New Zealand Certificate in Arts and Design (Level 4)

This programme is designed for creative thinkers who want to explore, experiment, and develop their unique artistic voice.

You’ll be introduced to a range of materials and methods, enabling you to develop your research skills to create unique solutions.

Learn from our creative and talented team of lecturers, renowned designers and artists who exhibit nationally and internationally, and gain real-world insights through UCOL’s unique community partnerships.

Choose from one of the following areas of study:

•  Glass Arts 

•  Visual Arts 

•  Design Media 

•  Textiles/Fashion Design

You’ll also master the language of art and design through essential courses in drawing, art and design history, and creative problem-solving. These core skills will complement your chosen specialty and prepare you to take on exciting design briefs with confidence. 

This programme comprises 60 credits.

COMPULSORY COURSES

Art/Design History (15 Credits)

Gain an introduction to national and international art/design practice including key historical principles, contexts and conventions.

Creative Methodology (15 Credits)

Learn to develop technical and conceptual creative skills through the selection and application of tools, techniques and processes appropriate to a directed art/design brief.

ELECTIVE COURSES COURSES (Choose two)**

Visual Arts Studio (15 Credits) (Whanganui campus)

Gain knowledge and experience of working in two and three-dimensional forms and, through a variety of visual arts mediums, explore physical, and conceptual space.

Fashion Design (15 Credits) (Whanganui campus)

Gain technical and conceptual skills within the specialisation of fashion design. During your studies you'll explore garment construction methods, and apply principles of fashion design in response to a brief; use digital illustration as a means of generating and developing work; and demonstrate and apply an understanding of health and safety practices associated with the studio environment.

Graphic Design (15 Credits) (Palmerston North or Whanganui campus)

Gain technical and conceptual skills within the specialisation of graphic design. During your studies you'll gain an understanding of specific design software; apply principles of graphic design in response to a brief, and explore and describe the use of visual communication within a graphic design context.

Photography (15 Credits) (Palmerston North or Whanganui campus)

Gain technical and conceptual skills within the specialisation of photography. During your studies you'll gain an understanding of specific photography software; apply tools, techniques and processes in response to a brief; research, explore and describe the use of visual communication within a photography context; and apply a problem-solving approach to image production for a variety of photographic imaging projects.

Digital Media (15 Credits) (Palmerston North or Whanganui campus)
Gain technical and conceptual skills within the specialisation of digital media. During your studies you'll gain an understanding of specific digital media software and principles in response to a brief; research, explore and describe the use of visual communication within a digital media context; and demonstrate and apply a problem-solving approach to image production for a variety of digital media imaging projects.

**Available elective courses may vary between campuses.

Fully equipped Art and Design Home Room, specialist Mac Design Labs, printmaking facilities, Fashion and textiles studio, photography and lighting studio, wood and metal working workshop.

To be eligible for entry to the programme, applicants must hold at least one of the following:

NCEA Level 2 (including Literacy 10 credits at Level 1 and Numeracy 10 Credits at Level 1)

OR

Equivalent academic achievement

OR

On a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Executive Dean.

English language proficiency

International learner applicants whose first language is not English must have an IELTS Academic score of 5.5 with no band score lower than 5 (or equivalent including TOEFL). IELTS scores used must be taken from a single IELTS Test Report Form (ie combining scores from more than one test is not permissible).

Under 20 years of age

For international applicants under 20 years of age must have NCEA equivalency.

The programme is approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority under the provisions of the Education and Training Act 2020, and Universal College of Learning is accredited to teach it.

• Prepares graduates for entry level positions within the arts and/or creative industries or higher level study within art/craft/design disciplines

• Provides students with a strong understanding of the cultural sector of Aotearoa New Zealand to enhance the creative industries.

• Enables students to produce work through applying creative processes in a studio-based environment that reflects professional practices and conventions within arts/craft and design contexts.

To find out more about possible job prospects and salaries for Designers and Artists, visit tahatu.govt.nz 

Education pathway

• Bachelor of Design and Arts

• Postgraduate Diploma of Design

• Master of Design

• The UCOL School of Creative Industries (includes programmes and expertise from Wanganui School of Design) is a Corporate Member of the Designers Institute of NZ (DINZ).

