The top-ranked college photography program in the United States according to U.S. News and World Report is found at Yale University. The program in New Haven, Connecticut is a two-year graduate program of study that takes on just nine new students each year. The school has darkroom, studio and computer facilities for educational use as students study black-and-white and color photography as well as non-silver processing and working with digital images. Student's work undergoes an ongoing review by a panel of faculty and artists to evaluate performance and work towards improvement.
Yale University School of Art
1156 Chapel St.
New Haven, CT
203-432-2600
art.yale.edu/StudyAreas
The combination of theory and technical execution provide a solid foundation of the study of photography at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago. For students studying photography, the curriculum provides training and a basis for understanding both digital photography and traditional darkroom processing and analog photography. The focus is not just on shooting and developing photos, but on conceptualizing the shot. Beginning and intermediate classes stress concepts and basic skills, while advanced classes mix more one-on-one instruction and self-directed project work.
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
37 South Wabash Ave.
Chicago, IL 60603
312-629-6100
saic.edu
The Rhode Island School of Design is ranked in a tie for third among the top photography schools in the United States. RISD students study how photographic images are made, presented and interpreted. Students majoring in photography learn multiple approaches to photography. Film processing and darkroom printing is the starting point, followed by a study of digital capture and imaging for multiple output options, from high-end printing to display on the Internet. While many of the technical skills studied translate to careers in advertising, fashion or editorial photography, the educational focus is geared towards a lifelong engagement with photography as an art.
Rhode Island School of Design
Two College St.
Providence, RI 02903
401-454-6300
risd.edu/photo.cfm
Rochester Institute of Technology is the other school tied for third on the U.S. News and World Report list. The School of Photographic Arts and Sciences offers seven programs of study in the history, aesthetics and technology of photography. Students can specialize in career-oriented photography for advertising or prepare for a career in photo journalism. They can also study imaging technology. RIT teaches the latest trends in digital photography, but also provides its students with a background in analog photography.
Rochester Institute of Technology
One Lomb Memorial Drive
Rochester, NY 14623
585-475-2716
cias.rit.edu