Photography BS

Major: Photography
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits:180.0
Co-op Options: One Co-op (Four years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 50.0605
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 27-4021

About the Program

The Drexel University Photography Program is one of the most elite of its kind in the United States. The students who have completed the Bachelor of Science Photography degree at Drexel have gone on to win The Pulitzer Prize for Photojournalism and The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship for the arts. Their work has also been featured at AIPAD, one of the world's most prestigious annual photography events and in Times Square, New York City. In the Spring of 2020, Hannah Beier’s Senior Thesis project, “Time Apart,” was featured on the cover of Time Magazine. Along with the cover, she had a portfolio of images that were featured inside the magazine. 

In addition, alumni have had their work featured in the New York Times Magazine, Time Magazine, Philadelphia Magazine, Architectural Digest, Martha Stewart Living, Newsweek, and Italian Vogue. Along with being included in these publications, our alumni have their work included in the permanent collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and PAFA. The Drexel University Photography Program is without peer in regard to the student outcomes we have achieved.

Our Photography major is unique in the United States because of our teaching approach which blends a high degree of visual literacy together with cutting edge lessons in technology. We prepare our students for the marketplace by teaching every aspect of the medium, beginning in the darkroom, moving on to complex still digital techniques, and incorporating motion and video. Couple all these lessons with the value of having a six-month co-op in the industry and three courses dedicated to photographic business practices and you have the reason why our students have such a high placement rate after graduation.

The College's extensive photographic facilities are available to every photography major at Drexel. 

Additional Information

For more information about this major, visit the College's Photography website.

Degree Requirements 

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Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

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Must take NFS 100 and NFS 101 together.

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Depends on course title and content.

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.

Sample Plan of Study

4 year, 1 co-op

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See degree requirements.

Co-op/Career Opportunities

Photographers pursue careers in a wide variety of fields. Primary choices among Drexel graduates include journalism, illustration, fashion and advertising, and fine arts.

Positions

• Advertising Photography
• Editorial Photography
• Wedding Photography
• Fine Art Photography
• Fashion Photography
• Sports and Event Photography
• Art Director and Photo Editor at Magazines
• Curatorial Assistant at Photography Galleries and Museums
• Teaching Assistants in public schools
• Digital Technician and Retoucher

Visit the Drexel Steinbright Career Development Center page for more detailed information on co-op and post-graduate opportunities.

Program Level Outcomes

Photography Faculty