Arts in Design
You’ll develop the cultural awareness and critical thinking skills you need to analyze and produce a broad range of discourse in a full spectrum of careers — and to make a difference in whatever you do.
- 2 Years / Onsite
- Intakes: Jan, Apr, Jun, Oct
Overview
Arts in Design at Auckland Royal Academy merges fine arts practice with design thinking, producing graduates who work at the intersection of cultural expression and purposeful visual communication. The programme develops skills in typography, visual language, illustration, and spatial design within a conceptual framework that emphasises critical reflection, research-led practice, and cultural awareness particular to New Zealand's creative context.
Studio practice is central to the learning experience, with students developing projects that respond to design briefs, community needs, and self-directed research themes. Critique sessions with practising designers and visiting artists push students to articulate and defend their creative decisions, developing the professional communication skills essential in design practice, client relationships, and collaborative projects.
Career Opportunities
Graduates work as independent designers, illustrators, art directors, exhibition designers, and creative consultants. Many establish their own studios or join design agencies in Auckland and across New Zealand, contributing to branding projects, public art commissions, publishing, and cultural institutions that celebrate New Zealand's unique creative identity.
Program Learning Outcomes
Develop a distinctive creative practice that integrates fine arts sensibility with design functionality, demonstrating proficiency in visual composition, typography, and the use of analogue and digital production tools.
Apply research-led design methodologies to develop solutions that respond to cultural, social, and commercial contexts, demonstrating an understanding of New Zealand's design history and the influence of Māori and Pacific visual traditions.
Critically evaluate design work — your own and others' — using appropriate aesthetic, theoretical, and professional criteria, and communicate design decisions confidently in professional presentations and written reflections.
Programme
| Semester 1 | Credits | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Design | 4 | ARTS 101 |
| Foundations & Theory | 4 | ARTS 110 |
| Research Methods | 3 | ARTS 120 |
| Semester 2 | Credits | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Applied Design I | 4 | ARTS 201 |
| Professional Practice | 3 | ARTS 210 |
| Industry Context NZ | 4 | ARTS 220 |
| Semester 3 | Credits | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Applied Design II | 4 | ARTS 301 |
| Critical Perspectives | 3 | ARTS 310 |
| Ethics & Standards | 3 | ARTS 320 |
| Semester 4 | Credits | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Design | 4 | ARTS 401 |
| Specialisation Elective | 3 | ARTS 410 |
| Design Capstone Project | 4 | ARTS 490 |
| Total for the entire period of study | 11 |
Contact us
3/60 Federal Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
How to Apply?
- You Apply
Tell us a little about yourself and we’ll help with the rest. Our convenient online application tool only takes 10 minutes to complete.
- We Connect
After you submit your application, an admissions representative will contact you and will help you to complete the process.
- You Get Ready
Once you’ve completed your application and connected with an admissions representative, you’re ready to create your schedule.