Mix-and-match

Creative industries at UC is a diverse and broad field. From painting and sculpture, to music studies and composition, to graphic design and animation. Creative industries is more than sitting in a lecture theatre or practicing your chosen art form in a room — it is about performance and gaining practical skills such as analysis and critical thinking which will aid you in life after university.

Your learning environment

The creative industries learning environment at UC is inclusive and fun, and a place where you are encouraged to find your own unique personal and artistic identity.

We have private practice rooms, computer labs, painting studios, a gallery filled with students’ work, and more to cater for all of your creative needs.

New Digital Screen Campus

We are developing a new Digital Screen Campus, a creative hub where film production, game development, and cross-reality technologies come together. Proposed international-quality facilities will provide workspaces, stages, studios, laboratories, and more, spread over 14 hectares of campus space.

Hands-on

The creative industries programmes at UC involve theoretical work alongside practical hands-on work. With field trips to galleries, guest artists, or internships with local organisations through our Professional and Community Engagement (PACE) course, you will never be short of exciting opportunities while studying creative arts.

Indigenous knowledge

Kaupapa Māori is integrated into our courses, so you can learn about Māori values and understand the potential of Indigenous knowledge. Alongside our Māori Indigenous knowledge, learn about Aotearoa New Zealand’s place in diverse cultural contexts in order to create strong relationships, locally, and globally.

Explore Māori and Pasifika storytelling by studying our new Indigenous Narrative minor, the first of its kind in Aotearoa.

Student life

The creative industries student culture is as unique as its students. Students can be found creating sculptures in the fine arts block, cataloging ancient artifacts, designing online games using high-tech software, and much more.

With more than 160 active clubs on campus, you can pursue your interests outside of your studies, attend events, or join clubs that are relevant to your studies to mix amongst your classmates even more.

Some creative arts clubs include:

• Musical theatre society
• Drama society
• UCanDance
• Photography club
• Game Development society
• UC Film society
• UC Writers society.

Career opportunities

Due to the interdisciplinary learning you undertake as a student, job opportunities in creative industries are open and vast. You could become a freelance artist, orchestra conductor, game designer, film director, museum curator, policy advisor, and more.

Wellbeing

We provide support services such as help with injuries or learning disabilities affecting your studies, health and wellbeing, sports and fitness, and more.