Bachelor of Culinary Arts

Got a passion for food and cooking, a curious mind and a desire to experiment with food?

The only one of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, your career aspirations are the key driver behind how we structure our courses and teaching methods in this degree.

Projects are designed to be responsive to the area(s) of food that interest you most so we can tailor your learning. 

Gaining hands-on experience in our training kitchens, you'll develop technical and creative thinking skills, including specialised culinary techniques, and ways to develop new and innovative offerings to give yourself a competitive edge. 

Business modelling, brand development and marketing strategies will all feature in your learning. And small class sizes guarantee you'll receive individual attention and guidance from our award-winning teaching staff.

Our degree also takes sustainable practice seriously. You'll learn how to reduce waste and discover innovative ways to reuse and recycle food. Plus, through hands-on projects with local employers and businesses, you'll develop real-world skills and apply your knowledge in everyday situations. 

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

• NCEA Level 3
  • 14 credits at Level 3 or above in each of three NZQA approved university entrance subjects, AND
  • 10 Literacy credits at Level 2 or above, made up of 5 credits in reading and 5 credits in writing, AND
  • 10 Numeracy credits at Level 1 or above, made up of specified achievement standards available through a range of subjects OR numeracy unit standards 26623, 26626 and 26627.

If you do not hold the above qualifications, you must demonstrate equivalent qualifications/experience. You'll need to submit a portfolio and may have to have an interview. See info about the portfolio below. 

Provisional entry 

If you're a school leaver or an adult applicant who doesn't meet all of the entry criteria, please still apply. 

You may be given what we call provisional entry. The Head of School will decide this. 

You'll need to show us that you have a strong motivation and desire to achieve in the food industry. You also need to show us that you've got an established personal or professional interest in food. 

You'll show us this by sending us a portfolio (see more info below). 

Other requirements

• All applicants must submit a CV and a Letter of Application (Cover Letter). We call this a ‘portfolio’.

CV

• This should detail your qualifications/academic record, your interests and hobbies, any positions of responsibility you have held (both in and out of school), and any work experience (paid or voluntary).
• Please provide copies of relevant results/qualifications.
• If you are still at secondary school, please list what subjects you are studying this year and at what level.

Letter of Application (Cover Letter)

• Using up to 500 words, explain why you have chosen to apply for the Bachelor of Culinary Arts. Outline your expectations of the programme, your career goals and any steps you have taken to progress those career goals.

If you have any questions regarding the submission of your portfolio, please contact us. Email: [email protected] or phone 0800 762 786. 

English Language requirements

• If English is not your first language, you must provide:
  • New Zealand University Entrance, OR
  • Overall Academic IELTS 6.0 with no individual band score lower than 5.5 (achieved in onetest completed in the last two years), OR
  • Acceptable alternative evidence of the required IELTS (see here for NZQA proficiency table and here for list of recognised proficiency tests).

If you need to improve your English language skills, we offer a wide range of English programmes.

Selection process

If the number of eligible applicants exceeds the available places, staff will use professional judgement to determine those given immediate entry and those placed on a waiting list. If you don't currently meet the entry criteria, we'll work with you and help you find a path of study which will prepare you for applying for this degree the following year. 

You will learn

YEAR ONE

YEAR TWO

YEAR THREE

For a list of studio workshops, please contact the Food Design Institute.

Your workload

Course work for this programme will require approximately 20 hours of directed study in the form of classroom sessions and workshops per week. It is expected that you will spend approximately 20 hours of your own time in self-directed study in order to successfully complete the programme.

Health and Safety

There are a number of Occupational Safety and Health issues associated with practical work in a commercial hospitality environment. These include, but are not limited to, burns from hot liquids or hot objects and cuts from sharp instruments. You will have access to an orientation booklet which covers such risks in more detail. 

Additional costs

During your induction day, you have the opportunity to purchase your full uniform from Otago Polytechnic's preferred supplier. You can expect to spend approximately $700 on programme-specific equipment. This can be covered by the 'Course-Related Costs' component of your student loan (if eligible - see Student Loans and Allowances section below).  

Student loans and allowances

Student loans and allowances are for domestic students only. For information about student loans and allowances please visit the Studylink website. It is important to apply for your student loan/allowance at the same time as you apply for this programme, due to the length of time Studylink take to process. Loan/allowance applications can be cancelled at any time if you decide to withdraw your programme application or if it is unsuccessful.