Design (Honours) - 4809
Program Summary
Faculty: College of Fine Arts
Contact: http://www.cofa.unsw.edu.au
Campus: College of Fine Arts Campus
Career: Undergraduate
Typical Duration: 4 Years
Typical UOC Per Semester: 24
Min UOC Per Semester: 6
Max UOC Per Semester: 24
Min UOC For Award: 192
UAC Code: 421100
Domestic Entry Cut-off: 80.00 
International Entry Requirements: See International Entry Requirements
Award(s):
Bachelor of Design (Honours)
View program information for previous years
Program Description
This program provides an education to students who wish to enter a range of different areas of the design profession, including graphic design, media design, film, television production and post-production, illustration, publications, interiors, theatre, exhibitions, display, festivals and furnishings, ceramics, textiles, jewellery and product design.
This program recognises the College of Fine Arts' particular strengths, resources and requirements to provide an undergraduate program which places emphasis on an integrated approach rather than on narrow vocational specialisations. These strengths are its technology and its relationship with industry, its courses in visual arts, art education and art theory, and the ability to offer design from a creative and cross disciplinary base.
This program recognises the College of Fine Arts' particular strengths, resources and requirements to provide an undergraduate program which places emphasis on an integrated approach rather than on narrow vocational specialisations. These strengths are its technology and its relationship with industry, its courses in visual arts, art education and art theory, and the ability to offer design from a creative and cross disciplinary base.
Program Objectives and Graduate Attributes
This program aims to provide students with a sound knowledge base for entry into a wide range of design - related professions. Students will acquire an understanding of the history and theory of design, in addition to design practice.
Program Structure
The degree of Bachelor of Design (Honours) is awarded as an Honours degree at the completion of four years full-time study.
In Year 1, students will be involved in a comprehensive and intensive range of 2D, 3D and 4D (time based) experiences as well as the acquisition of historical, theoretical and technological skills and understandings. These include studying human individuals, society, the environment, and the application of computer skills to design.
In Years 2 and 3, students will extend their work on projects with the opportunity to integrate the following: graphics media, object design, spatial design, ceramics, textiles and jewellery. Historical, theoretical and technological contexts will also be studied.
In Year 4, Design Studio Project leads into an Honous project/ exhibition and is designed to parallel professional practice while integrating theoretical design studies. Year 4 students also undertake a period of work experience via an approved professional placement.
The BDes has a depth component and a breadth component.
The Depth component is:
In Year 1, students will be involved in a comprehensive and intensive range of 2D, 3D and 4D (time based) experiences as well as the acquisition of historical, theoretical and technological skills and understandings. These include studying human individuals, society, the environment, and the application of computer skills to design.
In Years 2 and 3, students will extend their work on projects with the opportunity to integrate the following: graphics media, object design, spatial design, ceramics, textiles and jewellery. Historical, theoretical and technological contexts will also be studied.
In Year 4, Design Studio Project leads into an Honous project/ exhibition and is designed to parallel professional practice while integrating theoretical design studies. Year 4 students also undertake a period of work experience via an approved professional placement.
The BDes has a depth component and a breadth component.
The Depth component is:
- The completion of the Design Core (144 UOC)
The Breadth component is:
- Prescribed Electives (12 UOC - 2 courses) which must be taken from an approved list of courses
- Free Electives (24 UOC - 4 courses) which can be taken either within or outside COFA
- General Education (12 UOC - 2 courses) which must be taken outside COFA
Year 1
Students must complete the following core courses:
Students must complete the following core courses:
- COFA1001 COFA Gateway 1 (6 UOC)
- COFA1002 COFA Gateway 2 (6 UOC)
- SAHT1101 Narratives of Modernity (6 UOC)
- SAHT1102 Beyond Modernities (6 UOC)
- SDES1001 Design Gateway 1 (6 UOC)
- SDES1002 Design Gateway 2 (6 UOC)
Breadth courses:
Design prescribed electives: Student must complete SDES1111 Integrated Design Computing 1 (6 uoc) and one from the following list:
Design prescribed electives: Student must complete SDES1111 Integrated Design Computing 1 (6 uoc) and one from the following list:
Year 2
Students must complete the following core courses:
Students must complete the following core courses:
- Design Studios (24 UOC)
- History and Theory (12 UOC)
Breadth Courses:
- Elective (6 UOC)
