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New Zealand Certificate in Study and Employment Pathways (Level 4) - Performing and Screen

Do you love to perform or want to work behind the scenes? This certificate programme is your pass to an exciting future in acting, dance, film and television production, and technical production for stage.

Level
4
Credits
60 (0.5 EFTS)
Campus
Mt Albert
Start dates
February or July
Duration
Full-time for 16 weeks or part-time options available

Call us now on 0800 10 95 10

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Programme overview

This programme is ideal if you want to go on to higher-level study in performing and screen arts, if you're not exactly sure what area to focus on, or if you're already in employment in this industry and want to improve your personal communication and professional presentation skills. While this programme is not equivalent to University Entrance, successful completion will allow you to progress to higher-level programmes.

The New Zealand Certificate in Study and Employment Pathways (Level 4) - Screen & Art, has electives in screen arts, acting, dance and technical productions. This programme will expose you to the basic principles of production, acting, dance, theatre technologies and design, moving image study, as well as collaborative project-based learning. Which will help build the foundation you need to progress to higher level study in programmes such as, PASA.

Highlights

  • Emphasis on practical skills and project-based learning: You will develop performance pieces, work behind the scenes in the theatre, and make your own videos.
  • Learn from Lecturers who are eager to share their industry experience with you.
  • Access to Unitec's excellent performing arts facilities.
  • A mix of classroom sessions, practical workshops, critique sessions, student seminars, discussions, presentations and online learning.
  • A chance to take classes in Unitec's marae, a great setting to explore Māori oratorical traditions and the role of culture in communication.

Please note: International students who graduate will NOT be eligible for a post-study work visa upon completion of this programme.

Choose your elective

When you enrol you will select your area of interest from the following elective courses:

Technical Production

Discover the backstage magic of live performance.

In this hands-on course, you’ll explore lighting, sound, stage management, and theatre design using our professional Art House and Mac Lab. Perfect for anyone wanting to build a creative career in live or technical production.

Screen Production

From concept to premiere — bring your film to life.

Work in Unitec’s purpose-built studio as you learn how to pitch, plan, shoot, and edit your own short film. Collaborate with your classmates and see your final cut screen at the Art House.

Acting

Step into the spotlight.

Explore acting techniques for both stage and screen through voice, movement, and character work. This course prepares you for auditions and performances, giving you confidence in your craft.

Dance

Move with purpose, perform with passion.

Train in contemporary dance styles including Street Dance, Ballet, and Haka Toi Aotearoa. Create choreographed pieces in a studio environment while building physical confidence and creative expression.

Collaborative Production

Creativity happens through collaboration.

Work in creative teams to bring artistic ideas to life. This course helps you build communication, planning, and production skills essential for performing and technical arts careers.

Admission requirements

Domestic students

To apply for this programme, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Academic requirements
  • General admission, special admission, or discretionary admission requirements
  • English language requirements
  • You will need to complete a pre-entry Skills Review session

Academic Requirements

To be eligible for the Performing and Screen Pathway, you must meet one of the following: 

  • UE numeracy or equivalent
  • A minimum total of 40 NCEA Level 2 credits across four approved subjects, including:  
  • 12 credits in English at Level 1 or higher; Or 
  • A relevant qualification at Level 3 on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF) or an equivalent international qualification (e.g., International Baccalaureate or Cambridge); Or 
  • The New Zealand Certificate in Study and Employment Pathways (Level 3) (previously known as the New Zealand Certificate in Study and Career Preparation (Level 3)), or an equivalent qualification. 

General Admission

  • You’ll be 16 years old or older when the programme starts. 
  • If you’re under 16, you’ll need to complete an Early Release Exemption form. For more information on this process please see The Ministry of Education's website here.

Special Admission

  • You’ll be 20 years old or older when the programme starts
  • Show evidence of your work, life, or study experience (e.g., a previous qualification or job history)
  • You will complete a pre-entry Skills review

Discretionary Admission

  • You’re under 20 and don’t meet the general admission requirements 
  • Your level of preparedness for study at the required level will be reviewed and you will undertake a Skills Review. 

English language requirements for international students

You must meet one of the following:

For more information download the programme regulations.