• Our students and graduates have taken out top prizes in the DINZ BEST Awards many times over the years.

• UCOL has an impressive range of industry stakeholders in the fields of fine arts, fashion and graphic design

The programme can be studied full-time or part-time, and may require learners to engage with evening classes and activities.

Applicants for the New Zealand Certificate in Arts and Design (Level 4) may be required to attend a conversation with UCOL staff. The purpose of the conversation is to provide information to the applicant, to gauge motivation and support, and preparedness for study, and to inform teaching staff of the needs of the student.

From time to time study may include field trips of one or more days in length, and in those instances there may be additional costs incurred by the learner. In these instances learners will be informed of the schedule and associated costs well ahead of time and the programme lecturers will endeavour to ensure the costs and arrangements are appropriate.

Learners need to be aware of the physical requirements for operating in professional studio environments. Learners will be advised to put any special needs or requirements in writing and advise the Programme Leader before the programme begins.

The availability of specific elective courses may be subject to the campus and the number of students enrolling in courses.

Work experience

There are no work experience hours for this programme.

Timetable

Your personalised timetable will be available just prior to classes starting, and will comprise a weekly commitment of:

• 19 hours of lecturer supported learning in class

• 17 hours of self-directed learning (your own time spent working to complete your assignments)

If you choose to do part-time work, we recommend a maximum of 10 hours a week.

Recognition of prior learning

Applications for Recognition of Prior Learning, including Cross Credit, Credit Transfer and Assessment of Prior Learning may be made on the Recognition of Prior Learning Form where a learner believes all learning outcomes for a course have already been met. Applications will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the UCOL Academic Statute and other relevant policies and procedures.

Application checklist

It will make the process easier if you prepare the following before you apply:

• National Student Number (NSN) (If you don't have a NSN, you may request one from NZQA, or you can supply a verified copy of your birth certificate, passport or Whakapapa statement.)

• Evidence of your highest level of academic achievement (and evidence of prior learning, if applicable)

• Evidence that you meet the entry requirements of the programme

• Check if you're eligible for additional support or a scholarship. If you're 19 years or younger, you may be eligible to enrol in one of our free Youth Transition programmes.

Note that you will need to provide any verified documents in person, via post or email (not via the online application form).

Previous Related Programmes

The New Zealand Certificate in Arts and Design Level 4 supersedes and takes the best from the following programme of study, which is no longer offered:

• Certificate in Art and Design

COMPULSORY COURSE COSTS

Please note that there are additional costs associated with the New Zealand Certificate in Arts and Design (Level 4) dependent on what electives you choose as follows: 

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: A loan for course-related costs is available from StudyLink of up to $1000.

Memory cards

If you're doing the photography elective, you'll need a memory card to use a DSLR camera at UCOL. You'll use a Canon 700D.

• 16GB SD card - $20 (Photography elective)

Hard drives

Creative Media requires a lot of storage – a minimum 500MB hard drive is required. Note that many learners prefer to purchase a 1TB hard drive.
Hard drive

• 1TB hard drive - $110

Pen drives/USB flash drives

• One 8GB pen drive - $13 (Whanganui learners))

• Three 8GB pen drives - $40 (Palmerston North learners)

Equipment Bond

To use equipment out of class time, a bond for the use of cameras, tripods, Wacom tablets and other equipment must be paid. All students are required to pay this, which is refundable at the end of the year, if no damage to equipment has occurred.

• Equipment bond - $80

Stationery costs - project completion

Learners spend different amounts of money on assignments as per their personal choice. Typically this is between $10 - $30. There are approximately eight projects. This includes card, art paper, glues and tapes. NB: This is not applicable for digital projects, which have no associated costs.

• Stationery $10 - $30 (per assignment/project)

OPTIONAL COURSE COSTS

• A2 portfolio case for carrying works in a safe manner - form $20.00 for a manilla version

• Field trips - various trips will have optional costs associated with them. They are recommended for expanding your knowledge.

• Ipad Air 2, Wacom tablet or Android tablet for drawing - $180 - $1,300

• Computers or laptops with solid state for safety with bumping, 8GB RAM with 256 Flash Memory - up to $4,000

• Adobe Creative Cloud education license - $370