Expressive Arts – Bachelor of Communication

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.

Choose the creative discipline you love

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.

Hands-on, relevant skills

As well as hands-on skills in various creative areas, you’ll learn leadership skills and how creativity fits into a professional communication 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.

Devise, direct and write

As part of your study, you will be able to devise, direct, write and produce theatre, creative writing and/or digital video productions.

Further study

Many Bachelor of Communication (Expressive Arts) graduates go on to our Master of Creative Writing, while others find a home for their further study aspirations in the Master of Arts.