Brooks Institute

Brooks Institute is designed for anyone who aspires to a career opportunity in photography, film-making, visual journalism, or graphic design. Whether you are completely new to the field or seek new skills to advance an established career opportunity, Brooks' educational philosophy of "learning by doing" can provide you with the artistic, technical, and business expertise needed to succeed.

Classes are taught by world leaders in professional photography, motion picture, visual journalism, and graphic design at beautiful locations in Santa Barbara and Ventura, California. From this base students will have the opportunity, literally, to explore the world. In this era of global communication, Brooks will continue to offer a responsive, active, and innovative training in photography, film-making, photojournalism and graphic design.

Innovative Film, Graphic Design, and Photography Training

From its founding in 1945, Brooks Institute through the Professional Photography Program has provided a hands-on, student-focused education. This method of experiential learning remains the foundation of instruction in all programs at the Institute today. Close collaboration between faculty and students in the classroom, the darkroom and digital labs, and the field continues to help prepare individuals for career opportunities in professional photography. This California-based photography school is proud to have trained some of the leading visual artists of yesterday and today, and looks forward to inspiring the next generation.

The Film and Video Production Program began at Brooks Institute in the mid-50’s, as a natural outgrowth of the training in photography. Using the same hands-on approach to teaching and learning, Brooks' students have the opportunity to master the art and craft of movie-making. Considered by those in the industry as one of the field’s best kept secrets, this program has a long standing history of graduating some of the best in the field: Isidore Mankofsky, Cinematography for The Muppet Movie and Somewhere in Time; Dominick Palmer, Cinematography on the TV series M*A*S*H; Robert Legato, Academy Award winner for Best Effects (Digital Domain) on the movie Titanic, Visual Effects Supervisor for The Aviator; and most recently, graduate Boris Undorf, Best Cinematography at New York’s VisionFest ’04’ Festival for Sonata.

In the early 90’s, the Institute began a tradition of international documentary expeditions. It was these excursions to China, India, Africa, and Southeast Asia that paved the way for the Visual Journalism Program. This photojournalism program concentrates on teaching truthful, non-fiction storytelling with industry-current digital equipment (digital still cameras, digital video, computers). The reliance on industry-current digital technology makes Brooks one of the few all digital college photojournalism programs in the US.

The Graphic Design program at Brooks evolved in response to the demands of new media. Today’s graphic designers and multimedia practitioners need broad-based skills and adaptability to achieve success in a rapidly changing field where art and technology have merged together. Brooks provides the opportunity for the visual communicator to acquire knowledge and skills in a variety of disciplines – design, illustration, writing, photography, video and film – in order to be successful.

Brooks Institute does not guarantee employment or salary.

Accreditation

Brooks Institute is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools to award associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and master's degrees. The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools is listed as a nationally recognized accrediting agency by the United States Department of Education and is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

ACICS is located at 750 First Street, NE, Suite 980 , Washington , DC . 20002-4241

As a private school, Brooks Institute is authorized to operate as a degree-granting institution by the Department of Consumer Affairs, at P.O. Box 980818, West Sacramento, CA 35798-0818. They can be contacted at (916) 574-7720.

Brooks Institute is designed for anyone who aspires to a career opportunity in photography, film-making, visual journalism, or graphic design. Whether you are completely new to the field or seek new skills to advance an established career opportunity, Brooks' educational philosophy of "learning by doing" can provide you wit...