Established in 2004 and building on the photography program founded in 2002, the Department of Photography is a Provincial Outstanding Program during the Twelfth Five-Year Plan period and a National First-Class Undergraduate Program. Rooted in fine arts and centered on "Oriental Visual Arts," the department operates at the forefront of media globalization—consistently focusing on the exploration of photographic language as art, innovation in visual aesthetics, and the articulation of image-based cultural meaning. It is dedicated to cultivating photography artists with refined technical skill and a spirit of experimentation. The faculty currently comprises 6 full-time members (1 professor, 4 associate professors), with one distinguished appointed visiting professor who is also the President of the French SIPA Press.
In 2025, the department formally introduced a "bipolar teaching" system—a pedagogical approach that consciously places classical photographic processes and AI-generated imaging at opposite ends of the temporal, material, and operational spectrum, bringing them into dialogue, juxtaposition, and cross-fertilization. This system fully leverages the documentary nature of photography's foundational medium, expands its experimental possibilities, and explores its varied integration with technological platforms—fully realizing the function and value of image-based practice in visual culture research. Under this framework, the department offers four specialized tracks—Neo-Documentary, Experimental, Moving Image, and Commercial Photography—each engaging with the tensions between these two poles through distinct lenses of social narrative, visual experimentation, moving image, and fashion and commercial practice.
Curriculum Structure
The first year is grounded in foundational disciplinary training, guided by a forward-looking, open, and pluralistic educational philosophy. Teaching is delivered through thematic, group-based modules that integrate study and practice across form, design, and foundational theory. The second year centers on specialized instructional units emphasizing diversity and inclusivity, helping students build a comprehensive grounding in the core concerns of the discipline. The third year employs modular courses and group-based project training as core pedagogical vehicles, introducing students to the concepts and methods of photographic creation and helping them develop the perspective of a creative practitioner. The fourth year is oriented toward practice-driven graduation projects, accompanied by a formal creative report (thesis), with encouragement for cross-disciplinary, technology-related, and career-oriented project work that builds connections with the industry and informs future professional planning.
