Culinary Arts Major - Bachelor of Arts
Passionate about food? Study the Culinary Arts major in the Bachelor of Arts and prepare yourself for a career in culinary arts.
This culinary arts degree brings together key culinary techniques and advanced theoretical concepts in food science, technology and ethics. It’s designed to develop your creativity and provide the springboard for your career in culinary arts. It's suitable for a wide range of students - from students who are coming directly from secondary school to industry professionals wanting to further their skills.
Talk to us about your study options
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This is part of the Bachelor of Arts.
In your first year, you become familiar with culinary arts as a discipline. You collaborate with your classmates to discuss culinary arts culture and explore concepts of sensory appreciation. In Year 2 and 3 you take more advanced culinary arts courses. There’s an emphasis on the cultural and social aspects of food preparation.
Apart from the courses below you also need to complete courses from your second major, your chosen minor(s) or electives. You can tailor the degree to your interests and include courses from related disciplines like food science, hospitality, tourism, event management, human resource management or marketing.
Core courses
All Bachelor of Arts students need to complete core courses that help you develop transferable skills and support your work in all other courses in the degree.
Academic Communication
Choose one of:
- CLSY508 Pathways to Academic Success
- COMM570 Academic Communication: Conventions and Expectations
- COMM590 Learning in a Digital World
Culture and Society
Complete one course from each of the following clusters. Each cluster aligns with one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Choose one of:
- CHIN501 Introduction to Chinese I
- CHIN502 Introduction to Chinese II
- CHIN504 Write Chinese I
- CHIN511 Speak Chinese I
- CLSY502 Intercultural Competence
- ENGL500 Contemporary Language Studies
- ENGL501 Critical Media Studies
- ENGL502 Reading New Zealand
- ENGL503 A Pacific Reader
- JAPA511 Speak Japanese I
- JAPA512 Write Japanese I
- KORE500 Introduction to Korean Language and Culture I
- KORE501 Introduction to Korean Language and Culture II
- MAOR500 Introduction to Conversational Māori
- MAOR501 Beginners Māori Language I
- MAOR502 Beginners Māori Language II
- NZSL502 Deaf Community and Culture I
- NZSL510 New Zealand Sign Language I
- NZSL520 New Zealand Sign Language II
- SPAN501 Spanish 1A
- SPAN502 Spanish 1B
- TIKA501 Noho Mārae Wānanga Maori Learning Experience A
- TIKA502 Noho Mārae Wānanga Maori Learning Experience B
Choose one of:
- CLSY500 Culture and Society
- CRIM580 Criminology and Criminal Justice
- HIST500 Introduction to New Zealand History
- HIST501 The Holocaust: Its Causes, Character, and Legacy
- HIST503 Ka Whawhai Tonu Mātou: Struggle and Resistance in Aotearoa and South Africa
- PSYC580 Introduction to Psychology A
- SOSC582 Social Thinking
- SOSC583 Social Institutions
Knowledge and Inquiry
Choose one of:
Culinary Arts courses
Level 5 courses
Complete the following course:
- CULN510 Professional Culinary Arts
Level 6 courses
Complete the following courses:
- CULN611 Commercial Culinary Practice
- GAST601 Gastronomy
Level 7 courses
Complete the following courses:
- CULN702 Food Ethics and Sustainability
- CULN703 Contemporary Cuisine in Aotearoa
Practical industry experience
The Advanced Culinary Showcase course is at the heart of your final semester, giving you the opportunity to create an event. This practical experience helps you build further skills for the workplace and consolidate your decision on your professional career after graduation.
Final-year Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts students hosted Hope, Strength & Love; a charity fundraising dinner for Breast Cancer Cure. The dinner, a 5-course degustation, was designed with the support of celebrity chefs Ray McVinnie, Ben Baley and Des Harris. The event raised over $3,000 for the charity.
Skills you will develop
The outcomes for graduates of this major are outlined in the Graduate Profile below.
Other requirements for this major
The practical side of this programme involves using commercial kitchen tools and equipment and requires you to demonstrate a level of skill that doesn’t compromise any health and safety standards for yourself and others.
- Artisan food producer
- Consultant
- Owner/operator small business
- Food and beverage manager
- Food stylist
- Product developer
- Professional chef
- Teacher
Find out more about industry trends, job descriptions and what employers may be looking for.
Diploma study options
Other majors in the Bachelor of Arts
- Chinese Studies
- Conflict Resolution
- Creative Writing
- Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Economics
- Education
- English and New Media Studies
- Event Management
- History
- International Studies
- Interpreting
- Japanese Studies
- Māori Development
- Māori Media
- New Zealand Sign Language & Deaf Studies
- New Zealand Sign Language - English Interpreting
- Psychology
- Social Sciences
- The only culinary arts degree in the New Zealand university sector
- Skills to establish your own culinary business
- Emphasis on practical and professional skills in culinary arts
- First-hand experience in event development
- Flexibility to include courses of your interest
- Having a passion for preparing and cooking food
- Creative, imaginative and innovative
- A team player and good communicator
- Able to pay attention to detail
The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.