BDes/BFA - Bachelor of Design / Bachelor of Fine Arts Conjoint

Skip to Main Content

Overview
Entry Requirements, Fees and Dates
Schedule

The future of work is changing, and the skills and knowledge developed in a BDes/BFA will equip you to be proactive rather than responsive. The combination of creative problem solving and socio-cultural understanding will make you a valuable contributor to organisations dedicated to customer experience and interaction.

Business development manager
Communications specialist
Design strategist
Experience designer
Interface designer
Product designer
Research, evaluation and policy lead
Service designer

Once you become a student at the University, you can get help with planning and developing your career from Career Development and Employability Services.

Key Information for Students

Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions.

button for easy access to information about study this qualification

Year Fees Applicable

Domestic Student Annual Fees

International Student Annual Fees

Fees are set in advance of each calendar year and will be updated on this website. Fees are inclusive of 15% GST, but do not include the Student Services Fee, course books, travel and health insurance, or living costs. Fees will be confirmed upon completion of enrolment into courses. For more information, please see Fees and Money Matters.

*Please note: amounts shown are indicative and estimates only.

Scholarships and awards

Find out about the scholarships you may be eligible for.

Student loans and allowances

Are you a New Zealand citizen or resident? You could be eligible for a student loan or allowance.

Cost of living

Get an idea of how much accommodation and general living in Auckland will cost.

Please note: we will consider late applications if places are still available. International students should start the application process as early as possible to allow sufficient time to apply for a visa.

Semester	Application Closing Date	Semester Start Date	Semester End Date
2026 Semester One	08 December 2025	02 March 2026	29 June 2026

1 - 1

See important dates for the academic year, including orientation, enrolment, study breaks, exams, and graduation.

Complete 540 points comprising:

255 points for Bachelor of Design Conjoint Component, and
255 points for Bachelor of Fine Arts Conjoint Component, and
15 points from UOFAK - University of Auckland Other Courses, and
15 points from General Education Courses, and
1 item from Academic Integrity Course

Bachelor of Design Conjoint Component

Complete 255 points comprising:

165 points for all Compulsory Courses, and
90 points from Elective Courses

Compulsory Courses

Complete 165 points for ALL of the following:

DESIGN 100 - Design Methods and Processes 1 (30 points)

DESIGN 101 - Design Theory and Fundamentals (15 points)

DESIGN 200 - Design Methods and Processes 2 (30 points)

DESIGN 201 - Creative Communities (15 points)

DESIGN 300 - Design Research Methodologies (15 points)

DESIGN 303 - Design Research Practice (15 points)

DESIGN 304 - Advanced Design Methods Capstone (45 points)

Elective Courses

Complete exactly 90 points from the following:

DESIGN 210 - Identity, Indigeneity and Place (15 points)

DESIGN 211 - Aotearoa New Zealand Narratives (15 points)

DESIGN 212 - Local Making (15 points)

DESIGN 213 - Food Design (15 points)

DESIGN 214 - Special Topic: Transdisciplinary Project in Design, Housing & Hauora (15 points)

DESIGN 220 - Design Innovation (15 points)

DESIGN 221 - Professional Design Practice (15 points)

DESIGN 222 - Business Tools for Designers (15 points)

DESIGN 223 - Game Design (15 points)

DESIGN 224 - Special Topic: Visual Communication (15 points)

DESIGN 230 - Design, Wellbeing and Communities (15 points)

DESIGN 231 - The Future of Work and Play (15 points)

DESIGN 232 - Smart Homes and Cities (15 points)

DESIGN 233 - Design for the Natural Environment (15 points)

DESIGN 240 - Designing with Data (15 points)

DESIGN 241 - Designing Mixed Realities (15 points)

DESIGN 242 - Design and Autonomous Technology (15 points)

DESIGN 243 - Design and Assistive Technologies (15 points)

Bachelor of Fine Arts Conjoint Component

Complete 255 points comprising:

90 points for all Stage I Compulsory Courses, and
15 points from Stage II Compulsory Course, and
15 points from Group 1 Elective Courses, and
60 points from Group 2 Elective Courses, and
60 points for all Stage III Compulsory Courses, and
Either:
15 points for all Research Essay - 1 Semester , or
15 points for all Research Essay - 2 Semesters

