School of Photographic Arts and Sciences
School of
Photographic Arts and Sciences
Overview
The School of Photographic Arts and Sciences molds imaginative visual artists, practitioners, and technologists through its programs that explore the depth and scope of contemporary imaging practices today and into the future. A more than 93 percent job placement rate demonstrates the programs’ career-focused curriculums that prepare students for success in a variety of fields, including biomedical photography, photojournalism, advertising, media design, moving media, and much more. Here, photography is taken to ambitious levels to create an environment where innovation flourishes. Our prominence derives from professional courses of study as well as a one-of-a-kind educational community that consists of critically regarded faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, an unmatched repository of equipment, and co-operative education and internship opportunities.
With a legacy more than 100 years in the making, the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences is critically regarded as an educational leader in the professional study of photography and its multiple practices. The school’s high rankings from leading college guides, industry leaders and internationally respected publications include the MFA in photography and related media's No. 6 position U.S. News and World Report’s ranking of graduate photography programs. The school also recently received a $3.5 million gift from alumnus Chance Wright — which is being used for facilities renovations that will allow RIT to continue growing as one of the world's premier education and research centers in contemporary image creation.
Charles Arnold Lecture Series
The school's signature lecture series brings speakers with experience, talent, insight and discovery to the creative and intellectual culture of RIT in honor of Professor Charles Arnold's contributions to the Photo School and the wider world of photography.
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Fully equipped studios for students to utilize, creating a professional environment for photoshoots.
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More than 200 elective and core courses are offered at the undergraduate level.
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Eleven photography alumni have combined to win 15 Pulitzer Prizes.
Latest News
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July 14, 2021
![artist rendering of student lounge space with tables and chairs.]()
College of Art and Design’s renovation kicks into high gear
The project is part of a five-year masterplan that has already begun to renovate, rejuvenate, and transform spaces to meet the growing demands for a college that serves as the RIT’s creative hub at the intersection of technology, art, and design.
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June 30, 2021
![An intimate portrait of DMX.]()
Faculty's Def Jam photos celebrate new, legendary artists
Clay Patrick McBride recently photographed new rapper LaTheGoat while his archived portraits of DMX are being used to promote the late artist's posthumous album "Exodus."
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June 16, 2021
![protestors overturning a car in a street at night.]()
Alumnus joins ever-growing list of RIT graduates to win Pulitzer Prize
Evan Vucci ’00, a chief photographer for the Associated Press in Washington, D.C., helped the AP photography staff win the Pulitzer Prize in breaking news photography for a collection of photographs from multiple U.S. cities that cohesively captures the country’s response to the police killing of George Floyd.
Featured Work
Portrait Photography Light
Students
Below is a selection of images created by Advertising Photography and Visual Media students for their final assignment in senior lecturer Clay Patrick McBride's Lighting Control and...
Capstone Experience
The RIT Photojournalism capstone experience is a year-long experience where seniors research, develop and execute an in-depth story. Main photo by Eakin Howard '21.
Photo Editing Project
This compilation of past Photojournalism student work was gathered and edited by seven former students in the program.
Featured Profiles
Photojournalism Capstone Project
Julia Popowych ’21 (Photojournalism) details her capstone project experience, which culminated in a documentary about K-12 learning during COVID-19. The Photojournalism senior capstone project is a...
Multimedia Storytelling
As a photojournalist for a major daily newspaper, David Wallace ’01 Photojournalism Option (Photographic and Imaging Arts BFA) has produced compelling stories honored with prestigious awards.
Imaging Technologies Expert
After graduating, Paul Reichert '01 (Imaging and Photographic Technology; now Photographic Sciences) joined the Photography and Television (Photo/TV) Operations group at NASA Johnson Space...
Undergraduate Programs
The photographic and imaging arts BFA program (with options in advertising photography, fine art photography, photojournalism, and visual media) promotes the creation, editing, and presentation of images in still, moving, and multimedia formats. The photographic sciences BS program (with options in biomedical photographic communications and imaging and photographic technology) prepares students for careers in healthcare and at scientific, forensic, and imaging technology companies.
Graduate Programs
Students in the photography and related media MFA program study fine art practices with the goal of nurturing artistic individuality through extensive study of art practice, criticism, and aesthetics. The program is a professional two-year course of study in fine art photography, digital imaging, and moving media. In the 2016 U.S. News & World Report rankings, RIT was fourth nationally among graduate schools offering the fine arts specialty of photography.
In the media arts and technology MFA program, you will learn to leverage emerging technologies to your advantage. With a management focus, technical expertise, and comprehensive knowledge of how to drive the graphics process from concept through completion, you will be an attractive prospect in a wide range of industries, including education, engineering, marketing, research science, human resources, public relations, and more.
