Photographic Sciences BS - Curriculum

This course will provide an immersive introduction to the field of the photographic arts. It will emphasize both craft and visual problem solving. The course will explore: seeing and appreciating the quality of light, image capture, photographic vision, historical and contemporary genres of photography, best practices and workflow as well as an introduction to the critique forum and its practices. (Co-requisites: PHPS-106 or equivalent course.) Critique 2, Lecture 1, Lab 3 (Fall, Spring).

This course is the second of a two-semester sequence of study further enhancing photographic practices. Emphasis is on improving photographic skills learned in Photography I. Skills include studio lighting, lighting on location, and macro photography. Principles of creativity, craftsmanship, and applied photographic theory will be used to support technical applications. (Prerequisites: PHPS-101 or PHAR-101 or equivalent course.) Lab 3, Studio 3, Lecture 2 (Spring, Summer).

The course Photographic Science Fundamentals will introduce the application of physics, mathematics, and optical science behind the processes of photography. The course also provides the students with the opportunity to employ statistical data analysis to identify trends through laboratory exercises utilizing principles of scientific inquiry. Lab 3, Lecture 2 (Fall).

This is the second course in a two-semester course based in the study of the technology of photography, with emphasis on applications to real world photographic problems. Among the topics studied will include color vision, Munsell color system, CIELAB system, color theory, color management, digital color balance during post-processing, digital tone reproduction, and digital workflows. (Prerequisite: PHPS-106 or equivalent course.) Lab 2, Lecture 2 (Spring).

RIT 365 students participate in experiential learning opportunities designed to launch them into their career at RIT, support them in making multiple and varied connections across the university, and immerse them in processes of competency development. Students will plan for and reflect on their first-year experiences, receive feedback, and develop a personal plan for future action in order to develop foundational self-awareness and recognize broad-based professional competencies. (This class is restricted to incoming 1st year or global campus students.) Lecture 1 (Fall, Spring).

4D Design introduces students to the basic concepts of art and design in time and space. The course explores elements of moving images such as continuity, still and moving image editing, transitions and syntax, sound and image relations, and principles of movement. Computers, video, photo, sound and lighting equipment are used to create short-form time-based work relevant to students in all majors and programs required to take this course. The course addresses the both historical conventions of time in art and recent technological advances, which are redefining the fields of Fine Art and Design. In focusing on the relations between students' spacing and timing skills, 4D Design extends and supplements the other Foundation courses, and prepares students for further work with time-based media. (Undergraduate Art and Design) Lab 5 (Fall, Spring).

The first course of a two-semester sequence that will develop photographic skills and approaches required in scientific photography. The course will develop scientific methods required for standardized imaging. Appropriate subjects including contact lenses, rice grains and other challenging, nearly invisible objects will be explored. Students will investigate unique illumination techniques in order to reveal a subject’s unusual characteristics. Techniques including polarized light and fluorescence reveal what cannot easily be observed without specialized photographic imaging and image processing. In addition, the course will expose students to ethical problems encountered in scientific imaging including managing and processing digital data. (Prerequisites: PHPS-102 or PHAR-102 or PHAR-161 or equivalent course.) Lab 3, Lecture 2 (Fall).

This is the second course in a two-semester sequence that explores new and different photographic skills and methods useful in scientific photography not covered in Scientific Photography I. Appropriate subjects will be explored in each of the various assignments designed to develop methods used in various scientific applications. Students will investigate new ways to reveal a subject's characteristics such as imaging with ultraviolet and infrared revealing what cannot be observed without photographic imaging and image processing. The course will expose students to the processes required to produce scientific research as well as scientific posters. (Prerequisites: PHPS-201 or equivalent course.) Lab 3, Lecture 2 (Spring).

This course will explore the anatomical structure, function, and physiology of the human eye and brain and their relationship to vision, color, visual perception and imaging systems. The biology and physiology of the eye and psychology of visual perception will be explored. The concepts of depth perception in human vision as they relate to both two-dimensional and three-dimensional contexts will be examined. Relationships of image brightness, contrast and how visual processes lead to seeing will be addressed. Lecture 3 (Spring).

This required course will investigate advanced photographic technology, with an emphasis on the study of the components of photographic imaging systems. Geometrical optics, color management, printing technologies and video standards will also be studied. Working in a lab environment, students will evaluate how technology can be optimized and where its limitations might be found. (Prerequisites: PHPS-107 or equivalent course.) Lab 3, Lecture 2 (Fall).

Media Technology explores the design, production and delivery of instructional media and marketing materials used in various industries. Students will plan and produce the content for media projects that integrate video, audio, still images, interactivity, two-dimensional animation and video. The course also explores the technology and production techniques involved in delivering digital content today. Additionally, the course will provide an introduction to basic instructional technology concepts that influence design, development and assessment decisions. The focus of classwork will be the production of media used in support of training and marketing activities commonly found in corporate, governmental, industrial, and scientific communities. (Prerequisites: FDTN-141 or equivalent course.) Lab 3, Lecture 2 (Spring).

Cooperative Education will provide photographic and imaging technologies students with hands-on experience in their field, directly related to a student’s major with an established studio or related business. Students will need to apply for co-ops, and interview as part of the selection process, based on available positions posted by the Co-op and Career Services Office, or found through the students’ own research. In programs where co-op is a degree requirement, students must obtain permission of their program or graduate director prior to enrollment. Co-ops are typically paid work experience, and can be part-time (150-479 total hours within the term), or full-time (480+ hours within the term). Co-ops may be one or two consecutive terms - fall, spring, or summer – with department permission. (This course is restricted to students in PHIMTEC-BS.) CO OP (Fall, Spring, Summer).

This course will introduce students to programming as a data visualization tool and a programming language (Python). Students will learn the various capabilities of the language and how it can be used to rapidly prototype solutions to various imaging-related problems. As these solutions are developed, fundamental concepts of programming and data structures will be introduced. (Prerequisite: PHPS-211 or equivalent course.) Lab 3, Lecture 2 (Fall).

This course covers the principles and fundamental techniques in writing digital image processing algorithms and computer programming techniques that are used in implementing said algorithms. Topics covered will include color space transformations, basic image manipulation, and spatial and frequency manipulations. (Prerequisite: PHPS-331 or equivalent course.) Lab 3, Lecture 2 (Fall, Spring).

This course is the first of a two-term sequence designed to begin work on a major student project. The topic will relate to an aspect of the photographic sciences, including but not limited to photomicrography, image testing and quality, ophthalmic imaging, color, or other relevant topics. In this course, students will conceive and design a long-term project or experiment, including a proposal, description, goals, timeline, resources, and funding (if necessary). The student will work to construct and refine the proposal, and will identify a faculty advisor if needed for the execution of the project in PS Capstone II. The class sessions will focus on project planning and provide in-progress discussion of proposals. The project will be completed during the second semester (PHPS 402 – Photographic Sciences Capstone II). Projects will be student initiated within an individual’s area of expertise. Completed projects will constitute a substantial portfolio/professional project. (Prerequisites: PHPS-202 or equivalent course and completion of First Year Writing (FYW) requirement.) Lecture 3 (Fall).

Students will execute a major project proposed in the first course of the sequence: PS Capstone I. Projects may address subjects related to the photographic sciences or other relevant topics. Students will provide a progress report to the course coordinator at set intervals. Class will meet weekly to provide discussion and feedback on individual projects. (Prerequisite: PHPS-401 or equivalent course.) Lecture 3 (Spring).