Join a unique degree to extend your career options
If you love being creative and want to study a selection of theatre, performance, creative writing and digital media production courses, but you also want great career prospects the Bachelor of Communication (Expressive Arts) is for you.
Expressive arts is unique in New Zealand and was created in response to student demand. As part of your study, you will be able to choose from a range of activities such as devising, directing and writing theatre, writing creative works including fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, writing for children, and screenplays, or filming and producing digital video.
Students told us they wanted a little bit of theatre, creative writing or digital media production, or some combination. But not necessarily to focus just on one. So we invented ‘expressive arts’. We call it the ‘triple dip’ major where you can add as much or as little as you like to your degree from any of the three creative discipline areas of theatre, creative writing, or digital media production. You choose what to emphasise, whether it’s one, two or all three of these areas.
As well as hands-on skills in various creative areas, you’ll learn leadership skills and how creativity fits into a professional communications role.
For example, you might write a travel memoir, produce a music video, or direct an experimental multi-media show based on your original script. You might use techniques of improvisational theatre as a way of unlocking and managing your creativity across other media including creative writing. You might find yourself crafting Twitter poetry or learning how your posture communicates instantly to others.
As part of your study you will be able to devise, direct, write and produce theatre, creative writing and/or digital video productions.
Surveys have shown that today’s employers seek graduates who are collaborative, creative and can communicate well. They want staff who can give compelling presentations, problem-solve creatively, think originally, analyse perceptively, communicate effectively (both in person and on paper) and work well in teams. They especially want ‘creative disruptors’ in the sense of people who use their imagination to see things differently and propose new alternatives.
Learn these skills through expressive arts. When combined with the communication and corporate skills that you learn through your Bachelor of Communication you will have a qualification that can be applied across an amazing range of roles.
Graduates with an expressive arts major are working today in:
New Zealand is a great place to study. Massey University’s reputation is supported by our international rankings, accreditations and associations. We are rated five star plus by the QS World University Rankings.
Massey University has small class sizes, and our lecturers and staff are friendly and approachable.
As an international student, there are entry requirements that will apply to you. We recommend that you apply at least three months before your anticipated start date so your application can be processed in time. There are additional steps you will need to take. These include obtaining a visa and travel bookings if your study is to be in New Zealand.
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
There are no specific entry requirements for this programme, outside of university admission regulations.
To study this programme you must meet Massey University's English language standards.
For information on prior learning, exemptions and transfer of credit or other questions:
If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, we have courses and programmes that may help.
If you need to do a course before you start your programme, there may be options for you in Summer School.
From the Schedule to the Degree including:
Core courses
Major courses
Minor courses
Elective courses including:
Ensure that overall, you have:
See ‘Courses for this programme’ below for schedules of courses.
| No more than 60 credits from | ||
|---|---|---|
| 139209 | Speaking: Theory and Practice | 15 |
| 139220 | Theatre for Change | 15 |
| 139223 | Creative Processes | 15 |
| 139224 | Making Plays for Theatre | 15 |
| 139225 | Writing for Children | 15 |
| 139229 | Writing Poetry | 15 |
| 139280 | Creative Nonfiction: Creative Writing II | 15 |
| 139285 | Fiction Writing | 15 |
| 154204 | Digital Media Production I | 15 |
| 154224 | Documentary (Non-Fiction) Film | 15 |
| At least 60 credits from | ||
|---|---|---|
| 139303 | Modern Drama | 15 |
| 139309 | Eco-fictions and Non-fictions | 15 |
| 139320 | Theatre in Production | 15 |
| 139323 | Script Writing | 15 |
| 139326 | Travel Writing | 15 |
| 139329 | Advanced Fiction Writing | 15 |
| 139333 | Creativity in the Community | 15 |
| 139340 | The Publishing Project | 15 |
| 139362 | Oceanic Literatures of Aotearoa: Ngā Tuhinga Kōrero o te Moana nui a Kiwa | 15 |
| 139380 | Starting Your Manuscript: Creative Writing III | 15 |
| 139386 | Life Writing | 15 |
| 154304 | Digital Media Production II | 15 |
Full-time study in your first year comprises eight 15-credit courses, for a total of 120 credits. We recommend studying 60 credits per semester. You may also wish to take some courses at summer school but ensure you include those that are required for the next level of courses.
