Course

Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication)

Approved Abbreviation: BDes(VisComm)

Western Sydney University Course Code: 1571.1

CRICOS Code: 044773B

Students should follow the course structure for the course version relevant to the year they commenced. This version applies to students whose commencement year for this course is 2002 or 2003.

The designer is an essential player in the creating and shaping of society's messages. Design is a broad discipline, with functions in the engineering, architecture, fashion, media, industrial and communication sectors. The rapidly changing world of information and media technology is particularly affecting visual communication design, raising challenges and opportunities for those prepared to play a creative role in that aspect of design. This course aims to provide you with a set of foundations for thinking about design, and specialist subject pathways for your professional study of design, in the areas of Graphic, Digital Media and Photographic Design.

As a student in this course, you can select complementary design studies in Animation, Illustration and Display & Event Design as well as areas such as advertising, public relations, creative writing, media studies and journalism. The format of study includes individual and team-based project work, concept development, studio practice, extensive use of advanced computer technologies and opportunities to engage with real community and industry projects as a component of the study program.

Director of Academic Program - Dr Roman Goik

Study Mode
Four years full-time

Accreditation
Graduates are eligible for membership of the Design Institute of Australia (DIA) and the Australian Graphic Design Association (AGDA).

Admission

If you are a 2003 Australian Year 12 student you will be selected on the basis of your UAI. If you are not a 2003 Australian Year 12 student you will be selected on an interview with portfolio presentation. After you have applied to UAC, you are required to make an appointment for an interview via the web on http://www.uws.edu.au/ If you have difficulty in accessing the web, call 1300 897 669. Interviews will be held in early November. If you submit a UAC application or change your preferences after November 2003 placement for an interview cannot be guaranteed.

Course Structure

Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 320 credit points including the units listed in the recommended sequence below.

Electives within the sequence may be used towards obtaining an approved major or sub-major for this award.

Recommended Sequence

Year 1: Autumn session

10878

Design Principles 2D/3D

100595

Understandings of Design

one unit from the selected major

and one elective

Year 1: Spring Session

100596

20th Century Design Histories

100598

Design Process and Production

one unit from the selected major

and one elective

Note: From 2005 the unit Design Process and Production has a new unit code, 100776.1

Year 2: Autumn Session

100599

Image Design

One Design Issues unit

one unit from the selected major

and one elective

Year 2: Spring session

100600

Visual Narrative

One Design Issues unit

one unit from the selected major

and one elective

Year 3: Autumn session

100601

Designing Interaction

One Design Issues unit

one unit from the selected major

and one elective

Year 3: Spring session

100597

Research Methodologies for Design

100615

Design Management: Professional Practice

one unit from the selected major

and one elective

Year 4: Autumn session

10698

Reading the Contemporary

100611

Design Studies Seminar

one unit from the selected major

and one elective

Year 4: Spring session

100602

Communication Design Major Project

one unit from selected major

and one elective

Design Issues units

100612

Design Issues: Graphic Literacies

The particular Design Issues units will be confirmed each year from the following:

100613

Design Issues: Animating the Image

100614

Design Issues: Digital Worlds

100616

Design Issues: Consumer Culture

100617

Design Issues: Imaging the City

100618

Design Issues: Styling the Body

100619

Design Issues: Women and Design

Honours

An Honours stream is offered - see the Honours in Bachelors Awards Policy and associated College Guidelines for the admission criteria:

Policies Website

Embedded Honours Program Course Advisor - Ronaldo Morelos

A fourth year Honours program is available to undertake a substantial design research project and/or thesis.

Honours Program - alternate to fourth year coursework program

Year 4 Honours: Year-long session

100773

Design Honours Thesis

Year 4 Honours: Autumn session

100774

Design Research Training

10698

Reading the Contemporary

one unit from selected major

Year 4 Honours: Spring session

One unit from the selected major

Majors

Students are expected to complete one major in Graphic Design, Illustrative Design or Photomedia Design. Students can choose to study majors from other areas of the University with the approval of the Head of Program; students from other programs, provided they have the assumed knowledge and there are places available, can undertake Majors from this program. All units are 10 credit points unless otherwise stated. All units in the list for each major must be completed to qualify for that major.

Graphic Design

10878

Design Principles 2D/3D

100598

Design Process and Production

100516

Graphics 1: Graphic Systems

100517

Graphics 2: Graphic Identity

10947

Graphics 3: Creative Graphics

10948

Graphics 4: Graphic Design Practice

100604

Design Digital Prepress

100605

Web and Time Based Production Technology

Illustrative Design

10877

Visual Research - Illustrative

10881

Introduction to Illustration

10949

Illustration 1: Symbolism

10950

Illustration 2: Narrative

10951

Illustration 3: Context

10952

Illustration 4: Illustration Practice

100604

Design Digital Prepress

100605

Web and Time Based Production Technology

Photomedia Design

10876

Visual Research - Photographic

10879

Introduction to Photomedia

10957

Photomedia 1: Representation

10958

Photomedia 2: Fabrication

10959

Photomedia 3: Portraiture and Portrayal

10960

Photomedia 4: Photographic Practice

100604

Design Digital Prepress

Sub-majors / elective units

Students can choose any six units, subject to offer, from the following pools of units to construct a sub-major or as individual electives. Students are also able to elect to undertake any other sub-major or elective units available from other areas of the University. Elective units may change or be deleted from semester to semester.

Image and Text

Photo-Documentary

Media Production

Advertising

Publishing and Design

S11079

Time-Based Design

S11080

Spatial Design

S11081

Design Discourses