Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication)

Western Sydney University

About

The Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication) degree will provide you with fundamental skills and knowledge to communicate ideas and information across a wide range of visual media.

With an emphasis on studio-based practice, you will study areas such as image design, typography, layout design, branding, design history, research methods, and web-based design.

From year two, there are opportunities to engage with live community or industry projects, and you will choose two practical specialisations from the following pairs:

motion design and data visualisation;

game and app design;

illustration;

and photography.

You may also choose electives from outside of design such as advertising and media production.

Throughout the program you will engage with individual and team-based projects, develop your conceptual thinking skills, use a variety of traditional and emerging technologies, and expand your creative practice.

In year four you will take a position in our award-winning teaching design studio where you will gain experience in a professional learning environment, preparing you for work in an exciting and evolving industry.

Structure

Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 320 credit points including the units listed in the recommended sequence below.

As part of the course requirements, students are required to complete two pairs of specialisation unit pairings. If they choose to, they can complete further practice-based units as elective choices.

Code	Name
101017	Illustrating Narrative

Code	Name
102271	Illustrating Popular Culture

Code	Name
102272	Interactive Design: Games

Code	Name
102267	Interactive Design: Apps

Code	Name
100941	Photomedia: Fashion and Identity

Code	Name
102268	Photomedia: Photographic Practice

Code	Name
102269	Data Visualisation

Code	Name
102273	Motion Design

Recommended Sequence

Full-time

Code	Name
102261	Graphic Design: Understanding the Principles

Code	Name
102262	Design Histories and Futures

Code	Name
102263	Image Design

Code	Name
102264	Graphic Design: Process and Practice

Code	Name
101921	Visual Storytelling

Code	Name
101922	Web and Time-based Design

Code	Name
102265	Graphic Design: Interactive Digital Media

Code	Name
102266	Researching the Visual

One Specialisation unit from the selected unit pairing

Code	Name
101017	Illustrating Narrative

Code	Name
102272	Interactive Design: Games

Code	Name
102273	Motion Design

Code	Name
102268	Photomedia: Photographic Practice

Code	Name
102270	Graphic Design: The Professional Context

Code	Name
101923	Australian Design

One Specialisation unit from the selected unit pairing

Code	Name
102269	Data Visualisation

Code	Name
102271	Illustrating Popular Culture

Code	Name
102267	Interactive Design: Apps

Code	Name
100941	Photomedia: Fashion and Identity

Code	Name
102274	Social Design: Research and Practice

Code	Name
102275	Contextual Design Studies

One Specialisation unit from the selected unit pairing

Code	Name
101017	Illustrating Narrative

Code	Name
102272	Interactive Design: Games

Code	Name
102273	Motion Design

Code	Name
102268	Photomedia: Photographic Practice

One elective

Code	Name
102276	Graphic Design: Developing a Personal Portfolio

Code	Name
102277	Design Research Project

One Specialisation unit from the selected unit pairing

Code	Name
102269	Data Visualisation

Code	Name
102271	Illustrating Popular Culture

Code	Name
102267	Interactive Design: Apps

Code	Name
100941	Photomedia: Fashion and Identity

And one elective

This may include the elective unit below

Code	Name
102705	Communicating for Sustainability

Students may exit with 1624 Bachelor of Design Studies after successful completion of 240 credit points in the first three years of the course sequence

Code	Name
102279	Major Design Project

Code	Name
102278	Professional Design Experience: The Studio

And one elective

Code	Name
102279	Major Design Project

Code	Name
102280	Professional Design Experience: The Individual Practitioner

And one elective

Recommended Sequence applicable only to students admitted through WSU - The College courses 7152 Diploma in Design Extended - Visual Communication and 7044 Diploma in Design.

Start-year Commencement

As part of the course requirements, students are required to complete two pairs of specialisation unit pairings. If they choose to, they can complete further practice-based units as elective choices.

Code	Name
102265	Graphic Design: Interactive Digital Media

Code	Name
102266	Researching the Visual

One Specialisation unit from the selected unit pairing

Code	Name
101017	Illustrating Narrative

Code	Name
102272	Interactive Design: Games

Code	Name
102273	Motion Design

Code	Name
102268	Photomedia: Photographic Practice

Code	Name
102270	Graphic Design: The Professional Context

Code	Name
101923	Australian Design

One Specialisation unit from the selected unit pairing

Code	Name
102269	Data Visualisation

Code	Name
102271	Illustrating Popular Culture

Code	Name
102267	Interactive Design: Apps

Code	Name
100941	Photomedia: Fashion and Identity

Code	Name
102274	Social Design: Research and Practice

Code	Name
102275	Contextual Design Studies

One Specialisation unit from the selected unit pairing

Code	Name
101017	Illustrating Narrative

Code	Name
102272	Interactive Design: Games

Code	Name
102273	Motion Design

Code	Name
102268	Photomedia: Photographic Practice

And one elective

Code	Name
102276	Graphic Design: Developing a Personal Portfolio

Code	Name
102277	Design Research Project

One Specialisation unit from the selected unit pairing

Code	Name
102269	Data Visualisation

Code	Name
102271	Illustrating Popular Culture

Code	Name
102267	Interactive Design: Apps

Code	Name
100941	Photomedia: Fashion and Identity

And one elective

This may include the elective unit below

Code	Name
102705	Communicating for Sustainability

Students may exit with 1624 Bachelor of Design Studies after successful completion of 240 credit points in the first three years of the course sequence.

