Why Study / Key Benefits

The Postgraduate Diploma in Screen Arts (PGDipScreenArts) at Massey University is a Level 8 postgraduate qualification designed for students who already have a background in screen arts and want to advance their creative practice, technical capability, research skills and professional production experience. The programme is strongly production-focused: students develop an initial concept or narrative into a completed and distributable screen work while combining creative studio practice, storytelling, professional practice, portfolio development and research.

Key benefits include:

• Advanced development of screen arts practice through a substantial production project.
• Research-led creative practice, including postgraduate research processes and theory.
• Experience with industry-standard production facilities, studios and laboratories.
• Development of professional production planning and management skills.
• Portfolio development and preparation for employment or self-employment in the creative industries.
• Opportunities to work alongside Bachelor of Screen Arts with Honours students in a studio-based environment.
• Access to Massey's National Academy of Screen Arts facilities, including virtual production, motion capture, professional cameras, VFX software, game engines, colour-grading facilities and other production technologies. 

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The programme has a studio-based and research-oriented structure. Students work on advanced production while developing research, critical, professional and portfolio skills.

Production courses – choose 90 credits

289701 Production Planning and Development – 30 credits

Students develop professional knowledge and expertise in creative research practices, tools and techniques used to organise large-scale productions. The course focuses on planning and communicating an Advanced Production Project.

289803 Advanced Production – 60 credits

Students produce and finalise an advanced work informed by their research. The course requires a high level of creative and technical proficiency together with professional production management, workload management and deadline management.

Research / professional practice courses – choose 15 credits

289702 Screen Arts Critical Frameworks – 15 credits

Develops students' ability to position their creative work within research methodologies and principles. It covers critical reflection, analysis and development of a research proposal for the advanced production project.

289750 Professional Cultures 4 – 15 credits

Develops professional skills for large-scale productions and leadership, alongside portfolio development, professional communication, presentation skills and preparation for employment or self-employment in creative industries.

293732 Creative Practice Research Methods – 15 credits

Develops understanding of creative-practice research approaches, methods and theory in relation to the student's specific practice orientation.

298730 M?ori Research Methodologies for Creative Practice – 15 credits

Explores tikanga and methodologies relevant to creative practice, including ethics and accountability around matauranga toi Maori, matauranga-a-iwi, matauranga-a-hapa and matauranga-a-whanau.

Elective – choose 15 credits

Students select 15 credits from 400- or 700-level courses offered by the College of Creative Arts, subject to the applicable course rules.

Disciplines / Specialisations

The PGDipScreenArts itself is awarded without a formal specialisation or endorsement.

However, the wider Screen Arts discipline at Massey encompasses areas such as:

• Animation
• Documentary and Factual
• Film Production
• Game Development
• Emerging Creative Technology
• Visual Effects
• Matauranga Toi Maori within Screen Arts.

Programme Highlights

• NZQF Level 8 postgraduate qualification.
• 120 credits.
• One year full-time.
• Wellington campus.
• Selected-entry admission.
• Requires a relevant screen arts degree or equivalent.
• Portfolio assessment is required.
• Interview may be required.
• Strong emphasis on advanced screen production.
• Research-led independent creative project.
• Studio-based learning.
• Access to industry-standard screen production facilities and technologies.
• Professional production planning and management.
• Portfolio and employment/self-employment preparation.
• No formal specialisation.
• Potential pathway into the Master of Screen Arts. The Master of Screen Arts regulations specifically recognise a Postgraduate Diploma in Screen Arts with at least a B average as one possible entry route, subject to the master's other selection requirements.

Career Outcomes

The programme is designed to develop advanced creative, technical, research and professional capabilities for screen-based creative industries. The curriculum specifically includes professional production management, leadership, portfolio development and preparation for employment or self-employment.

Potential career directions based on the programme's curriculum and the wider Screen Arts disciplines include:

• Film production
• Animation
• Documentary and factual production
• Game development
• Visual effects
• Emerging creative technology
• Screen production and post-production
• Creative technology
• Production planning and management
• Independent screen production
• Creative-industry entrepreneurship
• Portfolio-based freelance creative work.

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

The latest official programme information indicates several important requirements for international applicants:

• The qualification is selected entry.
• Applications for 2027 study close on 29 November 2026.
• A Bachelor of Screen Arts or equivalent is required.
• An adequate GPA is required.
• A portfolio is required.
• An interview may be required.
• Official transcripts from non-Massey universities must be supplied.
• The qualification is awarded without specialisation.
• Students must complete 120 credits.
• The programme involves contact courses, block courses, field trips, studios, workshops, tutorials and laboratories where required.
• Certain courses have prerequisites or corequisites.
• 289701 Production Planning and Development requires 289323, 289333 and 289300.
• 289803 Advanced Production requires 289701.
• 289702 Screen Arts Critical Frameworks has 289701 as a corequisite.
• 289750 Professional Cultures 4 has a prerequisite of either 289306 or 289350.

International Student Visa Requirements

PGDipScreenArts is an on-campus qualification in Wellington and is open to international students studying on campus in New Zealand.

An international student who intends to undertake the programme in New Zealand will generally need a Fee Paying Student Visa, subject to their individual immigration circumstances.

Current Immigration New Zealand requirements for the Fee Paying Student Visa include:

• An offer of place from an approved education provider.
• Sufficient funds to pay tuition fees, or an acceptable scholarship.
• Sufficient funds for living expenses or an acceptable sponsor.
• Acceptable insurance.
• Meeting the other applicable immigration requirements.