MA/MFA Digital Photography

Explore contemporary and commercial photography and develop both practical and academic skills to enhance your existing practice.

Choose between the option of a Master of Fine Art (MFA) or Master's (MA), to find your ideal course.

Start your application

  • Starts:
    Feb 2026 Sep 2026
  • Duration: 1 year
  • Mode:
    Full-time
  • Fees:
    UK: £9,750 (MA) / £6,500 (MFA) International: £18,500 (MA) / £12,335 (MFA)

Why study this degree?

  1. Benefit from the university’s strong links to industry unique PSRB relationship with The Association of Photographers.
  2. Take a contemporary look at the relationship between photography and technology and the future of the digital image.
  3. Innovate your existing practice with the application of emerging technologies.
  4. Develop and enhance your skills within as a series of diverse projects with support from leading photographers and industry figures.
  5. Build an impressive body of work which showcases the breadth of your abilities.

On the MA/MFA Digital Photography course at Ravensbourne you will look at image making as a modern platform for communication and explore the role that technology plays in shaping the industry, both in the present and future.  

You will examine relevant media platforms and formats to explore the dissemination and distribution of the digital image.  

Your work will integrate traditional lens-based practices with the contemporary, delving into the likes of computational photography, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and augmented reality (AR). 

You will develop and enhance your skills within a series of diverse projects that run through the course. The variety of the modules will enable you to work within a commercial environment, utilise recognised strategies and workflows and create a body of work that showcases the breadth of your ability and potential. 

The course benefits from the university's strong industry reputation and a unique relationship with The Association of Photographers and Capture One Software. This will enable you to develop a professionally-led approach to your study and to gain a greater understanding of the various career pathways within contemporary photography.

The specifics

Entry requirements

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A lower second-class honours (a 2:2, or equivalent non-UK qualifications) or higher in a relevant subject, or an equivalent professional qualification in a related subject. You will also need to submit a copy of your Curriculum Vitae (CV)/Resume.

If you are applying directly from an undergraduate degree course without experience or professional practice, you must be able to demonstrate a good knowledge of your chosen subject area.

International

If you have international qualifications, please view our entry requirements per country. Along with your academic qualifications, you will also need to submit a copy of your Curriculum Vitae (CV)/Resume.

In order to be eligible for this course, you will need to be a competent speaker and writer of English. If you require a Student Visa you need to provide us with an IELTS or equivalent English language qualification, which demonstrates a minimum of 6.0 (with a minimum of 5.5 in each sub test) or CEFR Level B2 in each component. Please read the English Language requirements or contact [email protected] for more information.

Selection criteria

You will also be required to submit a portfolio for our MA/MFA Digital Photography courses - find out more about the requirements for these in the Interview and portfolio section below. 

We welcome suitably-qualified applicants who are able to demonstrate a good level of skills in areas associated with this subject. To get a holistic view of your ability and aptitude to succeed on the course, we will also consider your enthusiasm and interest in the subject area, how you manage the creative process, previous study and your professional skill-set.

Applications are welcome from a wide range of backgrounds and experience including from students who may not necessarily possess formal academic qualifications. It is important that applicants can demonstrate an aptitude for learning and continued professional development through a research-led approach. 

Interview and portfolio requirements

For MA/MFA Digital Photography, please show a selection of your best images showing your range and experiences.

Aim for between 19 to 21 images to show a varied and coherent selection.

Please provide this as an electronic PDF document, make sure to add your name and contact details and any text that might be relevant to introduce your images.

You can also add links to your website or Instagram page if you would like us to see a broader range of your work outside of this main selection.

Student work

Photo of cows in a shed taken by MA Digital Photography student at Ravensbourne University

Maria Kuciyanova

Student photo from MA Digital Photography course at Ravensbourne

Nikol Dehaan

Black and white profile photo of smiling woman with a rose in her hair

Nikol Dehaan

Portrait of woman in a white dress by MA student at Ravensbourne University

Yana Bogdanova

Black and white photo of a hand next to white dress by Ravensbourne MA photography student

Yana Bogdanova

Facilities available on this course

Staff in the Kit Store

Kit Store at Ravensbourne

As a digital student, you'll need access to equipment relevant to your course that will support your learning.

The Kit Store provides a wide range of equipment that students can borrow to complete their projects. Staff can also borrow equipment to deliver their practical sessions. 

It houses a wide range of equipment from industry standard manufacturers, including cameras, audio, lighting, and more.

Staff at the Kit Store are trained in various relevant departments and are available to give advice on all the equipment within the store, to help you realise your project.

Find out more.

Print shop at Ravensbourne University

Print shop at Ravensbourne University

Our Print Shop team will help you with all your printing needs. Whatever the size or material you want to work with, we can help. Bring your ideas up to scale with our large format printer and create printed designs for fabrics or textiles with our screen printing facilities.

Find out more.

 

Girl sitting in library

Library at Ravensbourne

The Ravensbourne University library has a large collection of print, online and multimedia resources available for staff and students to use.

Find out more.

woman sat working at imac suite

iMac suite at Ravensbourne

iMac suite at Ravensbourne University - ideal for design students and computing students.

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Student using the materials library

Materials library

The Ravensbourne materials library is curated by Material ConneXion, a business that introduces brands to the latest material innovations.

The materials scientists at Material ConneXion select innovative materials relevant to the courses at Ravensbourne and that reflect current trends in design and manufacturing.

Samples of these materials are then added to the library so students and staff can browse the physical collection for inspiration, material ideas and applications.

The library hosts 1,500 material samples and an interactive table for further research and access to the Material ConneXion database.

External visitor information

If you wish to come and see the materials library and have a short tour, please contact us to organise.

The materials library can be used by external students registered with the SCONUL access scheme.

Find out more.

Interested in this course?

How to apply