The degree promotes industry-relevant, experimental, innovative, critical, and reflective approaches to emerging design ideas and technologies. It encourages students to develop their own independent practices and positions and to fulfil the needs of the industry.

The programme provides a framework within which innovative learning and teaching approaches, advanced digital skills, and future-focused design. Assessment for learning elevates the student experience from technical to work ready graduates who will positively impact local and global design-related industries.

 

Bachelor of Design + Digital Media Course Outline

The degree is anchored within the three pillars of design innovation to ensure graduates are equipped to enter employment, or entrepreneurial ventures, with a sound foundation in critically, creatively, and connectedness.

For any design solution to be both innovative and impactful for its intended audience, it must be Desirable, Feasible, and Viable. First, design solutions must meet the neds of the stakeholder, client, or customer, to be desirable. Secondly, the design must be assessed objectively for its branding, customer service, technological, financial, and collaborative capabilities to be feasible. Finally, the design solution must be viable and fit the client's business model. Of equal importance, the design solution should be sustainable and add value commercially, socio-economically, and culturally.

The three pillars of design innovation are mirrored in the courses over the three years of study.

 

Bachelor of Design + Digital Media Year One

Students are encouraged to explore Design Fundamentals examining typography, grids, layout, hierarchy of visual needs, print, and digital processes. Coupled with this is Design Context where students will research, analyse, and reflect on major historical eras of influence including historical socio-political movements. There is an introduction to Design Thinking as a strategic methodology and problem solving process.

Keeping in mind the ever-changing landscape of design in the digital age, students will learn in Coding Fundamentals the elements and what it means to write code and concepts, techniques, and strategies to produce media design artefacts. They will also look at Digital Technologies being able to develop knowledge, methods, and skills related to the processes of digital imaging, photography, and video production, as well as learn the fundamental knowledge and technical skills related to Motion Design production and distribution.

Also in Year One, students will be introduced to theories and principles of Interactive Design with a focus on user experience design. In Studio I students will gain design experience through research and creative exploration within a specific problem.

 

Bachelor of Design + Digital Media Year Two

Building on the knowledge learned in Year One, students continue with Design Context II where they explore and learn the theory and practice that sits behind brand development, creation, values, techniques, positioning, context, influence, and cultural significance. Design Thinking II will enable students to broaden their strategic perspective and find novel and interesting opportunities for innovation.

In Motion Design II students will further develop their knowledge and skills and take a step further into the world of 3D animation while Interaction Design II has students developing simple interactive pieces and progressively produce more complex assets using multiple assets using multiple design concepts and principles.

During Emerging and Future Design Technologies, students will learn to embrace everything from Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning to Hybrid Reality (AR/VR/MR) and the Internet of Things, using them as tools to improve design outcomes.

Studio II exposes students to the wider influence of design through the creative process to generate positive, meaningful, and lasting change, improve lives, and making our world a better place. It will enable them to become social change agents in the social, cultural, and community space through holistic approaches to design solutions.

 

Bachelor of Design + Digital Media Year Three

In response to industry feedback, students will also embrace Entrepreneurship I during which they will explore developing their own business by taking a creative idea and making it viable, relatable, and sustainable. An important part of this course is guidance to develop their own personal brand and reflect on where they think they will fit best and develop a portfolio that will focus on their insight into specific strengths and weaknesses, their self-promotional and communication skills, and awareness of how they could fit into the industry as professionals. With Entrepreneurship II students will design in the context of what is achievable business-wise and where design intersects with the business world and how it adds value and changes the world by solving big and wicked problems. This course will delve into enterprise-level technology and explore the ways in which businesses use disruptive technologies to support growth. Through a series of case studies and research, students will investigate what it means to provide entrepreneurial and innovative solutions, additional as to what is required to create a successful start-up.

This is the year where everything is pulled together to create a design that is the first research in Studio IIIA where they will document a proof of concept and the resulting research that will explore the viability, feasibility, and desirability of the project. Students will gain practical experience in the adoption of new concepts, processes, and techniques through the completion of a research project proposal and prototype. The proposal requires students to visualise and explain their development processes, personal design approaches, and ongoing implementation plan, which will inform how they will innovate in Studio IIIB, where the rubber hits the road.

The overarching goal of the Bachelor of Design + Digital Media is to ensure students are work-ready and employable within their chosen field.