Frequently Asked Questions

Many of our alumni are exhibiting artists, documentarians and photojournalists, commercial photographers, photo editors, designers, new media developers, computer programmers, cinematographers, teachers, arts administrators, writers, and curators. We also have many alumni who have become publishers, doctors, social workers, fundraisers, and community organizers as well as start their own businesses. We can certainly point to many big successes, and we are pleased to say that a majority of our students are working in a variety of positions related to photo-based image-making. Please see our Alumni section as well as our blog for more details. 
We offer a Business of Art course for our juniors and seniors to introduce them to the many possibilities of earning a living. Typical jobs for students soon after graduation include freelance photo and video assisting, working for magazines and photo agencies as editorial assistants, working as teaching artists in community-based settings, engaging in paid internships at museums and other non-profits. Many of our students go on to pursue graduate degrees at the top universities. We have a very active alumni list serve where job and exhibition opportunities are posted.
 Every spring the department holds Senior Portfolio Reviews where graduating seniors meet with an exciting range of reviewers ranging from curators, photo editors to commercial agents (many of whom are alumni) to discuss their work. Past reviewers have included Photo Editors fromThe New York Times, TIME magazine, Traveler magazine, Vogue magazine, The Daily Beast, and Aperture as well as curators from galleries and museums.

Everyone wants our students as interns. The range of internships is quite broad and are dependent on the student’s pursuits. In general, our student interns assist artists, commercial photographers, photojournalists, photo editors, filmmakers, and writers as well as work at magazines, galleries, non-profit arts agencies, and production houses.
The Tisch Office of Career Development also reaches out to students starting the summer before their freshman year, and hosts events for students and alumni throughout the year. More information can be found at: www.nyu.edu/tisch/career. While most of our students intern through the department, internships are also available through the Office of Career Development.



Admission is a holistic process. Academic achievement and creative potential are equally important.  However, in general, the portfolio is weighted approximately 50% of your admissions application. Students must meet both the general University admissions criteria, as well as our Department’s requirements, and be competitive both academically and artistically. We also offer a Portfolio Review Day for prospective students. Portfolio Review Day is held annually in October in conjunction with Tisch Open House events. Please contact the Department for more information. 

Our Summer High School focuses on using photo-based image-making for communication, creative expression, and personal exploration. Students gain the visual and verbal vocabulary to further articulate their interests in relation to creating and discussing imagery. Taking full advantage of the creative communities in New York City, students embark on photographic expeditions and visit major museums, galleries, and artist’s studios. 


Our spring Future Imagemakers program is a participatory photography project offering free digital photography classes for 9th-11th graders taught by NYU faculty and students  to NYC high school students from all 5 boroughs and nearby New Jersey. Future Imagemakers is part of the Tisch Future Artist Program.


Students who participate in the Summer High School Program or the Future Imagemakers program really get an inside look and a chance to connect to our Department as they are in our facilities and interact with our faculty, staff, current students and alumni.  While we don’t automatically grant privilege to a student who has participated in our high school offerings, those students are on our radar. In addition, at the completion of the program, the faculty creates very detailed evaluations of each student that will stay with them should they apply. 

We invite you to take a tour of the Department of Photography & Imaging, led by our students, to explore our facilities. We offer tours Monday-Friday at 11am and 3pm for 45 minutes.
The tour is designed to give a quick overview of our darkrooms, labs, library, and studios and provide a glimpse into the daily life of a Photography student.
 After the tour, prospective students are invited to meet with one of our department administrators for more information on our curriculum and portfolio requirements.

Please note that this tour is not included as part of the general NYU Campus tour. To book a campus tour, please contact the NYU Welcome Center.
 To book a tour of the Department of Photography & Imaging, please send an email to tischphoto@nyu.edu, or call the department at 212-998-1930.

We conduct informations sessions during two Tisch Open Houses for freshmen applicants and their parents in September and October. Open House programs offer you the most comprehensive visiting experience: you will have access to our Admissions, Financial Aid, and Student Life offices, and to our faculty, students, and administration, including the dean of students for the Tisch School of the Arts. Please contact the Department if you are interested in attending one of these special sessions. You can also check the NYU Open Houses page for more information.


In all Tisch undergraduate departments, students may choose to pursue a second major in another division of NYU and in some cases within Tisch. In particular, double majors within the College of Art & Science (CAS) work well with our program. Most can be completed in four years. The Department of Photography & Imaging (DPI) remains the primary department, students work closely with their advisors from both departments to make sure they’re on track to graduate on time. Application for a second major should be made after the freshman year has been completed. Common double majors among DPI students include Art HIstory, Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, Critical and Social Analysis, Political Science, Journalism, Economics, and Middle East Studies. CAS courses taken for a second major also count towards general education requirements.
 Generally, students are not permitted to take on more than one production major within Tisch (i.e. double majoring in any combination Photography & Imaging, Film & Television or Recorded Music is not permitted). Different combinations of double majors within Tisch (i.e. with Cinema Studies and Dramatic Writing) are granted to exceptional students who have demonstrated strong academic and artistic work in their current major. They must also pass the creative review of the intended double major.


Yes. Minors are available in many of the Tisch Departments and throughout other divisions of the University.
 Tisch offers some special minors such as Producing, Documentary, Performance Studies, and Game Design. Access detailed information about other Tisch minors.  

In addition to the fields listed within double majors, DPI students minor in Media and Communication or Studio Art in the Steinhardt School or the Business minor in Stern.
 A Minor in Critical Studies in the Department of Photography & Imaging is available only for students majoring in Photography & Imaging. Requirements for completion of the Minor in Critical Studies is completion of an additional 16 points (4 courses) of Critical Studies, within a guided field of study of the student’s choice.

The curriculum is designed to allow the student flexibility in selecting a course of study that reflects his or her interests and objectives. Courses taken to satisfy distribution requirements in liberal arts are taken in the College of Arts and Science or in the Tisch School of the Arts. Electives may be taken in any school except the School of Professional Studies. Since most advanced courses in Photography and Imaging have one or more prerequisites, programs of study should be planned and courses selected carefully. The most important thing is for students to be in touch with their advisors about their plans each semester.