Course details

Summary

Transform your creative practice

Embed yourself in a rich dialogue about your creative practice in Massey’s transdisciplinary MFA programme for artists and designers. This is the only New Zealand MFA recognised by the US National Association of Schools of Art and Design.

What is it Like?

The Massey MFA has a strong collective philosophy. By bringing together a small cohort of postgraduate students from design and fine arts, the MFA fosters intense transdisciplinary conversations and exploration. It is well suited to artists working from a hybrid or expanded practice and designers who want to develop adventurous work that challenges convention. The Low Residency mode offers the same intensive transdisciplinary engagement while fitting in with work or family commitments, and is flexible enough to be completed while teaching.

For designers as well as artists

The Massey MFA is a transdisciplinary qualification. As they go through their degree, students choose whether they want to graduate with an MFA “in Design”, an MFA “in Fine Arts”, or an MFA without endorsement where they believe their work cannot be framed in terms of either discipline. To date, we have had students whose undergraduate training is in fashion design, photography, textile design, industrial design, graphic design, and fine arts.

Careers

MFA graduates go on to diverse careers in the private and public sectors, including design, technology, business, fine art, writing and education. A rigorous two-year MFA in design or fine arts is widely respected not only in North America but in countries in Asia, South and Central America and parts of Europe that look to the US model.

Master of Fine Arts structure

The programme is 240 credits delivered internally on the Wellington campus over a period of 2 years full-time study, or an equivalent 3 years part-time by Low Residency mode.

Majors or endorsements

The MFA may be awarded with a major subject in either Design or Fine Arts, or it may be awarded without a subject (for strongly trans-disciplinary work). The major subject will be decided following the successful completion of Thesis Project Preparation, at the end of the first equivalent full-time year of study.

Entry criteria

Attainment of a Bachelor of Design (Honours) or Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) or Postgraduate Diploma in Design or Postgraduate Diploma in Fine Arts or equivalent with a grade average of B;
Selection into the programme through an interview and the assessment of a portfolio of submitted art and design work.

An “equivalent” qualification may include a Bachelor of Design or Bachelor of Fine Arts along with relevant industry/professional experience.

English language requirements:

• IELTS score of 6.5 in every band. Only IELTS is acceptable