Mātauranga Toi Māori – Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours

Study creative arts and help shape a future where te ao Māori is at the forefront of Aotearoa creative industries. A first for Aotearoa tertiary education, the Mātauranga Toi Māori major engages te ao Māori in Fine Arts disciplines.

Specialise in Mātauranga Toi Māori for your Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours at Massey

The Mātauranga Toi Māori major enables you to ground your practice within mātauranga Māori as an alternative to some of the other courses within the Fine Arts programme. You will develop the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes necessary to encourage the potential of Mātauranga Toi Māori within the landscape of the creative arts.

Offered as a new major, subjects within this pathway are delivered through a mixed mode of learning including wānanga, noho marae, studio classes and online delivery.

Te Rau Karamu Marae will be your kāinga where you will be nourished by the mahi toi, kōrero tuku iho, karakia, waiata, and manaakitanga. Your experience in these courses will empower and connect you to becoming an indigenous creative practitioner.

More information: Creative Arts Qualification Guide

A Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours in Mātauranga Toi Māori is a good fit if you:

  • See a future where Māori creativity and culture is at the forefront of the creative industries
  • Want to ground your creativity in mātauranga Māori
  • Want to stand out amongst the crowd in creative industries as an indigenous practitioner
  • Collaborate with other Māori and indigenous ākonga from across all creative disciplines
  • Want to ‘Be Māori... all day, every day!’

Planning information

If you study full-time, in your first year, you’ll take eight 15-credit courses, making a total of 120 credits.

If you wish to study over two semesters, you should aim for 60 credits per semester. You may be able to take some courses at summer school. Make sure you include courses that are prerequisites for the next level of courses you wish to study.

More information: Creative Arts Qualification Guide

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.

Courses you can enrol in

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.

Core courses for the Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours

As well as the specialisation courses listed below, this qualification has core courses that you will need to complete.

Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours core courses

Mātauranga Toi Māori courses

Part One

Choose 45 credits from
Course code: 150106 Nga Hanga Whakairo: Traditional Māori Visual Art 15 credits

An introduction to the scope of Māori art with a view to recognising traditional elementary forms and their significance. Social and cultural dimensions will be considered and Māori art forms from pre-contact times to the present will be examined within the context of a dynamic and changing society.

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Course code: 298157 Toi Ᾱtea 1 15 credits

An introduction to the development of personal forms of expression though an engagement with the values, concepts, traditions, art/design forms and structures of the whare whakairo.

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Course code: 298160 Mātauranga Toi Māori 1: Māori Practices as a Māori Creative Practitioner 15 credits

This introductory course provides students with a foundational understanding of customary practices and values within Te Ao Māori and their relevance in contemporary Māori creative practice. Through a combination of theoretical exploration and practical engagement, students will gain insights into the cultural context shaping Māori creative expression and its significance in fostering personal and communal growth.

Restrictions: 133180 213170 197190 289150

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Part Two

Choose 45 credits from
Course code: 150206 Ngā Momo Whakairo: Contemporary Māori Visual Art 15 credits

An interpretation of the design structures that constitute Māori art from a bicultural perspective together with an examination of the factors that determine stylistic change.

Prerequisites: 150106

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Course code: 298260 Mātauranga Toi Māori 2: Māori Creative Practices and Cultural Continuity 15 credits

Building upon the foundational concepts introduced in Māori Practices as a Māori Creative Practitioner, this course delves deeper into the intricate relationship between Māori creative practices and cultural continuity within Te Ao Māori. Through an advanced exploration of theoretical frameworks, hands-on creative projects, and community engagement, students will further refine their understanding of the nuanced role of Tikanga Māori in shaping contemporary Māori creative practice.

Prerequisites: One of: 298160 or 289150 or 197190 or 213170 or 133180 Restrictions: 289250 197290 213270 133280

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Course code: 298263 Toi Atea 2 15 credits

The development of individual work that grows out of the investigation of a select range of Māori concepts, art forms, imagery, values and approaches that reflect a Māori world view.

