Whitecliffe College of Arts

Whitecliffe College of Arts & Design offers internationally recognised tertiary level programmes ranging from Foundation to Masters, at NQF levels 4-9. The four-year Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) programme offers majors in fashion design, fine arts, graphic design and photography, film and video. There are Masters qualifications in arts management, arts therapy, arts therapy (clinical) and fine arts. Undergraduate students can successfully exit their programme at the Certificate, Diploma, Advanced Diploma or Degree level. Whitecliffe operates from two campuses located in central Auckland, with individual studio spaces for BFA students, including one public gallery for exhibiting work by students, faculty and visiting artists.

Low student-lecturer ratios support student-centred learning. The emphasis is on students owning their own work and being able to articulate their purpose and position. Whitecliffe provides a comprehensive grounding in business, marketing and professional ethics, as well as a focus on contextual history, theory and social sciences that influence traditional and contemporary arts and design practice. Official student retention and completion rates are 80+%.

The College was established by Greg and Michele Whitecliffe opening in 1983. Whitecliffe has now positioned itself as an industry leader in contemporary arts and design education.