Passionate about art? Our Bachelor of Visual Arts prepares you for the demands of a career in contemporary art. Many of our graduates are now involved in significant creative art events, both in New Zealand and around the world. Study in New Zealand’s top art and design school and have your own studio space where you work with painting, print, photography, sculpture, moving image, sound and performance.
Your study is a mix of one-on-one tutorials, critiques, seminars, visits from artists and critics, workshops, noho marae and field trips to galleries.
Preferred school subjects: Classical Studies, English, History of Art, Media Studies, Painting (Practical Art), Photography (Practical Art), Printmaking (Practical Art), Sculpture (Practical Art).
Year 1
Explore the fundamentals of visual arts theory and practice. You’re encouraged to develop your own artistic interests and approaches to art-making. In Semester 2, you specialise in paint/print, photography or sculpture. You also complete a paper from your chosen minor.
Year 2 & 3
You continue doing a mix of studio and theory papers, becoming increasingly self-reliant. You develop advanced visual, media, method and conceptual skills, and create a coherent body of art that incorporates complexity and subtlety. You also complete three papers from your chosen minor.
At the end of Year 3, you have the opportunity to exhibit your work through the AUT School of Art and Design Festival.