Bachelor of Visual Arts

About the programme

Translate your creativity into an art career. Gain experience in a range of speciality subjects and discover where your artistic talent truly lies.

This degree will teach you how to become a creative maker, thinker and active agent in a local, national and global context. A qualification in the Visual Arts will allow you to find employment in a diverse range of professions such as practising artist, curator, art educator or researcher. A variety of roles within the digital and film industries would also be possible.

Gain technical, academic and personal skills which will be transferable to a wide variety of fields including education, design, management and marketing. This qualification provides a perfect bridge into further learning as you select from a range of subjects initially and then move into full specialisation, focusing your talents in your chosen field.

Study art at New Zealand's most established school of art and benefit from the nationally-unique range of workshop facilities and the excellent studio-based teaching. Flourish under the guidance of highly experienced lecturers who have national and international profiles and represent a diverse range of approaches and understandings.  

July start date

Our July intake is an advanced standing intake. You will need to be eligible for 60 cross-credits to apply so that you can go straight into our semester two courses. Please email [email protected] for more information about this option.

Entry

Entry requirements

• Five years completed at secondary school with successful art units and portfolio OR
• NCEA Level 3
  • 14 credits at Level 3 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
    • package of three numeracy unit standards (26623, 26626, 26627- all three required).
  • OR equivalent qualifications and experience.
• Mature students with work and life experience are encouraged to apply.
• All applicants must submit a portfolio (see further information in the Portfolio and writing requirements section below).
• International students will be individually assessed to ensure they meet degree-level entry requirements and must have achieved the equivalent of Year 13.

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 list of recognised proficiency tests).

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

Selection process

All 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. 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.

Portfolio and writing requirements

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.

Don't meet the entry requirements?

No problem. We have a couple of pathway programmes that will help you build the skills and degree-level portfolio you need to apply for the Bachelor of Visual Arts.

New Zealand Certificate in Arts and Design (Level 4) - starting in February every year 

• Develop your research skills, learn about creative processes and materials, and create your own art and design projects.

New Zealand Certificate in Creativity (Level 4) - starting in July every year

• Across a series of hands-on projects, you'll build your creative skills and identify your strengths and the areas that you enjoy the most. Courses include jewellery, textiles, and product design.

By studying both of these Level 4 certificates, you'll have the well-rounded skills you need to undertake degree-level study. 

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.