Founded in 1980, the Photocommunications major offers the opportunity to learn the history and application of photography and related media alongside teachers and students who share a passion for image making, all within a liberal arts environment. We are dedicated to helping students learn the conceptual and technical skills they need to succeed in this diverse and rapidly changing field.

Students become knowledgeable about the diverse field of visual communication through a carefully planned sequence of courses that ensure basic levels of competency in a variety of areas, including still black and white and color photography, video, digital imaging, studio applications and history of photography. Elective courses are offered in Documentary, Advanced Digital Imaging, Multimedia, and Digital Darkroom. Recent special topics have included Editorial Photography, Advanced Black & White Techniques, Alternative Processes, and Photographic Book Design. Students are further aided in the school-to-work transition by the required Senior Seminar, Senior Exhibition and Portfolio, and Internship courses.

We not only teach professional skills, but also examine the pervasive role of photography, video, and computer-generated images in contemporary society. Because the central theme of the Photocommunications major is to encourage awareness of the multitude of visual images and the diverse messages they encode, our courses can support any other academic program. Students majoring in other fields are welcome to minor in Photocommunications courses. In addition, several courses may be taken as electives by non-majors. We also encourage Photocommunications majors to minor in related fields of interest.

Transfer or New College students are required to submit portfolios for review by Photocommunications department faculty before registering for courses where transfer credit for prerequisites has been given. See course descriptions.