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HND Photography

Course details

Table with course details
Qualification name BTEC Higher National Diploma in Photography
Qualification level 5
Awarding organisation Pearson Education Ltd (Formerly EDEXCEL)
Learning method Classroom based
Course type Vocational Technical Qualification
Course hours Full-time
Course start date 6th September 2027
Cost £7,995.00
Attendance pattern Daytime

Discover the learning experience and opportunities you can expect from this course.

This programme develops your technical and creative skills across both digital and analogue photography, including studio lighting, post-production, visual communication and professional practice. You will work in specialist facilities such as our black-and-white darkroom, industry-standard digital suites and dedicated photography studios. Throughout the course, you will refine your personal style and visual language while exploring contemporary debates around the social, political and economic contexts that influence photographic practice today. The programme supports you in building a strong, industry-ready portfolio and developing the critical understanding needed for a successful career in the creative industries.

Find out what qualifications and skills you will need for this course.

Applicants should hold a minimum of 80 UCAS points from A Levels, Level 3 Diplomas, a combination of Level 3 Certificates, or an Access to HE Diploma, plus ideally a portfolio of your previous photographic work if you have one. Mature students with relevant life or employment experience will also be considered. Equivalent international qualifications are considered on a case-by-case basis.

View the key features of this course.

Higher National Diploma (HND) in Photography (this is equivalent to the first two years of a bachelor's degree). You can then apply and acquire a bachelor's degree by completing the final year at a university.

Understand how the course will be delivered.

Units for Level 5 . Professional Practice (ongoing) . Applied Practice collaborative Project (Pearson-Set) . Advanced Photographic Studies . Moving image . Photojournalism . Commercial Photography

Find out what material you will need.

Students on the HND would also benefit from having their own DSLR camera for the duration of the course. If students do not have one at the start of the course the college library has a handful that can be borrowed for a week at a time (7 days). Students will also need to provide their own stationery and research files (such as a sketchbook or A4/A3 document folder).

Career options include Freelance Photographer, Studio Photographer, Photo Editor, Content Creator, Visual Artist, or Creative Media Assistant. Graduates of this programme also often progress to top-up degrees in Photography or Visual Communication at external universities.

Table with course venue details
Name Woodhouse Lane Campus
Address Woodhouse Lane
Bishop Auckland
County Durham
DL14 6JZ
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