Why Study / Key Benefits

• The BA (Specialisations) is designed around interdisciplinary themes rather than requiring students to concentrate on only one traditional major.
• A specialisation combines courses from different subjects around a central theme, giving students experience in approaching problems from multiple disciplinary perspectives.
• Students can study a specialisation alone or combine the specialisation with a minor.
• Many Arts courses provide practical learning opportunities including field trips, real-world case studies, performances, internships and community projects.
• UC specifically highlights writing, critical and creative thinking, problem-solving and communication as workplace skills developed through the BA.
• Students can add practical experience through an internship, including opportunities through UC’s Professional and Community Engagement (PACE) programme. Recent UC examples show BA students undertaking internships with external organisations.
• The degree is particularly suitable for students who want an interdisciplinary education connected to areas such as creative industries, culture, international affairs, languages, politics, society and heritage.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The BA Specialisations model is different from the traditional BA major/minor structure. Students follow a themed pathway made up of courses from multiple disciplines.

Compulsory BA courses include choosing two from:

• ARTS102 Problems, Questions, Evidence
• MAOR165 Tuakiri: Culture and Identity
• WRIT101 Writing for Academic Success

Disciplines / Specialisations

UC currently lists seven BA Specialisations:

1. Creative Industries and Contemporary Practice
2. Cultural Heritage
3. Global Societies and Cultures
4. International Affairs
5. Language, Brain and Behaviour
6. Philosophy, Politics and Economics
7. Society, Diversity, Change

Creative Industries and Contemporary Practice combines areas such as:

• Music and audio
• Film and media
• Art
• Creative writing
• Management
• Marketing
• Communication

Minor Options

Students can add a minor alongside a specialisation. Current options include subjects such as:

• Accounting
• Anthropology
• Animation
• Art History and Theory
• Artificial Intelligence
• Business Analytics
• Business and Sustainability
• Chinese
• Cinema Studies
• Computer Science
• Creative Writing
• Cybersecurity and Networking
• Economics
• Education
• English
• Entrepreneurship
• Environmental Science
• European and European Union Studies
• Finance
• French
• Geography
• German
• Graphic Design
• History
• Human Resource Management
• Human Services
• Indigenous Narrative
• Sport Studies
• Statistics
• Te Reo M?ori
• Tourism Marketing and Management
• Writing
• Youth and Community Leadership

Programme Highlights

• 360-point bachelor's degree.
• Three-year full-time structure.
• Seven interdisciplinary specialisation pathways.
• Specialisations contain 225 points of themed compulsory courses.
• Option to add a 75-point-plus minor.
• Courses drawn from multiple disciplines.
• Minimum 90 points at 300-level.
• Opportunities for internships and work-integrated learning.
• Practical experiences can include field trips, community projects, performances and real-world case studies.
• UC Arts has a broad range of humanities, social sciences, languages and creative-arts study options. 

Career Outcomes

The BA is designed to develop transferable skills rather than prepare students for only one occupation.

UC identifies potential career areas including:

• Media
• Politics
• Conservation
• Iwi organisations
• Tourism
• Heritage
• International relations
• Government and public-sector work
• Communications
• Writing and editing
• Public relations
• Arts and cultural organisations
• Community development
• Publishing
• Advertising and marketing.

Depending on the selected specialisation, graduates can pursue roles such as:

• Arts administrator/manager
• Media worker
• Writer
• Communications professional
• Policy adviser
• Heritage professional
• Marketing/communications specialist
• Event or campaign coordinator
• International affairs-related roles
• Community or non-profit sector roles.

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

The major recent update is the introduction and expansion of the seven BA Specialisations as interdisciplinary pathways. UC's dedicated BA Specialisations information was updated in March 2026.

UC's current programme page confirms the seven specialisations and the 360-point structure.

For international applicants:

• English proficiency is mandatory unless an accepted alternative form of evidence applies.
• Academic qualifications completed overseas must be assessed for UC admission.
• Supporting transcripts, graduation certificates and, where necessary, translations must be supplied.

International Student Visa Requirements

For a full-time international BA student, the relevant visa is generally the New Zealand Fee Paying Student Visa.

Immigration New Zealand currently states that applicants must:

• Have an offer of place from an approved education provider.
• Have sufficient funds to pay tuition fees or hold an appropriate scholarship.
• Have sufficient funds for living expenses or an acceptable sponsor.
• Have acceptable insurance.
• Meet health, character and genuine-intention requirements.
• Demonstrate that they can leave New Zealand at the end of their stay.

Current Immigration New Zealand student-living-fund requirement for tertiary study:

• NZD $20,000 per year for study lasting one year or longer.
• NZD $1,667 per month where the study period is less than one year.