Program Overview

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Bachelor of Screen Arts with Honours – BSA(Hons)

The four-year BSA with Honours is an opportunity to extend your skills and push the boundaries of your creative work, creating a larger project alone or in a group.

Type of qualification

Bachelor's degree with honours

Level of study

Undergraduate study NZQF level 8

Time to complete

4 years full-time (480 credits)

International students

Open to international students on campus in New Zealand

Key dates

• Admission application due dates
• Course enrolment dates for accepted students
• Semester dates

Study a Bachelor of Screen Arts with Honours – BSA(Hons)

You'll develop a substantial piece of work, bringing all of your specialist knowledge and professional skills together and expressing your unique voice. For those wanting to go even further, the fourth year of study with us can also be a fast-track into our Master's degree.

With an emphasis on production, you’ll take advanced projects through the development of initial concepts and narratives to a completed and distributable work. You’ll respond to briefs that combine creative studio practice, storytelling, professional practice and portfolio development, using industry-standard production facilities, studios and labs.

In addition to practicing advanced production skills on cutting edge technology, you’ll learn about the media business and the creative economy, and how to evaluate and develop ideas for the marketplace.

In your final year, you have the option of doing an industry internship, connecting you to Aotearoa’s creative ecosphere and reflecting on where your skills best fit. You’ll also work extensively on a year-long creative project, either as sole practitioner or part of a like-minded team. The emphasis is on building a showreel, vertical slice, or short film that you can use as a calling card to the creative industry.

Learn from industry professionals

The BSA(Hons) is taught by industry professionals, including current and former staff from Wētā FX, Wētā Workshop, Paramount Pictures, Disney, Universal Studios, Park Road Post, TVNZ, PikPok, SKY, A44 Games, and the BBC.

Looking for a shorter qualification?

• Certificate in Creative Arts (6 months full-time; available part-time)
• Diploma in Creative Arts (12 months full-time; available part-time)
• Bachelor of Screen Arts (3 years full-time; available part-time)

Get the full picture

• Visit the College of Creative Arts website
• Creative Arts guides

A BSA(Hons) is a good fit if you:

• want to work hands-on with projects across a range of screen and digital media
• want to benefit from the college’s extensive industry connections
• want to master industry-standard production facilities

Entry requirements

Admission to Massey

All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.

• Massey University entry requirements

Specific requirements

There are no specific entry requirements for this qualification, outside of university admission regulations. Once you have applied and enrolled we encourage you to book a Creative Review to ensure you are on the right track.

English language requirements

To study this qualification you must meet Massey University's English language standards.

• Massey University English language requirements

Time limits for Honours, Distinction and Merit

If you complete this qualification within the stated time limit, you will normally be able to graduate with a class of Honours.

Look for further information under ‘Student Progression’ in the regulations for this qualification.

More information

• Read the regulations for this qualification thoroughly
• Contact us through the Get advice button on this page if you have any questions.

Prior learning, credit and exemptions

For information on prior learning, exemptions and transfer of credit or other questions:

• review the Recognition of Prior Learning regulations
• contact us through the Get advice button on this page.

English language skills

If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, see our English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses.

Maximum time limits for completion

There are maximum time limits to complete some undergraduate and all postgraduate qualifications. If you do not complete within the maximum time, you may be required to re-apply for the qualification if you wish to continue your studies.

If you are unable to complete the Bachelor of Screen Arts with Honours

If you are unable to complete the Bachelor of Screen Arts with Honours, you may be awarded a Certificate in Creative Arts, Diploma in Creative Arts, Diploma in Screen Arts or Bachelor of Screen Arts, depending on how many/which courses you have passed.

Official regulations

To understand what you need to study and must complete to graduate read the official rules and regulations for this qualification.

You should read these together with all other relevant Statutes and Regulations of the University including the General Regulations for Undergraduate Degrees, Undergraduate Diplomas, Undergraduate Certificates, Graduate Diplomas and Graduate Certificates.

Returning students

For returning students, there may be changes to the majors and minors available and the courses you need to take. Go to the section called ‘Transitional Provisions’ in the Regulations to find out more.

