Resource Center: Schools

Salt Institute of Documentary Studies, Portland ME 
Clearly committed to the documentary process, Salt is that rare institution that offers photographers, filmmakers and audio artists an ”interdisciplinary, experiential and intensive” documentary program. By combining disciplines that most schools would split into different academic departments, the Salt (based in Maine) has created an unusual, and clearly successful, program that integrates various communication mediums. Following their own stylistic inclinations, students train in the art of gathering cultural documentation, shaping the material into a story and disseminating it. The finished work of undergraduate and graduate students is shown at the Salt Gallery, published in Salt Magazine and sometimes aired on Maine Public Radio. The site’s “outreach” section displays the impressive caliber of former and current student work.

Stony Brook University’s School of Journalism
Founded in the 21st century, Stony Brook University’s School of Journalism program prepares students for the realities of cross-platform multi-media journalism, framed by the traditional standards of excellence and integrity in the work of defending the public interest (the legendary Washington Post reporter and Watergate investigator Carl Bernstein is on the faculty). It is a program that seems to be tailor-made to address the challenges and opportunities of 21st century journalism. 

Speos 
The Paris-based photography school pioneered a cutting edge program of trans-Atlantic photo courses with the Rochester Institute of Technology (R.I.T.), and the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), while offering a comprehensive photography curriculum to levels from college level students to established professionals. Building on its international reputation, Spéos exports, among other things, its exclusive darkroom teaching system (Stop-System) and imports international students for its Studio, Fine Arts and Photojournalism programs - not to mention their summer workshops in Paris. Because it is both a leader in advancing new photo technologies and has also been a vital part of the rediscovery of one of photography’s pioneers, the French inventor Nicephore Niepce, Spéos is important presence on the French photo scene.

Swansea Metropolitan University
Swansea Metropolitan University in Whales has shaped its undergraduate photojournalism program to ground students in the time-honored practices of social documentation and reportage while preparing them for the rapidly changing landscape in this field. The three-year program covers material from introducing the social document to a dissertation and final exhibition of student’s personal projects.

The British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP) 
As a professional body for UK photographers, the British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP) trains, supports and confers its official qualifications on photographers who train with them. BIPP offers a mentoring program for emerging photographers, advocated for better copyright protection, and its site provides a detailed search engine to help clients connect to qualified professionals. 

The New York Institute for Photography 
The New York Institute of Photography calls itself the world's oldest and largest photography school. Founded in 1910, the NYI is certainly venerable for its age, and as a purveyor of distance courses in photography, the NYI claims a student body of more than 20,000 world-wide. The Institute offers a general class in the practical aspects of digital and film photo called “Professional Photography,” as well as digital photography classes, all of which are supported by audio and visual material. Students stay connected to school through correspondence, NYI’s podcast and e-zine. 

Toronto Image Works Institute – Photoschool 
To mix digital and photographic business with digital and photographic education is certainly unusual, but this Toronto-based company seems manage both tasks very well. From its converted factory space, the institute offers customers processing, printing and framing services while providing students with options from evening continuing education classes to a one year intensive program of “Photoschool.” It even offers a generous scholarship in honor of Edward Burtynsky, TIW founder and renowned environmental photographer.

University of Bolton School of Arts, Media and Education 
The University of Bolton, England, offers a post-graduate course in international photojournalism, documentary or travel photography that combines theory and fieldwork. Students get to chose between taking the class in Bolton, England or in Dalian, China (!).

University of Hartford MFA in Photography
This is an international limited residency program that takes students to major art production centers such as New York and Berlin, giving established photographers and students working to deepen their craft an important opportunity to connect to the international art scene. The program focuses on photography as art, documentary and photo-based books.

University of Missouri – Photojournalism 
The University of Missouri could sell the merits of its comprehensive photojournalism program simply on the strength of its graduates’ portfolios. In fact, the school’s site features a collection of excellent student work in a variety of photo-related media, giving us a sense not only of the program’s scope, but also the level of student achievement. The University also boasts the Angus and Betty McDougall Center for Photojournalism Studies, an education and research oriented photojournalism archive, as well as the Missouri Photo Workshop and the College Photographer of the Year and International Photo of the Year competitions. 

University of Texas at Austin 
The photojournalism program at the University of Texas at Austin focuses on how to communicate with photography. There are many ways of course, but here the accent is on working with the techniques and styles of photography for, among others, newspapers, magazines, public relations, advertising, long-term documentary work, and artistic and personal expression. The UT’s Documentary Center hosts a gallery of excellent student projects, which it supports as well as offering professional experience to UT students. 

University of Wales – Newport 
The University of Wales at Newport describes its course as a combination of the traditional practices of photojournalism with the ever-changing possibilities of new media. The program touts its roster of international visiting lecturers, fellows and graduates and has a solid record of student success in international competitions and a list of high profile work based internships at organizations such as Magnum, Newsweek, The Sunday Times Magazine, The Guardian and Observer. There are also ties with the European Centre for Photographic Research, which is also based within UW’s School of Arts, Media and Design. 

Vision Project – Education Services 
The source of a lot of outstanding documentary work, Vision Project describes itself as an organization dedicated to the development of documentary photography, investigative journalism, multimedia and education. VP has crafted a series of seminars, lectures, workshops, full semester courses, and study abroad programs that aim to give people the skills to create the sort of images that effectively document reality and create positive change. These programs are used by a variety of different organizations and institutions, and Vision Project also has a number of ongoing initiatives, such as an annual six-week program that teaches visual literacy through digital photography and journalism to high school students in White Plains, New York.

Western Kentucky University 
Western Kentucky University’s Potter College of Arts and Letters offers a documentary photography major, with a curriculum designed to prepare students to produce content-driven images for paper and electronic publications. The site lists the many achievements of its graduates, including Pulitzer Prizes and National Press Photographers Association Photographer of the year.