Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours)

Your workload

You'll take part in a weekly public seminar and postgraduate workshop (12.30pm-5.30pm) where you will have the chance to interact with your fellow students.

A one hour weekly meeting with your supervisor(s) will also give you the opportunity to hone your ideas and seek specialist advice in a more intimate environment.

The rest of your time will be spent in self-directed study in your studio alongside your postgraduate peers, producing the necessary work to successfully complete the qualification.

The School provides around the clock access to its facilities, allowing you the flexibility to study alongside part-time employment or other commitments. 

Entry requirements

• You must hold a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Level 7) or any equivalent qualification at a bachelor's level or above, with an overall grade of B (70%) or higher in your final year studio and essay papers.
• Normally, commencement of Honours study must occur within five years of the successful completion of your degree. Exceptions will require the approval of the Postgraduate Coordinator.
• You must submit an annotated portfolio, curriculum vitae and a project proposal. The portfolio must be no larger than 2MB. See portfolio section below.
• Selection for admission includes an interview - see below for more info. 
• If you do not hold the above qualifications, you must demonstrate appropriate ability through a portfolio and associated writings which will be approved by the Postgraduate Admissions Committee.
• International students will be individually assessed to ensure they meet the entry requirements.

We will be taking applications for a February 2023 start until 27 January 2023. Please submit all your materials by this date through the application portal.

Postgraduate interview dates 

English Language requirements

• If English is not your first language, you must provide:
  • New Zealand University Entrance OR
  • Overall Academic IELTS 6.5 with no individual band score lower than 6.0 (achieved in one test completed in the last two years), OR
  • Acceptable alternative evidence of the required IELTS (see here for NZQA proficiency table and here for list of recognised proficiency tests).

If you need to improve your English Language skills, we offer a wide range of English programmes.

Your portfolio 

Your application should contain the following:

1. A curriculum vitae of no more than two pages which lists the relevant qualifications and previous exhibiting histories and references or includes any reviews or responses which are relevant.
2. An annotated portfolio with images that indicate the scope of the work to date in a focused way. These images should relate to your project proposal. See more info below.
3. A project proposal of 500-1000 words with annotated bibliography.

Annotated portfolio details

You should provide approximately 15 images of work (including images of installations where applicable). Each image should be numbered and correspond with an annotated list including information as to title, date, size, materials and position within your practice. Images should illustrate a range of work as well as development over a period of time. If available, you should attach exhibition catalogues, reviews, articles or any other material relevant to your work. 

Sending us your CV, portfolio and project proposal 

• Please submit these digitally if you can.
• Please don't submit originals. 
• If you have trouble uploading your documents digitally when you're applying online, please email student.administration@op.ac.nz

If you need to send us your documents in a physical format, please send them to: 

Dunedin School of Art
Otago Polytechnic
Riego Street
Private Bag 9010, Dunedin

Please note: While all reasonable care will be taken, Otago Polytechnic does not accept responsibility for damage or loss of portfolio material.

Want your existing skills recognised?

If you have extensive knowledge and skills due to practical experience in this area, please ask us about our recognition of prior learning process. You may have already gained credits towards this qualification and could achieve it in a shorter timeframe. Please email info@op.ac.nz or call 0800 762 786.

Fees Free 

If you’re a domestic student and this is your first time doing tertiary study in New Zealand (over 60 credits at Level 3 or higher), you may be able to get free tuition fees for this programme. 

All the details and criteria are on the Fees Free website and you can check whether you’re going to be able to access funding by entering your National Student Number. 

If you can access it, we’ll organise your fees with the Tertiary Education Commission when you’re enrolled to study with us. This funding doesn’t include additional costs or living costs.   

Check whether you can access funding here >

Additional costs 

The cost of additional materials will vary according to individual projects. As an indication, you may borrow up to $1,000 in addition to any student allowance for course-related costs.

Tuition fees

The tuition fees shown above are approximate only. There may be a slight fee increase per year once Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) rules and guidelines are applied. These fees also don’t include additional costs or living costs.