Graduates of the Bachelor of Design and Arts (with a major in Design Media, Visual Arts or Textiles/Fashion Design) aims to provide an educational and vocational pathway for students to pursue the knowledge, skills and attributes identified as those that support creativity and innovation in the development of professional practice aligned with the 21st century design and arts environment.

The Bachelor of Design and Arts (with a major in Design Media, Visual Arts or Textiles/Fashion Design) will prepare students for successful employment in a local, national or global context. Students will gain the skills not only to create successful design and art works, but also to market their concepts and products, communicate successfully and understand the importance of self-promotion for success. In addition, graduates with a Design Media Major will be able to: demonstrate highly specialised skills in either print-based or time-based media, and the associated specialist software apply advanced typographic skills to a range of design projects demonstrate knowledge of time-based software and appropriate applications within design projects apply specific design industry standards to complex contexts in the production and presentation of a body of design work. Graduates with a Visual Arts Major will be able to: demonstrate highly specialised skills in visual arts and the associated specialist equipment apply advanced drawing skills to a range of visual arts projects demonstrate knowledge of two and three dimensional art-making and the appropriate applications within visual arts projects apply specific visual arts industry standards to complex contexts in the production and presentation of a body of artwork(s). Graduates with a Textiles-Fashion Design Major will be able to: demonstrate highly specialised skills in textiles-fashion design and the associated specialist equipment and software apply advanced drawing skills to a range of textiles-fashion design projects demonstrate knowledge of pattern-drafting or draping and appropriate applications within textiles-fashion design projects apply specific textiles-fashion industry standards to complex contexts in the production and presentation of a body of textile or fashion design work.

There are opportunities for further study in the art and design field or in teaching. Further study opportunities at UCOL include Bachelor of Computer Graphic Design (Hons) Graduate Diploma in Animation, Postgraduate Diploma Computer Graphic Design, Master of Design Thinking and Master of Computer Graphic Design. Opportunities for further study in New Zealand include Postgraduate and Masters programmes in arts and/or design fields available through AUT University, Massey University, University of Auckland, University of Waikato, Otago Polytechnic, WinTec, UNITEC and University of Canterbury.

a) Under 20 years of age applicants:

Applicants under the age of 20 years must have University Entrance

OR
Equivalent academic achievement
OR
On a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Executive Dean
OR
Provisional enrolment

Note:
Provisional enrolment is defined by NZQA as being Discretionary Entrance and includes the following clauses:

Discretionary enrolment may be granted to those applicants under the age of 20 who:
* Are New Zealand or Australian citizens and permanent residents under 20 years of age
* Must have a minimum of 14 credits in an approved subject at Level 2 towards NCEA
* Must also have met the literacy and numeracy standards required for University Entrance


(b) Over 20 years of age:
* A person having reached the age of 20 years by the first day of the programme in the year, for which admission is sought, is not required to hold the above entry qualifications.

(c) International applicants:
* Students who have undertaken examinations other than NCEA (eg International Baccalaureate, Cambridge examination) should contact UCOL for requirements.
* The minimum English proficiency entry requirement for international students is IELTS Academic score of 6 with no band score lower than 5.5 (or equivalent including TOEFL). UCOL is a TOEFL iBT testing centre.
* IELTS scores used must be taken from a single IELTS Test Report Form (i.e. combining scores from more than one test is not permissible) not less than 2 years old at the time of submitting the enrolment application.

In addition to this international applications under the age of 20 must have NCEA equivalency (refer to Business Development International).