In some cases the qualification or specialisation you enrolled in may no longer be taking new enrolments, so may not appear on these web pages. To find information on the regulations for these qualifications go to the Massey University Calendar.

Please contact us through the Get advice button on this page if you have any questions.

Structure of the Bachelor of Screen Arts with Honours

The first year introduces you to the basic skills, technologies, professional practices and concepts needed to commence your learning as an emerging creative practitioner in Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas.

The second year develops these skills further, utilising the specialisation production courses as the place to embed learning around exercises and smaller, focused individual works, while the specialisation project courses function as the site where you will work together on production-based projects and where the works undertaken are of a more substantial scale than those in the production courses.

The third year continues to develop major specialisation skills and collaborate on production and project courses.

The fourth (honours) year provides you with the opportunity to focus on a more ambitious year long, research-informed creative project and offers an internship option.

Electives

You can use your elective courses to: • Take courses from across the college • Add a Minor to boost your Major • Follow a pathway to deepen your knowledge • Explore courses from other parts of the university

Pathways

Informal study pathways let you tailor your degree to suit your interests, career goals or further study plans. At Toi Rauwhārangi we believe creativity can change the world. Our interdisciplinary pathways enable you to make an impact by diving deeper into big issues like: • Climate change • Material innovation • Health and wellbeing • Social change • Exhibition and curation • Printmaking

Work with experts and collaborate across disciplines: • Exhibition and curation • Printmaking

Pathways are informal study pathways that you can tailor to suit your interests, career goals or further study plans.

Courses and specialisations

Key terms

Courses Each qualification has its own specific set of courses. Some universities call these papers. You enrol in courses after you get accepted into Massey.

Course code Each course is numbered using 6 digits. The fourth number shows the level of the course. For example, in course , the fourth number is a 2, so it is a 200-level course (usually studied in the second year of full-time study).

Credits Each course is worth a number of credits. You combine courses (credits) to meet the total number of credits needed for your qualification.

Specialisations Some qualifications let you choose what subject you'd like to specialise in. Your major or endorsement is what you will take the majority of your courses in.

Credit summary

480 credits

• Compulsory core courses – 180 credits
• Compulsory course selection – 45 credits
• Major courses – 180 credits
• Electives – 75 credits

Ensure that overall, you have:

• Not more than 165 credits at 100 level
• At least 90 credits at 200 level
• At least 105 credits at 300 level
• At least 120 credits at 700 level or above
• Starting in 2026, entrance into the final Honours year requires a minimum B- average across the highest 75 credits of your highest year level (ie your best 75 credits from Year 3).

Course planning key

Prerequisites Courses that need to be completed before moving onto a course at the next level. For example, a lot of 200-level courses have 100-level prerequisite courses.

Corequisites Courses that must be completed at the same time as another course are known as corequisite courses.

Restrictions Some courses are restricted against each other because their content is similar. This means you can only choose one of the offered courses to study and credit to your qualification.

Schedule A: Core courses

Critical Studies: Minimum of 1 course from each level (Choose at least 60 credits from)

• Course code: Music, People, Places Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Music and Ethics Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Music, Politics, Economies Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Nga Hanga Whakairo: Traditional Māori Visual Art Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Ngā Momo Whakairo: Contemporary Māori Visual Art Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Design, Purpose, People and Place Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Design in the Pluriverse Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Transformation: Discourse in Design Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Art, Culture and Contexts Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Critical Perspectives on Contemporary Art Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Critical Understandings of Contemporary Art Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Screen Arts, Creativity and Critical Thinking Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Screen Arts, Societies and Cultures Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Locating a Critical Screen Practice Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Creative Practice Research Methods Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Kōrero Tuku Iho | Cosmological Narratives within Māori Creative Expression Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Māori Research Methodologies for Creative Practice Credits: 15 credits

Professional Cultures: 1 course from each level (Choose 45 credits from)

