New Zealand Diploma in Digital Media and Design (Level 5)
Through workshops, real-world projects and engagement with industry professionals, you’ll develop technical industry skills across a variety of areas such as camera expertise, lighting, videography, post-production and editing. You’ll also start to build your professional skills so you can feel confident when responding to briefs and working to deadlines.
Domestic
About the programme
This hands-on programme covers all aspects of photography and moving image production.
It will provide you with the knowledge and skills required for any career in professional photography, video production, moving image or related fields.
Through workshops, real-world projects and engagement with industry professionals, you’ll develop technical and industry skills across a variety of areas such as camera expertise, and post-production and editing.
You’ll also start to build your professional skills so can feel confident when responding to briefs and working to deadlines.
Plus, you’ll learn from experienced tutors who work part-time in the industry and enjoy access to our industry-standard studios and editing software and equipment.
International
About the programme
This hands-on programme covers all aspects of photography and moving image production.
It will provide you with the knowledge and skills required for any career in professional photography, video production, moving image or related fields.
Through workshops, real-world projects and engagement with industry professionals, you’ll develop technical and industry skills across a variety of areas such as camera expertise, and post-production and editing.
You’ll also start to build your professional skills so can feel confident when responding to briefs and working to deadlines.
Plus, you’ll learn from experienced tutors who work part-time in the industry and enjoy access to our industry-standard studios and editing software and equipment.
What You Study
Courses
Our programme combines practical skills in both still and moving image production across a variety of contexts including advertising, portraiture, fashion, events, news media, web TV, documentary, live streaming and vlogging.
You’ll learn about:
- camera expertise including still images, video production and moving images, recording sound
- lighting
- post-production and editing
- image analysis and criticism
- iterative design processes
- workflow and process management
- interpersonal skills including teamwork, collaboration and networking
- business skills including licensing, permissions and copyright, Health and Safety laws and practices, analysing web data
- professional skills including working independently, research and problem-solving, working intuitively, responding to briefs and working to deadlines.
This diploma consists of six, four-week project courses running consecutively and one longer project at the end. The courses grow in complexity and we expect more independence from you as the programme progresses.
| Course name | Course description |
|---|---|
| Photographic Techniques 1: The Image |
Learn how to apply practical skills of lens-based content creation in portraiture principles.
|
| Photographic Techniques 2: The Studio |
Learn how to apply the practical skills of lens-based content creation in a controlled environment.
|
| Photographic Techniques 3: On Location |
Learn how to apply practical skills and principles to the creation of location-based imagery.
|
| Photographic Techniques 4: The Event |
Learn how to apply relevant lens-based approaches and strategies to a dynamic environment.
|
| Photographic Practices 1: The Tableau |
Learn how to apply practical skills and principles to the creation of a composed scene.
|
| Photographic Practices 2: Reportage |
Learn how to capture live action in order to give an account of events.
|
| Photographic Practices 3: Storytelling |
Develop a client-driven or self-initiated project that tells a story to an audience.
|
Career options
Graduates of this qualification will have the skills and knowledge for various entry-level positions in many areas within creative industries. With a focus on digital content creation in photography, video and sound, areas can include:
- advertising
- food
- fashion and editorial
- news media, photojournalism and documentary
- sports and events
- weddings and portraiture
- post-production editing
- travel and vlogging
- corporate and commercial
- stills and video in the film industry.
Further study options
This programme provides a pathway into the New Zealand Diploma in Photography (Level 6) where you can develop your photographic practice to a professional level. With a focus on self-initiated projects and entrepreneurship, you’ll build your technical and business skills within your chosen specialist field or industry.
You’ll develop an industry-ready portfolio full of your best practice, experience and digital content so you’re ready to hit-the-ground-running when you graduate!
Or, you might choose to move into the Bachelor of Visual Arts or Bachelor of Design (Communication). Entry to year two of these degrees may be possible.
Workload
Your workload
This is a full-time programme with approximately 20 hours per week contact time and around 15 hours self-directed study.
Entry
Academic requirements
Those under 20
- You must have completed a Level 3 qualification in a related field OR demonstrate equivalent knowledge and skills.
- In exceptional circumstances, an applicant under the age of 20 who doesn't meet the academic requirements may be granted entry to the programme where they supply evidence of their ability to succeed in the programme.
- You need to submit a portfolio (see Portfolio section below for more info).
Those 20 and over
- No minimum academic requirements.
- You need to submit a portfolio (see Portfolio section below for more info).
English Language requirements
- If English is not your first language, you must provide:
- New Zealand University Entrance OR
- Overall Academic IELTS 5.5 with no individual band score lower than 5.5 (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.
Portfolio
Please send us three (3) examples of your photographic work (still and/or moving images).
- Submit your portfolio digitally as a PDF uploaded to the OP website. Combine your images into a single digital document and save as a PDF.
- Upload any moving image work to a website (e.g. YouTube or similar) and include links as a page of your portfolio PDF.
Thank you. We are looking forward to seeing your photographic work.
Covering letter
Please write a short covering letter to accompany your application. A double-spaced letter of not more than one page (300 words) explaining why you want to come to study on the program and what your relevant experiences have been to date.
Selection criteria
Where there are more eligible applicants than places available, applicants will be selected based on the strength of the submitted portfolio and the above entry criteria.
Don't meet the entry requirements?
If you don't meet the entry requirements for this programme, don't worry.
Our New Zealand Certificate in Digital Media and Design (Level 4) has been designed to help you bridge the gap.
By completing this Level 4 Certificate, you'll gain the academic entry requirements you need to apply for this Level 5 programme.
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
Domestic fees
International fees
Additional costs
You need to have:
- a basic camera for still and moving image (e.g. smart phone or similar, or compact camera) that you can carry all the time
- an external hard-drive for keeping your digital files (eg. 1TB USB hard-drive)
- a pair of monitoring headphones and a good quality 32GB SD card (e.g. Sandisk).
You are welcome to bring your own DSLR camera or similar, but we will provide cameras.
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.
Studylink
Domestic full-time students can apply for a student loan through Studylink.
Some support may be available for domestic part-time students.
Apply at the same time as you apply for your course (you can withdraw your application anytime).
Student Services Fee
For most students, your tuition fee shown above includes a Student Services Fee – also known as the Student Levy. This compulsory fee covers your access to the student services we offer. This cost is tailored depending on how you're studying.
The international tuition fee does not include your Student Levy. This will be calculated when you enrol with us.
Click below to find out more about the Student Levy costs and services provided.
Fees Free
The Government has announced that Fees Free for the first year of study or training will finish at the end of 2024. A final-year Fees Free policy will replace it, starting from 1 January 2025.
If you are a first-time tertiary learner in 2025, you may be able to get Fees Free for your final year of study or training. If you are eligible, you will need to apply for your entitlement through IRD from 2026 onwards.
For more information about the transition from first-year Fees Free or the final-year Fees Free policy, visit FeesFree.govt.nz.
Application
A change for 2023 enrolments
When you apply to study with Otago Polytechnic in 2023, you will be enrolled with Te Pūkenga, the new national network of vocational and applied education in Aotearoa New Zealand. You will learn in the same way, in the same place, and with the same people, and you will graduate with a Te Pūkenga qualification.