International Student

To apply for this programme, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Academic requirements
  • General admission, special admission, or discretionary admission requirements
  • English language requirements
  • You will need to complete a pre-entry Skills Review session

Academic Requirements

To be eligible for the Performing and Screen Pathway, you must meet one of the following: 

  • UE numeracy or equivalent
  • A minimum total of 40 NCEA Level 2 credits across four approved subjects, including:  
  • 12 credits in English at Level 1 or higher; Or 
  • A relevant qualification at Level 3 on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF) or an equivalent international qualification (e.g., International Baccalaureate or Cambridge); Or 
  • The New Zealand Certificate in Study and Employment Pathways (Level 3) (previously known as the New Zealand Certificate in Study and Career Preparation (Level 3)), or an equivalent qualification. 

General Admission

  • You’ll be 16 years old or older when the programme starts. 
  • If you’re under 16, you’ll need to complete an Early Release Exemption form. For more information on this process please see The Ministry of Education's website here.

Special Admission

  • You’ll be 20 years old or older when the programme starts
  • Show evidence of your work, life, or study experience (e.g., a previous qualification or job history)
  • You will complete a pre-entry Skills review

Discretionary Admission

  • You’re under 20 and don’t meet the general admission requirements 
  • Your level of preparedness for study at the required level will be reviewed and you will undertake a Skills Review. 

English language requirements for international students

You must meet one of the following:

For more information download the programme regulations.

Courses and timetables

For more details on the courses, please click on the course names below. Please note that our systems are updating with new course timetable information for 2026; please check back again soon.

Debug


program code:NZCSP - PERFSCREEN

Compulsory Course ID:013999 - 4008 - Academic Skills for Architecture, Art and Screen

Course count:324
SELECT DISTINCT (CATALOG_NBR),ACAD_PROG,CRSE_ID,DESCRLONG,SUBJECT,AIM,NQF_LEVEL,NQF_CREDIT,CATALOG_NBR,PREREQS,MANDANTORY_CRS,FULL_YEAR FROM PS_UTC_IR_CRSE_VW WHERE ACAD_PROG = "NZCSP" AND (ACAD_PLAN = "PERFSCREEN" OR ACAD_PLAN = "") AND MANDANTORY_CRS = "N" AND FULL_YEAR = "N" ORDER BY NQF_LEVEL,SUBJECT,CATALOG_NBR;
Elective Course ID:012686 - 4101 - Visual Art Studio

Course count:48

Elective Course ID:012687 - 4102 - Design Studio

Course count:126

Elective Course ID:012690 - 4301 - Screen Production

Course count:12

Elective Course ID:012692 - 4803 - Acting

Course count:12

Elective Course ID:014009 - 4805 - Dance

Course count:0

Elective Course ID:014010 - 4806 - Technical Production

Course count:0

Elective Course ID:012696 - 4901 - Collaborative Project Creative

Course count:102

Elective Course ID:013225 - 4006 - Applied Maths

Course count:54

Compulsory first Course array:4

$compulsory courses array - array(1) { [0]=> array(8) { ["level"]=> string(1) "4" ["crse_id"]=> string(6) "013999" ["subject"]=> string(4) "BPED" ["catalog_nbr"]=> string(4) "4008" ["description"]=> string(48) "Academic Skills for Architecture, Art and Screen" ["credit"]=> string(4) "15.0" ["aim"]=> string(162) "This course introduces pathway-related concepts and develops pathway-related academic skills to prepare tauira for further academic study in their chosen pathway." ["prereqs"]=> string(133) "Students must be admitted to the New Zealand Certificate in Study and Career Preparation (Level 4) programme to enrol in this course." } }

