First Level Academic Diploma in Photography - IED Milano

Language

Italian, English

Start date

October 2026

Frequency

Full time

Fruition

On campus

Duration

3 Years

Credits

180 CFA / ECTS

Course Coordination

Magali Avezou

Course also available in:

Rome
Turin

The Bachelor of Arts in Photography at IED Milano combines experimentation and research, blending analogue processes with digital and generative techniques in a vision that reflects photography in its contemporary dimension. The teaching approach encourages the development of authorial perspectives and critical views on reality, exploring new narratives and expressive possibilities. In the third year, students may choose a specialisation focusing on fashion photography, its production dynamics and the professional relationships specific to the sector. Milan, with its vibrant creative and professional environment, offers the ideal context to work in diverse fields: from creative direction to curating exhibitions and events, through to the entire publishing landscape.

Course structure and contents:

The IED programme spans three years, integrating design, cultural knowledge, dialogue with professionals, technical skills and innovative tools.

First Year: Students acquire the technical and cultural foundations of photography, from studio practice and darkroom work to the use of key post-production and layout software such as Photoshop, InDesign and CaptureOne. Theoretical courses introduce the fundamentals of visual perception, the history of photography and critical image analysis, combined with personal projects, interdisciplinary workshops and collaborations with external partners.

Second Year: Focuses on project methodology across research, editorial, artistic and commercial production. Students define a personal visual language and engage with the concept of post-photography, learning practices of reuse and reinterpretation of archival materials to construct new visual narratives. Theoretical studies support this process by analysing contemporary aesthetics and emerging communication tools.

Third Year: Dedicated to advanced design and professional simulation. Students develop a coherent, authorial portfolio, manage the art direction of their productions, and design exhibitions, events and publications. The exploration of generative artificial intelligence enables them to integrate it consciously into the creative process, addressing its ethical implications.

The final thesis project consists of an authorial work demonstrating the ability to use the image as an expressive, critical and communicative tool. Projects cover a wide range of themes: from fashion, architecture and music, through personal research, to science and social engagement, confirming photography’s role as a language capable of narrating and interpreting the world.

Faculty

Course Coordinator

Magali Avezou

Independent curator

Carlotta Cattaneo Carter

Alice Guareschi

Visual artist

Sha Ribeiro

Photographer

Martin Allegra

Photographer

Luca Attilio Caizzi

Photographer and Creative Director

Ivo Sekulovski

Photographer, Visual Artist, Photographer

Carlo Furgeri Gilbert

Photographer and filmmaker

Luca Rotondo

Freelance Photographer

Schenetti Massimiliano

Photographer

Sonia Marin

Professional Photographer

Claudio Morelli

Journalist, photographer and filmmaker

Sergio Lovati

Photographer and Artist

Rebecca Pedrazzi

Art historian and critic specialized in AI Art, curator, and journalist

Davide Bertuccio

Photojournalist and director of documentary photography

Carola Merello

Architectural and Interior Photographer

Silvio Wolf

Visual Artist

Sara Guerrini

Photography Consultant & Picture Editor

Ferri Carazo Paula

Sound designer and sound recordist

Giorgio Majno

Photographer

Claudia Buzzetti

Freelance Project Manager, Content Curator

Andrea Gelpi

Insight Specialist & Market Research Consultant

Giulia Gravina

Graphic designer

Federico Lanzani

Photographer

Dario Mastrocola

Photographer

Claudia Pasanisi

Freelance Photographer and Creative Director

Marianna Schivardi

Filmmaker

Marco Nero Formisano

Advertising photographer and filmmaker     

Stefano Uvietta

Photographer

Matteo Bricchi

Photographer

Davide Sottile

Graphic Designer

Roberto Prosdocimo

Photographer, Owner of REPARTO21

Scaravaggi Silvia

Art Curator and Writer

Antonino Amoroso

Producer

Ermanno Guarneri

Founder of Shake

Ornella Mignone

Scenographer and Curator

Thomas Wiedenhofer

Photographer, Producer

Raffaele Solaini

Philosopher and semiotic expert

Sergio Messina

Musician, Radio Author, Teacher, Researcher

Luca Toccaceli

Lecturer in Communication and mass media

Marianne Boutrit

Artist and Photographer

Elena Datrino

Photographer, Lecturer

Erica Bernardi

Curator

Angela Madesani

Art Curator, Author and Historian

Lisa Montagner

Surfacing/Texture Artist

Projects

Visual and Interactive Arts

Milan

Didactic projects
Hunting archive

Visual and Interactive Arts

Milan

Didactic projects
Āmēn

Visual and Interactive Arts

Milan

Didactic projects
Unhived

Visual and Interactive Arts

Milan

Didactic projects
Come on, smile!

Visual and Interactive Arts

Milan

Didactic projects
Pale fire

Graphic Design and Visual Communication

Milan

Da sempre qui

Visual and Interactive Arts

Milan

Young Researchers, Cariplo Foundation

Graphic Design and Visual Communication

Milan

Incendio Doloso

Visual and Interactive Arts

Milan

Unconventional Display Possibilities

News

17 July 2026

Priscilla Fois brings her art to Urban Break Korea

IED Roma alumna Priscilla Fois has been selected to participate in Urban Break Korea, one of the leading international festivals dedicated to urban art.

16 July 2026

This Is What the Future of Visual Arts Looks Like

Recent graduates from the IED Barcelona's Graphic Design, Advertising, and Motion Graphics and Video programmes presented their final projects at Barcelona XR Lab. Data, text, image and sound come together to explore the global order and reframe systems for navigating the world.

10 July 2026

Degree Show 2026 opens IED Kunsthal Bilbao to talent, design and the city

Once again, the Papelera Building opened its doors to the public, showcasing the work developed by students over four years of study and turning the school into a meeting point for design, culture, industry and institutions.

03 July 2026

July: Exhibitions, Installations and New Horizons for IED.60 Public Program

With the arrival of July, IED Graduation Days enter their busiest phase across IED’s Italian campuses, bringing with them a series of public events designed to showcase the ideas, projects and research developed by students.

01 July 2026

Forbes Next Leaders: the July cover by Elisabeth Arana

The collaboration between IED and Forbes Next Leaders continues through the project that engages students and alumni in the creation of the magazine’s monthly covers.

30 June 2026

This Was IED Madrid's Graduation Shows 2026: Two Days of Designing the Future

Under the concept Times New, IED Madrid's campuses hosted the final project exhibitions for Graphic Design, Product Design, Interior Design and Fashion Design, culminating in the traditional Avant-défilé.

23 June 2026

Best Thesis Awards 2026 – IED Barcelona

Fashion that evokes nostalgia through layered fabrics; a reinterpretation of retail as a living biological interface; an exploration of how Korean Wave (Hallyu) cultural products generate value within the luxury fashion sector; and an interactive digital experience that makes a previously hidden financial language visible.

15 June 2026

Eight ADG Laus Awards for IED Spain Students

IED Madrid, IED Barcelona and IED Kunsthal Bilbao won two Gold, four Silver and two Bronze awards at the 56th ADG Laus Awards, reaffirming the creative talent driving the next generation of designers.

15 June 2026

Three IED alumni among the winners of the iF Design Student Award 2026

Three alumni from IED Kunsthal Bilbao and IED Madrid have been recognised in the iF Design Student Award 2026, one of the world's leading international competitions for emerging design talent.