Design (Honours) - 4809
Program Summary
Faculty: Faculty of Art & Design
Contact: www.artdesign.unsw.edu.au
Campus: Paddington
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 Requirements: See Domestic Entry Requirements
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 and television production and post-production, illustration, publications, interiors, theatre, exhibitions, display, festivals and furnishings, ceramics, textiles, jewellery and object design.
This program recognises UNSW Art and Design's particular strengths to provide an undergraduate program which emphasises an integrated approach to design rather than a focus on narrow vocational specialisations. These strengths are its ability to offer design from a creative and cross disciplinary base, its courses in visual arts, media arts and art theory, its engagement with technology and its relationship with industry.
This program recognises UNSW Art and Design's particular strengths to provide an undergraduate program which emphasises an integrated approach to design rather than a focus on narrow vocational specialisations. These strengths are its ability to offer design from a creative and cross disciplinary base, its courses in visual arts, media arts and art theory, its engagement with technology and its relationship with industry.
Program Objectives and Graduate Attributes
On successful completion of the BDes (Hons) graduates will be able to:
- demonstrate an understanding of the principles, concepts and skills relevant to contemporary design practice within an interdisciplinary framework
- undertake design research using a range of practice-based design methodologies in a variety of contexts
- reflect critically on social, cultural and environmental contexts of design practice, within a theoretical framework
- communicate their practice and research to diverse audiences, engage in independent and collaborative practices, and undertake professional tasks in a variety of innovative contexts
- be responsive to international and social perspectives in contemporary design practice, with awareness of the social impact and engagement of design
This program aims to provide students with a sound knowledge base for entry into a wide range of design related professions.
Program Structure
The degree of Bachelor of Design (Honours) is awarded as an Honours degree at the completion of four years full-time study.
The BDes (Hons) consists of a design core that provides a depth of engagement with design studies (144 UOC) and an Elective and General Education component (48 UOC) that provides breadth of experience.
Students must complete two Streams, each consisting of four courses (24 UOC) in a single area.
The program structure is:
Year 1
Students must complete the following core courses:
The BDes (Hons) consists of a design core that provides a depth of engagement with design studies (144 UOC) and an Elective and General Education component (48 UOC) that provides breadth of experience.
Students must complete two Streams, each consisting of four courses (24 UOC) in a single area.
The program structure is:
Year 1
Students must complete the following core courses:
- ADAD1001 Studio Gateway 1 (6 UOC)
- ADAD1002 Studio Gateway 2 (6 UOC)
- SAHT1101 Creative Practices: Contexts (6 UOC)
- SAHT1102 Creative Practices: Methods (6 UOC)
- SDES1001 Design Gateway 1 (6 UOC)
- SDES1002 Design Gateway 2 (6 UOC)
The breadth component of Year 1:
- Electives (12 UOC)
Year 2
Students must complete the following core courses:
Students must complete the following core courses:
- One Design Studio (12 UOC)
- One Design Studio or Media Arts Studio (12 UOC)
- Contextual Studies (12 UOC)
The breadth component of Year 2:
- Elective (6 UOC)
- General Education (6 UOC)
Year 3
Students must complete the following core courses:
Students must complete the following core courses:
- ADAD3114 Research Foundations (6 UOC)
- SDES2116 Design Practice (6 UOC)
- One Design Studio (12 UOC)
- One Design Studio or Media Arts Studio (12 UOC)
The breadth component of Year 3:
- Elective (6 UOC)
- General Education (6 UOC)
Year 4
Students must complete the following core courses:
Students must complete the following core courses:
- ADAD4000 PEP A (6 UOC)
- ADAD4010 Honours Research Project A (12 UOC)
- ADAD4011 Honours Research Project B (18 UOC)
The breadth component of Year 4:
- Electives (12 UOC)
Studios
Students must choose one of the following Design Studios:
CERMB2 Ceramics (24 UOC)
DESGG2 Graphics Media (24UOC)
JEWLB2 Jewellery (24 UOC)
DESGE2 Object Design (24 UOC)
DESGF2 Spatial Design (24 UOC)
TEXTA2 Textiles (24 UOC)
