Bachelor of Design and Contemporary Art

For curious minds, thinkers and storytellers who see the world a little differently. What do you want to create? What stories do you want to tell? What matters to you? 

In the Bachelor of Design and Contemporary Art, your ideas, experiences and perspectives are the starting point. You’ll explore different creative disciplines, experiment with new techniques and technologies, and discover what inspires you. Through hands-on learning, you’ll develop the skills, confidence and creative freedom to find your own voice and make your mark. And you don’t need to have it all figured out before you start.

Your first semester is about discovery. You’ll experience the foundations of art, design and digital media before deciding where to focus your creativity. From there, you’ll develop your own creative practice, with opportunities to draw on skills and ideas from across different disciplines.

Guided by experienced artists, designers, creatives and experts in the field, you’ll be encouraged to challenge conventions, push boundaries and share your stories with the world.

Choosing your specialisation

Start with what you love. See where it takes you. Bring your interests into this degree, explore new creative possibilities and discover where they might lead you. You don’t have to choose your creative direction from day one.

In your first semester, you’ll get a taste of art, design and digital media, building foundational skills, experimenting with different approaches and discovering new interests along the way.

From your second semester, you’ll choose to specialise in Design, Contemporary Art or Digital Media. But specialising doesn’t mean limiting yourself. Creativity rarely fits neatly into one discipline, and neither does the creative industry. You’ll have opportunities to explore connections between different fields, combining skills, technologies and ways of thinking to develop your own creative approach. It’s this combination of specialist expertise and broader creative understanding that can help you stand out in an industry where versatility, collaboration and adaptability matter.

Here are some of the areas of practice you can choose to focus on:

• Design: Graphic Design, Motion Design, User Experience (UX/UI), Web Design, Product Design
• Contemporary Art: Painting, Mixed Media, Photography/Moving Image, Sculpture/Installation, Printmaking, Ceramics
• Digital Media: Animation, Visual Effects, Digital Content Creation, AR/VR Design

Highlights

• Explore before you specialise. Discover art, design and digital media in your first semester, giving you the freedom to find your direction before choosing your specialisation.
• Think beyond one discipline. Develop specialist expertise alongside a broader understanding of the creative world, with opportunities to explore ideas and techniques across different fields.
• Learn by making. Get hands-on from day one, experimenting, creating and developing your skills through studio projects, technical workshops and practical learning.
• Find your creative voice. Turn your own stories, experiences and perspectives into meaningful creative work that reflects who you are and what matters to you.
• Create in spaces made for creativity. Make the most of specialist studios, computer labs, workshops and purpose-built gallery and exhibition spaces in our art and design facilities.
• Learn from creative professionals. Be inspired and challenged by experienced artists, designers, lecturers and technicians who will help you develop your skills and creative practice.
• Showcase your work. Bring your ideas and skills together in a major final-year creative project, with the opportunity to exhibit your work at Toi Whakatipu, our end-of-year graduate exhibition.

Develop the necessary skills to succeed

The creative world is constantly changing. New technologies, fresh ideas and evolving ways of working are creating new possibilities for artists, designers and digital creatives. To thrive, you’ll need more than technical skills. You’ll need the confidence to experiment, the ability to think differently and the versatility to turn creative ideas into real-world outcomes.

 Throughout your degree, you’ll develop:

• Creative and technical expertise. Master the tools, techniques and creative processes to produce original work in your chosen field.
• Creative thinking and problem-solving. Challenge conventions, explore new approaches and turn complex ideas into imaginative solutions.
• Communication and storytelling. Learn to express your ideas with impact, communicate your creative vision and connect with different audiences.
• Collaboration and versatility. Work with others, explore different creative perspectives and develop the confidence to collaborate across disciplines.
• Cultural awareness and understanding. Engage with diverse cultures and perspectives, developing a thoughtful, inclusive and socially responsible creative practice.
• Professional skills. Build your portfolio, develop your creative practice and prepare for opportunities in employment, freelancing, self-employment or further study.

Create your future in art and design

Where could your creativity take you?

From graphic design and digital experiences to contemporary art, animation, photography and emerging technologies, creative professionals are shaping how we see, experience and interact with the world.

And Auckland is right at the heart of it. Tāmaki Makaurau is home to a significant share of Aotearoa’s creative sector, with opportunities spanning art, design, digital media and a wide range of creative businesses and practices.

As the industry evolves, the ability to think across disciplines, adapt to new technologies and bring different creative skills together is increasingly valuable. That’s where this degree can give you an advantage.

By exploring different creative fields before developing your specialisation, you’ll graduate with more than expertise in one area. You’ll have a broader understanding of creative practice, a portfolio that showcases your abilities and the confidence to explore where your skills could take you.

Whether you see yourself working in a creative studio, designing digital experiences, creating animations, exhibiting your art, building a freelance career or starting something of your own, you’ll have the skills and creative foundation to pursue your ambitions.

Your stories are just the beginning. Where you take them is up to you.

Further study

Keen to push your creative boundaries even further? Then you might want to consider one of our postgraduate programmes: Postgraduate Certificate in Creative Practice, Postgraduate Diploma in Creative Practice and Master of Creative Practice programmes.