Stage I Compulsory Courses

Complete 90 points for ALL of the following:

FINEARTS 110 - Introduction to Fine Arts Technologies (15 points)

FINEARTS 111 - Fine Arts Studio 1 (30 points)

FINEARTS 112 - Fine Arts Studio 2 (30 points)

FINEARTS 113 - Theories and Methods for Practice 1 (15 points)

Stage II Compulsory Course

Complete exactly 15 points from the following:

FINEARTS 215 - Theories and methods for Practice 2 (15 points)

Group 1 Elective Courses

Complete exactly 15 points from the following:

No credit will be given for FINEARTS 205.

FINEARTS 205 - Creative Computing (15 points)

FINEARTS 213 - Special Topic (15 points)

FINEARTS 214 - Special Topic (15 points)

FINEARTS 220 - Creative Technologies: Ngā Toi Taketake - Aho Whatu Rua / Fibre and Textiles (15 points)

FINEARTS 221 - Creative Technologies: Ngā Toi Taketake - Te Ara Kōwhatu / Pathways of Stone (15 points)

FINEARTS 222 - Creative Technologies: Printmaking (15 points)

FINEARTS 223 - Creative Technologies: Publication (15 points)

FINEARTS 224 - Creative Technologies: Moving Image (15 points)

FINEARTS 225 - Creative Technologies: Action and Documentation (15 points)

FINEARTS 226 - Creative Technologies: Digital Photography (15 points)

FINEARTS 227 - Creative Technologies: Analogue Photography (15 points)

FINEARTS 228 - Creative Technologies: Painting Materiality and Process (15 points)

FINEARTS 229 - Creative Technologies: Painted Images (15 points)

FINEARTS 230 - Creative Technologies: Constructing Sculpture (15 points)

FINEARTS 231 - Creative Technologies: Shaping Sculpture (15 points)

FINEARTS 236 - Drawing as Creative Thinking (15 points)

Group 2 Elective Courses

Complete exactly 60 points from the following:

FINEARTS 241 - Contemporary Practices: Culture and Place (30 points)

FINEARTS 242 - Contemporary Practices: Image and Materiality (30 points)

FINEARTS 245 - Contemporary Practices: Art and the Self (30 points)

FINEARTS 246 - Contemporary Practices: Art in the Anthropocene (30 points)

FINEARTS 247 - Contemporary Practices: Embodied Nature (30 points)

FINEARTS 249 - Contemporary Practices: Technology and Material Futures (30 points)

FINEARTS 250 - Special Topic (30 points)

Stage III Compulsory Courses

Complete 60 points for ALL of the following:

FINEARTS 320 - Theories and Methods for Practice 3 (15 points)

FINEARTS 321 - Fine Arts Studio 3: Capstone Project (45 points)

Research Essay - 1 Semester

Complete 15 points for ALL of the following:

FINEARTS 322 - Research Essay: Making Sense of Practice (15 points)

Research Essay - 2 Semesters

Complete 15 points for ALL of the following:

FINEARTS 322A - Research Essay: Making Sense of Practice (7.5 points)

FINEARTS 322B - Research Essay: Making Sense of Practice (7.5 points)

Other Courses

Select exactly 15 points from University of Auckland.

General Education Courses

Complete exactly 15 points from the following:

ACCTG 151G - Financial Literacy (15 points)

ASTRO 200G - Astrobiology (15 points)

BIOSCI 100G - Antarctica: The Frozen Continent (15 points)

CHINESE 100G - Beginning Modern Chinese 1 (15 points)

COOKIS 101G - Introduction to Cook Islands Māori (15 points)

DESIGN 102G - Design for Sustainable Futures (15 points)

DISABLTY 113G - Making Disabilities: The Construction of Ideas (15 points)

DRAMA 100G - Presentation and Performance Skills: Taking the Stage (15 points)

EDUC 100G - The Creative Process (15 points)

EDUC 105G - Teaching: Tales and Traditions (15 points)

ENGLISH 121G - Reading/Writing/Text (15 points)

EXERSCI 100G - Exercise and Fitness: Myths and Reality (15 points)

