From left to right: Professor Claire Robinson, Pro Vice-Chancellor College of Creative Arts, Brockett Horne, Maryland Institute College of Art, Associate Professor Andre Ktori, Head of the School of Music and Creative Media Productions, Professor Brian Lucid, Head of the School of Design, Associate Professor Rebecca Sinclair, Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor College of Creative Arts, Elissa Tenny, School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Linda Baxter, Research Office.
Massey University’s College of Creative Arts Toi Rauwhārangi has been granted renewal of substantial equivalency from the United States accreditation body, the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
Class of 2018 - graduating 2021.
Professor Claire Robinson, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the College, says she is delighted to have the standing confirmed once more.
“‘Substantial equivalency’ is a long-winded way of saying that on the international stage, our art and design degrees level-peg with some of the best in the world. We are one of only a small number to achieve this status and the only Art and Design School in New Zealand to do so. This year we are excited by the inclusion of a large number of our new programmes.
“While it is not possible to gain ‘accreditation’ outside of the United States, gaining ‘substantial equivalency’ means our art and design degrees are certified as on a par with qualifications from some of the world’s most prestigious institutions, including Rhode Island School of Design and CalArts,” Professor Robinson adds.
The College of Creative Arts Toi Rauwhārangi comprises New Zealand’s oldest and largest School of Design Nga Pae Mahutonga, the School of Art Whiti o Rehua, and the School of Music and Creative Media Production Te Rewa o Puanga.
In NASAD’S assessment of Massey’s Creative Arts programmes, it included in its commendation the following:
“The Commission commends the institution for its deliberate, thoughtful, and compelling considerations of curricular programs and the support they provide to students. The well-prepared materials outlined clearly the ‘stair-cased’ competencies and included a discussion of the analysis of time to degree, resources, size and scope, community engagement, business partnerships, and preparation for professional practices.
“The Commission commends the institution for its discussions ‘of the potential impact of creative work on audiences’ and its effort to intertwine this issue with its community’s ‘creative, cultural, and socio-political’ histories.”
Internationally the College continues to get accolades from other quarters.
“For the fourth year in a row the College was reaffirmed as number one in New Zealand for art and design (QS rankings), and in the top 50-100 worldwide by World University QS subject areas – the only art and design school to be in that bracket in New Zealand,” Professor Robinson says.
“Back on the national design stage, in 2020 we demonstrated why we have great international rankings, with 48 projects by Toi Rauwharangi students, staff and graduates being finalists in the Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards. Since the awards inception, which is seriously contested both nationally and internationally across the industry, Massey students have made up nearly a third of all student finalists and have had a staggering 255 award winners as of last year. We have high hopes for this year’s awards.
“To ensure a 21st century curriculum with the student experience and learning at its core, our programmes acknowledge the increasingly permeable nature of the creative industries today and an external environment in which employment outcomes are no longer pre-determined,” Professor Robinson adds.
“A key part of our success is the cross-disciplinary approach that provides opportunities for students to self-select from a broad range of technical learning not confined to their own major. We also encourage students to learn from each other through collaboration, and in the provision of as much real-life experience as possible before they leave.”
The full list of programmes to reach ‘Substantial Equivalency’ are:
Renewal has been granted for:
Graduate Diploma in Design
Postgraduate Diploma in Design
Postgraduate Diploma in Fine Arts
Bachelor of Design with Honours and Bachelor of Design
Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours and Bachelor of Fine Arts
Master of Design
Master of Fine Arts
Doctor of Philosophy
Newly granted substantial equivalency:
Certificate in Visual Arts
Diploma in Visual Arts
Diploma in Fine Arts
Diploma in Design
Graduate Diploma in Fine Arts
Postgraduate Certificate in Creative Arts
Postgraduate Diploma in Māori Visual Arts
Bachelor of Māori Visual Arts
Bachelor of Creative Media Production with Honours (three-year degree, plus honours year)
Master of Creative Enterprise
Master of Māori Visual Arts
Programmes which will be granted substantial equivalency once they have graduating students:
Bachelor of Design (Hons) and Bachelor of Design - Concept Design
Bachelor of Design (Hons) and Bachelor of Design - Integrated Design