Growing up between Aotearoa and Australia, Elijah Monu always found his way back to a sketchbook. From Sketching cartoons he saw on TV as a kid, to teaching himself motion graphics on his first laptop, he's been able to turn that childhood creativity into a career. Now 24 and based in Wainuiomata, Elijah can be found working as a graphic designer for Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa, after graduating with a Bachelor of Creativity at Whitireia and WelTec in 2024.
Choosing a Bachelor of Creativity
Leaving high school, Elijah knew a career in creativity was what he wanted to do but wasn't sure which direction he wanted to take or what discipline would be right for him. Elijah was fortunate enough to gain a variety of skills in digital design, photography, painting, sketching, and animation during his high school years, but he wanted a programme that would allow him to try all these areas at the tertiary level, before deciding on what his focus would be. The Bachelor of Creativity gave him this exact opportunity.
"I chose the Bachelor of Creativity because of the variety of disciplines it offered across physical and digital mediums. I had a chance to experience a range of arts and decide which one best suited me."
Studying across creative disciplines
The Bachelor of Creativity programme ran four days a week while Elijah was studying, each day being led by different tutors who were specialists in different fields. This was a great experience for Elijah as he learnt from a variety of different perspectives and was able to use these insights to better guide his own learning. The course's structure was a particular catalyst for Elijah's growth as it allowed students to have one-on-one time with their tutors at certain points in the programme which were often used by the Elijah to seek guidance on his projects.
The environment, however, was a particular highlight from Elijah’s time studying. He remembers the campus being alive with students studying a variety of different things, bringing a comforting energy to the programme and its campus. Elijah also commends his tutors for constantly going the extra mile during his time at Whitirea and WelTec, "our ideas and originality were always encouraged. I took many learnings away from each of them."
In 2026, students enrolled in the Bachelor of Creativity can now choose between two majors: Digital Media & Design, which now includes game design as a part of its programme, or a major in Animation that covers practices used within the industry like stop-motion animation and motion graphics. By offering these choices, Bachelor of Creativity students can work across different disciplines while building adaptable ways of thinking and collaborating effectively with others.
Specialising in Toi Māori
Elijah’s study direction and evidently his career, changed during his final year of study when his tutor asked whether he'd be interested in incorporating Toi Māori (Māori art) into his final project, a six-month self-directed assignment that students have full creative control over. At that point, Elijah had little to no experience in Toi Māori design, but the question alone sparked an interest in him that he knew he wanted to explore. Although, this experience didn’t come without its challenges.
“I fell flat many times throughout that year, I felt like the one thing I wanted to be great at wasn’t working out how I wanted it to, but Toi Māori felt too important for me to consider giving up on so with the support of my peers, tutors and my tutor, I continued to learn, grow and create my own designs.”
Working as a professional Māori Designer
After the many learnings and growth from his final project, Elijah now works as a Graphic Designer and Communications Advisor for Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa. Working within Te Ao Māori is something he's deeply grateful for, being able to draw on his Toi Māori project and mātauranga developed during his studies has created a full circle moment in his study journey. Often being responsible for producing a wide range of collateral material for Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa. While the qualification is complete, Elijah is adamant his learning journey continues.
“I am still learning and will always consider myself a tauira (student) within Te Ao Māori.”
Thinking about study?
For anyone thinking about studying a Bachelor of Creativity or who've just started studying, Elijah's advice is practical: never skip the testing phases, document every step of your process, and take the time to get to know your classmates.
"I was introduced to many niches and talents I wasn't aware of just by talking to people. This taught me to see things from different perspectives, which I believe has made me a better creator."
The Bachelor of Creativity is designed to help students turn ideas into real, practical outcomes. Over three years, students will get many opportunities to build their work-ready portfolio throughout the programme, as their encouraged to enter competitions or given opportunities to work on industry and interdisciplinary creative projects. Students will be able to finish their degree with a diverse portfolio and feel ready to work across a range of creative disciplines in their career.
