About the programme
The Bachelor of Arts and Media (Visual Arts and Design) is an NZQF Level 7 programme at Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) that gives students the core skills to set up their own creative practice or start a career in art and design. It carries 360 credits over 3 years of full-time study.
Students build fluency in visual language across painting, graphic design, animation, photography, digital video and illustration. The degree balances academic and technical training: learners research ideas, respond to briefs with a range of methods and technologies, critique their own and others' work, present finished pieces in realistic settings and manage projects to deadlines.
Year one is built around compulsory courses in photography, graphic and object design, image-making, communication and critical studies. In year two students sharpen their design thinking and professional practice while specialising in several creative areas. The final year brings research and independent study together in a major studio project, shown at the end-of-year BAM exhibition.
Classes are held in Nelson in NMIT's Creative Industries building, with full-time and part-time options. The Te Tauihu region, known for its landscapes and sunshine, has long drawn working artists and designers. Students need their own Windows laptop meeting set minimum specifications, as Apple laptops cannot log in to the institute network, and a digital SLR camera for the photography courses.
Entry requirements
- University Entrance via NCEA Level 3, with 14 credits in each of three approved subjects including at least one from a listed set such as Visual Art, Design, Media Studies, Drama, English or History, plus literacy and numeracy; or a related Level 4+ NZQF qualification; or an NCEA Level 3 equivalent such as IB or Cambridge.
- If English is not your first language: IELTS 6.0 Academic with no band below 5.5, from one test report valid for two years; applicants with NCEA Level 3 University Entrance do not need to provide English evidence.
- A portfolio of creative work, such as sketchbooks, process and finished pieces, or photo and video records, showing technical skill and concept development.
- Basic computer literacy, including word processing, email and internet use.
- Alternative or special entry may be granted to applicants who show readiness through study, work or life experience.
What you study
- Visual Language
- Image and Drawing
- Photography
- Digital Art and Design
- Object Design
- Introduction to Art and Design History
- Lens-based Media Lab and Project
- Professional Practice 1–3
- Critical Studies (Research)
- Studio Project
Careers after graduation
- Practising artist
- Art teacher
- Graphic designer, motion graphics designer or 3D visual designer
- Computer animator
- Photographer or videographer
- Advertising specialist, creative producer or multimedia creative
- Gallery associate, exhibition designer or arts facilitator
Post-study work visa
Equal to the length of the programme, 3 years maximum
Depends on the qualification, the length of study and other Immigration New Zealand requirements.
This description is based on the official programme page, checked on 19/09/2026. Ask an NIU adviser about fees and intake dates — the programme page on the NMIT website