Study options

Photography - Art and Media, Master of Arts (Art and Design)

A photograph has an all-piercing force in society and culture, impacting individuals, communities and nations alike. In our image-saturated world, the significance of a powerful photograph hasn’t been lost. If anything, artists and photographers with something to say are needed now, more than ever before. As a student at Aalto University, you will be part of an ambitious and professional community and a learning environment, allowing you to develop your artistic practice and enhance your conceptual and critical thinking.

Please note! No intake in 2024. Next planned intake in 2025.
Lada Suomenrinne: Iđitguovssu, 2021 (yksityiskohta teoksesta)
Lada Suomenrinne: Iđitguovssu, 2021 (detail of an art work)

Degree:

Master of Arts (Art and Design)

Application period:

1 Dec 2022 – 2 Jan 2023

Language of instruction:

Finnish
English
Swedish

Duration:

2 years, full-time

Eligibility:

Relevant Bachelor's degree

Field of study:

Art and Design

Credits:

120 ECTS

Organising school:

School of Arts, Design and Architecture

Tuition fees:

For non-EU/EEA citizens, €15000/y (Master’s studies) Read more

Applying to master’s programmes

Description

Please note! No intake in 2024. Next planned intake in 2025.

A photograph has an all-piercing force in society and culture, impacting individuals, communities and nations alike. In our image-saturated world, the significance of a powerful photograph hasn’t been lost. If anything, artists and photographers with something to say are needed now, more than ever before. As a student at Aalto University, you will be part of an ambitious and professional community and a learning environment, allowing you to develop your artistic practice and enhance your conceptual and critical thinking.

The Photography major offers diverse and inspiring studies in the fields of contemporary photography and artistic research. The studies place emphasis on photography as an independent and multidisciplinary expressive tool and seek to develop students' artistic and research-orientated thinking.

Graduates of the Photography major will be able to:

  1. work on the highest level of national and international contemporary photography and art, utilising techniques, tools and materials, working methods and theoretical concepts that support their artistic practice
  2. apply various kinds of presentation and installation practices of photography in connection to national and international publishing processes, platforms and audiences
  3. practice their critical understanding of the diverse functions and specific characteristics of the photographic medium
  4. position and contextualise their own work, and practice and operate equally, sustainably and insightfully in their professional fields of contemporary photography, visual arts, media and culture and as active citizens in the society
  5. critically assess and use various kinds of source material and apply research-related reading and writing methods to their own qualitative and artistic research
  6. build on their field-specific theoretical backgrounds, contribute to photography-related academic discussions and pursue doctoral studies
  7. acknowledge the integrity of art and value it as a foundational element of cultures and communities

Language of instruction

The teaching in the Photography major is conducted in Finnish and English. Students may write their master’s thesis in Finnish, Swedish or English.

Tuition fees and scholarships

Aalto University’s tuition fee for master’s programmes taught in English is 15 000 euros per academic year. Tuition fees apply to citizens of countries other than those of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.

Aalto University has a scholarship programme to support non-EU/EEA citizens who study in a fee-charging degree programme. The scholarship may cover 100% or 50% of the tuition fee.

More information on tuition fees and scholarships at Aalto University is available at the Scholarships and Tuition Fees webpage.

Structure of studies

Overall, the Master’s Programme in Art and Media – Photography comprises a total of 120 ECTS. The two-year studies include professional, artistic and research-based courses and are composed of workshops, lectures, seminars, independent projects and their personal supervision. As a student, you may also supplement your major studies with courses offered by other majors and programmes or with social science, humanities or technical studies at other universities.

In the Photography major, we will support your personal expression and provide a theoretical foundation for understanding contemporary photographic phenomena. Our broad range of courses include elective workshops on e.g. practices of documentary photography and contemporary art, various working methods and themes, studio practice, moving image, and new directions of photography.

More information on the programme content and curriculum can be found in the Student guide.

Master's Programme in Art and Media

Specialisations

Within the Photography major, you can specialise in documentary photography, contemporary art, or academic research.

Internationalisation

Our Master’s students come from different parts of the world and the majority of our intermediate and advanced studies are taught in English. Participating in an international student exchange during the studies is also supported and recommended. During the studies, it is possible to apply for international residency programmes and workshops, and present one’s portfolio to professionals within the field.

Students’ works gain visibility in exhibitions and photography publications in Finland and abroad. The students also have the opportunity to explore current international research at the biennial Helsinki Photomedia conference.

Apart from the studies, student life among Photography students is very welcoming and active. New students can join Aalto University’s student unions that provide different activities, events and other opportunities to balance studies with free-time fun.

Further study opportunities

Completion of the MA degree makes a graduate eligible to apply for doctoral studies, for example in the School of Art, Design and Architecture at Aalto University.

Career opportunities

The goal of the Photography major is to help our students to discover their own strengths and to create opportunities for success in a continuously changing and developing field. Our major offers excellent opportunities for working in the fields of photography and contemporary art, and we have become well-known thanks to a number of our internationally recognised alumni. A Master of Arts degree also allows the graduates to apply for further studies leading to a Doctor of Arts degree.

Master’s degree studies provide you with the skills needed in a diverse range of positions, and graduates of the major often combine different tasks in their work. Examples of possible professions include:

  • Photographer
  • Visual artist
  • Photojournalist
  • Photo editor
  • Photography instructor
  • Publisher
  • Curator
  • Researcher

Research focus

Photography research reflects the many roles that photography has in contemporary culture and the ubiquity of photographic practices and technologies. The research areas include:

• the theoretical and empirical study of photographs and photography as research objects

• study of the uses and applications of photography in various social, cultural and educational contexts and media environments

• the use of photography as an artistic research practice.

