Msc.Photography

Continuing studies in photography are aimed at furthering the student's creative and intellectual development, deepening their knowledge and talents with regard to their individual focus and abilities. The Master's degree emphasizes intensive, deep and concentrated work on one's own education in close cooperation with teachers and leads students to the ability to reflect in the creative and theoretical field. The program encourages curiosity, an authorial approach with a deeply cultivated morality, honoring all things human, fosters discussion and a respect for other points of view while maintaining one's own integrity. It develops the ability to work with feedback, positive criticism, and dialogue as essential tools for the reflection and expansion of the creative personality and its work for the benefit of society.

A graduate of the Master's program in photography is a complex, independent and creative personality and potentially, a successful visual artist. They are equipped with the knowledge, skills and competences that make them capable of creative independent or team work, reflection on their own work, critical thinking in relation to the use of a wide range of media, especially photography and technical images. They can approach visual art and visual culture from a theoretical, historical, technological, social, and/or philosophical perspective. In addition to developing their talents and acquiring additional knowledge, the student refines their awareness of the role of the artist in society, deepens their attitudes and opinions based on a humanistic outlook, takes an active interest in the pressing problems of the contemporary world and society, and creates or joins platforms that help solve these problems. Based on an understanding of existing systems, it seeks positions from which systems can be reflected and changed.

Expertise Graduate Degree:
- Understands contemporary concepts and theories of photography and technical images;
- Understands and can use research methods from the social sciences and humanities for the purposes of their own creative activity, in particular the issues of artistic research;
- can characterize contemporary trends in visual arts and media culture;
- is able to reflect critically and theoretically on their own work, which they can place in the context of art history and the contemporary art scene;
- is familiar with the ways in which exhibitions, galleries and festivals operate

Professional skills
Graduates of the programme:
- Can creatively use a wide range of expressive means of technical images (especially photography and moving image);
- have craft skills in historical photographic techniques, classical photography and new media that can be used in their own creative work;
- can produce art projects and presentations using knowledge and skills of graphic design (e.g. gallery installations, exhibition catalogues, books, web presentations, social media);
- can work in creative teams with other artists, graphic designers or researchers from different fields of scientific knowledge;
- can create coherent artistic presentations at a high professional level;
- can create and use artistic strategies that reflect and transform established forms in a visual way, allowing for innovation and modification;
- can present and self-promote their creative output;
- are able to collaborate with curators, theorists and art critics; are prepared to actively enter the art practice;
- can realize art projects in the role of curator or artistic director of exhibition projects; can apply themselves within art-social platforms such as festivals, publishing houses, galleries, agencies, etc.

General competencies
Graduates of the programme:
- can participate in cultural and social events;
-are able to work in a team (e.g. film crew or art-research teams);
- are able to lead and prepare a sustainable programme for smaller organisational units, such as the organisation of periodic visual arts festivals, outreach campaigns, publication of professional periodicals, programme management of galleries;
- can initiate artistic projects, can integrate their work into contemporary exhibitions, and can seek opportunities for collaboration in European art and research projects;
- are able to carry out long-term work of their own related to authorial and artistic research;
- are capable of a deep-dive in to the understanding of different cultures with which they may engage in a constructive dialogue

The purpose of the admission procedure is to test the applicant's ability to further develop their talents, theoretical knowledge and professional skills. The candidate applies for admission to the Master's programme by submitting an application form and a Master's project with compulsory theses.

The admission procedure is two-rounds. In the first round, the committee will assess the submitted homework without the presence of the applicant. The second round consists of the following parts: a test on art history and theory and a general cultural overview; a conceptual assignment on a given topic; an interpretation of the homework; and an interview during which the applicant will explain their motivation and vision for the study.

The admissions committee assesses the applicant's talent and knowledge requirements for study by means of a score with a minimum threshold. The Admissions Committee will propose applicants who have met this threshold to the Dean of FAMU for admission to study.

For admission to the Master's degree programme at the Department of Photography, the applicant shall submit:

1) an exhibition of 8-12 photographs representing the applicant's work
2) a mock-up of an original photographic publication
3) a set of 8-20 photographs or an intermedia project in the field of visual arts on any topic (different from the photographs submitted in the previous sets - point 1 and 2)
4) a master's project that includes:
- the title of the project
- a description of the project
- the chosen media, scope and justification for the choice
- an image attachment (sketches, sources of inspiration, visualisations)
- the timeline or how long the applicant intends to work on the project
5) a motivation letter which includes
- basic biographical information and data about their previous activities and studies
- a selection of one of the studios of the Department of Photography and justification.
- the applicant's idea of their studies, how they want to fulfill their studies, in which direction or fields they want to supplement their knowledge, what kind of internships they plan to participate in, how they plan to structure their studies, etc.

The admissions committee assesses the applicant's talent and knowledge requirements for study in the form of a score with a set minimum threshold. The Admissions Committee will propose applicants who have met this threshold to the Dean of FAMU for admission to study.

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