BFA - Bachelor of Fine Arts

Overview
Entry Requirements, Fees and Dates
Regulations
Schedule
Graduate Profile and Programme Capabilities

Artists are storytellers, change-makers, disruptors and creators who shape our culture and enrich our society.

At Elam, you will develop skills in creativity, collaboration, critical thinking and entrepreneurship. These skills will prepare you to make an impact in businesses and other organisations, in all areas of the creative industries and in the wider community.

The BFA gives you the freedom to bring your ideas to life by exploring, researching, and experimenting in a wide range of creative mediums and technologies. Our teachers and specialist technicians will support and guide your making, allowing you to refine your skills and produce artworks of high calibre.

Browse contemporary art projects by our Fine Arts students.

You can also study the BFA alongside another discipline as part of a conjoint degree, which means you can take two undergraduate programmes at the same time. You can do a conjoint BA/BFA - Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Fine Arts Conjoint or BFA/BSc - Bachelor of Fine Arts / Bachelor of Science Conjoint

Because our programme is flexible, you’ll build a pathway of study that feels right for you. But whatever you choose, you’ll learn in three key areas:

Creative artistic practices
Research themes
Creative careers

Study in these three areas makes up your artist toolkit and sets you up for a lifetime of creative thinking and making.

While studying, you’ll have opportunities to explore a range of practices such as art writing; ceramics; curatorial practices; digital media; drawing; installation; moving image; ngā toi taketake; painting; performance art; photography; print sculpture; social and public art; sound art and more.

In your final year, you will complete a capstone fine arts project and associated research essay.

The broad structure of the programme is:

Seven core courses: FINEARTS 110, 111, 112, 113, 320, 321, 322 (165 points)
Two elective courses from FINEARTS 205–236 (30 points)
Two elective courses from FINEARTS 240–250 (60 points)
One Waipapa Taumata Rau course(15 points)
One General Education course (15 points)
Additional elective courses from this degree (up to 75 points)
Additional elective courses from other bachelors degrees (up to 45 points)

Businesses and organisations hire creatives to address challenges, discover opportunities and bring new possibilities to life. The job market is constantly changing, and the diversity of career opportunities available to graduates is growing. Success as a creative practitioner extends beyond the world of contemporary art, with graduates finding employment in advertising, communication design, marketing, fashion, filmmaking, architecture, business, journalism and many more areas.

Art Director
Artist
Creative Strategist
Creative Project Lead
Educator
Filmmaker
Writer
Visual Designer

Once you become a student at the University, you can get help with planning and developing your career from Career Development and Employability Services.

Key Information for Students

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Year Fees Applicable

Domestic Student Annual Fees

International Student Annual Fees

Fees are set in advance of each calendar year and will be updated on this website. Fees are inclusive of 15% GST, but do not include the Student Services Fee, course books, travel and health insurance, or living costs. Fees will be confirmed upon completion of enrolment into courses. For more information, please see Fees and Money Matters .

*Please note: amounts shown are indicative and estimates only.

Scholarships and awards

Find out about the scholarships you may be eligible for.

Student loans and allowances

Are you a New Zealand citizen or resident? You could be eligible for a student loan or allowance.

Cost of living

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This is a limited entry programme: there is a limit on the number of enrolments due to staff or space capacity. For more information, please see the Programme and Course Limitations section of the University Academic and General Statutes and Regulations.

Please note: we will consider late applications if places are still available. International students should start the application process as early as possible to allow sufficient time to apply for a visa.

Semester	Application Closing Date	Semester Start Date	Semester End Date
2025 Semester One	08 December 2024	03 March 2025	30 June 2025
2025 Semester Two	04 July 2025	21 July 2025
2026 Semester One		02 March 2026	29 June 2026
2026 Semester Two		20 July 2026	16 November 2026

1 - 4

See important dates for the academic year, including orientation, enrolment, study breaks, exams, and graduation.

The regulations for this degree are to be read in conjunction with all other relevant statutes and regulations including the Academic Statutes and Regulations.

Note: This is a limited entry programme as per the Limitation of Entry Statute 1991 and selection criteria apply. Selection criteria are available from the Faculty of Creative Arts and Industries.

1 A student enrolled for this degree must follow a programme equivalent to six full-time semesters, and pass courses with a total value of 360 points unless credit is granted under the Admission Regulations and/or the Credit Regulations.

2 Of the 360 points required for this degree, a student must pass:

a (i) at least 315 points as listed in the Bachelor of Fine Arts Schedule, including at least 195 points above Stage I, of which 75 points must be above Stage II

(ii) 15 points: WTR 100

(iii) 15 points from courses offered in either the General Education Open Schedule or the General Education Faculty Schedule approved for this degree, and the Academic Integrity course as specified in the Enrolment and Programme Regulations, Academic Integrity, of the University Calendar

(iv) up to 30 points from courses available from other Bachelors degrees at this University

b (i) 285 points from courses listed in the Bachelor of Fine Arts Schedule, including at least 195 points above Stage I, of which 75 points must be above Stage II

(ii) 15 points: WTR 100

(iii) a 45 point module from other Bachelors degrees at this University

(iv) 15 points from courses offered in either the General Education Open Schedule or the General Education Faculty Schedule approved for this degree, and the Academic Integrity course as specified in the Enrolment and Programme Regulations, Academic Integrity, of the University Calendar.

3 A student who is required to meet the Academic English Language Requirement, as specified in the Enrolment and Programme Regulations of The University of Auckland Calendar, may substitute an academic English language course approved by the Senate or its representative for 15 points of General Education.

4 a A student is exempted from the requirement to pass courses offered in the General Education Schedules who has:

either

(i) completed an undergraduate degree at a tertiary institution

(ii) been admitted to this degree having completed 240 points or more of degree-level study at another tertiary institution.

b A student who has been exempted from the requirement to pass courses offered in the General Education Schedules must substitute the requirement with courses approved by the Academic Head.

c A student admitted to this degree, who has completed between 120 and 235 points inclusive of degree-level study at another tertiary institution, or who has completed a minimum of 50 points of study towards this degree in one semester at an overseas institution, either through an overseas exchange programme or through prior approval under the Credit Regulations, must pass 15 points from courses offered in the General Education Schedules.

d A student who has been fully or partially exempted from the requirement to pass courses offered in the General Education Schedules is nonetheless required to complete the Academic Integrity course.

5 Special arrangements apply where this degree is taken as a component degree of an approved conjoint combination. The specific requirements and a complete list of the conjoint degrees available are set out in the Conjoint Degrees section of the University Calendar.

6 In exceptional circumstances the Programme Director may approve a variation to a student’s programme of study in accordance with the Enrolment and Programme Regulations.

7 These regulations and/or schedule have been amended with effect from 1 January 2025.

Complete 360 points comprising:

300 to 345 points for Bachelor of Fine Arts Schedule, and
0 to 30 points from UOFAK - University of Auckland including child orgs at levels 100 to 400 Other Bachelors Courses, and
0 to 45 points for 0 to 1 Modules from Modules, and
15 points from General Education Courses, and
1 item from Academic Integrity Course