Study the Bachelor of Screen Arts Concept Art and Design Major and be a part of a creative team that designs and develops rich storytelling experiences. You will be part of a creative team development community which values collaborative practices and creative driven solutions. You will develop practical skills in world building and character development. Designing and developing storytelling experiences with an audience focus. You will be able to work on both solo and collaborative projects so you are exposed to a wide variety of skills and experiences which will prepare you for rewarding and creative future the screen industries.
Three years full-time,
Part time study is available.
This programme is eligible for the Zero Fees Scheme.
International Fees can be found here.
The Bachelor of Screen Arts is a three-year programme that allows you to express your creativity using the latest techniques and technology.
You will engage and develop skills from day one in team work and collaboration, building critical creative problem-solving skills vital to working in the screen and animation industries. You will develop practical skills in both 2D and 3D art production to develop rich storytelling experiences for a diverse range of target audiences. You will be able to work on both solo and collaborative projects so you are exposed to a wide variety of skills and experiences which will prepare you for rewarding and creative future.
The Concept Art & Design major focuses on developing your creativity and technical skills to develop complex design based projects. You will be getting experience using techniques from the creative industries.
You will learn:
While technology moves rapidly the skills in critical thinking, research, development, leadership and storytelling are universally transferable and will give students a foundation which will endure the changing technologies.
Other majors in the Bachelor of Screen Arts:
Year 1 Core Papers
BSA503 Cross-Disciplinary Workshops
Students will participate in cross-disciplinary workshops to gain an understanding of real-world creative industry practice and communication. Students will be introduced to industry-specific techniques, gaining knowledge and skills required to participate as part of a team. Students will develop research skills to identify and demonstrate historical and theoretical practice. Students will document and analyse the progression of their projects.
BSA542 Studio Digital 1
Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of design within the current creative industries. Students will complete projects that meet the requirements of a design brief, implementing various software solutions to develop an understanding of how to read and use imagery. Students will also explore and create digital artworks which apply the fundamentals of design principles. Students will investigate and a diversity of historic and contemporary digital design practices.
BSA 532 Studio Photography 1
Students will be introduced to the latest processes and techniques of digital photography. Students will complete projects using various practical techniques and software solutions to develop an understanding of how to read and use digital photographic imagery. Students will also explore and create digital photographic artworks while developing a basic technical ability. Students will?gain knowledge of the field through the investigation and analysis of diverse, contemporary and historical photographic practices.
BSA515 Studio Drawing 1
Students will develop fundamental skills in drawing, both digitally and physically. Students will participate in a variety of different drawing methods such as life drawing, mural design, and prompt illustrations. Students will develop visual storytelling skills through producing a narrative-driven short, illustrated project. Students will discuss relevant existing?and emerging practices, and reflectively document their project’s progress.?
BSA529 Storyboarding
Students will be introduced to the process of drafting and planning story driven short form screen arts projects. Students will learn basic screenwriting skills for short form narratives and how to design for a target audience. Students will gain an understanding of the creative process and apply visual language and film grammar to produce a completed storyboard and animatic project for the creative industries.
BSA 511 2D and 3D Concept Art & Design
Students will be introduced to fundamentals of design and presentation of effective storytelling and character concepts. Students will implement a design workflow to communicate 2D & 3D concepts to a chosen target audience. Students will produce a mixed media project to present their finalised concepts. Students will discuss relevant existing?and emerging practices, and reflectively document their project’s progress.
BSA570 Transmedia 1
Students will develop?a basic understanding of how audiences are engaged through transmedia storytelling across multiple media platforms. Students will research the use of a variety of media platforms and storytelling devices.?Students will produce a basic transmedia concept and explore its potential distribution, evaluating and documenting effectiveness in reaching target audiences. Students will also explore and evaluate contemporary transmedia practice.
Year 2 Core Papers
BSA603 Cross-Disciplinary Workshops 2
Students will participate and collaborate across disciplines to engage in a series of innovative and contemporary creative industry driven projects. Students will collaborate developing skills in versatility and adaptability within a visually creative environment. Students will research and develop an analytical understanding of emerging disciplines within the creative industries. Students will research and develop communication skills in leadership, decision-making, and group dynamics.
