MA in The Photographic Image

Please note that the MA is suspended for Academic Year 2011-12. We still welcome enquiries about pursuing MAs by Research

The MA in the Photographic Image is unique in the UK. Based in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures, it is a research-oriented programme focusing on the critical and theoretical debates surrounding the photographic image. Its core module, a twelve-week programme, offers a historical perspective on key debates and trends in the field of photography theory, from the early interventions of Walter Benjamin and the semiotic approaches of Roland Barthes to more recent work on iconicity, affect and agency and the relationship between photography and memory. Students then work on a Dissertation worth 120 credits, in which they pursue a research topic of their choice in conjunction with a supervisor, drawing on the themes and ideas explored in the core module, and undertaking critical analysis of photographic material. The programme also offers training in research methods, including project management, bibliographic skills and presentation skills. Our students are part of a lively postgraduate community in the School, and benefit from membership of the Durham Centre for Advanced Photography Studies, which regularly organises workshops, seminars and international conferences.