Design is a discipline of study which prepares students for entry to 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 object design.

At UNSW Art & Design, there are six major areas of study within the discipline of Design: ceramics, spatial design, graphics media, interactive media, jewellery, textiles and object design.

Ceramics: Students in Ceramics, design and create ceramic artworks, custom-made artifacts, and commercial products for the table, interior and built environments. Students are encouraged to develop innovative ideas and ceramic processes to address commercial, social and environmental challenges. Using research and critical reflection in individual and collaborative contexts, ceramics students will develop as creators and designers able to work across a wide range of art and design fields

Graphics Media: Students in the Graphics Media stream focus on visual communication and the expanding field of communication design for print, screen and interactives. They are encouraged to explore the conceptual and technical skills of graphics media as used in boutique brand agencies, corporate design studios, advertising agencies, freelance consultancies, and publishing companies, preparing them for careers in graphic and communication design, across many industries and practices.

Interactive Media: Interactive Media explores the creation of rich electronically mediated experiences that operate at a human scale, how interactivity can be utilized to enhance the experience of a work, and how technology can be put into service to create dynamic and responsive environments and objects. Students will work with sensing technologies for controlling audio, visual and/or mechatronic systems, allowing the development of original interactive art and design works, using off-the-shelf components/systems.

Jewellery: Students in the Jewellery Stream design and produce wearable objects and small-scale interior objects. They use conceptual and practical knowledge of materials, techniques and processes to inform their design and production of Jewellery and other small objects. By developing skills in a range of diverse outcomes including ‘one-off’ pieces and small-scale production design, students are prepared for a range of careers as jewelers, designers and artists.

Object Design: focuses on the design and prototyping of functional three-dimensional objects. Students work with a conceptual and narrative-driven approach to the design of contemporary products, such as furniture and lighting for domestic, commercial and other contexts. The focus is on ethical design development, and testing of designs against social/environmental criteria, which ensures that students prioritise an equitable and sustainable future and are prepared to work across a variety of contexts.

Spatial Design: Students in Spatial Design learn to design physical and virtual environments, including domestic, retail and commercial interiors, public exterior spaces, and exhibition installations. You develop skills in spatial design thinking, drawing, modeling and communication to prepare for professional practice in areas such as building design, interior design, urban design, exhibition design and 2D and 3D architectural visualisation. Students will also become familiar with the regulatory procedures and design requirements for small-scale development applications and construction certification.

Textiles: Students in Textiles create innovative and contemporary designs for textiles. They work with traditional and experimental materials, structures as well as new technologies. Students in Textiles understand contexts for designing; how to develop innovative concepts; the narrative role textiles play in reflecting and documenting contemporary society; and the social, sustainable, re-use and environmental issues associated with textiles practice.

Studying Design at UNSW

UNSW Art & Design (www.artdesign.unsw.edu.au) offers undergraduate programs in Design.