Why Study / Key Benefits

The Graduate Diploma in Arts (GradDipArts) is particularly suitable for graduates who already hold a bachelor's degree but want to move into an Arts discipline that is different from their previous major.

Key benefits include:

• Allows graduates with a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field to study Arts in depth.
• Provides a structured way to change career direction.
• Can help students qualify for entry to further postgraduate Arts study, depending on the subject and subsequent entry requirements.
• Allows students to develop knowledge in humanities, social sciences, languages, communication, culture, and related disciplines.
• Offers access to more than 30 Arts subject areas.
• Normally allows students to concentrate most of their study within one subject.
• Can be useful for extending or upgrading an existing qualification.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The GradDipArts consists of 120 points of Arts study.

The central structure is:

• 120 points total.
• Minimum 90 points at 300-level.
• Minimum 60 points at 300-level in one subject.
• Maximum 15 points from non-Arts subjects.
• Normally, courses are concentrated in the same subject.

The qualification is flexible because the courses are selected according to the chosen subject and its specific requirements.

The current UC subject list includes:

• Anthropology
• Art History and Theory
• Chinese
• Cinema Studies
• Classics
• Cultural Studies
• Education
• English
• European and European Union Studies
• French
• Geography
• German
• History
• Human Services
• Japanese
• Linguistics
• M?ori and Indigenous Studies
• Mathematics
• Media and Communication
• Music
• Philosophy
• Political Science and International Relations
• Psychology
• Russian
• Sociology
• Spanish
• Statistics
• Te Reo Maori

Disciplines / Specialisations

Students can focus their GradDipArts around one of the listed subject areas.

Particularly relevant options for international students seeking a career change can include:

• Psychology
• Human Services
• Media and Communication
• Political Science and International Relations
• Linguistics
• English
• Geography
• Cultural Studies
• Economics-related study where permitted
• M?ori and Indigenous Studies
• Te Reo M?ori
• Sociology
• History
• Art History and Theory
• Computer/data-related interdisciplinary options where permitted through the relevant Arts course structure

Programme Highlights

• 120-point graduate qualification.
• NZQF Level 7.
• One-year full-time study.
• Up to five years part-time.
• February and July starts.
• Designed for students who already hold a bachelor's degree.
• Previous bachelor's degree can be in an unrelated discipline.
• More than 30 Arts subject areas.
• At least 90 points at 300-level.
• At least 60 300-level points in one subject.
• Maximum 15 points normally permitted from outside Arts.
• Can provide a pathway toward further Arts postgraduate study, subject to the entry requirements of the next qualification.
• Suitable for academic upgrading and career change.

Career Outcomes

Career outcomes depend strongly on the subject selected.

The GradDipArts is not a professional registration qualification by itself. Its value is primarily in developing subject knowledge and transferable skills, or providing a foundation for further study.

Potential career directions can include:

• Communications
• Media and journalism
• Public relations
• Government and public policy
• International relations
• Community and social services
• Cultural and heritage organisations
• Education-related roles, where additional qualifications are held
• Publishing and writing
• Marketing and communications
• Research and analysis
• Arts and cultural administration
• Public-sector and NGO roles
• Business and organisational roles requiring strong communication and analytical skills

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

The current qualification remains active on the NZQF as:

• Graduate Diploma in Arts
• Level 7
• 120 credits
• CN0124
• Current qualification status.

Important points for applicants:

• A bachelor's degree is required before enrolment.
• Overseas bachelor's qualifications may need assessment for equivalence.
• Course-specific prerequisites can apply.
• The qualification requires substantial 300-level study.
• Not every Arts course is necessarily offered every semester or every year.
• July availability can therefore depend on the selected subject.
• International applicants must meet UC's applicable English-language requirements.
• The qualification should not be confused with UC's Postgraduate Diploma in Arts, which is Level 8 and has different entry requirements.
• The supplied IPU page does not correspond to this UC programme. It currently describes IPU's renamed/closed Master of Contemporary International Studies programme

International Student Visa Requirements

For an international student undertaking the GradDipArts full-time in New Zealand, the relevant visa is generally the Fee Paying Student Visa, subject to Immigration New Zealand assessment.

Current INZ requirements include:

• Offer of place from an approved education provider.
• Evidence of sufficient funds for tuition fees, unless appropriately covered by a scholarship or other accepted arrangement.
• Evidence of funds for living expenses.
• Acceptable medical/travel insurance.
• Genuine intention to study in New Zealand.
• Health and character requirements where applicable.
• Evidence that the student can leave New Zealand at the end of their stay.
• Satisfactory academic progress and attendance requirements for students continuing on a student visa.