
	Liberal Studies	1.0*	0.5*
Total Credits		5.0	5.0

Photography Majors should consider taking Fabrication Studios as a component of their studies as well as the following Faculty of Art courses:

PRNT 2B15 - Photo-based Printmaking PRNT 2B20 - Book Arts: Bookbinding PRNT 3B21 - Text and Image (SEM) INTR 3B02 - Brightlights/Big City INTM 4B21 - Documentation Practices

All Liberal Studies courses are available to students and a wide range of study is encouraged. Photography students who are seeking Liberal Studies courses to deepen their disciplinary knowledge may be interested in the following courses:

VISC 2B07	History of Modern Art
VISC 3B43	Photographic Theory and Criticism
HUMN 2B01	Aesthetics
HUMN 2B16	20th Century Aesthetics
HUMN 3B01	Reading Popular Culture

*See the Liberal Studies requirements for Degree and Diploma Stream.

**1.0 credit of the 2.5 upper-level Liberal Studies credit requirements may be fulfilled by Studio-Seminars (diploma only).

***If you have successfully completed PHOT 2B17, Introductory Photography: Current Practices prior to September 2005, you are not required to take PHOT 3B17, Current Practice, but should take a 0.5 elective instead. 


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