Why Study / Key Benefits

• The Diploma in Arts (DipArts) is a one-year undergraduate qualification for students who want to study Arts subjects without completing the full three-year Bachelor of Arts.
• Students can choose from a wide range of Arts, humanities, social science and related subjects.
• Courses can be selected at different academic levels, subject to individual course prerequisites.
• The Diploma can also complement another area of study, allowing students to add Arts subjects to another qualification.
• UC allows eligible Diploma courses to be transferred into the Bachelor of Arts, provided the student has not already graduated with the Diploma.
• The qualification develops communication, critical thinking, evidence analysis, research and idea-development skills.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The current Diploma structure is:

• 1 compulsory foundational course from:
  • ARTS102 Problems, Questions, Evidence
  • MAOR165 Tuakiri: Culture and Identity
  • WRIT101 Writing for Academic Success
• Up to 105 points of additional courses selected from the approved subject areas.

Current subject areas listed by UC include:

• Anthropology
• Art History and Theory
• Chinese
• Cinema Studies
• Classics
• Community Music
• Creative Writing
• Cultural Studies
• Digital Humanities
• Economics
• Education
• English
• European and European Union Studies
• French
• Gender and Sexuality Studies
• Geography
• German
• Graphic Design
• History
• Human Services
• Japanese
• Linguistics
• M?ori and Indigenous Studies
• Mathematical Sciences Education
• Mathematics
• Media and Communication
• Music
• Pacific Studies
• Philosophy
• Political Science and International Relations
• Professional and Community Engagement
• Psychology
• Russian
• Sociology
• Spanish
• Statistics
• Te Reo Maori
• Writing.

Disciplines / Specialisations

The Diploma does not have a conventional fixed major/minor structure.

Instead, students create their own study combination from the approved Arts subjects. This makes it possible to concentrate study around areas such as:

• Humanities
• Social sciences
• Languages
• Communication and media
• Creative writing and creative arts
• Psychology
• Economics
• Education
• Politics and international relations
• Maori and Indigenous Studies
• History and culture
• Mathematics and statistics.

Programme Highlights

• Current Level 5 Diploma qualification.
• 120 points.
• One year full-time.
• Up to six years part-time.
• February and July starts.
• Broad choice of Arts, humanities and social-science subjects.
• Courses can be selected at different levels, subject to prerequisites.
• One foundational academic-skills/bicultural-identity course is compulsory.
• Can be used as a pathway toward the Bachelor of Arts.
• Completed courses can potentially be transferred to the BA before the Diploma has been awarded.

Career Outcomes

UC describes the Diploma as providing broad knowledge across Arts, social sciences and humanities, together with fundamental skills in:

• Communication
• Critical analysis
• Critiquing information
• Developing and creating ideas
• Understanding society and culture.

UC states that graduates can find employment in areas including:

• Community organisations
• Government
• Business
• Culture
• Creative arts
• Other industries requiring communication, analytical and people-focused skills.

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

• UC's current Diploma in Arts page is active and includes the 2027 Undergraduate Prospectus.
• The qualification currently has 120 points and can be completed in one year full-time or up to six years part-time.
• The current programme page explicitly requires University Entrance or equivalent and directs international students to UC's undergraduate English requirements.
• The current qualification is confirmed by NZQA as Diploma in Arts (Level 5), 120 credits, CN1034, with current status.
• Course prerequisites can apply, so students should check the requirements for their selected subjects before enrolment.
• The Diploma can be used as a pathway to the Bachelor of Arts, but students should plan the credit transfer before graduating with the Diploma.
• The supplied IPU link should not be used for Diploma in Arts information because it currently describes the Master of Contemporary International Studies, not the UC Diploma.

International Student Visa Requirements

International students normally require a New Zealand Fee Paying Student Visa to study this qualification on campus.

Immigration New Zealand currently requires:

• An Offer of Place from an approved education provider.
• Evidence of sufficient tuition-fee funding or an applicable scholarship.
• Evidence of sufficient living funds or an acceptable sponsor.
• Acceptable medical and travel insurance.
• Evidence of onward travel or sufficient funds to purchase onward travel.
• Meeting health and character requirements.
• Genuine intentions to study in New Zealand.