The Bachelor of Computer Graphic Design at Waikato University has had its fair share of firsts. Created in 2002, it was the only computer graphic design programme provided by a University. It was also the first degree in New Zealand to be jointly awarded by a university and a polytechnic.

Offered in partnership with the Whanganui School of Design, it incorporates the successful visual disciplines from Whanganui with programming papers taught by the top computer science department in New Zealand.

The Bachelor of Computer Graphic Design degree is a creative computer-based qualification that opens up an entirely new domain of creative design - a fusion of design and technology. The widespread use of computers in the design profession, along with the rapid growth of the Internet and e-commerce, has meant that this style of qualification is in increasingly high demand.

This unique programme was developed in close collaboration with the design industry, with an eye to the international market, in addition to the local one. The result is a new breed of graphic designer: graduates who combine skills in creative design and visual communication with an understanding of the huge potential offered by new technologies.