Master of Design

at Massey University - Wellington Campus New Zealand

More than just the design of buildings, spatial design is all about how people experience spaces. It intersects with the more traditional design fields of architecture, landscape design, interior design, urban design and environmental design.

People inhabit the world in many ways, but we all have spaces where we live, work, play, relax, perform, gather, learn, heal, and celebrate. The design of spaces affects how you feel, how you act, and how you interact with others: Does the layout of your local hospital make you feel reassured or stressed? Do you find you want to linger in some cafes but not in others? Does an office space make it easy and natural for people to get together? Do the views on a walk surprise and delight you because someone has thought carefully about the experience?

Spatial design can improve the standard and quality of our lives, enrich our culture and national identity, and contribute to business success. In spatial design studio courses, you'll learn to design for a host of spaces: private, public, retail, event, work, game, furnishing, experience, display, interface and performance. You learn to use the latest technologies and approaches to design spaces at the required scale, from the big picture (eg urban planning) to the fine detail of construction and materials.

Study musicianship and performance in the popular genre of your choice — whether you’re a singer, DJ, or in a band, Music Practice will give you the skills and confidence to take risks and make it in the music industry.

In the Music Practice major, you’ll learn songwriting, composition, musicianship, and performance from some of New Zealand’s top musicians and professionals. The Bachelor of Commercial Music has strong connections with the music industry in New Zealand and around the globe, guaranteeing you an immersive, real-world-focused music education.

You’ll develop your writing and performing craft in your instrument or interface of choice—that could be an instrument, your voice, or your computer.  Learn to produce and compose music with industry-standard software and hardware, in some of the best facilities in the Southern Hemisphere.

Explore and develop fashion design concepts, garments, accessories or systems that respond to the times. Consider the global impact of the multi-billion dollar fashion industry and explore how fashion can have a more sustainable future.

You’ll learn skills in idea generation, fashion communication, patternmaking, construction, materials, historail and contemporary fashion analysis, and critical thinking.

Degree-level study of fashion design teaches innovative and creative design of apparel, skills in producing patterns and prototype garments, knowledge of textile materials, market and trend analysis. This qualification will help you develop the ability to position fashion products in the marketplace.

The Diploma in Communication is designed to introduce you to a selection of disciplines in the communication field. It provides you with employment pathways in the fields, among others, of:

•     Public relations
•     Communication management
•     Arts administration
•     Event management
•     Relationship management
•     Journalism
•     Web content management
•     Social media advising
•     Brand management
•     Advertising
•     Marketing/communications executive
•     Media planning/buying.

In the Music Industry major, you’ll learn how to market and support musicians, developing the skills and networks to become an essential behind-the-scenes music industry professional.

Study artist development and management, and how record labels and distribution networks work, including modern platforms like Spotify and social media. Get experience project-managing live music for concerts, tours and festivals.

Engage critically with the music industry, considering the philosophy, politics and economics of commercial music. Explore new business models that challenge traditional industry conventions.

Work with students from across Massey’s commercial music degree to work on gigs, tours, music videos and online promotion.

Massey’s Graduate Diploma in Fine Arts is for skilled graduates who want to gain new knowledge and skills in fine arts.

In the large art studio courses you’ll have the support to work in any media in an interdisciplinary studio environment. This includes sculpture, painting, drawing, performance, installation, moving image, photography, printmaking, site-responsive work, curatorial activities and art writing.

Other study could include a range of studio courses that develop your practice further. Critical and contextual studies also help expand your knowledge of art and design discourse.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Design is an opportunity for you to upskill in creative practice, modern visual communication design technology, and theory.

The Bachelor of Design with Honours (Integrated Design), you’ll select courses from two or more of the other seven majors in the Bachelor of Design with Honours. You’ll push your study beyond traditional design boundaries.

Choose courses to form a unique programme of study, in consultation with the qualification leader. You can choose courses from the following disciplines:

• concept design
• fashion design
• industrial design
• photography
• spatial design
• textile design
• visual communication design (including graphic design, illustration, advertising and branding, interaction design and more).

Specialise in Game Development for your Bachelor of Screen Arts with Honours at Massey

Encompassing a broad range of disciplines, including game design, art, audio, coding, and production. Game development is a field that truly embraces interactive screen media.

You will develop skills in critical thinking, logic, design, 3D modelling and texturing, animation, and team-based production while building fun, engaging, and challenging worlds, experiences, and adventures.

You’ll be ideating, designing, and developing games. Using industry-standard software and real time engines and techniques, you'll will work through game design, art and aesthetics and programming to create unique and original experiences for desktop, console and mobile platforms.

In Music Technology, you’ll work at the intersection of music, creativity, and technology. Study new interface and instrument development and electronics alongside audio engineering, recording and editing technologies, and live lighting and sound.

Master microphone techniques and sound design. Learn how to operate leading industry equipment, work with musicians to capture great recordings, and mixing and mastering techniques to produce professional-quality recordings.

You’ll also learn live light and sound skills, including how to operate small and large scale PAs, and design and program advanced lighting and projection rigs. We’ll teach you about all aspects of live, venue-based industry requirements.