Design

If design is your passion, this flexible degree offers a number of exciting majors that will develop your practical skills in a global context, so you can take your career anywhere in the world.

Throughout the three-year program you will learn through project-based activities and have the opportunity to work together with students from other disciplines, mirroring a real industry environment.

You'll use industry-standard equipment and software, and graduate with a comprehensive portfolio that demonstrates your skills to future employers.

Create your dream degree

STEP A: CHOOSE A MAJOR

Select an area that inspires you:

• Advertising and Design
• Animation and Game Design
• Design Innovation and Fabrication
• Digital Experience and Interaction Design
• Fashion Design
• Graphic Design
• Photography

STEP B: CHOOSE AT LEAST ONE DESIGN SPECIALISATION

This step usually happens after you accept Curtin’s offer for your chosen major.

You can study up to two specialisations in Design. If you have interests outside the field of design, you may choose elective units or a second specialisation in a complementary study area such as business, arts or languages to gain a wider skill set. 

Each option is subject to availability:

Option 1: One Design specialisation and four elective units

Option 2: One Design specialisation and one non-Design specialisation

Option 3: Two Design specialisations

Available Design specialisations are:

• Animation and Game Design
• Creative Advertising Design
• Digital Design
• Fashion Design
• Graphic Design
• Illustration
• Photography*

*The Photography specialisation is not available to students who have selected Photography as their major. 

See the full list of specialisations.

Please refer to the handbook for additional course overview information.

Why study

You will benefit from having transferable skills to adapt to changing employment trends without having to retrain.

This flexible course allows you to choose one or two areas of design that suit your career aspirations, as well as providing opportunities to study complementary electives such as business, arts and languages, so you can become more competitive in the job market.

How this course will make you industry ready

In your final year you will be given the opportunity to complete a capstone unit. You will explore interdisciplinary themes through the creation of design-focused projects, and benefit from strong links with industry across the design majors. The networks and skills you'll develop in this unit will ensure you graduate industry-ready.

Student profile

View our student profile table to get an indication of the likely peer cohort for new students at Curtin University. This table provides data on students that commenced undergraduate study and passed the census date in the most relevant recent intake period for which data are available. It includes those admitted through all offer rounds and international students studying in Australia.

Professional recognition

Professional membership is available with the Design Institute of Australia.

Career information

• Graphic designer
• Fashion designer
• Electronic game developer
• Creative Director
• Illustrator
• Photojournalist
• Photographer
• Design educator
• Entrepreneur
• Production manager

What you'll learn

• apply discipline knowledge to critically review, analyse, consolidate and contribute to evidence-based practice in their chosen design discipline
• demonstrate cognitive and technical skills in both a broad understanding of design and with depth in at least one discipline
• use and discern between a range of design technologies and media platforms in the production of design-based solutions
• demonstrate effective visual, spoken, written and technical communication appropriate to their chosen design discipline and apply effective self-directed learning skills
• demonstrate personal awareness of a design specific practice and sustain an engagement with contemporary practices, technologies and the creative industries
• develop a predictive overview of future trends that will influence design and design practices
• recognise the importance of social, ethical and cultural diversity and consider local and international perspectives in design activities, studio practice and production
• demonstrate how intercultural awareness and understanding impacts on personal and professional skills and on the ability to lead
• work independently and collaboratively on design projects and respond to project demands