Students also complete an additional Design Studio from those above or one of the following Media Arts Studios
DIGMF2 Interactive Media (24 UOC)
DIGME24816 Animation and Special Effects (24 UOC)
DIGMD24816 Digital Media (24 UOC)
Contextual Studies
Students must complete 12 UOC in Contextual Studies, normally in their 2nd year, from approved courses (as listed below):
Students must choose one of the following Design Studios:
CERMB2 Ceramics (24 UOC)
DESGG2 Graphics Media (24UOC)
JEWLB2 Jewellery (24 UOC)
DESGE2 Object Design (24 UOC)
DESGF2 Spatial Design (24 UOC)
TEXTA2 Textiles (24 UOC)
Students also complete an additional Design Studio from those above or one of the following Media Arts Studios
DIGMF2 Interactive Media (24 UOC)
DIGME24816 Animation and Special Effects (24 UOC)
DIGMD24816 Digital Media (24 UOC)
Contextual Studies
Students must complete 12 UOC in Contextual Studies, normally in their 2nd year, from approved courses (as listed below):
- ADAD2610 Environmental Challenges (6 UOC)
- SAED2479 Dialogues and Communities (6 UOC)
- SAHT2001 Writing as Practice (6 UOC)
- SAHT2111 Sensing the Arts (6 UOC)
- SAHT2213 Memory and Self (6 UOC)
- SAHT2214 Approaches to Australian Art (6 UOC)
- SAHT2406 Australian Design History (6 UOC)
- SAHT2407 Rendering Data: Visualising (6 UOC)
- SAHT2601 Cultures of Ancient Art (6 UOC)
- SAHT2612 Cross-Disciplinary Art (6 UOC)
- SAHT2626 Aboriginal Art Now (6 UOC)
- SAHT2633 Peripheral Visions (6 UOC)
- SAHT2642 Art and the Body (6 UOC)
- SAHT2679 Images in Cultural Conflict (6 UOC)
- SAHT2680 Abstraction (6 UOC)
- SAHT2700 Post-Pornographic Bodies (6 UOC)
- SAHT3211 Art in the 21st Century (6 UOC)
- SAHT3212 Art and Everyday Life (6 UOC)
- SAHT3213 Museum Studies: Exhibitions, (6 UOC)
- SAHT3216 Affect in Art and Design (6 UOC)
- SAHT3217 Socially Engaged Art (6 UOC)
- SAHT3666 Time and Temporality (6 UOC)
- SAHT3669 Critical Theory of Photography (6 UOC)
- SAHT6700 World Biennales: Field Trip (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)
Sample Program
| UNSW Program 4809 - Design (Honours) | |||
| Semester 1 | Semester 2 | UOC | |
| Stage 1 | ADAD1002 Studio Gateway 2 (6) | 48 | |
| SDES1001 Design Gateway 1 (6) | SDES1002 Design Gateway 2 (6) | ||
| SAHT1101 Creative Practices: Contexts (6) | SAHT1102 Creative Practices: Methods (6) | ||
| Elective (6) | Elective (6) | ||
| Stage 2 | Design Stream 1 (6) |
Design Stream 1 (6) | 48 |
| Design Stream 2 or Media Arts Stream (6) | Design Stream 2 or Media Arts Stream (6) | ||
| Contextual Studies (6) | Contextual Studies (6) | ||
| General Education (6) | Elective (6) | ||
| Stage 3 | Design Stream 1 (6) |
Design Stream 1 (6) |
48 |
| Design Stream 2 or Media Arts Stream (6) | Design Stream 2 or Media Arts Stream (6) | ||
| SDES2116 Design Practice (6) | ADAD3114 Research Foundations in Art and Design (6) | ||
| Elective (6) | General Education(6) | ||
| Stage 4 | ADAD4011 Honours Research Project B (18) | 48 | |
| ADAD4000 Professional Experience Project A (6) | |||
| Elective (6) | Elective (6) | ||
| TOTAL: 192 UOC | |||
General Education Requirements
General Education course is any UNSW course not offered by UNSW Art & Design in which the student is able to enrol.
Honours
Honours is awarded on the basis of meritorious performance across the whole program, and performance in the Honours Research Projects.
Students will be considered for the award of honours according to the following scale, which includes the average of the marks from the two Honours Research Project courses and the marks from all courses which contribute to the program.
Students will be considered for the award of honours according to the following scale, which includes the average of the marks from the two Honours Research Project courses and the marks from all courses which contribute to the program.
- Honours Class 1: If WAM of at least 75.0 and Honours Research Project average of at least 85
- Honours Class 2 Division 1: WAM of at least 70.0 and Project average of at least 75
- Honours Class 2 Division 2: WAM of at least 65.0 and Project average of at least 65
- Honours Class 3: WAM of at least 50.0 and Project average of at least 50
The Honours Research Projects will be independently marked by two markers.
Academic Rules
- complete 192 units of credit; consisting of
- the requirements of the Design core (144 UOC)
- 36 UOC of Electives,
- 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: UNSW Fee Website.
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.
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)
4061 Design (Hons)/Education (Sec)
4818 Design (Honours) /Media (PR&A)
3568 Commerce / Design (Honours)
Area(s) of Specialisation
