Bachelor of Contemporary Art

Programme Overview

The Bachelor of Contemporary Art is designed for individuals looking to build an individual creative vision across fields such as painting, sculpture, photography, installation, illustration, street art, curation, or screen-based media.

Students spend their time in an immersive studio environment working alongside their peers. This structure mimics the post-study creative landscape while providing a secure space to experiment, iterate, and refine their personal art practice.

What You'll Study

The degree delivers 120 credits per year, structured around studio work (Mahi Toi), academic context (Critical Methods), and industry alignment (Professional Practice).

Year 1 (Level 5 Foundations):

• Studio Practice: Mahi Toi 510 and 520 (foundations of creative expression, media exploration, and technique).
• Context & Critique: Critical Methods 1 (understanding historical and contemporary art in social contexts).
• Industry Frameworks: Professional Practice 1 (mapping career paths and understanding creative industries).
• Electives: Two choices from a broad toolkit (e.g., Screen Printing, Photography Fundamentals, Sound Fundamentals, or Drawing/Painting Fundamentals).

Year 2 (Level 6 Development):

• Intermediate Studio: Mahi Toi 610 and 620 (developing complex combinations of ideas and medium scaling).
• Advanced Theory: Critical Methods 2.
• Work Placement: Professional Practice 2 (collaborating on community or industry briefs).

Year 3 (Level 7 Mastery & Internship):

• Advanced Practice: Mahi Toi 710 and 720 (refining a cohesive, signature body of work).
• Industry Immersion: Professional Practice 3 paired with an intensive robust internship program taking up the final half of the year.
• Capstone Options: High-level project modules like the Contemporary Art Capstone Project, Art Education (Matauranga Toi), or a cross-disciplinary project via the Design Factory Industry Project.

Why Choose This Programme?

• Project Zones: Structured term learning where the final four weeks are dedicated entirely to collaborative projects with peers from Music, Fashion, Performing Arts, and Visual Communication.
• 24-Hour Studio Access: Round-the-clock entry to workspaces and technical workshops so students can produce when inspiration strikes.
• Master Class Access: "Backstage pass" entry to gallery exhibitions, regional industry talks, and School of Media Arts festival weeks.

Entry Requirements

• Academic Entry: NCEA Level 3 with UE, requiring specific external art/DVC credits. Alternatively, a relevant Level 4 creative qualification is accepted.
• Portfolio Entry: If an applicant does not meet standard NCEA criteria, entry can be determined by a submitted portfolio of visual work and a subsequent selection interview.
• Technology: Access to Mac infrastructure is highly recommended. A 13” MacBook Air or Pro with an Apple M-series chip and 8GB RAM (running Adobe Creative Suite) is standard for off-campus continuity, though equivalent Windows PCs are acceptable.
• English: IELTS Academic 6.0 (all bands 5.5+) or equivalent for non-native speakers.