UAL Level 3 Award and Certificate in Photography
Course level: 3
Course code: Q1593
17/09/2026
Is this course right for me?
The UAL Level 3 Award and Certificate in Photography is designed to take your skills to the next level, helping you refine your style, work in more complex environments, and produce high-quality, professional images.
You’ll explore the full potential of the photographic medium, developing strong technical, conceptual and visual skills while deepening your knowledge of both contemporary and historical photography and graphic artists. Alongside specialist photography and digital imaging topics, you’ll complete creative projects that also build transferable skills relevant across the wider arts sector.
Teaching is delivered through a variety of approaches that balance creativity with technical ability, giving you the opportunity to expand your practice and experiment with new ideas. Our tutor is a practicing photographer which will bring current industry insight directly into the classroom.
Throughout the course, you’ll be supported to create a varied portfolio of work, preparing you for progression onto higher-level study or your next career step. You’ll also receive expert guidance on applications to further courses and careers in the creative industries.
City of Wolverhampton College is an approved centre for UAL Awarding Body Level 3 Diploma and Extended Diploma in Creative Practice: Art, Design and Communication (Photography Pathway).
Course details
Entry Requirements:
To access this course you are required to:
- Have a Level 2 qualification in photography OR
- Relevant knowledge and experience of photography
- Attend an interview and provide examples of your work to demonstrate your suitability for the course
In addition, the following would be an advantage:
- Basic knowledge of using Photoshop
- Your own digital SLR camera you can use during and outside of lessons, however if you do not have access to this equipment you will be provided with one to use during lessons.
What will I learn?
What skills will I gain?
By studying this course you will:
- Gain experience in the potential of still photography, both traditional and digital
- Learn location photography techniques where you will explore the basic principles of camera operation, lens selection, composition and visual imagery
- Learn studio based techniques where you will build on your current knowledge to further develop your skills and outcomes in the studio environment
How will I be assessed?
This is an assignment based course so there are no exams. You will be continually assessed throughout the programme and the course will culminate in a final project which will be graded as pass, merit or distinction.
What can I do next?
The skills you will learn from this course will enable you to:
- Enrol on our HND in photography
- Pursue further study in art and design or graphic design
- For hobbyists or those looking to develop new skills for personal projects, our part-time courses also offer a pathway into photography-related careers, including:
- Freelance Photographer (Portrait, Event, Commercial, Travel)
- Studio Photographer (Working in a controlled studio environment for various clients)
- Photo Editor/Retoucher (Editing and enhancing images for professionals or personal projects)
- Creative Director (Overseeing photography and visual direction in advertising or fashion)
- Content Creator (Generating visual content for blogs, websites, and social media)
- Photography Teacher or Workshop Leader (Sharing your skills with others through teaching or leading photography workshops)
- Videographer (Expanding into moving image creation for personal or professional use)
- Brand Photographer (Developing visual content and brand identity through photography)
Please note: City of Wolverhampton College reserves the right to close or not run courses if enrolment numbers are not educationally or economically viable. If this course is unable to run, you will be notified as soon as possible. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Future careers
Undecided on your future?
Our Future Finder tool can help you explore options and match them to our courses. City of Wolverhampton College partners with employers and leading universities, ensuring our qualifications are relevant and designed to help you succeed.
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