Diploma or Degree Photography course ?

S

sconie

Suspended / Banned
Messages
62
Edit My Images
No
Hi all, I am still learning my way around all the settings on my D90 and I am enjoying my hobby, however, I would like to take an academic course, to both enhance my personal learning and my understanding of photography and what I should be trying to achieve.

I have been reading through many posts on the courses available for distance learning and the two that seem to come out on top are the Institute of Professional Photography - http://www.inst.org/photography-courses/index.php

And the OCA (Open College of the Arts) BA Hons Photography Degree Course - http://www.oca-uk.com/about/ba-hons-photography-degree

I would love to be able to achieve a Degree, but the OCA course is a lot more expensive at around £4000 to Degree level, or Three modules at £600 each for a Certificate in Higher Education, or Five modules for a Diploma in Higher Education in Photography.

The IPP course only goes to Diploma level, but seems achievable within a year or so, and I have seen some Pro Toggers with the "Dip.Pro.Photo. (Ins.P.P.)" on their websites and it does look good, and unlike some on-line courses, it has been accredited by NCFE at level 4 as a recognized qualification, it only costs £500 and is probably popular for that reason.

What I would like to know is, are both the above courses "Diploma's" recognized as the same thing ?, and if I completed the IPP Diploma course, would the OCA recognize that qualification and count towards the full Degree if I should decide to pursue my education further ?.

I do hope to be able to turn semi-pro down the line and I would appreciate your opinions on the above courses (or any other's for that matter).

Many thanks.
 
Thanks for the reply, I have emailed the NCFE to ask if their qualification of Level 4 of the National Learning framework, is comparable to a "Higher Education Level 4 (HE4) which is the minimal transfer requirement for the OCA course, if it were then that would be good news, as I could then enroll on the IPP course first and if that worked out for me, I would have the option of enrolling with the OCA degree course and gain an "Accreditation of prior certified learning".

The only other thing I noticed on the IPP website, the also mention that their course is accredited by "ASET" to level 4, however ASET was taken over by EDI in 2007 http://www.aset.ac.uk/ so it seems a bit out of date, however if I can establish the worth of the IPP course I will sign up for it.

If anyone here can advise me if a qualification to Level 4 of the National Learning framework, is comparable to a "Higher Education Level 4 (HE4) I would be grateful.

Cheers
 
I have had a reply back from NCFE, it seems the IPP "diploma course" may not be recognised or accredited as a ‘qualification’ after all, reply below.

"Thank you for contacting us about the Photography course with the Institute of Professional Photography.

The Institute of Professional Photography has been accredited with NCFE’s Investing in Quality (IIQ) Licence which is designed to give formal recognition to an organisation’s bespoke programmes that fall outside the National Qualification Framework (NQF). The licence is based on a number of Quality Statements which provide a quality assurance framework for the development, delivery and evaluation of their programmes. We’ve mapped the Quality Statements to a range of standards: ISO 9001, Investors in People, EFQM, The Common Inspection Framework, The Matrix Standard; and Recognising and Recording Progression and Achievement (RARPA).

In summary, NCFE hasn’t accredited their course as a ‘qualification’ but through their IIQ Licence we do give formal recognition to their training/courses which result in the ‘award’ of a certificate of achievement.

There’s a wide variety of training providers offering bespoke courses that are accredited under the NCFE IIQ Licence and for all manner of training; be it to meet a particular requirement or because there’s no provision listed on the ‘National Data base of Accredited Qualifications’ (NDAQ) - here’s the link:

http://www.accreditedqualifications.org.uk/AdvancedQualificationSearch.aspx

The training providers who use the IIQ Licence for this purpose include; Beacon Award winning colleges, local authorities, charities and the emergency services; who are all able to recognise the valuable bespoke training undertaken by their people. Here’s a link to other IIQ centres so you can see for yourself:

http://www.ncfe.org.uk/Default.aspx?id=18782

NCFE does offer a wide range of qualifications which are nationally recognised by the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual) http://www.ofqual.org.uk/ but the aforementioned course is not one of them."
 
Hi Sconie

I'm replying on behalf on the Institute of Professional Photography.

First of all, I'm sorry for the reference to ASET. I've asked our web guy to update that to NCFE. My fault.

Moving on to your turning professional; yes the course focuses on helping you achieve that.

And if a student wants to go on to do a degree course, we're delighted to provide a transcript and reference. Most universities will accept the training as relevant prior learning and take you on as a student.

But the main aim of our training is to help you become a pro.

For anyone in your position who's looking for a course, here are some pointers:

- Decide what your goals are. To go to university? To become a professional? To take better pictures? These lead to different kinds of courses.

- If you want to do a course, ensure that it's accredited (which is itself a bit of a minefield)

- Make sure you get assignments that will build up your portfolio

- Ensure you're taught by a practising pro, someone who earns their living from their camera

And finally, some thoughts on becoming a professional:

- Concentrate of taking photos, and become critical of them. Most people don't take enough, and aren't self critical.

Strive to improve. Look at others' photos and emulate them.

Don't use study to procrastinate. If you want to become a pro, seek every opportunity to 'put yourself at risk' of finding clients and earning money.

Good luck.

Kit
 
Sconie, unless you're doing this simply for personal achievement, getting a qualification such as those mentioned will have no bearing on your ability to turn pro or semi-pro. Clients are only interested in the quality, consistency and integrity of your portfolio and business ethic. No course will provide that. Success in the photographic industry is down to your own dedication and creativity, but mostly down to your business skills and stamina.
 
I don't think you will generally get much support for doing a degree here. I am currently doing a BA(Hons) in photography and I cant stress how much it has benefited me. It certainly isnt just for 'personal achievement' for me, it is to make myself a career. If you have your heart set on being a wedding photographer then don't do a degree.

But a degree will give you so much more to think about and will expand your horizons. It will teach to become a critical thinker, a confident speaker and time to develop yours ideas, project and skill.

If you do decide to undertake the degree then be proactive, collaborate with other people, make use of the tutors contacts and advice. Go to exhibitions and find out what resources you can get access to.

But in the current climate it's a big decision so think carefully about what you want to get out of it.:thumbs:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top