BSA612 World Building
Students will develop their narrative and conceptual art skills to create an original fictional world. Students will be introduced to tools to articulate and demonstrate their world to an audience.Students will also examine relevant existing and emerging practices, and document project progress through self-reflective commentaries.
BSA642 Studio Digital 2
Students will extend their understanding of project-focused research through creative industries practices. Within their fields, students will develop a body of work that reflects an in-depth investigation relevant to their research focus. Students will gain an understanding of the practical and theoretical implications of proposing, developing, and resolving a creative industries project. Students will engage in historical and contemporary research relevant to their research focus. Students will demonstrate experience evaluating a range of practical and digital materials and processes to engage with target audiences. Students will also utilise documentation as a key research method.
BSA 632 Studio Photography 2
Students will further develop their skills in the?latest?processes?and techniques of?digital photography. Students will complete projects?using?various practical techniques and software solutions to hone an understanding of how to read and use digital photographic imagery. Students will also produce digital photographic artworks developing?an advanced technical capability in the production and manipulation of photographic images.?Students will?gain knowledge of the field through research and the inclusion of diverse, contemporary,?and historical?photographic practices.
BSA615 Studio Drawing 2
Students will develop both physical and digital drawing skills. Students will explore their drawing methods by participating in a variety of group and individual exercises such as mural design, life drawing, and prompt illustrations. Students will produce a narrative-driven illustrated project, such as a graphic novel, children’s book, motion comic, manga, or comic, that distinguishes their own creative voice. Students will also examine relevant existing and emerging practises, and document project progress through self-reflective commentaries.
BSA 611 Character, Environment & Prop Design
Students will develop design and communication skills by working from a brief provided by a real or theoretical client. Students will produce a costume piece, prop or environment project that supports character development and world building from concept to completion. Students will create a conceptual project, such as an illustrative or documentative art book, with a focus on a potential client’s creative industry project. Students will also examine relevant existing and emerging practices, and document project progress through self-reflective commentaries.
BSA670 - Transmedia 2
Students further develop their?understanding of how transmedia practices engage storytelling across multiple media platforms. Students will?research and evaluate?relevant transmedia practices in terms of their specific use of?media platforms and storytelling devices. Students will produce a?compelling, integrated?transmedia project. Students will research, design, and execute a transmedia concept. Students will evaluate and use documentation to articulate the projects effectiveness to communicate a single narrative to target audiences.
Year 3 Core Papers
BSA701 Studio Project 1
Students will build knowledge and skills in communications and management strategies to lead a deadline-driven creative project within a team environment. Students will explore and research relevant existing and emerging practices. Students will develop and produce a project utilising and challenging each member’s current technical and aesthetic talent base. Students will explore pipeline/workflow and time management models, while maintaining best health, wellness and safety practices while observing legal and ethical considerations. Students will explore and critically engage in audience research to ensure all concepts and designs are user centric. Students will critically analyse and execute transmedia approaches to release the final project.
BSA702 Studio Project 2
Students will build knowledge and skills in communications and management strategies to develop or produce a creative project. Students will develop individual or collaborative projects with peers or external partners but must implement individual processes with legal considerations. Students will plan and implement pipelines/workflows that embed researched and evaluated ethics, health, safety, and wellbeing procedures. Students will identify audience to ensure all concepts and designs are user-centric and have clear approaches to brand development and product release. Students will critically analyse and execute transmedia approaches to release their final project.
When you complete the programme you will have the broad range of skills necessary for an industry that increasingly asks for people with a multidisciplinary approach. Depending on the specialisation chosen, you will be able to look for work in numerous roles within the creative industries such as concept artist for games, animation, film or television projects. The real strength of the programme is that graduates will have had some experience in many of these areas, a quality that will become increasingly important as technologies converge.
