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Wintec Student Master of Arts

Master of Arts

with endorsements in Design, Music, Visual Arts and Communication

BM0501

Course details

  • Feb 2025
    Jul 2025
    Oct 2025
  • One year
  • Full-time or Part-time
  • $8,508*
  • You may qualify for fee-free study under Fees Free Policy
  • Level 9
  • Available for International Students. International Fee Guideline
  • Hamilton City Campus

Summary

This programme provides students with postgraduate study leading towards professional and higher academic practice. Students will learn within a research-focused learning environment, and will extend their domain of practice through research in their chosen area.

Students will extend their domain of practice through undertaking a body of sustained, independent research. This in-depth investigation is in the student's chosen area of communication, design, music or visual arts practice within a research-focused learning environment. The programme will prepare students for high level investigation of, and intervention within their chosen academic or professional field.

Masters students will receive supervision for both practical and theoretical components of their study. Additional supervision from both external representatives of a student's professional field and / or for students wishing to utilise Kaupapa Māori methodologies in their research are available. Students will have frequent formal and informal meetings and critiques with other staff and students to discuss their work, helping them to analyse, evaluate and articulate their research practice. The learning environment is supportive, positive, varied and active, encouraging input from staff and students equally.

Facilities in Media Arts are made available to students as determined by the nature and requirements of their project. Individual studio spaces, fabrication workshops and industry standard digital environments are provided for masters students. Various test spaces, exhibition sites, tutorial and critique rooms are used for scheduled classes and for formative and casual review of work. Technical staff maintain the operation of facilities and equipment and are available to assist students in practical and logistical issues in their study.

What you will learn

Students will study one module; Research Project.

This module is designed to allow students to advance and refine selected domains of visual arts, design or music practice through an extended research project. This research project consists of studio-based practice and a written dissertation. Students are required to develop and implement a research methodology which synthesises and amplifies previous and concurrent experience. Research proposals are developed that account for the research project. These make reference to specialised bodies of contextual discourse and which test selected models of practice appropriate to the student's field of enquiry. Projects occur within a structured supervisory framework to facilitate the planning and implementation of original research and scholarship in the student's selected field.

View programme modules

Note: No value in the pre/co-requisite columns means there are no pre/co-requisites for that module.

Either Group A

Module CodeModule TitleLevelCreditsPre-RequisitesCo-Requisites
BM0Z500Research Project9120  


Or Group B

Module CodeModule TitleLevelCreditsPre-RequisitesCo-Requisites
BM0Z501​Research Project 1960  
BM0Z502​Research Project 2960

 

 

 

Career/further opportunities

The Master of Arts provides pathways to further higher degrees or careers in the Arts, such as Professional Studio Artist, Musician, Sound Designer, Composer, Song Writer, Filmmaker, Digital Designer, Educator, Advertising Creative and Interactive Design, Advertising Creative, Copywriter, Freelance Journalist, Events Coordinator, Marketing Communications, Public Relations, Educator.

Graduates may be able to move into further tertiary study at Doctorate level.

​​​About the faculty

This programme is offered by the School of Media Arts who provide innovative, interdisciplinary education that prepares students for careers in the creative industries.

Experienced staff and state-of-the-art facilities help you develop a unique range of skills and the ability to apply them in the professional world. Check out examples of student work, some of our successful graduates, Media Arts' Industry connections, all the latest news and events, and more.

Come on tour!

Book a tour and learn more about Wintec School of Media Arts.