Code	Name
102279	Major Design Project

Code	Name
102278	Professional Design Experience: The Studio

And one elective

Code	Name
102279	Major Design Project

Code	Name
102280	Professional Design Experience: The Individual Practitioner

And one elective

Mid-year Commencement

As part of the course requirements, students are required to complete two pairs of specialisation unit pairings. If they choose to, they can complete further practice-based units as elective choices.

Code	Name
102270	Graphic Design: The Professional Context

Code	Name
101923	Australian Design

And one elective

This may include the elective unit below

Code	Name
102705	Communicating for Sustainability

Code	Name
102265	Graphic Design: Interactive Digital Media

Code	Name
102266	Researching the Visual

One Specialisation unit from the selected unit pairing

Code	Name
101017	Illustrating Narrative

Code	Name
102272	Interactive Design: Games

Code	Name
102273	Motion Design

Code	Name
102268	Photomedia: Photographic Practice

Code	Name
102276	Graphic Design: Developing a Personal Portfolio

Code	Name
102277	Design Research Project

Two Specialisation units from the selected unit pairings

Code	Name
102269	Data Visualisation

Code	Name
102271	Illustrating Popular Culture

Code	Name
102267	Interactive Design: Apps

Code	Name
100941	Photomedia: Fashion and Identity

Code	Name
102274	Social Design: Research and Practice

Code	Name
102275	Contextual Design Studies

One Specialisation unit from the selected unit pairing

Code	Name
101017	Illustrating Narrative

Code	Name
102272	Interactive Design: Games

Code	Name
102273	Motion Design

Code	Name
102268	Photomedia: Photographic Practice

And one elective

Students may exit with 1624 Bachelor of Design Studies after successful completion of 240 credit points in the first three years of the course sequence.

Students continuing into the fourth year of study are advised that the Spring session following Autumn Year 3 is a transition semester with Year 4 commencing in 1H/Autumn sessions.

Code	Name
102279	Major Design Project

Code	Name
102278	Professional Design Experience: The Studio

And one elective

Code	Name
102279	Major Design Project

Code	Name
102280	Professional Design Experience: The Individual Practitioner

And one elective

Guangdong Baiyun University Articulation Pathway

Recommended Sequence

Start-year Commencement

Full-time

Code	Name
102266	Researching the Visual

Code	Name
102265	Graphic Design: Interactive Digital Media

Code	Name
102263	Image Design

Code	Name
102270	Graphic Design: The Professional Context

Code	Name
101923	Australian Design

Code	Name
101921	Visual Storytelling

Code	Name
102275	Contextual Design Studies

Code	Name
102274	Social Design: Research and Practice

Code	Name
102273	Motion Design

Code	Name
102272	Interactive Design: Games

Code	Name
102276	Graphic Design: Developing a Personal Portfolio

Code	Name
102277	Design Research Project

Code	Name
102269	Data Visualisation

Code	Name
102267	Interactive Design: Apps

Mid-year Commencement

Code	Name
102270	Graphic Design: The Professional Context

Code	Name
101923	Australian Design

Code	Name
101921	Visual Storytelling

Code	Name
102265	Graphic Design: Interactive Digital Media

Code	Name
102266	Researching the Visual

Code	Name
102263	Image Design

Code	Name
102276	Graphic Design: Developing a Personal Portfolio

Code	Name
102277	Design Research Project

Code	Name
102269	Data Visualisation

Code	Name
102267	Interactive Design: Apps

Code	Name
102274	Social Design: Research and Practice

Code	Name
102275	Contextual Design Studies

Code	Name
102273	Motion Design

Code	Name
102272	Interactive Design: Games

Sub-major Elective Spaces

Elective units may be used toward obtaining an additional approved sub-major (40 credit points).

Elective sub-major which may be available

Code	Name
SM1125	Advertising Studies

Search for a sub-major

Western Sydney University offers sub-majors in a range of areas including Sustainability and Indigenous Studies.

Indigenous Australian Studies Sub-major

Business Sustainability Sub-major

Students can apply for an elective major or sub-major via MySR.

MyStudentRecords (MySR)

Institution