Co-operation with other parties

Students can supplement their studies with, for example, courses from other Aalto schools, programmes, and majors, or courses in social sciences, humanities, or arts offered by other universities.

The studies include collaboration with organisations, institutions, and enterprises in the fields of photography and contemporary art.

Study-option-specific Admission Procedure and Evaluation Criteria

Applicants meeting Aalto’s general eligibility criteria for master's studies are evaluated and ranked according to the evaluation criteria decided in advance for each study option. The applications to Master’s Programme in Art and Media - Photography major are evaluated based on the following criteria:

Phase I

Artistic and/or design practice  
Assessed area

Examples of artistic work, e.g. projects, publications, exhibition documentations, series or single photographs or other works of art

Admission requirements

We expect our applicants to present high-quality well-focused portfolio. We also expect applicants to have artistic insight and development potential as well as to be goal-orientated and able to adopt new perspectives and working methods

Method of demonstrating competence

Portfolio

Suitability  
Assessed area Applicant’s further suitability to the study option, motivation and commitment for studies, communication skills

Admission requirements

Applicants are expected to have strong motivation, good co-operative skills and capacity to commit to full-time studying. We also require a profound critical understanding of photography as a medium and culture, and ability to reflect own personal artistic insights

Method of demonstrating competence

Motivation letter

Other areas of competence  
Assessed area

Work experience and other acquired knowledge and achievements, e.g. publications and exhibitions, non-formal education, competitions

Admission requirements

Artistic and professional content and overall structure of the curriculum vitae

Method of demonstrating competence

Curriculum vitae

Phase II

Suitability  
Assessed area

Applicant’s further suitability to the study option, motivation and commitment for studies, communication skills

Admission requirements

We require good skills in analytical reading and written expression as well as ability to critically reflect on conceptual questions related to photography.

We also expect our applicants to have a good understanding of the photographic medium and culture as well as personal artistic insight

Method of demonstrating competence

Second phase assignment

Suitability  
Assessed area Applicant’s further suitability to the study option, motivation and commitment for studies, communication skills

Admission requirements

We require good verbal communication skills and co-operative skills. We also expect our applicants to be able to respond field-specific questions and communicate a good understanding of the photographic medium and culture, as well as personal artistic insight

Method of demonstrating competence

Second phase interview

Evaluation process of the applicant

The applicants are first evaluated based on Aalto’s general eligibility requirements. Applicants meeting the general eligibility criteria for master's studies are evaluated and ranked according to the evaluation criteria decided in advance for each study option.

The selection process for those who meet the general eligibility criteria comprises of two phases: 

Phase I

In Phase I, the applications are evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Suitability/Motivation letter
  • Artistic and/or design practice
  • Other areas of competence


Only the applications which fulfill the requirements and are ranked highest in the preliminary evaluation will be invited to the second phase in the selection process.

Phase II

In Phase II, the evaluation is based on the following criteria:

  • Suitability/Assignment
  • Suitability/Interview

Part of the applicants are invited to the second phase. The invitation to the second phase is sent to the applicants at latest 7 days in advance.

In the second phase of the admissions procedure, applicants complete an assignment within the given time. The assignment can be written or visual and is based on the provided material. Applicants who are invited to the second phase will be informed about any required equipment individually.

The second phase also includes a 20-minute interview.

The interview and assignment are carried out remotely.

Final selection


After the evaluation conducted in Phase II, the best applicants will be selected based on the joint evaluation from Phases I and II.

Study-option-specific documents requested

The documents requested from all applicants are listed here (https://www.aalto.fi/en/study-at-aalto/applying-to-masters-programmes). In addition, applicants to this study option are requested to provide the following study-option-specific documents:

Motivation letter

Applicants provide a written motivation letter (max 4,000 characters, single PDF file) explaining why they wish to apply to the major in question, what their particular areas of interest in this field are, and what their objectives and hopes are regarding the studies at the School of Arts, Design and Architecture. Applicants should specify their personal strengths and areas of interest, artistic visions and objectives.

Lack of this application document will adversely affect the evaluation of the application.

Portfolio

The applicant’s name, address, phone number and the major applied for must be clearly visible on the first page of the portfolio. The recommended size of the portfolio is 20–30 pages, and it must be uploaded to the system as one (single) PDF file. A link to a portfolio on the applicant’s website is not sufficient.

The portfolio may consist of photos of individual artworks, sets of artworks, and documentation of exhibitions. The portfolio must convey the applicant’s previous artistic, professional and/or academic activity in a focused and comprehensive manner. The applicant may also submit one link to a video file (e.g. Vimeo, YouTube) with or without password protection as parts of the portfolio. The maximum duration of the work is 5 minutes (an edited file presenting one or several works). The possible password must be provided in the portfolio.

The title and/or theme of the work, the method of production, the material used, the size, the purpose and the year of completion and, if applicable, the place where the work was exhibited, displayed or published must be mentioned for each work.

Maximum size of the Portfolio is 1.0 GB. Name the file Portfolio-lastname-firstname.pdf.

Lack of this application document will adversely affect the evaluation of the application.

CV

The applicant’s curriculum vitae (single PDF file) with personal data, educational background, work experience, exhibitions, published literature and articles, awards and grants, study trips and positions of trust must be attached to the application.

Lack of this application document will affect the evaluation of the application.

Language of application documents

The application documents must be submitted in Finnish (Swedish) or English.

Applying to master’s programmes

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Contact information

Learning services of the School of Arts, Design and Architecture

For enquiries regarding programme-specific application documents or studies in the programme, please contact Aalto ARTS Learning Services.

[email protected]

Admission Services

For enquiries regarding the application process, obligatory application documents or English language proficiency, please contact Admission Services.

[email protected]

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