Disclaimers

Entry criteria

General Academic Admission

a) Applicants are required to have gained:
   i) a Bachelor with Honours degree in a relevant field; or
   ii) a Postgraduate Diploma in a relevant field with a minimum of a B grade average or equivalent; or
   iii) work related experience equivalent to a corresponding Bachelor with Honours degree. Candidates will be required to demonstrate a high order of knowledge of their principal subject of study, including analytic writing, and a disposition towards original research; or
   iv) a tertiary qualification (degree or diploma) completed in no less than three years, and have achieved sufficient standing as a practising artist, designer or musician, or in the field of communication. The Media Arts Postgraduate Programme Committee will determine whether the work submitted by applicant candidate in support of their application is of a standard equivalent to Bachelor with Honours degree level. Candidates will also be required to submit a curriculum vitae confirming they have achieved a substantial record of exhibitions, publications or performance in public venues or formats; or have gained professional experience, demonstrating advanced knowledge or performance, in their chosen specialisation; or
   v) a corresponding Bachelor degree and have completed four or more years of successful art, design, music or communication teaching at tertiary or secondary level.

b) All application documentation submitted for assessment must be in English.

c) Candidates may be required to study a pre-requisite module in Research Methodology prior to admission should they not be able to demonstrate having acquired research skills to the appropriate level.

Selection criteria

a) Every candidate will be required to present a synopsis of their proposed research project for consideration and approval by the Media Arts Postgraduate Programme Committee. Candidates may be asked to meet and discuss their proposed project with potential supervisors.

b) Any applicant for the Master of Arts who is not a previous graduate of Wintec’s Bachelor of Media Arts Honours programme will be required to submit a portfolio of recent work which demonstrates the nature and quality of their practice.

English language requirements

Candidates who have English as a second language are required to have an International English Language Test System (IELTS) score of 6.5, with no individual band score lower than 6.0; or equivalent.

Want to see full details of the entry criteria?
Don't meet the entry criteria?

Pathways

To check what you need to gain direct entry to a course, review the entry criteria available on each programme page. These assist you in understanding what qualifications or experience are typically required to gain entry. You can contact our team at info@wintec.ac.nz or 0800 2 Wintec at any time for further guidance.

Your first day

Are you ready for your first day of class? Check out your start date and where you need to be. You can also find useful information about studying at Wintec on our welcome page.

Semester 1 2025

Date: Monday 24 February 2025
Time: 11am-2pm

Venue: Events Room 1 and 2, City Campus

Semester 2 2025

Date: Monday 28 July 2025
Time: 11am-2pm

Venue: Events Room 2, City Campus

Date: Monday 30 October 2025
Time: 11am-2pm
Venue: Events Room 2, City Campus

What you will need

Timetable information

All Wintec timetables are available online here.

How to find your way around

Campus maps can be found here.

Parking and bus information

Both the Rotokauri and City campuses have parking available - payment and permits may be required. The Gardens Campus has free parking available. Learn more about parking and find out about bus services here.

He reo pōwhiri, your official welcome to Wintec

Tēnei te mihi mahana ki a koe e piki nei, e kake nei ki te Kuratini o Waikato.

You are warmly invited to attend the official welcome to Wintec for all new students, staff and whānau (family) at either our marae, Te Kōpū Mānia o Kirikiriroa or Rotokauri campus. The pōwhiri is a welcoming ceremony involving mihimihi (speeches), waiata (singing), and will conclude with kai timotimo (light refreshments). Please gather at the campus hubs, and a staff member will guide you through our pōwhiri.

Click here to find out when the next pōwhiri will be.

Paying for your study

Course-related costs

Additional information

Booklist

A recommended book list will be provided.

Purchasing textbooks

If your programme requires you to have access to textbooks, these can be purchased through a range of suppliers listed below:

    New Zealand-based suppliers

    General book suppliers

    First aid certificate

    Health status

    Uniform

    Equipment

    Clinical placement

    Prospectus (course guide)

    The Wintec Prospectus (otherwise known as a course guide) outlines everything you need to know about Wintec. It contains information about the Wintec campuses, student life, and the programmes that are on offer.

    Access your copy of the Wintec Prospectus

    The Wintec Prospectus (course guide) is available by downloading the file - click on the document below to access the file. Alternatively, to request a copy via email or the post, please complete the form below.

    Request an emailable or printed copy of the Prospectus

    Portfolio

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