Why Study / Key Benefits

• The Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours in Matauranga Toi Maori is a four-year creative arts degree that grounds fine-arts practice in matauranga Maori and te ao Maori.
• The programme is designed for students who want Maori creativity and culture to play a central role in their future creative practice and the creative industries.
• Students are guided by Maori creative practitioners and work collaboratively with other Maori and Indigenous students across creative disciplines.
• The programme combines specialist Maori creative knowledge with contemporary Fine Arts practice, critical studies, studio work, research and professional development.
• Students can undertake a substantial individual or collaborative creative project and, in the fourth year, complete research-led Honours study.
• Massey describes the fourth year as providing a possible fast-track into one of its Toi Rauwh?rangi master's programmes for students who want to continue their study.
• The learning environment includes Te Rau Karamu Marae, which Massey describes as the students' k?inga and a place connected with mahi toi, k?rero tuku iho, karakia, waiata and manaakitanga.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The BFA(Hons) is organised into four parts, followed by an Honours research year. The current M?tauranga Toi M?ori schedule includes the following areas.

Part One

Critical Studies includes options such as:

• 298100 He Ara Tuku Iho: Taonga – introduces taonga as living expressions of Maori culture, including their whakapapa, technologies, stories, tikanga and practices.
• 237131 Art, Culture and Contexts
• 197139 Introduction to Design Localities in Aotearoa
• 133154 Music, People, Places
• 289100 Screen Arts, Creativity and Critical Thinking.

Professional Cultures:

• 298160 Matauranga Toi Maori 1: Maori Practices as a Maori Creative Practitioner – introduces customary practices and values within te ao Maori and their relevance to contemporary Maori creative practice.

Explorations can include:

• Explorations in Visualisation
• Explorations in Materials and Making
• Explorations in Generative Media Technologies
• Explorations in Modelling
• Explorations in Digital Asset Creation
• Explorations in Drawing
• Explorations in Narrative
• Explorations in Image and Meaning
• Explorations in Colour and Context
• Explorations in Toi Auaha – Paint and Creative Expression
• Explorations in Te Aho Paoro Maori.

Core Studio options include:

• 298157 Toi tea 1
• Fine Arts Studio 1.1: Art Lab
• Fine Arts Studio 1.2: Media and Processes.

Part Two

Key Matauranga Toi Maori content includes:

• 298200 He Ara Tuku Iho: Rangatiratanga – Maori creative contributions to rangatiratanga and mana motuhake, including connections to He Whakaputanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
• 298260 Matauranga Toi Maori 2: Maori Creative Practices and Cultural Continuity.
• 298263 Toi tea 2.
• Fine Arts Studio 2.1: Project
• Fine Arts Studio 2.2: Exhibition
• Fine Arts Studio 2.3: Practice.

Part Three

The specialist and advanced content includes:

• 298330 Karero Tuku Iho | Cosmological Narratives within Maori Creative Expression – explores Maori cosmological narratives and their expression through art, design, music, theatre and dance.
• 298360 Matauranga Toi Maori 3: Creative Innovation and Community Leadership.
• 298358 Toi tea 3.2 – a capstone project responding creatively to social, political, environmental and global issues significant to Maori people and communities.
• Fine Arts Studio 3.1: Project
• Fine Arts Studio 3.2: Public Exhibition
• Fine Arts Studio 3.3: Practice.

Part Four / Honours

The Honours year includes:

• 213729 Fine Arts Research and Development: Honours – 30 credits.
• 213830 Fine Arts Research Project: Honours – 60 credits.
• 298730 Maori Research Methodologies for Creative Practice – 15 credits.
• 298753 Toi tea 4: Mana Whakaaturanga – 15 credits.

Disciplines / Specialisations

• The available BFA(Hons) specialisation is Matauranga Toi Maori.
• The qualification may also be completed without a specialisation.
• Students may include a recognised minor from another undergraduate degree, provided the minor is in a different subject area and the relevant regulations are met.
• The Matauranga Toi Maori pathway connects Maori creative practice with Fine Arts disciplines rather than limiting students to a single medium.
• Creative practice may incorporate visual arts, sculpture, installation, drawing, painting, sound, digital technologies, performance and other contemporary approaches, depending on the courses selected.

Programme Highlights

• Four-year Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours.
• At least 480 credits.
• Wellington-based study.
• International students can study on campus in New Zealand.
• Mixed-mode learning combines wananga, noho marae, studio classes and online delivery.
• Te Rau Karamu Marae forms an important part of the learning environment.
• Strong focus on matauranga Maori, tikanga, cultural continuity and M?ori creative practice.
• Students collaborate with Maori and Indigenous konga across creative disciplines.
• Substantial studio and project-based learning.
• Public exhibition and professional creative practice are incorporated into the degree.
• The fourth year provides advanced research and a major practice-based Honours project.
• Massey's College of Creative Arts currently ranks in the global top 200 for Art & Design in the QS World University Rankings, according to Massey's programme page.

Career Outcomes

Massey states that the BFA(Hons) develops creativity, resilience, determination, critical thinking, problem-solving and technical excellence.

Potential career directions include:

• Professional fine-arts practice
• Contemporary M?ori creative practice
• Art education
• Arts administration
• Creative industries
• Cultural and creative organisations
• Community and cultural projects
• Independent artistic practice
• Creative research and postgraduate study.

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

• Matauranga Toi Maori is currently an active specialisation of the BFA(Hons), not merely a legacy pathway.
• The current regulations specify a minimum of 480 credits for the BFA(Hons).
• The current Matauranga Toi Maori Schedule B is 420 credits, with some credits able to count toward both the specialisation and the core.
• The pathway uses a mixed learning model involving wananga, noho marae, studio classes and online learning.
• No formal portfolio or audition requirement is currently specified for admission to the qualification. Massey instead recommends an optional Creative Review after application and enrolment.
• Progression requirements become more specific as students move through the degree, including the 75-credit/60-College-of-Creative-Arts requirement for Part Two and the B- weighted-average requirement for Part Four.
• Some courses have prerequisites and restrictions, so students should plan the four-year sequence carefully.
• The current programme page identifies the fourth year as an Honours year with a substantial research/practice component.

International Student Visa Requirements

This programme is an on-campus Wellington qualification for international students, so an international student travelling from India to New Zealand to study it will generally require an appropriate New Zealand student visa.

The relevant visa is normally the Fee Paying Student Visa.

Current Immigration New Zealand information states that the visa:

• Costs from NZD $850.
• Allows a stay of up to 4 years, depending on the circumstances.
• Requires an offer of place from an approved education provider.
• Requires evidence of sufficient money to pay tuition fees or an appropriate scholarship.
• Requires evidence of sufficient funds for living expenses or an acceptable sponsor.
• Requires acceptable insurance.
• Is applied for online.
• Has a current processing indication of 80% within 8 weeks.