Prerequisites: 298157

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Part Three

Choose 45 credits from
Course code: 298330 Cosmological Narratives within Māori Creative Expression 15 credits

This advanced-level course delves into the intricate relationship between Māori cosmological narratives and their dynamic manifestation within contemporary Māori creative expression. Through an interdisciplinary exploration that encompasses art, design, music, theatre, and dance, students will analyse the evolving role of cosmological narratives, connecting traditional wisdom to modern artistic innovation.

Prerequisites: 1 of 150206; 237230; 237231; 133257; 289200

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Course code: 298360 Mātauranga Toi Māori 3: Creative Innovation and Community Leadership 15 credits

This course propels students into the realm of Māori Arts Innovation and Community Leadership. By synthesizing foundational knowledge with advanced theoretical frameworks, innovative artistic projects, and community leadership principles, students will refine their skills as Māori Arts Practitioners and actively contribute to the evolution of Māori arts practices within a contemporary context.

Prerequisites: one of: 213270 or 298260 or 289250 or 197290 or 133280 Restrictions: 289350 133380 197390 213370

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Course code: 298367 Toi Atea 3 15 credits

Developing visual responses to the exploration of issues (social, political, environmental, global) significant to Māori people and their communities.

Prerequisites: 298263

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Part Four

Choose 30 credits from
Course code: 298730 Māori Research Methodologies for Creative Practice 15 credits

Students will consider tikanga and methodologies relevant to their own creative practice, which may incorporate the use of customary and/or new technologies, innovations, and knowledge. This will include developing an understanding of tikanga, ethics and accountabilities around the use of mātauranga toi Māori, mātauranga-ā-iwi, mātauranga-ā-hapū and mātauranga-a-whānau in the development of their own creative outputs. Students will be supported to locate and articulate their own creative practice in a continuum of mātauranga toi Māori.

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Course code: 298753 Toi Atea 4 15 credits

An advanced course to focus and refine visual language and personal tikanga through negotiated projects that explore topics of direct reference to Māori people and their communities.

Prerequisites: 298367

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Entry requirements

Admission to Massey

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

Specific requirements

You must first be enrolled in the Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours to select the Mātauranga Toi Māori major.

To enter the BFA(Hons) you will:

  • submit a portfolio (if you do well in NCEA Level 2 art, design or technology – or equivalent - you may not need to submit a portfolio. See details below.)
  • attend an interview in person or over Zoom.

Portfolio requirements

  • Automatic entry: If you achieved NCEA Level 2 or 3 with Merit or Excellence overall and a Merit or Excellence endorsement in an approved art, design or technology subject, you have automatic entry and will not have to submit a portfolio. This also applies for Cambridge International students achieving an AS grade A or B in an approved art, design or technology subject.
  • Portfolio pre-approval entry: You can show work in progress to a Massey College of Creative Arts staff member during a school visit, Massey Open Day or other University event, or video call. They’ll look at examples of your work with you and if it shows the creative potential we’re looking for, they’ll sign a portfolio pre-approval letter. Then you won’t need to submit a final portfolio with your application.
  • Portfolio entry: Submit a portfolio showing a selection of your creative work that demonstrates your creative potential with your application to study.
  • Late applications will be considered if space is available.

See full details of the application process and portfolio requirements

English language skills

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

Fees and scholarships

Fees, student loans and free fees scheme

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.

Already know which courses you're going to choose?

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 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 can find their National Student Number in the student portal.

Scholarship and award opportunities

Search our scholarships and awards

Fees disclaimer

This information is for estimation purposes only. Actual fees payable will be finalised on confirmation of enrolment. Unless otherwise stated, all fees shown are quoted in New Zealand dollars and include Goods and Services Tax, if any. Before relying on any information on these pages you should also read the University's Disclaimer Notice.

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