Bachelor of Visual Arts Te Tohu Paetahi mō Toi Ataata
Passionate about art? Our visual arts degree prepares you for the demands of a career in contemporary art, whether as an artist or in the many other roles within the art sector.
Study visual arts and enjoy a student-centred and studio-based programme where you can follow your interests in art – including painting, printmaking, drawing, photography, sculpture or moving-image.
As a graduate of our visual arts programme, you’ll have a sound understanding of the trends and concepts driving contemporary art, the importance of mātauranga Māori, and how to work collaboratively to produce objects, craft, images, taonga and artefacts.
Talk to us about your study options
Thinking about studying at AUT? Book a time with us to discuss your study options.
Download programme guides
Minimum entry requirements
If you have New Zealand qualifications
If you have qualifications from another country
See entry requirements for students from other countries. Select your country from the dropdown menu.
English language requirements
- IELTS (Academic) 6.0 overall with all bands 5.5 or higher; or equivalent
Useful New Zealand school subjects
Classical Studies, Computing, Construction and Mechanical Technologies, Design (Practical Art), Design and Visual Communication, Digital Technologies or Hangarau Matihiko, English, Geography, Hangarau, Hauora, Health, History, History of Art, Mathematics/Pāngarau, Media Studies, Music Studies, Ngā Mahi a Rēhia, Ngā Toi, Ngā Toi Ataata, Ngā Toi Puoro, Painting (Practical Art), Pāngarau, Photography (Practical Art), Physics, Printmaking (Practical Art), Processing Technologies, Psychology, Pūtaiao/Science, Sculpture (Practical Art), Technology/Hangarau, Te Ao Haka, Te Reo Māori, Te Reo Rangatira, Technology, Visual Arts
Don’t meet the entry requirements?
Consider starting with:
Transferring to AUT (recognition of prior learning)
You may be eligible to enter Year 2 or Year 3 of our visual arts degree if you have completed all or part of a design or visual arts degree at another approved tertiary institution. Applications for cross-credits will normally be assessed after you receive an offer of place for the Bachelor of Visual Arts Te Tohu Paetahi mō Toi Ataata.
Email artbox@aut.ac.nz
As a visual arts student, you can pursue your passion for art, experiment with different techniques and materials, and prepare yourself for a future in the visual arts.
You can build your degree in a way that suits you and your interests, and include subjects from outside of visual arts as part of your studies.
To graduate with this degree you need to complete:
Core courses (120 points)
These are courses all students in this degree need to take. They cover fundamental visual arts principles and processes, and help you decide which subject to focus on later in your studies. Two of the core courses are the courses Integrated Visual Arts Practices and Professional Contexts in your final semester, which give you a chance to apply what you’ve learnt in a practice-based project and further your understanding of what to expect from a career in the art industry.
Your chosen major (120 points)
Your major is the subject area you want to specialise in. This makes up one third of your degree and consists of courses related to your chosen subject. You can view the list of majors in this degree in the ‘Majors’ tab.
Flexible component (120 points)
You can choose one of the following options
- Two minors (60 points each); or
- A minor (60 points) and elective courses (60 points); or
- A second major (120 points)
Your second major, minor(s) and elective courses can be from different AUT degrees; they don’t need to be from visual arts.
Build your degree
Use our online tool to build your own degree and see what your three years of study could look like.
https://www.aut.ac.nz/study/study-options/art-and-design/courses/bachelor-of-visual-arts
If you started your studies in the Bachelor of Visual Arts before 2024, the courses you need to complete are a little different. Find out what courses you need to take to complete your qualification if you started in 2023 or earlier.
Your major is the subject area you want to specialise in. It makes up one third of your degree.
Choose one of these majors as part of your degree
Add a second major
If you want to include a second major, you can:
- Choose another subject from the list above
- Add a design major
- View options from different AUT degrees
A minor is smaller than a major. It usually consists of four courses.
Visual arts minors you could choose
If you decide to include one or two minors in your degree, you could choose one minor from:
Your minor can't be the same subject you're studying for your major. For example, if your major is Painting, Printmaking and Drawing you can only take a minor in Photography, Sculpture and Moving-image. If your major is Photography, Sculpture and Moving-image, you can only take the Painting, Printmaking and Drawing minor.
Add a minor from outside of visual arts
You can also choose your minor(s) from subjects outside of visual arts to complement your degree.
- Add a design minor:
- Animated Drawing
- Cinematic Arts
- Contemporary Pacific
- Creative Entrepreneurship
- Design for Health
- Design for Social and Environmental Justice
- Digital Fabrication
- Experimental Surface Design
- Extended Reality
- In Print: Publishing Practices
- Motion Capture
- Photographic Practice
- Temporary Practices / Temporary Publics
- View more options from different AUT degrees
Postgraduate study
($7,726 - $7,783 tuition fees + $1,192 student services levy)
($41,100 tuition fees + $1,192 student services levy)
- Fees shown are based on a full-time workload for the points indicated next to the fee. The exact fee charged will depend on which courses you select at the time of enrolment.
- Fees are subject to change year to year. If you are planning for study beyond the current year, fees may vary from those stated.
- There may also be other fees and charges you need to pay.
- International students' tuition fees reflect the full cost of tuition. Domestic students' tuition fees are less due to a proportion of the tuition fees being funded by the New Zealand Government.
- Fees-free study may be available for domestic students
The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.