Overview

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography, 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.

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-PHOT-BFA

Concentration

Students may complete an optional Concentration in Art Education.

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 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 majors must complete the BFA curriculum and General Education requirements.

• Students must earn a C- or better in ART 2601 or ART 2603, and ART 2602 to enter the Photography major.
• The nine 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

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.

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

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

¹

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

²

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.

³

Choose from: ART 3085, ART 3602, ART 3606, ART 3607, ART 3610, ART 3796.

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. Photography 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.

Art Education Concentration

The Bachelor of Fine Arts with an optional Concentration in Art Education, offered by the Department of Art, is one of two pathways at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture to earning art teaching certification in Pennsylvania and becoming a teaching artist. Students may also become certified teachers through the Bachelor of Science in Education in Art Education.

Tyler offers students seeking a BFA degree an opportunity to earn Pennsylvania Teacher Certification in Art, K-12. The BFA with Art Education Concentration combines Tyler's art curriculum with approved courses in education and the liberal arts—all with Tyler's uniquely urban, community-based approach.

Offering students access to the resources of both a world-class art school and a large, public research university, Tyler's undergraduate Art Education programs prepare students to become thoughtful art teachers with the extensive knowledge and skills to teach kindergarten through twelfth grade.

Tyler students take full advantage of the school's location in Philadelphia and the city's rich array of schools, communities, museums, galleries and artists, opening up opportunities for artistic growth, research, networking and jobs.

The Tyler faculty is committed to urban art education and the power of collaborating with communities. Tyler students don't just learn how to teach art and grow as artists—they learn how to affect positive change in the communities where they work.

Students must complete BFA requirements along with a three-year sequence in Education and Art Education that begins in the sophomore year. Typically five years are necessary to fulfill all requirements. Students work with both the Art Education faculty advisors and the Tyler academic advisors regarding completion of requirements.

Campus Location: Main

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.

Licensure/Certification

Teacher certification is the process used in the US to ensure that prospective K-12 teachers are qualified and prepared to teach at the levels and in the subjects that they intend to teach. Certification in Art Education prepares graduates to teach art to students from K-12. Certification is not always required by private institutions, but some may prefer to hire certified teachers.

In order to become certified in Art Education, students must complete a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education, pass the Praxis exams required in their state of employment, and satisfy other state-licensing examinations, as applicable.

Temple University is a Pennsylvania state-approved teacher preparation program for K-12 Art. Completion of Temple University's Bachelor of Science in Education in Art Education or Master of Education in Art Education with Teaching Certification satisfies the necessary requirements for graduates to sit for the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators, Praxis Subject Assessments, and Praxis Fundamentals.

For certification in some states, students may need to take the Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) exam for their desired grade levels, which they are prepared for through their field placements, classroom observations, and study of human development and pedagogy.

https://www.education.pa.gov/Educators/Certification/BecomeAnEducator/Pages/ACPSpecialty.aspx

Admission

Admission to Tyler's 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.

Contact Information

Renee Jackson, Program Head for Art Education
Tyler Building, Art Education and Community Arts Practices Suite B090C
215-777-9258
renee.jackson@temple.edu

Summary of Requirements

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.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with the Art Education Concentration may be conferred upon a student by recommendation of the faculty and upon the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 155 semester hours of credit with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.

University Requirements

All Temple students are required to complete the General Education (GenEd) curriculum.

• Successful completion (minimum C-) of FDPR 1511 and ARTH 1156 satisfies the GenEd Arts (GA) requirement.
• Successful completion (minimum C-) of EDUC 2109, SPED 2231, and TESL 3631 satisfies the GenEd Human Behavior (GB) requirement.

• Summer or semester study abroad will satisfy the GenEd Global/World Society (GG) requirement.

BFA with Art Education Concentration Requirements

ARTE 2001, ARTE 3096, ARTE 4003, ARTE 4088, and ARTE 1001 must be completed with a C or better to fulfill concentration requirements.

Students must earn a minimum grade of C- in required College of Education coursework and additional mathematics requirement to fulfill concentration requirements.

Students in the BFA degree with the Art Education Concentration are required to take a Ceramics studio course and an additional studio course in Glass, Metals/Jewelry/CAD-CAM, or Fibers and Materials Studies; a Painting studio course and an additional studio course in Painting or Sculpture; a Printmaking studio course and an additional studio course in Photography or Graphic Design. These courses may include prerequisite, sophomore, and/or studio courses within the student's chosen BFA major.

Any BFA student who wishes to pursue the Art Education Concentration must arrange to meet with the Art Education faculty advisor to discuss field placement, clearances, and requirements, as the state of Pennsylvania may change requirements after the Bulletin information has been posted. It is strongly suggested that students do so during their freshman year.

¹

Students waived from General Education requirements via placement test (GW) or study abroad (GG) must make up the credits with electives to reach the minimum 155 credits to earn the degree.

Suggested Academic Plan

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

BFA with Art Education Concentration (Five-Year)

¹

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

²

These 3 courses constitute the waiver for the GenEd Human Behavior category if the courses are completed with a C- or better. 

³

Students need to complete either a 4-credit Art History 2000+ elective or a 4-credit second Mathematics course to reach the minimum 155 credits to earn the BFA degree with Art Education Concentration.