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For the people ready to work their creativity

For the people ready to work their creativity

Why study Arts?

Any idea, issue or solution requires creativity and ways of communicating that stand out, have impact, affect people, and contribute to change.


The arts provide creative and practical ways of understanding ourselves, other people and the world around us, conveying and expressing innovative and impactful insights.

Studying in Te Kura Toi School of Arts is your opportunity to develop competence and practical skills to move confidently from stage and screen, to language and sound, in areas such as modern languages, visual literacy, musical and vocal expression, theatrical and movement composition, sound design and creative writing. In doing so, you will utilise multiple traditional and digital platforms.

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Explore a wide range of programmes

Our students can work alongside top-rated teachers and internationally respected scholars, across 10 majors:

Performing Arts

Creative Media, Design and Communication

Languages, Literature and Culture

Choose from a variety of degrees

Our majors in Te Kura Toi School of Arts can be taken with different degrees:


Bachelor of Arts

Bachelor of Social Sciences

Bachelor of Music

Bachelor of Communication

Bachelor of Design

Explore our facilities

Why study with us?

Personalised career development support to help you take the next step.

Get extra support with our broad range of scholarships

Dr John Gallagher Concert Chamber

Specialist teaching facilities, including the acclaimed Dr John Gallagher Concert Chamber.

Group of students sitting at a desk

Adapt to the changing world

Looking to up-skill or need a change of direction?  Explore our wide range of study options.


Undergraduate options
Postgraduate options
Certificates & diplomas

Big Band Jazz Ensemble available at Waikato!

Do you play trumpet, trombone, saxophone, drums, bass, piano or guitar? Or maybe you have an interest in singing Jazz? Do you love to collaborate with other musicians? If so, sign up for our MUSIC122 or MUSIC227 paper and keep up your passion alongside your other studies.

Available for all University of Waikato students who play a suitable big band instrument.


Learn more about MUSIC122 - Musical Collaborations
Learn more about MUSIC227 - Performance Ensemble

Articles

Sargeson Prize winner praises prestigious award ahead of 2023 entries opening

Winning New Zealand’s richest short story competition, the Sargeson Prize, “stitched an egg of possibility” into Leeanne O'Brien that she might make it as a writer.

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Anthony Byrt appointed University of Waikato’s 2023 Writer In Residence

Art critic and writer Anthony Byrt will devote the next 12 months to three major projects after being named the Kaipukahu University of Waikato Writer in Residence for 2023.

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Grammar for everyone

Dr Calude, Senior Linguistics Lecturer at the University and convenor of its linguistics programme, teamed up with renowned author and linguist Emeritus Professor Laurie Bauer from Victoria University of Wellington to write a book that outlines problems (mysteries) and everyday aspects of grammar in a way that’s easily understood.

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Waikato opera programme takes young New Zealand talent to the world stage

Six young singers from across New Zealand will take the stage at the Sydney Opera House for auditions as part of their university degree. The opportunity to take the stage internationally is part of the new, world-class opera programme at Te Pae Kōkako – The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio (TANZOS), established by the University of Waikato.

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Chidgey axes the competition at The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards…again

Catherine Chidgey has been named winner of the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction for the second time with her novel The Axeman’s Carnival at The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards.

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Feeling the burn: poetry for our times

Award-winning poet and University of Waikato senior lecturer Dr Tracey Slaughter has spent the last nine months reviewing more than 1000 poems for this year’s Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2023: After-burn.

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Kiwi soldier's letters discovers a war-time love story

A new book by Nathalie Philippe shows how New Zealand played a much more crucial role in the First World War's Battle of the Somme than previously thought.

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