Graduate Diploma in Visual Arts

About the programme

Artists create the beautiful, interesting and challenging things that make our environments unique and make a vital contribution to contemporary life.

If you already hold a degree but would like to develop your fine art skills, this programme offers the opportunity to carry out an intensive personalised course of study. The skills gained through an art qualification are highly valued in a huge variety of industries including education, design, management and marketing. You may become a practicing artist in various disciplines and media, or consider a diverse and exciting range of careers including an Illustrator, Art Therapist, Researcher, Artists' Agent, Photojournalist or Colour Consultant.

Embrace the opportunity to specialise in Ceramics, Digital and Moving Image, Jewellery-Making and Metalsmithing, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture or Textiles. Typically, you would work in one of these areas but interdisciplinary work may be approved. Within the Dunedin School of Art, there is a strong focus on individual supervision and student-centred learning supported by an active community of artists to enhance professional development.  You will benefit from the nationally unique workshop facilities and expertise of lecturers who have a diverse range of approaches and understandings in the fine arts and design.

Studying part-time

We know full-time study isn't always possible. We also offer this programme part-time over two years.

Entry

Entry requirements

• Open to graduates or those who have been able to demonstrate equivalent practical, professional or educational experience of an appropriate kind. This may include a bachelors' degree or other Level 7 qualifications.
• You must undertake an interview and submit a portfolio. See more info in Portfolio section below.
• International students will be individually assessed to ensure they meet the entry requirements.

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 one test completed in the last two years), OR
  • Acceptable alternative evidence of the required IELTS (see here for NZQA proficiency table and here for a list of recognised proficiency tests).

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

Your portfolio

What to include in your portfolio

• We require examples of your artwork and the ways that you develop your ideas. Your examples need to show us your working processes and your ability to use a range of materials.
• If you have been working in the NCEA system, please send us twelve (12) examples of your finished works and of your working processes from your folders.
• If you have not been working in the NCEA system, please send us six (6) examples of finished work and six (6) pages of sketches or workbook pages.
• Please submit your portfolio digitally if you can. Please do not submit originals as we do not return application folders.
• If you have trouble submitting your portfolio digitally when you are applying online, please email [email protected]

If you need to send us your portfolio in an A4 folder, please send it to: 

Dunedin School of Art
Otago Polytechnic
Riego Street
Private Bag 9010, Dunedin

Again, please don't send us originals. 

Thank you. We are looking forward to seeing your artwork.

Writing requirement

Please also include the following with your portfolio:

1. An essay or written text (at least 300 words). You may include writing produced for any of your NCEA subjects or you may write a new piece on any topic of your choice.
2. A double-spaced letter of not more than one page (300 words) explaining why you want to come to art school and what your experiences of art may have been to date. This may include all or some of the following:

> Why art is important to you, the community and the wider world
> Your expectations for your own future after your studies
> Art galleries you may be familiar with
> Artists whose work you may know
> Art skills you may have already gained.

Please contact [email protected] with any further questions.

Selection process

All applicant submissions are viewed by a panel of academic staff and applicants are accepted on merit based on an evaluation of a portfolio of art practice and evidence of academic skills. Skills must be at the second-year level in your chosen subject area as the Graduate Diploma requires completion of third-year (level 7) courses in the studio subject. For this reason, an interview may be required. Where the number of successful applicants exceeds the places available, a waiting list will be kept and applicants will be offered vacant places in waiting list order.

Want your existing skills recognised?

If you have extensive knowledge and skills due to practical experience in this area, please ask us about our recognition of prior learning process. You may have already gained credits towards this qualification and could achieve it in a shorter timeframe. Please email [email protected] or call 0800 762 786.