The Bachelor of Design degree will give you the knowledge, skills and professional attributes you need to thrive in a rapidly changing world. You will work in a future-focused, collaborative, studio-based environment integrating key design specialisations including graphics, objects, 3D visualisation, textiles, interaction and experience design. You will build experience in established, new and emerging technologies both digital and analogue as well as develop the skills and capacity for design thinking, social innovation and entrepreneurship.
Duration: 3 years full-time (+1 year Honours option)
2019 Guaranteed Entry Rank: 80
Degree Overview
The Bachelor of Design degree will provide you with a design education that is future-focused, studio-based and research-led. We produce graduates who are both versatile and adventurous. You will be equipped with the knowledge, skills and attributes you need to understand how design-led solutions assist people to perform at their best in agile and rapidly changing environments.
The three-year program emphasises an understanding that design changes our societies, and is grounded in a deep reflection on diverse historical, social and cultural values. You will learn how the futures you design can be diverse and sustainable for all people.
As a future designer, you will learn to combine independent thinking and creativity with practical and technical skills. We will guide and encourage you to adopt innovative approaches by challenging conventional applications of materials, systems, processes and technologies. The merging of digital and physical making, critical thinking, emerging technologies, design research, management and entrepreneurship provides you with transferrable skills for careers across a wide range of existing and emerging design fields.
Degree Structure
The Bachelor of Design is comprised of three year levels that help you to incrementally develop your design knowledge and skills. Our innovative structure allows you to develop depth, specialising in two design disciplines while also crossing boundaries in a series of core studios. In parallel, you will also take complementary courses that introduce and expand on historical and theoretical concepts and develop your professional practice skills.
In your first year, you will explore the fundamental process of design and be introduced to a range of design discipline areas.
In your second year, you will build on these fundamentals and gain focus and depth in two design specialisations. You will also engage in real-world projects with our extensive range of industry partners.
In your third year, you will then develop and deliver a major design project that integrates your studio areas and enables you to individually demonstrate your emerging design practice. You will also undertake an internship locally or internationally expanding your professional networks and capabilities.
While studying at UNSW Art & Design you will be guided by dynamic design staff with an outstanding depth of international, industry based and academic experience. You will have access to studios, workshops and making facilities that are among the best in the world to realise your design projects and have chances to share your work in our network of galleries and exhibition spaces.
Studio Specialisations
Throughout the Bachelor of Design, you will utilise world-class facilities, workshops and equipment to make and exhibit your work.
The degree features six disciplinary studio areas from which you will choose at least two.
3D Visualisation
In the 3D visualisation studio, you will delve into the computer-generated world and explore a variety of methods used to generate virtual environments. Through live, hands-on experiences, you will use key technologies such as virtual reality systems to develop a suite of design practices and skills that will enable you to contribute to a growing digital industry.Crafted Objects
In the crafted object studio, you will bring together ceramic, furniture and jewellery design in an engaging exploration of materiality, form and practice. Through hands-on experiences and experimentation, you will refine your design practice and become exposed to a variety of craft and design related industries.Experience Design
In the experience design studio, you will explore the way people experience and interact with space, connecting this with ideas of the body, materiality, culture and spectacle. You will learn to design spatial, time-based and atmospheric conditions that affect engagement with the built world. You become prepared to design for fields such as exhibitions, events and performing arts.Graphic Design
In the graphic design studio, you will develop and build upon the fundamental skills required for the manipulation of image and type. You will engage with briefs ranging from publication design and visual identity to more complex issues of graphic design for 3D and digital spaces.Interaction Design
In the interaction design studio, you will work within a future-focused discipline that is transforming modern life. You will learn to design interactive experiences associated with digital systems, products, websites, environments and services. Engaging with the practical application of concepts and theories, you will be prepared for a career in User Experience (UX), and wider interaction design.Textile Design
In the textile design studio, you will investigate the rich cultural and social histories of textiles and expand on them to form experimental and future-oriented design practice and thinking. You will engage with textile practitioners in preparation for your contribution to diverse industries spanning textile design, wearable art, costume and fashion design.
In addition you will have the opportunity to broaden your skills and knowledge by selecting from a wide range of elective courses from across our art, design and media programs.
Double Degree Options
UNSW offers a comprehensive suite of career-enhancing double degree options. The Bachelor of Design can be combined in the following double degrees:
- Bachelor of Design/ Bachelor of Education (Secondary)
- Bachelor of Design/ Bachelor of Media (Public Relations and Advertising)
- Bachelor of Design/ Bachelor of Commerce
Honours
The one-year Design (Honours) program is an advanced undergraduate degree for high achieving students who have completed an undergraduate degree in design (or equivalent area), and wish to extend their critical and creative skills. The program enables you to advance your knowledge and understanding of design practice by developing a significant studio research project. Access to UNSW Art & Design’s leading research labs, and a selective professional placement program, allow you to explore the potential of design in the 21st Century.
Career Opportunities
UNSW’s Bachelor of Design prepares students to be dynamic design professionals and studio practitioners.
Our graduates are highly sought after across a broad range of professional design disciplines in global institutions, major corporations, bespoke agencies and studios.
Graduates find employment in areas including:
- Graphic design and digital media production
- Visual communication, brand identity and advertising
- Packaging, illustration and publishing
- 3D visualisation and virtual reality
- Interaction design and user experience (UX) design
- Environmental, spatial, interior and architectural design practices
- Object, furniture and lighting design
- Jewellery, wearables, fashion and textile design
- Film, television and mobile production
- Design for exhibitions, festivals, galleries and museums
- Costume, stage and set design
- Design writing, education and training
- Design management and strategy
- Social innovation, entrepreneurship, creative consultancies and design-led business
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