Mission Statement

Our Mission is to provide students a quality photographic education in the area of technique, aesthetics, creativity and content, and historical and contemporary trends in photography.

We strive to provide both commercial, and fine art students, access to state-of-the-art equipment and technology, and to instill a strong sense of photographic history as well as grounding in current photographic theory. Digital and traditional approaches to the medium are explored as both represent the historic and current trends in the industry.  We believe the many aspects of fine art photography inform and improve commercial work and vice versa; this multi-disciplinary philosophy underlies most of our curriculum.

Photography has gone through significant technological changes since the development of electronic imaging.  Photography education in the 21st century must maintain relevance to meet the needs of contemporary students.  Photography instructors have an opportunity to create a dynamic new paradigm that blends the full spectrum of the photographic experience.

Program Description

Butte College�s Photography Program offers two areas of training for students interested in a career in photography: a major in Commercial Photography and a major in Fine Art Photography. Courses in digital and traditional photography provide a strong foundation for either career path.

While commercial photography classes� offer an emphasis in technique to enable students to create images to professional standards, fine art classes offer instruction in the manipulation of materials, creative expression, development of a personal esthetic and presentation in order to allow photographers to create a strong personal response to personal issues as well as those in the world around them.

However, we strongly encourage students to participate in both venues; since artists can benefit 
from strength in technique and a strong personal esthetic can give a commercial photographer the 
edge needed to be successful in their chosen career. This unique integration of the two areas of 
photographic expertise, often separated educationally, is one reason why the program is 
recognized by the community at large as one of the strongest and most diversified photography 
departments in Northern California.

Our courses are taught by experienced instructors with years of expertise and knowledge in both the commercial and fine art avenues of photography.  To continue providing excellent instruction in our diverse range of classes, two new associate faculty members have been recently added to our program.

Our course offerings are as follows:

AS DEGREE IN PHOTOGRAPHY� 60 units
The major consists of 26 units.
Changes: The required units for the AS Degree in Photography have been changed from 46 units to 26 units.  12 out of the 26 units are core classes (family of classes) with 14 additional units from other required courses for the major.  The changes in unit load will permit students to complete the major within one year.
The following four core courses are the photo family of classes: 12 units

PHO 2 Introduction to Photography � 3 units
PHO 4 Color Photography - 3 units (P) OR PHO 6 Black and White Photography � 3 units (P)
PHO 8 Commercial Photography - 3 units (P)
PHO 7 Stock Photography - 3 units (P)

Butte College photography classes also serve the rest of the college community since they are 
prerequisites for other areas of study: Art, Graphic Design, Telecommunications and the Media 
Services Program is representative. Many students have returned to inform us that an overall 
knowledge of photography was the skill that caused an employer to choose them over another 
applicant otherwise equally qualified for the job.


	

Student Learning/Administrative Unit Outcomes

Standards/Goals for Student Achievement (Instruction Departments)

The Photography program has been struggling since the FT faculty member in the program retired ten years ago. The program held steady for several years, but since 2016, it hasn't been able to grow its enrollment numbers, and its success rates of students has suffered. During the term of the previous Chair before his retirement, the Chair tried to change certain aspects of the program, but the courses that were added and deleted were not fulfulling the needs of the students. During the Camp Fire, the program took a hit, but the pandemic hit it hardest when the classes were sent to remote and online-only instruction. We had several faculty who stopped teaching, and we have had to bring on new faculty to teach in the past couple of semesters. We need full-time oversite, similar to other struggling programs without full-time faculty.

 

Standards/Goals for Student Achievement (All Other Departments)

Strategic Direction

We are trying to get the photography program and students to become more involved in the campus community so that our students help to create a culture of inclusiveness among the campus community and the Photo students.

Program Review

The Department Chair was not able to find the Program Review reports for Photography when he followed the link provided.  As I did not have responsibility for this Program at the time, and was not involved in their Program Review, we are unable to complete this section at this time. 

Department Goals

Future Development Strategies

Requested Non-Financial Resources

Current Financial Resources

Augmentation Requests