Photography Certificate

In this program, students learn the full potential of photography as a support to an existing practice, a professional career or a dynamic creative medium. After gaining fundamental skills, diverse projects and applications will be explored, including portraiture and architectural photography. Using traditional and experimental lighting and editing, students will create a wide variety of photographic pieces.

Program Goal

The Photography Certificate provides students with a foundation of photographic techniques, equipment and tools, and concepts that can be applied to their photography business and practice.

Students will work with a range of photographic methods, such as film and digital, and develop skills and techniques including composition, lighting and editing. Traditional and experimental processes are applied to various photographic subjects, projects and purposes. Through studio- and lecture-based courses, students will explore art history and critical theories of visual art as well as photography as a business practice.

Learning Outcomes

Students who complete the Photography Certificate should have the skills and knowledge required to:

• Employ diverse photographic technical and conceptual methods

• Use wide range of photography, lighting, editing, and printing tools, materials, and equipment

• Develop photographic and conceptual compositions
• Evaluate photographs in terms of conceptual, compositional, and technical strength

• Present and justify one’s photographs in art critiques

• Communicate ideas and opinions about photography

• Produce a comprehensive and curated portfolio of their photographic pieces

• Develop a business/professional practice plan that is aligned with goals

Program Duration

Students complete the Photographic Certificate at their own pace, registering in their required courses according to their own schedule and availability. Courses are offered over evenings and weekends allowing for part-time study.

Students must complete 360 hours of class-time. Courses range in length from 12 to 36 hours.

Assignments + Assessment

An assessment of the learning outcomes of each student is prepared by the instructor.

Student must achieve a Pass (P) grade in every required and elective course to be eligible for a Photography Certificate.

To receive a passing grade in each of their courses, students must:

• complete assignments, exercises, and activities to the instructor’s stated requirements;
• satisfy course learning outcomes.

Students can expect to spend a maximum of one hour completing homework for every hour spent in class. All assignments must be completed to the evaluative standard set by the instructor to satisfy the learning outcomes of the course and program.

Career + Education

Photography Certificate recipients can apply their education to a variety of careers and enterprises. Depending on the level of work they achieve and previous education and experience, they can pursue a range of opportunities, including:

• Photo Editor
• Commercial Photographer
• Product Photographer
• Creative Content Coordinator
• Visual Designer

Students can use artwork from their certificate program in an admissions portfolio to apply for a Degree in Fine Arts, Design or Media Arts here at ECU!

Course List

We strongly encourage students to complete courses in the recommended order given below to best support their student experience and success in meeting their learning outcomes. However, students can register in any course for which they meet the prerequisites. In the event of a conflict between the recommended course order and the prerequisites of our courses, please follow the prerequisites.

Course Format

Courses are offered either on campus or online.

Tuition Rates

Tuition ranges from $221.00 - $441.25 per course. See course pages for details.

To register in the required courses, students must be over the age of 18 at the start of their course, have proficiency in spoken and written English and should have completed Grade 12 or equivalent education. No previous experience in photography or the fine arts is required to begin the Photography Certificate.

No application is required - register online for courses now!