School Leavers
University Entrance - NCEA Level 3 - three subjects at Level 3, made up of:
14 credits each, in three NZQA University Entrance approved subjects, and
Literacy – 10 credits at Level 2 or above, made up of five credits in reading and five credits in writing, and
Numeracy – 10 credits at Level 1 or above, made up of specified achievement standards through a range of subjects, or a package of three numeracy unit standards (26623, 26626, 26627 – all three required)
Mature Applicants
Be at least 20 years of age when the programme begins and provide evidence of aptitude or appropriate work or other experience; or completion of an external or overseas qualification which is considered to be the equivalent of any of the above qualifications, as approved by the Head of Faculty.
Special Admission
Notwithstanding the above admissions categories, in exceptional circumstances, an applicant below the age of 20 who can show evidence of ability to succeed in the programme may be considered for admission, provided the applicant has successfully completed an approved course or programme which is deemed to prepare graduates for the required academic standard for entry.
An applicant who does not meet academic criteria, may be provisionally admitted to enrol in one or more Year One papers, provided he or she meets the requirements above. Upon successful completion of the papers, the student may apply for special admission or admission by mature entry.
Additional Criteria - Portfolio Requirements
Applicants are required to submit a portfolio of their work with their application as follows:
English Language Requirements
Applicants, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English, are required to provide evidence of having achieved one of the following:
NCEA Level 3 with University Entrance, or
an International Baccalaureate Diploma or Cambridge A- level qualification for which the teaching and assessment was conducted in English, or
Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA),or Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL), or
Successful completion of all primary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand primary school years 1 to 8) and at least three years of secondary education (being the equivalent of three years from New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States one of the countries listed in Rule 18.5 where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction, or
Successful completion of at least five years of secondary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction, or
Successful completion of a Bachelors' Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours degree, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters' Degree or Doctoral Degree, the language of instruction of which must be in English and which must be from a tertiary education provider from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States, or
Successful completion of one of the following internationally recognised proficiency tests listed below to the level required of the programme of study and with all scores achieved in a single test during the two years preceding the proposed date of enrolment:
IELTS test - Academic score of 6 with no band score lower than 5.5 TOEFL Paper based test (pBT) - Score of 550 (with an essay score 5 TWE) TOEFL Internet based test (iBT) - Score of 60 (with a writing score of 18) Cambridge English Examination - B2 First or B2 First for schools or C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a score of 169. No less than 162 in each skill. OET - Minimum of Grade C or 200 in all sub-tests NZCEL - a) Expiring Level b) Current: a) Level 4 (Academic) b) Level 4 (Academic) Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE (Academic) score of 50 with no band score lower than 42 Language Cert - C1 Expert International ESOL Written (LRW) PASS with no less than 25/50 in each skill and Spoken (S) PASS Trinity ISE - ISE II with no less than distinction in any band
* New versions of some NZCEL qualifications, and in some cases new qualifications, were published on 13 June 2017. These are intended to replace pre-existing versions and qualifications, which have been given expiring status until discontinued on 31 December 2019. (a) denotes expiring (b) denotes current.
* Portfolio One: examples of films online e.g. a playlist or collection on Youtube or Vimeo. This should showcase the applicant’s skills and experience in filming and editing regardless of whether a documentary, scripted or experimental approach is utilised.* Portfolio Two: Students should also submit at least 10 examples of photographic work that illustrates their photographic skills. We will be looking at both the technical and artistic ability in the photographs, everything from exposure through to composition of the submitted images.* Prior Learning: evidence of prior learning e.g. academic transcripts.* Statement: hand written statement X 1 A4 page (outlining your interests and goals within the programme e.g. why are you choosing film as a career).* Referees: contact details for two people who know you well e.g. teacher or employer.* Interview: a time will be arranged for you to meet with the programme manager or appropriate staff member following the assessment of your application.* Innovation & Imagination: We are also looking for maturity, originality and the ability to develop interesting, imaginative and engaging storytelling.
In order to be awarded the Bachelor of Screen Arts the student will have been credited with all required papers and electives as specified in the schedule of papers (360 credits).
The overall programme of study for every candidate requires 360 credits for successful completion of the degree.
Individual papers may have specific pre-requisites or other knowledge/skill requirements, which must be satisfied by all students.
Classes are held Monday to Friday, 9.00am-5.00pm