Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication)

2008 | 2009 | 2010

Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences | South Australian School of Art

Program Code: DBVC

Program Level: Undergraduate

SATAC code: 424151

Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER) for 2009 Entry: 67.75 (Internal)

Home Campus: City West

Program Length (in EFTSL): 3

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Program director/s

Ms Veronika Kelly (DBVC - Visual Communication)

Visual Arts, Graphic Design and Illustration (PDF - 961KB download Adobe Acrobat)

Aim

To graduate students who are equipped with the creative, intellectual, technical and professional methods to function as reflective, socially responsive practitioners in the field of visual communication design.

Entry requirements

Applicants are required to have one of the following qualifications:

Qualified for the SACE:

recorded achievement in five SACE subjects taken at Stage 2 level; and
included at least four Stage 2 subjects which are approved Higher Education Selection Subjects (HESS); and
obtained a competitive TER;

Completed the equivalent secondary education qualifications as required for University entry under SACE and fulfilled any prerequisite requirements;

Completed the International Baccalaureate Diploma and fulfilled any prerequisite requirements;

Completed or partly completed a recognised higher education program at a recognised higher education institution and fulfilled any prerequisite requirements;

Completed at least four Open Universities Australia (OUA) courses at the appropriate level and fulfilled any prerequisite requirements;

Completed an award from TAFE or from another registered training organisation at AQF Certificate IV or above and fulfilled any prerequisite requirements;

Qualified for Special Entry and fulfilled any prerequisite requirements;

Completed the University Foundation Studies program.

Special entry provisions may also apply for ATSI applicants.

Applicants may also gain special entry to the program through portfolio and may be required to complete a multi-faceted selection process.

English language entry requirements

For international applicants for whom English is a second language, the minimum English language requirements are:

International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic): Minimum score of 6.0 in Reading and Writing subscores and minimum overall score of 6.0 obtained within the last two years or corresponding results from an equivalent test such as TOEFL or the appropriate Academic English language level delivered at CELUSA; or

Successful completion of a secondary qualification in Australia within the last two years; or

Successful completion of at least one year of tertiary study in Australia within the last two years; or

Successful completion of one year of secondary or tertiary study conducted and completed in English within the last two years in a country in which:

English is an official language; or
English is commonly used, as determined by the University.

Content/structure

The program is a three year full-time or part-time equivalent program organised into three levels: foundation, advanced and professional. Level 1 (first year of study) introduces basic skills and concepts in design and establishes a theoretical framework. Level 2 (second year of study) develops competence in core course areas. Level 3 (third year of study) expands the intellectual and professional areas of the program. Levels 2 and 3 provide scope for specialisation through electives. The program requires completion of courses comprising 108 units.

Students complete a professional major in either Graphic Design or Illustration Design.
See Program Overview

Honours

This degree provides the undergraduate education for students who seek to pursue the Bachelor of Design (Honours) (Visual Communication) degree.

Fee information

Fees for Domestic students: Commonwealth Supported
Fees for Commonwealth Supported Students are calculated at the course level. Click on individual courses in the schedule below to determine total program fees.

Fees for International students: $AU 17,500 per 1.0 EFTSL for students commencing in 2010.
Fees are calculated on a per Unit basis with 1.0 EFTSL = 36 Units.
Fees for International students are determined one year in advance and are subject to variation.