FINEARTS 109G - Introduction to Photographic Practice (15 points)

FINEARTS 211G - Understanding Contemporary Fashion Design (15 points)

FRENCH 101G - Introductory French Language 1 (15 points)

GENDER 101G - Gender: Global and Local (15 points)

GEOG 104G - Cities and Urbanism (15 points)

GERMAN 101G - German Language Introductory 1 (15 points)

GLOBAL 101G - Global Issues, Sustainable Futures (15 points)

INNOVATE 100G - Innovation through Design (15 points)

ITALIAN 100G - Introductory Italian Language (15 points)

ITALIAN 106G - Italian Language for Beginners 1 (15 points)

JAPANESE 130G - Japanese Language 1A (15 points)

KOREAN 110G - Korean for Beginners 1 (15 points)

LATIN 100G - Introduction to Latin Language 1 (15 points)

MAORI 101G - Introduction to Written Māori (15 points)

MAORI 130G - Te Ao Māori: The Māori World (15 points)

MARINE 100G - The Oceans Around Us (15 points)

MEDSCI 100G - Human Mind and Body Relationships (15 points)

MEDSCI 101G - Environmental Threats to Human Health (15 points)

PHARMACY 111G - Drugs and Society (15 points)

PHIL 105G - Critical Thinking (15 points)

POPLHLTH 103G - Epidemics: Black Death to Bioterrorism (15 points)

RUSSIAN 100G - Beginners' Russian 1 (15 points)

SAMOAN 101G - Samoan Language 1 (15 points)

SCIGEN 101G - Communicating in a Knowledge Society (15 points)

SCIGEN 102G - Contemporary Science in Aotearoa New Zealand (15 points)

SPANISH 104G - Beginners' Spanish 1 (15 points)

SPORT 100G - Sport in Society (15 points)

SUSTAIN 100G - Sustainability and Us (15 points)

THEOREL 101G - The Bible and Popular Culture (15 points)

TONGAN 101G - Tongan Language 1 (15 points)

TDAIS 100 - Artificial Intelligence and Society (15 points)

TDDEM 100 - Democracy in the 21st Century (15 points)

TDMIGR 100 - Migration Futures (15 points)

TDENVF 100 - Our Environmental Futures: Te Taiao Tāngata (15 points)

TDMOANA 100 - Tagata Moana, Tangata Whenua: Hawaiki Futures (15 points)

TDFOOD 100 - The Future of Food Systems (15 points)

ASTRO 100G - Planets, Stars and Galaxies (15 points)

CHEM 100G - Molecules that Changed the World (15 points)

ANCIENT 110G - Classical Mythology (15 points)

DANCE 101G - Introduction to Dance and Creative Processes (15 points)

EARTHSCI 105G - Earth’s Natural Hazards (15 points)

ECON 151G - Understanding the Global Economy (15 points)

EDUC 121G - How People Learn (15 points)

ENVPHYS 100G - Sun, Sand, Surf: Science of Aotearoa (15 points)

HISTORY 103G - Global History (15 points)

INTBUS 151G - Business across Borders (15 points)

LAW 121G - Law and Society (15 points)

LINGUIST 101G - Language, Mind and Society (15 points)

MAORI 103G - Introduction to Spoken Māori (15 points)

MKTG 151G - Essential Marketing (15 points)

MUS 144G - Turning-points in Western Music (15 points)

MUS 149G - Rock to Reggae: Tracking Popular Music in New Zealand (15 points)

PACIFIC 100G - Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa/Pacific Worlds (15 points)

PSYCH 109G - Mind, Brain and Behaviour (15 points)

SOCIOL 101G - Understanding Aotearoa New Zealand (15 points)

TRANSLAT 100G - Translation for Global Citizens (15 points)

YOUTHWRK 152G - Understanding New Zealand Youth (15 points)

WTRAED 100 - Waipapa Taumata Rau: Introduction to Te Pūtahi Mātauranga, Arts and Education (15 points)

WTRENG 100 - Waipapa Taumata Rau: Engineering and Design for the Built Environment in Aotearoa New Zealand (15 points)

Academic Integrity Course

Complete exactly 1 of the following:

ACADINT A01 - Academic Integrity Course (0 points)