Elective first Course array:4

$elective courses array - array(6) { [0]=> array(8) { ["level"]=> string(1) "4" ["crse_id"]=> string(6) "012686" ["subject"]=> string(4) "BECI" ["catalog_nbr"]=> string(4) "4101" ["description"]=> string(17) "Visual Art Studio" ["credit"]=> string(4) "15.0" ["aim"]=> string(154) "Tauira will develop a confident learner identity and the visual Art skills necessary for further academic study and/or employment in their chosen pathway." ["prereqs"]=> string(124) "Students must be admitted to the NZ Certificate in Study and Career Preparation (Level 4) programme to enrol in this course." } [1]=> array(8) { ["level"]=> string(1) "4" ["crse_id"]=> string(6) "012687" ["subject"]=> string(4) "BECI" ["catalog_nbr"]=> string(4) "4102" ["description"]=> string(13) "Design Studio" ["credit"]=> string(4) "15.0" ["aim"]=> string(150) "Tauira will develop a confident learner identity and the design skills necessary for further academic study and/or employment in their chosen pathway." ["prereqs"]=> string(124) "Students must be admitted to the NZ Certificate in Study and Career Preparation (Level 4) programme to enrol in this course." } [2]=> array(8) { ["level"]=> string(1) "4" ["crse_id"]=> string(6) "012690" ["subject"]=> string(4) "BECI" ["catalog_nbr"]=> string(4) "4301" ["description"]=> string(17) "Screen Production" ["credit"]=> string(4) "15.0" ["aim"]=> string(348) "This course aims to provide tauira with a broad theoretical and operational understanding and awareness of the moving image as a communication medium in contemporary society and culture setting and gain an ability to analyse and make use of selected media forms. Tauira will learn how contemporary media forms and practices influence communication." ["prereqs"]=> string(124) "Students must be admitted to the NZ Certificate in Study and Career Preparation (Level 4) programme to enrol in this course." } [3]=> array(8) { ["level"]=> string(1) "4" ["crse_id"]=> string(6) "012692" ["subject"]=> string(4) "BECI" ["catalog_nbr"]=> string(4) "4803" ["description"]=> string(6) "Acting" ["credit"]=> string(4) "15.0" ["aim"]=> string(206) "This course aims to provide tauira with a broad theoretical and operational understanding of storytelling techniques and to develop creative outcomes across a range of performing arts forms and disciplines." ["prereqs"]=> string(124) "Students must be admitted to the NZ Certificate in Study and Career Preparation (Level 4) programme to enrol in this course." } [4]=> array(8) { ["level"]=> string(1) "4" ["crse_id"]=> string(6) "012696" ["subject"]=> string(4) "BECI" ["catalog_nbr"]=> string(4) "4901" ["description"]=> string(30) "Collaborative Project Creative" ["credit"]=> string(4) "15.0" ["aim"]=> string(188) "This course will prepare tauira for further academic study and/or employment in their chosen pathway by providing creative project experience in both individual and collaborative contexts." ["prereqs"]=> string(124) "Students must be admitted to the NZ Certificate in Study and Career Preparation (Level 4) programme to enrol in this course." } [5]=> array(8) { ["level"]=> string(1) "4" ["crse_id"]=> string(6) "013225" ["subject"]=> string(4) "BPED" ["catalog_nbr"]=> string(4) "4006" ["description"]=> string(13) "Applied Maths" ["credit"]=> string(4) "15.0" ["aim"]=> string(152) "This course introduces and develops pathway-related mathematical skills to prepare tauira for further study and/or employment in their chosen pathway.??" ["prereqs"]=> string(133) "Students must be admitted to the New Zealand Certificate in Study and Career Preparation (Level 4) programme to enrol in this course." } }

Compulsory coursesElective courses
Level 4
Level 4
Courses Credits Aim
Academic Skills for Architecture, Art and Screen(BPED4008) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) This course introduces pathway-related concepts and develops pathway-related academic skills to prepare tauira for further academic study in their chosen pathway.
Courses Credits Aim
Visual Art Studio(BECI4101) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) Tauira will develop a confident learner identity and the visual Art skills necessary for further academic study and/or employment in their chosen pathway.
Design Studio(BECI4102) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) Tauira will develop a confident learner identity and the design skills necessary for further academic study and/or employment in their chosen pathway.
Screen Production(BECI4301) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) This course aims to provide tauira with a broad theoretical and operational understanding and awareness of the moving image as a communication medium in contemporary society and culture setting and gain an ability to analyse and make use of selected media forms. Tauira will learn how contemporary media forms and practices influence communication.
Acting(BECI4803) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) This course aims to provide tauira with a broad theoretical and operational understanding of storytelling techniques and to develop creative outcomes across a range of performing arts forms and disciplines.
Collaborative Project Creative(BECI4901) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) This course will prepare tauira for further academic study and/or employment in their chosen pathway by providing creative project experience in both individual and collaborative contexts.
Applied Maths(BPED4006) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) This course introduces and develops pathway-related mathematical skills to prepare tauira for further study and/or employment in their chosen pathway.??
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Page last edited: 29 Oct 2025