Entry requirements
There are no formal entry requirements for this course. It is suited to pupils wishing to expand their portfolio or learn essential skills in photography.
Why take this course?
The National Progression Award (NPA) in Photography is designed to develop your knowledge and understanding in practical photography, and is aimed at those who may want to explore their interest in the subject and perhaps progress to more advanced studies at a later stage.
The content of the course will promote your confidence in everyday photography skills, in particular focusing on gathering and selecting images, identifying key components, labelling and storing digital files and mounting and presenting final images. You will use simple automatic camera functions to capture high quality images, and work with peers to evaluate your work.
What you will experience
The content of the course will allow you to develop a range of transferrable skills in digital literacy, communication, organisation and planning. You will work towards the following units:
- Understanding Photography
- Photographing People
- Photographing Places
- Working with Photographs
Throughout this course, you will learn to understand artistic concepts including colour and mood, style and posing, technical approaches and lighting, as well as skills relating to management, editing, storage and the filing of digital data.
Teaching will take the form of lecturer-led discussions and presentations, and you will have access to appropriate software and hardware in the College’s computer studios. The course is very practical so you will have space and time to develop your skills in a hands-on setting.
You will be provided with feedback on your images via unit assessments. Evidence to support assessment will be gathered throughout the course, on a continuous basis.
Key Facts
Everything you need to know about applying for this course.
What you will need
You will be required to have an A3 layout or sketchpad and a 4GB memory stick. Access to a camera is highly recommended.
Opportunities
Whether you wish to progress in your studies or enter the world of work, North East Scotland College has excellent progression opportunities, with links to eight universities across Scotland and great relationships with industry employers.
Education at NESCol
Upon successful completion of this course, you may be able to progress to one of the following full-time courses at North East Scotland College:
University
Successful completion of this course can help to support portfolio development for those who aspire to complete further creative studies at degree level.
Employment
You may find a variety of entry-level job opportunities available in the wide-ranging creative industries upon successful completion of this course.
Student Stories
Katherine Martin
Art, Design & Photography
HND Contemporary Art Practice
“Coming to College turned out to be the best decision I could have made. I grew in confidence, and it really prepared me for university.”
Read more about Katherine's story
Amanda Charteris
Art, Design & Photography
HND Textiles
“I’m living proof that it is never too late to follow your dreams. I’m amazed at how far I’ve come in such a short time and studying at NESCol really gave me the confidence to go on to university.”
Read more about Amanda's story
Nora Bandyopadhyay
Art, Design & Photography
HND Textiles
“Never stop learning. Life is what you make of it. When you grow older, your priorities change. I decided to follow my heart and I am so much happier learning and being creative.”
Read more about Nora's story
Iain Cridland
Art, Design & Photography
HND Photography
“Coming to NESCol couldn’t have worked out better for me – I’m enjoying the experience, getting a qualification and have found related employment, I can’t recommend it highly enough.”
Read more about Iain's story
Bryan Campbell
Art, Design & Photography
HND Visual Communication
“I’m a huge champion of the College and the value of practical courses they offer. My time there undoubtedly contributed to the career I have today and there is a large alumni of talented creatives working in agencies and freelance both locally, nationally and indeed globally who started out from NESCol.”
Read more about Bryan's story
Regan Gray
Art, Design & Photography
HND Textiles
“NESCol is a great college – it has a really relaxed atmosphere and is in a great location. It was so easy to get to after dropping my son off at nursery, and the lecturers are so encouraging and involved.”
Read more about Regan's story
Hannah Bisset
Art, Design & Photography
HND Photography and HND Visual Communication
“I didn’t really enjoy the subjects I learned at school, so I think the best part of studying at college was being able to choose what I wanted to study. I was able to gain knowledge in something I was extremely passionate about which made a huge difference.”
Read more about Hannah's story
Jo Reynolds
Art, Design & Photography
HND Photography
“The lecturers have got such diverse photography experience and they love sharing their own experience and work they’ve done… We really get a chance to sample all aspects of photography at NESCol. I also really like the facilities. The college has got their own studios, they’ve got so much different equipment, and they’ve got a dark room. So I get to experience all those things without buying the equipment.”
Read more about Jo's story
Diane Shearer
Art, Design & Photography
HND Fashion & Textiles
“I was so nervous about starting College and felt uncertain about my abilities but NESCol completely changed that. I loved the course, learned so much from my lecturers and it gave me a new found confidence. It’s not easy at times being a busy Mum and juggling study but I have proven I can do it. When I started at NESCol I would never have believed I’d end up studying at a prestigious art school and firmly believe that my time at College has given me an advantage in coping with the demands of a degree. I’d say to any parents out there who feel they want a second chance at education to go for it and grab the opportunity with both hands, it really can change your life. “
Read more about Diane's story
Lynn-Marie Duncan
Art, Design & Photography
HNC Art and Design
“I am really enjoying experimenting with mixed media especially textiles”
Read more about Lynn-Marie's story
Applications
This course is only available to pupils in S4 to S6 across Aberdeen City, giving pupils the opportunity to experience life as a College student whilst staying on at school.
Please note, applications for schools courses must be submitted by a member of school staff.
You can apply for a place on this course by completing an online application form, which you can access using the ‘Apply Online’ button. Once completed, this will be received by our Admissions Team who will then process your application.
Aberdeen City Campus
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Starts 03 Jun 2024
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Duration 1 year
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Day Monday and Wednesday
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Time 2:00pm - 4:00pm
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Course Code PCNPH-L234A
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