Program requirements

Course name	Area + Cat. No.	Units	EFTSL
FIRST YEAR (Level 1)
First Half (Study Period 1, 2 or 3)
Design Foundation Studio	GRAP 1017	9	0.250
Introductory Drawing for Design	GRAP 1019	4.5	0.125
Representing Visual Culture: Design History and Theory	VSAR 1102	4.5	0.125
Second Half (Study Period 4, 5 or 6)
Major Design Studio 1	GRAP 1020	9	0.250
Design Language in the Twentieth Century	VSAR 1101	4.5	0.125
Computer Graphics and Imaging for Design	GRAP 1018	4.5	0.125
SECOND YEAR (Level 2)
First Half (Study Period 1, 2 or 3)
Graphic Design Studio 2	GRAP 2007	9	0.250
or
Illustration Design Studio 2	GRAP 2009	9	0.250
Advanced Computer Practice for Design	GRAP 2011	4.5	0.125
Design Elective (see Notes 2 and 3)		4.5
Second Half (Study Period 4, 5 or 6)
Graphic Design Studio 3	GRAP 2008	9	0.250
or
Illustration Design Studio 3	GRAP 2010	9	0.250
Contemporary Design Issues	VSAR 2101	4.5	0.125
Design for Multimedia and Web	GRAP 2020	4.5	0.125
THIRD YEAR (Level 3)
First Half (Study Period 1, 2 or 3)
Major Design Studio 4	GRAP 3006	9	0.250
Visual Communication Design Theory Elective (see Notes 2 and 4)		4.5
Design Elective (see Notes 2 and 3)		4.5
Second Half (Study Period 4, 5 or 6)
Professional Studio and Practice	GRAP 3007	9	0.250
Indigenous Arts, Cultures and Design	VSAR 3017	4.5	0.125
Free Elective (see Note 1)		4.5

Rules

A student must normally complete the program within three years of full-time study (or its equivalent of part-time study) from the date of their initial enrolment, not including any period of approved leave or enforced suspension.
Students progress through the three years of the program by levels: Level 1 (first year) Level 2 (second year) Level 3 (third year).
Students must successfully complete Level 1 before undertaking courses at Level 2. Similarly students must successfully complete Level 2 before undertaking courses at Level 3. With the permission of the Program Director, students may carry one course failure from Level 1 to Level 2 and one course failure from Level 2 to Level 3.
Students complete a professional major of 36 units in Graphic Design or Illustration Design.

Notes

All students complete at least one Free Elective as part of their undergraduate program. See undergraduate elective courses.
Students must complete a total of 13.5 units of program electives made up of 2 x 4.5 unit Design Electives, plus 1 x 4.5 unit Visual Communication Design Theory Elective. These program electives are designed to expand the intellectual and professional capabilities of the students in core and cognate areas of the curriculum and to provide scope for individual development in particular areas of professional academic interest. Not every course will be offered every year.
Students are required to complete 2 x 4.5 Design Elective courses from across the School. A selection of electives will be offered each year, depending on staff availability and student demand. The following suites of courses are recommended as Design Electives for the professional majors in the Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication):
Professional Major: Graphic Design
GRAP 2017 Package Design B
GRAP 2028 Animation Design
GRAP 2024 Commercial and Professional Photography 1
GRAP 2025 Commercial and Professional Photography 2
GRAP 2019 Idea Generation Methods for Designers
GRAP 2021 Multimedia Design
VSAR 2057 Printmaking: Image and Text
Professional Major: Illustration Design
GRAP 2028 Animation Design
VSAR 2049 Life Drawing
VSAR 2050 Life Painting
VSAR 2058 Relief Printmaking
VSAR 2057 Printmaking: Image and Text
GRAP 2019 Idea Generation Methods for Designers
GRAP 2024 Commercial and Professional Photography 1
The Visual Communication Design Theory Elective may be chosen from the following:
VSAR 2042 Arts Writing
VSAR 2030 Asia - Pacific Arts
GRAP 2022 Contemporary Graphics and Illustration
VSAR 2074 Craft Theory: Issues
VSAR 2037 Critical Theory
VSAR 2043 Gender, Modernism and Arts
VSAR 2027 Medieval and Renaissance Art
VSAR 2044 Performance Installation: Exploring the Fourth Dimension
VSAR 2014 The Moving Image: Film, Art and Theory
Students who wish to independently pursue a topic of interest not available from the elective courses offered in any one study period may choose either a research, or project-based, directed study elective: VSAR 2016 Visual Communication Directed Study 1 or VSAR 2017 Visual Communication Directed Study 2.

Further information