Why Study/Key Benefits

The Bachelor of Design/Bachelor of Media and Communication is a four-year double degree combining design, visual communication, media, communication and creative practice. It is suited to students who want to develop both design capability and media/communication skills rather than completing a single-discipline bachelor degree.

Swinburne highlights creative problem solving, digital prototyping, idea generation, media content creation, critical and analytical thinking, teamwork and collaboration as key skills developed through the course. Students also build a professional portfolio during their studies.

Key benefits include:

• Combination of two bachelor qualifications.
• Strong focus on practical design and media production.
• Development of a professional design/media portfolio.
• Choice of a Design major and a Media and Communication major.
• Access to interdisciplinary electives and minors.
• Work Integrated Learning opportunities, including industry-linked projects.
• A final-year capstone project that can involve external organisations such as the City of Melbourne.
• Opportunities to develop skills across digital design, branding, UX, photography, motion, advertising, journalism, public relations, social media and immersive media.

Programme Structure and Subjects/Topics

The degree combines core Design studies, core Media and Communication studies, one Design major, one Media and Communication major, and a minor/elective component.

Bachelor of Design core units – 100 credit points:

• DCO10001 Concepts and Narratives
• DCO10002 Digital Design
• DCO10005 Typography
• DDD10001 Twentieth Century Design
• DCO10004 Photography for Design
• DCO20004 User Interface Design
• DDD20004 Contemporary Design Issues
• DCO20001 Brand and Identity Design.

Bachelor of Media and Communication core units – 50 credit points:

• MDA10001 Introduction to Media Studies
• MDA10008 Global Media Industries
• MDA10012 Communicating with Data
• MDA10018 Content Creator Lab
• COM10007 Professional Communication Practice
• JOU10007 Media Content Creation.

Design majors – 100 credit points:

Branded Environments:

• Interior Architecture Communication
• Introductory Design Studio
• Exhibition Design
• Branded Environment Design Studio 1
• Innovation and Technology in the Branded Environment
• Branded Environment Design Studio 2
• Branded Environment Capstone.

Communication Design:

• Typography for Print and Interactive Publication
• Brand and Identity Design
• User Interface Design
• Information Design
• Design for Production
• Communication Design Strategy
• Design Capstone Project
• Professional Practice and Portfolio.

Motion Design:

• Typography for Print and Interactive Publication
• Motion Design Principles
• Information Design
• Digital Video Camera Techniques
• Motion Design New Technologies
• Motion Graphics Project
• Design Capstone Project
• Professional Practice and Portfolio.

Photomedia:

• Photography and Art Direction
• Experimental Image-Making Processes
• Digital Video Camera Techniques
• Compositing for Visual Effects
• Visual Storytelling
• Commercial Photography on Location
• Photomedia Capstone Project.

UX Interaction Design:

• Typography for Print and Interactive Publication
• User Interface Design
• Information Design
• Interaction Design
• Service Design
• Interaction Design for Mobile Devices
• Design Capstone Project
• Professional Practice and Portfolio.

Media and Communication majors – 100 credit points:

Advertising:

• ADV10001 Principles of Advertising
• ADV10002 Digital Advertising
• ADV20004 Advertising Issues and Impact
• ADV20003 Search, Social Media and Video Marketing
• ADV20005 Creativity and Ideation
• ADV30003 Emerging Advertising Technologies
• ADV30004 Digital Advertising Media Strategy
• ADV30005 Advertising Campaigns Project.

Disciplines/Specialisations

Students select one Design major:

• Branded Environments
• Communication Design
• Motion Design
• Photomedia
• UX Interaction Design.

Students also select one Media and Communication major:

• Advertising
• Cinema and Screen Studies
• Creative Writing and Publishing
• Immersive Media
• Journalism
• Public Relations
• Social Media.

Programme Highlights

• Four-year double bachelor degree.
• 400 credit points in the standard course.
• Hawthorn campus.
• Two 2027 intakes.
• CRICOS code 095612G.
• Five Design majors.
• Seven Media and Communication majors.
• 12 core units across the two degrees.
• Portfolio development throughout the degree.
• Capstone project.
• Work Integrated Learning opportunities.
• Strong focus on digital design, media production and communication.
• Optional minors and electives.
• Professional accreditation/industry recognition associated with relevant Media and Communication disciplines, including Media Federation of Australia and Communication Public Relations Australia.

Career Outcomes

Swinburne identifies career opportunities including:

• User experience designer
• Design consultant
• Digital designer
• Copywriter
• Media content creator
• Advertising consultant.

Depending on the combination of majors, graduates may also develop career pathways in:

• Graphic and communication design
• Brand and identity design
• UX and interaction design
• Motion design
• Photography and visual content
• Advertising
• Digital media
• Social media
• Journalism
• Public relations
• Content creation
• Media production
• Creative strategy.

International Student Visa Requirements

International students studying this CRICOS-registered course in Australia will generally require a Student visa (subclass 500).

Key requirements include:

• Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).
• Meeting the Genuine Student (GS) requirement.
• Meeting applicable financial-capacity requirements.
• Meeting health and character requirements.
• Providing English-language evidence if required.
• Complying with Student visa conditions.
• Maintaining full-time study and the required on-campus study arrangement applicable to this course.