Although you are asked to nominate your BC major and minor when enrolling, please be aware that you can change these once you are enrolled.
No course can be credited to a major and a minor.
Completing a major is compulsory. The Expressive Arts major requires 120 credits including at least 60 credits at 200 level and 60 credits at 300 level.
Completing a minor is compulsory.
Minors increase the breadth of your degree. They give you extra knowledge, attributes and capabilities.
The Expressive Arts major is from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. That means you can choose a minor from the list of majors the Massey Business School offers:
If you are not studying a Bachelor of Communication and wish to complete a minor in Expressive Arts see the Bachelor of Communication regulations for requirements.
Your tuition fees may be different depending on the courses you choose. Your exact fees will show once you have chosen your courses.
There will also be some compulsory non-tuition fees and for some courses, there may also be charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.
If you already know which courses you are going to take, you can use our fees calculator to get an estimate of your fees.
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 and your eligibility on the Fees Free website. To use the site's eligibility checking tool, you will need your National Student Number.
Current and returning Massey students will find their National Student Number on their student homepage.
“
The best part about studying at Massey is that I could study subjects that I enjoyed with clearly enthusiastic tutors and peers.
” Hamish Boyle
“
The more you learn, the more fun it is, because you become more confident.
” Matt Twort
“
My post-graduate studies made me standout and were a definite factor in being selected for the roles I've had since graduating.
” Stevie Greeks
Marketing & Fundraising Manager at BATS Theatre
Massey Business School is rated in the top 5% of global business colleges by AACSB International.
Massey is ranked in the world’s top 150 universities for communication and media studies, by the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranking.
Massey University's communication programme is ranked #1 in New Zealand, and in the top 200 universities in the world, by ShanghaiRanking.
Massey University is ranked #1 in New Zealand and in the top 150 universities globally for business administration and finance by ShanghaiRanking.
Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions.
Review this important information before you apply for this programme. This gives you full details of the rules and regulations about what you need to study and what you must achieve in order to graduate with this qualification. That includes structure, courses and requirements. These regulations should be read in conjunction with all other Statutes and Regulations of the University including the below.
If you are ready to apply, have a look at our application checklist. It will help you get prepared with what you need. Please also check the entry requirements carefully before you apply.
You will apply for the programme using the Apply now button on this page. You’ll also choose your specialisation (major, subject or endorsement) if applicable.
Some programmes have additional requirements such as the submission of a portfolio or CV. Click on Apply now and you will be able to submit those documents as part of the application process.
You will receive an Admission Offer of Place when you have been accepted into the programme. You need to accept this before you can enrol in your courses. International students also need to pay their fees at this point.
You’ll then get access to your own student homepage (also known as the student portal). This is where you can enrol in courses. Any updates on your application or enrolments will also be on your student homepage. Make sure you check this regularly.
When you choose courses, ensure you check for any requirements that apply including:
Each of our courses has its own webpage where you can find this information. You can use our course search to find course pages.
More information on courses is in the ‘Courses for this programme’ section on this page.
You can find information on application due dates and semester dates on the key dates page.
We look forward to welcoming you to Massey!
If you have any questions, contact us through the Enquire button on this page.
Each Massey programme is made up of courses (in some tertiary institutions they are called ‘papers’).
You will have some compulsory courses and some you can choose from.
Each course is worth a certain amount of credits (often 15 credits, but this does vary). You must gain a set number of credits to be able to graduate from this programme.
There may also be some rules about which courses you need to pass to progress to the next year, or stage, of your study (known as progression). There are also courses you must pass to graduate with a specialisation.
The first three digits of our course numbers show you which subject the course is about.
The second three digits show you the level and course ID number. For instance:
| 1 | 6 | 2 | . | 3 | 0 | 1 | |
| Subject area | Level | Course ID number | |||||
Electives are courses that are not compulsory. Certain guidelines are usually provided on courses you may take. Elective courses contribute to the programme, but not to your major or specialisation.
Use this tool to help determine how much time you will need each week to complete your studies.
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 programme 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 programmes go to the Massey University Calendar.
Please contact us through the Enquire button on this page if you have any questions.
There are a number of scholarships available for new and current students. They could relate to your situation, achievement or interest.