• Course code: Professional Cultures in Commercial Music 1 Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Professional Cultures in Commercial Music 2 Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Professional Cultures in Commercial Music 3 Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Professional Cultures in Design 1 Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Professional Cultures in Design 2 Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Professional Cultures in Design 3 Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Professional Cultures in Art 1 Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Professional Cultures in Art 2 Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Professional Cultures in Art 3 Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Professional Cultures in Screen Arts 1 Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Professional Cultures in Screen Arts 2 Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Professional Cultures in Screen Arts 3 Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Mātauranga Toi Māori 1: Māori Practices as a Māori Creative Practitioner Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Mātauranga Toi Māori 2: Māori Creative Practices and Cultural Continuity Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Mātauranga Toi Māori 3: Creative Innovation and Community Leadership Credits: 15 credits

100 Level Studios (Choose at least 15 credits from)

• Course code: Introduction to Animation Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Introduction to Visual Effects Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Introduction to Game Development Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Introduction to Film Production Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Introduction to Media Technology Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Introduction to Emerging Creative Technologies Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Introduction to Factual Production Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Toi Ātea 1 Credits: 15 credits

100 Level Explorations (Choose at least 30 credits from)

• Course code: Explorations in Visualisation Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Explorations in Materials and Making Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Explorations in Creative Coding and Media Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Explorations in Modelling Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Explorations in Digital Asset Creation Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Explorations in Drawing Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Explorations in Pacific Positionalities Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Explorations in Narrative Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Explorations in Image and Meaning Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Explorations in Colour and Context Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Explorations in Toi Auaha – Paint and Creative Expression Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Explorations in Te Aho Pūoro Māori – An Introduction and Insight into Traditional Māori Instruments Credits: 15 credits

Compulsory Courses: 15 credits from (Choose at least 15 credits from)

• Course code: Narrative for Screen Credits: 15 credits

Compulsory Courses: 15 credits from (Choose at least 15 credits from)

• Course code: 3D Digital Arts Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Audio Production Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Toi Atea 2 Credits: 15 credits

Compulsory Courses: 30 credits from (Choose at least 30 credits from)

• Course code: Development Lab Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Major Project: Production and Practice Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Studio and Location Audio Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Toi Atea 3.1: Mana Whenua Credits: 15 credits

Any 400-level or 700-level course from the College of Creative Arts (Prefixes: 133, 197, 198, 212, 213, 221, 222, 223, 224, 237, 289, 293, 296, 298) (Choose 15 credits from)

Schedule B: Majors

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

Schedule C: Elective courses

• Course code: Creative Arts Special Topic 1C Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Creative Arts Special Topic 2E Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Creative Arts Special Topic 2F Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Advanced Audio Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Creative Arts Special Topic 3C Credits: 15 credits
• Course code: Creative Arts Special Topic 3D Credits: 15 credits

Fees and scholarships

2026 tuition fees

• Domestic students: $9,957
• International students: $45,580

Tuition fees are estimates only. The exact fees charged will depend on which courses you select at the time of enrolment. The estimates are for full-time study (120 credits). Fees are in New Zealand dollars and include Goods and Services Tax (GST).

The estimates do not include the Student Services Fee. This fee is $1,164 for on-campus students and $948 for distance students for full-time study (120 credits). For more information about this fee and other fees you may need to pay, see non-tuition fees.

There may also be charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.

Course fees

You can view fees for the courses that make up your qualification on the course details pages.

Student loans (StudyLink) and Fees Free scheme

You may be eligible for a student loan to help towards paying your fees.

The New Zealand Government offers fees-free tertiary study for eligible domestic students. Find out more about the scheme, including how much could be covered and your eligibility on the Inland Revenue website.

Scholarship and award opportunities

• Creative Kickstarter Scholarship
• Ken and Elizabeth Powell Scholarship
• Massey University Undergraduate First Year Scholarship – School Leavers
• Te Rewa o Puanga Screen Arts Scholarship

Careers and job opportunities

Creative Tech is New Zealand’s fastest growing industry. Games, apps, web, film, video, animation, VFX, audio – they are rapidly converging. The Bachelor of Screen Arts sets you up for the new world. With your industry experience, critical grounding and practical know-how, you’ll hit the ground running when you graduate. You’ll have the flexibility to push the boundaries, re-inventing your craft and your media many times over the course of your career.