Graduate programs in History of Photography/arts entrepreneurship

**Scott Davis** · 9-Mar-2007, 13:49

Ed -

I know I can make images without a degree. Been doing that for fifteen years now. The advantage of the degree would mean certain jobs would open themselves up (like the teaching jobs aforementioned), and while in the degree program, I would have a relatively uninterrupted opportunity to produce work, promote said work, and so on.

**davidb** · 9-Mar-2007, 14:04

University of New Mexico is consistently in the top 3 photo grad schools. I believe they tie with Yale and RISD. Also, if you are a resident, you can get a MFA in photo for under $20,000. And I am not kidding. They accept 5 students a year and I think they get about 100 applications.

Check out the program. UNM is a great school and Albuquerque is a decent place to live.

**Struan Gray** · 9-Mar-2007, 14:08

There was a write up of the Sotheby's programme in one of the Swedish mags recently. Allowing for the element of advertising from the Sotherby's end, the message was that the course was aimed at people who wanted to work at selling and exhibiting photography, not making it. Ideal for those who wanted to become agents, curators and dealers. They also emphasised that the course is deliberately intensive: students should not expect much time left over for personal work.

**Scott Davis** · 9-Mar-2007, 14:26

I will be attending the Sotheby's open house in New York in a week and a half. I'll let you know the vibe I get from it when I get back. It will be interesting regardless. I know I may not have much time for making images while in school, if I go down that road. Working in this program though could also open doors for my personal work after graduation, since I will have spent the last year and a half networking with gallery owners in the major European art centers (the Sotheby's photo program is only offered in London).

**Kirk Gittings** · 9-Mar-2007, 15:22

David, For studio (not what he was asking about here) the top three have included UNM and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with the third varying for 25 years.

**yuexiachou29** · 3-Feb-2013, 11:15

so where did you end up with?

**Scott Davis** · 4-Feb-2013, 13:40

I ended up not going anywhere. The Sotheby's program, while very interesting, would have required me to relocate to London, and the financials didn't work out. I later investigated MFA programs at RISD, Tyler, and MICA. I did not get in to any of the three - I think the ideas I was interested in looking at would have gotten me in school in the early '90s, but today they're passe.

**Lenny Eiger** · 6-Feb-2013, 14:00

Originally Posted by Walter Calahan

"but they have NOTHING on photography there"

Tell that to Dr. Michael Fried at Hopkins.

http://webapps.jhu.edu/namedprofesso...fessorshipID=8

He's writing a book on Photographic History as we type. He just gave a lecture at the Baltimore Museum on Jeff Wall and Stephen Shore.

This is a perfect example. I am sure many people think a lot of this person. however, I read his book, or about as much as I could stomach, and I can say that my opinion, without reservation, is that this man actually knows nothing about photography. I am as unimpressed with Jeff Wall as anyone could be, or that Mr. Fried highlights his good friend a little too much in this book.

(That's probably another thread... not in the resources forum...)

I know nothing about Hopkins and its program... however, what I would say is that whether or not you agree with my assessment, Photography programs vary in what they will expect you to learn. The way you choose a program is to look at the top two or three people in charge of the department and see if they have anything to add to your understanding. I would never go to that place, as I disagree very strongly with Mr. Fried. If you are in general agreement with him, by all means, go there. You can add his distinctiveness to your own, as the Borg would say, or vice versa.

Simply put, look at who is teaching, and make a decision on that basis.

Lenny

**Scott Davis** · 6-Feb-2013, 20:50

Hopkins does not have a photography program. Dr. Fried is in the Humanities Center, which is the criticism, theory and interdisciplinary studies department. There is no fine art program at Hopkins - if you are there and want to get a BFA, you'll transfer to MICA. I know Dr. Fried - he was for a semester my faculty advisor (not by my choice) when I was there. And he's one of those professors who really doesn't care much about undergrads. But if you want to study the THEORY of photography, Hopkins is as good a place to go as any. It's a brilliant program for critical thinking and cultural studies. Just don't think you'll DO any photography; you'll write about it instead.

**paulr** · 6-Feb-2013, 21:22

Thanks for posting, Scott. Interesting. In your research did you come across the Photo History yahoo group? I go there every once in a while when I have a question that's too arcane for any of my regular friends (or a google search). A lot of PhDs there.