Bachelor of Fine Arts

• As the consistent winner of the Eden Arts Schools Awards since its inception in 2011, Whitecliffe is firmly positioned as the art school leading Fine Arts education in Auckland.
• The Whitecliffe Fine Arts department delivers a contemporary and internationally-relevant programme that positions Whitecliffe graduates for a life-long contribution to visual arts and the ever-expanding fields within the creative industries.
  
• Students and graduates have consistently won awards of note and have the opportunity to engage with the wider arts community while they are studying, building their professional arts practice from the outset.
  
• The award-winning faculty and high calibre of visiting artists ensure that Whitecliffe Fine Arts students are informed, connected, and current.
  
• The primary focus of the Whitecliffe Fine Arts department is studio-based learning; that's why Whitecliffe provides students with quality studio space and a programme that ensures that they get regular contact with lecturers who are practising artists.
  
• The Fine Arts Studios, along with the Form Gallery, is a hub for like-minded artists and an opportunity for students to see and discuss the work of their peers, their lecturers, and visiting artists.
  
• Students can access their studio spaces seven days a week and are encouraged to use the studio as a making and thinking space but also as an installation site. In this way, the studios are an opportunity for the presentation of work to be trialled and tested.
  
• End-of-semester exhibitions are a time for the formal assessment of work, but also a time to open the studios to the public, reinforcing the cycle of developing, presenting, and reflecting on work essential to contemporary arts practice.
  
• Fine Arts students are trained to digitally document their studio projects and these images are combined with written research to form a contextual portfolio that accompanies each student's end-of-year assessment. This highlights the ability each student possesses to discuss all aspects of their work and the way that it might be considered in relation to historical and contemporary modes of art practice.

All Bachelor of Fine Arts students will be required to complete the following four compulsory 15 credit courses in the first semester.

• FA7501 Critical and Contextual IA
  Critical and contextual Introduction offers students the essential tools to confidently approach the development of their critical and contextual research and its application to studio practice.
  
  
  
• FA7502 Materials and Processes
  A practical study into a range of art making processes and application including drawing, painting, screen printing, and 3D object making.
  
  
  
• FA7512 Photography and the Media Arts
  A practical study into a range of lens-based processes, methodologies, and technologies. The course introduces students to camera and lighting, moving image, and sound recording.
  
  
  
• FA7522 Visual Thinking
  An introduction to methods of visual research. Facilitates an introductory understanding of the fundamental research processes supporting the development of a studio-based practice.
  
  

After completing Semester One in their first year, students will then enrol in 7504 Studio I (45 credits), and 7503 Critical and Contextual (15 credits). These two courses interrelate with each other and provide the basis for students to create and develop their own ideas and creative outcomes and allow them to choose their specialism in Year Two.

Years 2 + 3 follow the same format (45 credit Studio and 15 credit Critical and Contextual courses) per Semester. Students select either Fine Arts or Photo Media as their specialism for the remainder of the degree.

Year Two Fine Arts students develop a broad learning base utilising a variety of media. In Terms 1 - 3, students participate in a series of set assignments, tutorials, and workshops that assist them to experiment with a range of media and techniques, evaluate complex issues and discuss critical frameworks relevant to contemporary art practice. Students in Photo Media will consider the formal and technical aspects of photography and video, including making work for exhibition and publication, as well as best practice
industry expectations surrounding lens-based image-making today. In Term Four, all students focus on the transition from working with set assignments to working on a self-directed project that extends studio-based visual and theoretical research. Intensive supervision from the faculty supports their creative, practical, and contextual development.

By undertaking a negotiated studio research project in Year Three, students will creatively engage in a largely self-directed course of study to produce practical work, which is evaluated within a critical framework. Year Three students accumulate a contextual portfolio, which contains photographic documentation of their studio work as it has developed throughout the year alongside an annotated bibliography of relevant reading material. Students also complete 40 hours in an internship component that connects them to the industry.

By the end of Year Three, students will resolve a professional body of work that represents an original area of inquiry which is then presented together with the rest of their cohort at the Whitecliffe Graduate Exhibition. This exhibition is well attended by industry professionals and is an important opportunity to showcase student work, supporting them to graduate with momentum, to have confidence and make a contribution to their chosen discipline and the wider arts community.

Many of our graduates have gone on to be successful exhibiting artists, both in New Zealand and overseas. However, a Fine Arts degree also prepares graduates for a wide range of careers, giving them essential skills for the modern job market: the ability to think creatively and flexibly; to work independently or collaboratively; to respond constructively to criticism, and to participate in intelligent debate. Our graduates are proven self-starters, many of whom become self-employed or owners of successful small businesses within the creative fields.

NZ Government key information link for students, that provides more information to support your decision making for this programme

Domestic Student Entry Requirements:

• Completed application form
• Minimum age: Domestic students must be at least 18 years of age at the commencement of their study.
• NCEA University Entrance or equivalent CIE/IB award.
• Discretionary Entrance is available to students who have gained exceptional marks in accomplishing NCEA Level 2, including UE literacy requirements (5 credits in reading and 5 credits in writing at level 2).
• Discretionary Entrance is available to students who have gained a Level 4 Arts and Design certificate of at least 60 credits.
• Discretionary Entrance is available to students who are over 20 years of age.
• Interview: All applicants for this programme are interviewed.
• Portfolio: This is brought to the interview and should include between 12-24 examples of original work showing breadth of ability.
• Letter of Intent: A 250-word letter of intent outlining reasons for wanting to study the BFA programme and desired pathway

International Student Entry Requirements:

• Completed application form
• Passport copy
• Minimum age: International students must be at least 18 years of age during their first semester of study. Where the student is under 18 years of age for part of their first year of study they must have evidence of a guardian domiciled in Auckland.
• IELTS Academic overall score of 6.0 with no band less than 5.5 or equivalent
• Academic Transcripts: School or previous tertiary results
• Interview: All applicants for this programme are interviewed. International student interviews are conducted via telephone or online
• Portfolio: This is brought to the interview and should include between 12-24 examples of original work showing breadth of ability. International Students may submit their portfolio digitally
• Letter of Intent: A 250-word letter of intent outlining reasons for wanting to study the BFA programme and desired pathway
• Full-time study: International students enrolled into a degree or higher-level programme, including low residence and/or online or blended learning delivery, will be required to enrol into 60 credits per semester and meet the attendance requirements of the programme.

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Requirements:

This programme has Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) requirements, the following specifications will support you to be successful in your studies.

Required IT Specifications:

Minimum Hardware requirements 

• Mac - Intel processor with 64-bit support; 2 GHz or faster processor with SSE 4.2 or later
  OR 
• MacBook Air with M1 Chip 
  OR 
• Intel® or AMD processor with 64-bit support; 2 GHz or faster processor with SSE 4.2 or later 
• 8 GB RAM (Recommended 16 GB)   
• 250 GB SSD or higher hard drive with 10GB free space minimum    
• Wireless capability 802.11n dual-band    
• Up-to-date antivirus software    

Minimum Operating System     

• Windows 10 (64-bit) version 1809 or later; LTSC versions are not supported
  OR     
• Apple macOS Mojave (version 10.14) or later 

• Internet and data plan.    

Not Supported:    

• Chromebooks    
• Windows X or Windows S OS    
• Tablets (except Windows Surface Pro or iPad Pro)

Macbook Pro (preferred)
AND dedicated GPU (Graphics card)

May use Apple iPad Pro for drawing.