Why Study / Key Benefits

• The Bachelor of Screen Arts (BSA) with a Visual Effects major is designed for students who want to work in visual effects, digital production and wider screen industries.
• The programme combines creative storytelling with technical production skills.
• Students learn to design and control effects such as destruction, explosions, water and fluid simulations and integrate them into live-action and game footage.
• The major covers character creation, 3D modelling, texturing, rigging, particle effects, compositing, virtual production, performance capture and green-screen techniques.
• Students build an industry-oriented portfolio through practical projects and production work.
• Massey provides access to specialist facilities and software including Houdini, Maya, Nuke, After Effects and Blender, together with a render farm, performance-capture stage and Aotearoa's largest permanent virtual volume.
• The Bachelor of Screen Arts is part of Massey's National Academy of Screen Arts, with teaching involving academics and people with industry experience from organisations including W?t? FX, W?t? Workshop, Paramount Pictures, Disney, Universal Studios, Park Road Post, TVNZ, PikPok, SKY, A44 Games and the BBC.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The BSA begins with broad screen-arts exploration before students develop deeper expertise in their chosen major. Massey describes the progression as:

Year 1 – Explore and create

Students gain practical experience across screen arts and explore areas such as:

• animation
• AI
• filmmaking
• gaming
• asset creation
• documentary
• world-building
• character creation
• narrative.

Students also undertake core studio and critical-thinking courses.

Year 2 – Develop specialist skills

Students concentrate more deeply on their selected medium. For Visual Effects students, this involves industry-standard production tools, advanced production techniques and collaborative projects.

Year 3 – Major project and professional development

Students complete a substantial screen-arts major project and develop professional skills through production work, collaboration and industry-facing activities. The programme is intended to produce portfolio/calling-card work that can support entry into the creative industries.

Core areas include:

• screen arts creativity and critical thinking
• screen arts, societies and cultures
• narrative for screen
• 3D digital arts
• professional culture
• critical studies
• studio-based creative production.

Visual Effects major courses currently listed by Massey include:

• 289104 Introduction to Visual Effects – 15 credits
  • principles and concepts of visual effects
  • creative and technical foundations
  • essential VFX tools and techniques.
• 289209 Visual Effects Production – 15 credits
  • industry-standard VFX concepts and tools
  • visual-effects production pipeline
  • technical skills
  • creative application and aesthetics.
• 289219 Visual Effects Project – 15 credits
  • advanced VFX production techniques
  • industry-standard tools
  • creative approaches
  • development and iteration of multiple projects.
• 289303 Advanced Practice Exploration – 15 credits
  • specialised role-specific skills
  • advanced equipment, techniques and processes
  • preparation for major projects and industry.
• 289333 Screen Arts Major Project – 30 credits
  • advanced technical and creative production
  • collaborative production environment
  • professional project management
  • deadlines, schedules and final production.

Disciplines / Specialisations

The selected specialisation is:

• Visual Effects

The wider Bachelor of Screen Arts currently includes majors/specialisations such as:

• Animation
• Documentary and Factual
• Emerging Creative Technologies
• Film Production
• Game Development
• Media Technology
• Visual Effects.

Within Visual Effects, students can develop skills in:

• 3D modelling
• texturing
• rigging
• character design
• storyboarding
• particle effects
• digital compositing
• destruction and fluid simulations
• virtual production
• performance capture
• green-screen production
• digital effects
• industry-standard VFX pipelines.

Programme Highlights

• 360-credit, three-year undergraduate degree.
• NZQF Level 7.
• Wellington-based.
• Practical, production-focused learning.
• Visual Effects major worth 90 credits.
• Access to advanced VFX and screen-production technology.
• Access to a permanent virtual volume, performance-capture stage and render-farm facilities.
• Industry-standard software including Houdini, Maya, Nuke, After Effects and Blender.
• Opportunities for collaborative and client-based projects.
• Industry-connected teaching and mentoring.
• Professional Culture courses help students understand how the screen industry operates and develop skills such as pitching ideas and responding to professional feedback.
• Graduates can continue into the four-year Bachelor of Screen Arts with Honours or potentially progress to the Master of Screen Arts. 

Career Outcomes

Massey identifies career opportunities including:

• visual effects producer
• special effects technical director
• virtual producer
• editor
• media technologies developer
• 3D modeller
• rigger
• art director
• VR/AR developer
• audio producer
• CG artist
• motion capture animator
• digital effects artist

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

• The current BSA Visual Effects programme is open to international students on the Wellington campus.
• There are no programme-specific admission requirements beyond Massey's university admission requirements.
• A portfolio is not currently stated as a compulsory admission requirement for the degree.
• A Creative Review is encouraged after application/enrolment but is optional.
• Individual Visual Effects courses have prerequisites, so students must follow the required course sequence.
• The Visual Effects major currently consists of 90 credits.
• Students can optionally add a minor of at least 60 credits in a different subject.
• The three-year BSA can be followed by the Bachelor of Screen Arts with Honours.
• The honours qualification is a separate 480-credit, four-year Level 8 qualification, rather than being included in the 360-credit BSA. 

International Student Visa Requirements

Because Visual Effects is an on-campus Wellington programme, an international student travelling to New Zealand to undertake the degree will generally need a Fee Paying Student Visa.

Current Immigration New Zealand requirements include:

• an offer of place from an approved education provider
• sufficient funds to pay tuition fees, or an appropriate scholarship
• sufficient funds for living expenses or an acceptable sponsor
• acceptable insurance
• meeting health and character requirements
• genuine intention to study
• compliance with visa conditions relating to study and attendance.