- General Education (6 UOC)
Year 3
Students must complete the following core courses:
Students must complete the following core courses:
- SAED4051 Pract of Res in Art, Des & Ed (6 UOC)
- SDES2116 Design Practice (6 UOC)
- Design Studios (24 UOC)
Breadth courses:
- Elective (6 UOC)
- General Education (6 UOC)
Year 4
Students must complete the following core courses:
Students must complete the following core courses:
- SDES4101 Design Studio Project (12 UOC)
- SDES4102 Professional Experience (12 UOC)
- SDES4105 Design Honours Studio Project A (6 UOC)
- Honours Seminar (6 UOC)
Breadth courses:
- Electives (12 UOC)
Design Studios
Ceramics (24UOC)
Graphics Media (24UOC)
Jewellery (24UOC)
Object Design (24UOC)
Spatial Design (24UOC)
Textiles (24UOC)
History and Theory
Students must complete 12UOC in History and Theory, normally in their 2nd year, from approved courses (as listed below):
Ceramics (24UOC)
Graphics Media (24UOC)
Jewellery (24UOC)
Object Design (24UOC)
Spatial Design (24UOC)
Textiles (24UOC)
History and Theory
Students must complete 12UOC in History and Theory, normally in their 2nd year, from approved courses (as listed below):
- SAHT2214 Approaches to Australian Art (6 UOC)
- SAHT2215 Theories of Colour (6 UOC)
- SAHT2227 Fashion and the Early Modern (6 UOC)
- SAHT2301 Design History,Theory&Aesth 2 (6 UOC)
- SAHT2403 Indigenous Design (6 UOC)
- SAHT2406 Australian Design History (6 UOC)
- SAHT2407 Data rendering & visualisation (6 UOC)
- SAHT2601 Cultures of Ancient Art (6 UOC)
- SAHT2612 Discipline Crossovers in Art (6 UOC)
- SAHT2626 Aboriginal Art Now (6 UOC)
- SAHT2642 Art, Gender, Sexuality & Body (6 UOC)
- SAHT2655 Manipulated Moving Images (6 UOC)
- SAHT2661 Experimental Film and Video (6 UOC)
- SAHT2663 Avant-Garde Cinema: 1900-1950 (6 UOC)
- SAHT2668 Photography's Histories (6 UOC)
- SAHT2679 Images in Cultural Conflict (6 UOC)
- SAHT2680 Abstraction (6 UOC)
- SAHT2681 Outsider Art, History & Theory (6 UOC)
- SAHT2682 Fashion and the Modern City (6 UOC)
- SAHT3211 Art Since 1990 (6 UOC)
- SAHT3212 Art and Everyday Life (6 UOC)
- SAHT3213 Museum Studies: Exhibitions, (6 UOC)
- SAHT3301 Design History,Theory&Aesth 3 (6 UOC)
- SAHT3669 Critical Theory of Photography (6 UOC)
- SDES2414 Sustainable Design (6 UOC)
- SDES2415 Experimental Design (6 UOC)
- SDES2416 Dreams of Home (6 UOC)
- SOMA2203 Media Art in the 21st Century (6 UOC)
- SOMA2480 Understanding Media Art (6 UOC)
- SOMA2481 Future Screen (6 UOC)
- SOMA2862 Ecomedia Art Practices (6 UOC)
- SOMA2863 Media Art in Asia (6 UOC)
General Education Requirements
General Education is the completion of two courses (12 UOC) offered outside the COFA Faculty.
Honours
Honours is awarded on the basis of meritorious performance across the whole program, and performance in the Honours Research Project.
Students will be considered for the award of honours according to the following scale, which includes the Weighted Average Mark (WAM) for all completed courses, and results from the Honours research project.
Students will be considered for the award of honours according to the following scale, which includes the Weighted Average Mark (WAM) for all completed courses, and results from the Honours research project.
- Honours Class 1: If WAM greater than or equal to 75.0 and Honours Research Project mark greater than or equal to 85
- Honours Class 2 Division 1: else WAM greater than or equal to 70.0 and Project mark greater than or equal to 75
- Honours Class 2 Division 2: else WAM greater than or equal to 65.0 and Project mark greater than or equal to 65
- Honours Class 3: else WAM greater than or equal to 50.0 and Project mark greater than or equal to 50
Academic Rules
- complete 192 units of credit;
- complete the requirements of the Design core (144 UOC)
- complete 36 UOC of Free and Prescribed Electives
- complete 12 UOC of General Education
- complete at least 30 UOC of Level I courses before enrolling in Level II or Level III courses
Fees
For information regarding fees for UNSW programs, please refer to the following website: https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/fees/FeesMainPage.html
Important Information
The Academic Rules for the BDesign (Hons) and the online enrolment facility provide students with a wide range of course choices. The online enrolment facility checks that students meet the enrolment requirements for individual courses but not that a course complies with Program Rules. Students are responsible for ensuring they are enrolling in accordance with the Academic Rules outlined above. Students should not assume that because they have enrolled in a course online that the course is automatically credited to their degree program.
Free Electives
A Free Elective is any course offered either within or outside the Faculty of COFA in which the student is able to enrol.
Program Schema (pdf download)
Domestic Undergraduate Admission - Selection Criteria
All applicants are assessed on the basis of previous academic achievement, however additional selection criteria are available to some applicants. Please refer to the Admissions Information here.
Related Program(s)
4811 Design (Hons) / Art Education
Area(s) of Specialisation
