Bachelor of Arts and Media

Based in Te TauIhu a region blessed with stunning natural landscapes and an abundance of sunshine hours, you'll be able to draw on the same creative influences that have attracted more than 350 practicing artists and designers to the region.

Our Bachelor of Arts and Media programme will provide you with the fundamental skills to move into personal practice or a variety of careers within the arts, design and media industries, or to pursue further study.

You'll develop the ability to generate innovative ideas and design solutions grounded in academic and technical excellence, effective use of visual language and extensive specialist knowledge in 2-D and 3-D design including painting, graphic design, animation, photography, digital video, illustration and jewellery.

The studio courses offered in the degree are flexible enough to enable you to follow your own interests and directions. You have the option to select your own pathway so you can specialise in the subject that most suits your career aspirations.

Study pathways

The Bachelor of Arts and Media can be completed in three years of full time study, or part time equivalent. In your first year, you will be exposed to all areas of arts and design through compulsory courses in Lens-based Media, Graphic Design, Object Design and Image Making along with Communication and Critical studies relevant to the creative industries. In your second year, you will dig deeper with courses critical design thinking and professional practice, and advanced your skills in the creative areas of your choice.

In your third and final year, you will complete this Bachelor programme with a major project, tying together research, independent study and a presenting your final studio project work at the end of year BAM exhibition.

Student work

Check out the wide range of work created by our Bachelor of Arts and Media graduates in 2020(external link).

(external link)

What will I learn?

Through all of the courses in the Bachelor of Arts and Media programme, you will be working towards being able to

• Apply broad knowledge, and practical and conceptual skills in the production of arts, craft and design work (think creatively)
• Use investigative tools with creative processes, methods and technologies (apply creative processes and methods)to develop responses to briefs, and to solve problems
• Use research to support the development of ideas and to inform your own work (research skills) within the conventions and contexts of arts, craft and design
• Critique your own work (critical thinking) and the work of others (teamwork), communicate in a range of situations and present your own resolved work in simulated real-world situations (communication and presentation skills)
• Apply professional practices (act professionally) to manage projects within defined deadlines (time management), and select potential education and employment pathways in arts, craft and design.

Most courses include topics that allow for industry engagement, group work, peer feedback and practising your presentation skills.

In years two and three you will be able to specialise in the area of arts and design that most interests you; Lens-based media, object design, graphic design or our image studios, and even further develop your unique skills with your final year project.