Overview

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography with Entrepreneurial Studies, offered by the Department of Art, provides students access to state-of-the-art facilities and prepares them to find their voices as artists, photojournalists and image-makers in traditional and emerging technologies.

Tyler Photography provides access to a wide range of faculty expertise, generously equipped photography studios and an interdisciplinary spirit, making it possible for all types of undergraduates to develop their skills as problem solvers and find pathways to meaningful expression and success. Whether students are interested in deep exploration of cutting-edge digital techniques, historic darkroom processes or incorporating methods from other artistic disciplines, Tyler's faculty offer personal guidance.

Tyler BFA students can take advantage of the school's location at a large research university in Philadelphia, a vibrant art center with a pioneering photography tradition, to find internships and jobs, explore museums and galleries, launch creative practices, start businesses and earn placements in competitive graduate programs.

Designed to complement the studio experience with tools to support a studio practice or pursue graduate studies, the Entrepreneurship coursework enhances students' career options. Graduates of this degree program will possess requisite business skills to support themselves as visual artists or entrepreneurs in art and related fields.

Each student moves from a common foundation curriculum that introduces materials and processes and prepares them for success in a range of fields of study. Those who select Art as their major will work side-by-side with majors in Visual Studies, Art Education and Art Therapy. The dynamic exchange of ideas that result from these interdisciplinary conversations spur intellectual risk and drive research-based creative concepts.

Upon graduation, students have the practical skill sets and honed aesthetic for successful careers in studio art, art education and design, as well as attend top-tier graduate programs.

Campus Location: Main

Program Code: TA-PHOE-BFA

Admissions

Admission to Tyler's Studio Art (Bachelor of Fine Arts) programs is based on a review of academic credentials and portfolio review. For detailed information on how to apply, please visit Tyler's Studio Art admissions page.

Study Abroad

Students who plan to study abroad should arrange to meet with their academic advisor and the Education Abroad and Overseas Campuses office as early as possible, preferably during the freshman year, in order to explore options and plan the sequence of courses that would be most appropriate.

Accreditation

Temple University is a non-profit accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). NASAD establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials for art and design and art/design-related disciplines, and provides assistance to institutions and individuals engaged in artistic, scholarly, educational and other art/design-related endeavors.

Contact Information

Rebecca Michaels, Program Head
Tyler School of Art Building, Room B030X
215-777-9226
rebeccam@temple.edu

Learn more about the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography.

These requirements are for students who matriculated in academic year 2023-2024. Students who matriculated prior to fall 2023 should refer to the Archives to view the requirements for their Bulletin year.

Summary of Requirements

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Photography with Entrepreneurial Studies may be conferred upon a student by recommendation of the faculty and upon the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 126 semester hours of credit with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00. All Photography with Entrepreneurial Studies majors must complete the General Education requirements.

  • Students must earn a C- or better in ART 2601 or ART 2603, and ART 2602 to enter the Photography with Entrepreneurial Studies major.
  • The required Junior/Senior Photography courses must be completed with a C- or better to fulfill major requirements.

The faculty encourages taking Photography courses in excess of the minimum required. These additional courses count towards required studio credits.

Major Requirements for BFA in Photography with Entrepreneurial Studies

Sophomore Prerequisite 1
ART 2601Photo I: Digital3
or ART 2603 Photo I: Digital
ART 2602Digital Imaging3
or ART 2901 Honors Digital Imaging: Seeing Photographically
Junior and Senior Requirements 1
ART 3601Color Photography I3
or ART 3608 Color Photography I
ART 3603Darkroom Photography3
or ART 3605 Darkroom Photography
ART 3604Photographic Lighting3
ART 3611Advanced Photo Workshop3
ART 3612Photo Process Workshop3
ART 3613Digital Photography3
ART 4601Senior Photography3
ART 4696Senior Seminar in Photography (WI)3
Specialized Photo Course
Select one of the following:3
Field Internship
View Camera
Digital Projects
Contemporary Photography
Special Topics in Photography
Entrepreneurship Courses
Select three of the following:9
Planning to Start Your Own Business
Entrepreneurial and Innovative Thinking
Lean Startup: Fast and Inexpensive Ways to Test and Launch Your Ideas
Launch a New Venture in 100 Days
Doing Well by Doing Good: Where Innovation and Entrepreneurship Meet Social Impact
Pitching and Funding Entrepreneurial Ventures
Special Topics - Strategic Management
Social Impact Internship - Work with Benefit/B-corps, Non-profits, or Multi-bottom-line Ventures
New Venture Internship: Learning to be a High-Value Employee, Manager, or Founder
Select one of the following: 23
Field Internship
Art Career Workshop (WI)
Professional Practices in Art (WI)
Art Careers Promotion
The Business of Design (WI)
Field Internship
Creative Cottage Industrialist
Rome Internship
1

The schedule of courses that are required for the Photography major is posted each semester on the Tyler Photography web site at https://tyler.temple.edu/programs/photography

2

These courses cannot fulfill both a requirement for the major and for this category.

Suggested Academic Plan

Please note that this is a suggested academic plan. Depending on your situation, your academic plan may look different. 

