Photography, Minor
Our integrated approach to the discipline will help you secure a brilliant future in photography or a related field. Courses in the minor combined with the communication core and electives, provide a solid skills base on which to build a career in commercial photography. In advanced courses you will focus on the finer details of light manipulation, composition, darkroom technique, digital imaging, photo editing, and much more.
Requirements Accordion Open
University Requirements
A minor is earned in conjunction with a bachelor's degree.
To receive a minor (18 to 24 units) at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject matter areas with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0. At least 12 units of the minor must be unique to that minor and not applied to any other minor.
Overview Accordion Closed
Overview
In addition to University Requirements:
- Complete individual plan requirements.
Please note that you may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
No more than 50% of the units used to satisfy minor requirements may be used to satisfy major requirements.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 18 |
| Major GPA | 2.5 |
Purpose Statement
The Minor in Photography combines the practice of creating images digitally or on film through industry-based software and exposure to studio lighting and on-location field instruction.
Coursework provides students a theoretical and technical sequence of instruction to professionally create, print and display photographic work; work in varied lighting situations; critically analyze photographic art; and experience Field location or Studio courses.
Photography minor graduates will leave this program with exposure to photographic communication in corporate, conceptual and editorial industries.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will:
- Demonstrate working knowledge of industry standard business practices in commercial, fine art and editorial disciplines by:
- Competitively pricing products and services
- Competently negotiating fees and agreements with clients
- Handling image rights and model releases
- Developing profitable business and marketing strategies
- Selecting the best technology for each photographic project
- Produce photographic work that is consistent with high professional standards. Students will:
- Solve creative and technical problems that include project parameters and modeled client expectations
- Make creative decisions that optimize conceptual impact, cohesiveness and memorability of created images
- Demonstrate working knowledge of metering, lighting ratios, color compensation and digital workflow.
- Create works in a variety of lighting situations including: available light; studio lighting, both electronic and continuous; and location lighting. This will include but not be limited to the fields of advertising, public relations and print media.
- Articulate in verbal and written form the key technical, formal and conceptual issues in their creative work and the work of others.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the historical, political and social context in which photographic images are created and viewed.
- Critically analyze and evaluate examples of photographic art, and revise their work based on faculty and peer critiques.
Details Accordion Closed
Details
Minor Requirements
- Take the following 18 units, with minimum GPA of 2.5:
- PHO 100, PHO 200, PHO 300, PHO 303 (12 units)
- Choose one course from: PHO 110, PHO 302, PHO 304, PHO 305, PHO 306, PHO 307, PHO 310W, PHO 400, PHO 401, PHO 402, PHO 403, PHO 404, PHO 405, PHO 406, PHO 407, PHO 409 (3 units)
- Choose one course from: ARH 257, CMF 135, CMF 382, COM 101, CST 111, CST 151, STR 307 (3 units)
You must maintain a grade point average of at least 2.5 for all courses required in this minor. Be aware that you may not enroll in 300- or 400-level courses in photography or graduate with a minor in photography if you don’t maintain this standard.
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also take. For prerequisite information click on the course or see your advisor.