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography with Entrepreneurial Studies

Suggested Plan for New Students Starting in the 2023-2024 Academic Year

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallCredit Hours
FDPR 1511 Foundation Drawing 1 3
FDPR 1521 2D Foundation Principles 3
FDPR 1531 3D Foundation Principles/W 3
FDPR 1503 Woodshop Fundamentals 1
ARTH 1155
Arts of the World I: Prehistoric to 1300
or Honors Arts of the World I: Prehistoric to 1300
3
ENG 0802
Analytical Reading and Writing
or Analytical Reading and Writing: ESL
or Honors Writing About Literature
4
 Credit Hours17
Spring
FDPR 1512 Foundation Drawing 3
FDPR 1522 2D Foundation Principles 3
FDPR 1532 3D Foundation Principles/C 3
FDPR 1502 Investigations of Art and Design 1
ARTH 1156
Arts of the World II: 1300 to the 21st Century 1
or Honors Arts of the World II: 1300 to the 21st Century
3
IH 0851
Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life
or Honors Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life
3
 Credit Hours16
Year 2
Fall
ART 2601
Photo I: Digital
or Photo I: Digital
3
ART or GAD 2000-2999 Sophomore Studio Elective 3
ART or GAD 2000-2999 Sophomore Studio Elective 3
IH 0852
Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good
or Honors Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good
3
GenEd Quantitative Literacy Course GQ 4
 Credit Hours16
Spring
ART 2602
Digital Imaging
or Honors Digital Imaging: Seeing Photographically
3
ART or GAD 2000-2999 Sophomore Studio Elective 3
Select one of the following: 3
Planning to Start Your Own Business
Entrepreneurial and Innovative Thinking
Lean Startup: Fast and Inexpensive Ways to Test and Launch Your Ideas
Launch a New Venture in 100 Days
Doing Well by Doing Good: Where Innovation and Entrepreneurship Meet Social Impact
Pitching and Funding Entrepreneurial Ventures
Special Topics - Strategic Management
Social Impact Internship - Work with Benefit/B-corps, Non-profits, or Multi-bottom-line Ventures
New Venture Internship: Learning to be a High-Value Employee, Manager, or Founder
GenEd Breadth Course 3
GenEd Breadth Course 3
 Credit Hours15
Year 3
Fall
ART 3601
Color Photography I
or Color Photography I
3
ART 3603
Darkroom Photography
or Darkroom Photography
3
ART 3604 Photographic Lighting 3
Art History Elective WI 2 4
GenEd Breadth Course 3
 Credit Hours16
Spring
ART 3611 Advanced Photo Workshop 3
ART 3613 Digital Photography 3
Select one of the following (not previously chosen): 3
Planning to Start Your Own Business
Entrepreneurial and Innovative Thinking
Lean Startup: Fast and Inexpensive Ways to Test and Launch Your Ideas
Launch a New Venture in 100 Days
Doing Well by Doing Good: Where Innovation and Entrepreneurship Meet Social Impact
Pitching and Funding Entrepreneurial Ventures
Special Topics - Strategic Management
Social Impact Internship - Work with Benefit/B-corps, Non-profits, or Multi-bottom-line Ventures
New Venture Internship: Learning to be a High-Value Employee, Manager, or Founder
Art History Elective 3 4
GenEd Breadth Course 3
 Credit Hours16
Year 4
Fall
ART 4696 Senior Seminar in Photography 3
Specialized Photography Course 4 3
Select one of the following (not previously chosen): 3
Planning to Start Your Own Business
Entrepreneurial and Innovative Thinking
Lean Startup: Fast and Inexpensive Ways to Test and Launch Your Ideas
Launch a New Venture in 100 Days
Doing Well by Doing Good: Where Innovation and Entrepreneurship Meet Social Impact
Pitching and Funding Entrepreneurial Ventures
Special Topics - Strategic Management
Social Impact Internship - Work with Benefit/B-corps, Non-profits, or Multi-bottom-line Ventures
New Venture Internship: Learning to be a High-Value Employee, Manager, or Founder
Open Elective 3 3
GenEd Breadth Course 3
 Credit Hours15
Spring
ART 4601 Senior Photography 3
ART 3612 Photo Process Workshop 3
ART or GAD 2000+ Studio Elective 3
Select one of the following: 5 3
Field Internship
Art Career Workshop
Professional Practices in Art
Art Careers Promotion
The Business of Design
Field Internship
Creative Cottage Industrialist
Rome Internship
GenEd Breadth Course 3
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours126
1

These 2 courses constitute the waiver for the GenEd Arts category if the courses are completed with a C- or better.

2

Students selecting a WI course from the list of Tyler entrepreneurship courses may elect to take a non-WI Art History course.

3

Students completing a 3-credit Art History 2000+ elective must select a 4-credit open elective to reach the minimum 126 credits to earn the BFA degree.

4

Choose from: ART 3085, ART 3602ART 3606ART 3607, ART 3610.

5

These courses cannot fulfill both a requirement for the major and a requirement for this category.

Please Note: An approved study abroad program waives the GenEd Global/World Society (GG) requirement; however, these credits must be made up with academic coursework taken outside of Tyler departments to be in compliance with BFA accreditation. BFA majors interested in studying abroad should consult with an academic advisor to determine if a semester (generally spring semester of second year) or a summer program would be the best option to remain on track for graduation.