Bachelor of Arts (Graphic Design)

About the course

The Bachelor of Arts (Graphic Design) at CSU is tailored in response to the demands of industry and the aspirations of highly motivated students.

During the course, students are encouraged to develop creative, theoretical and technical skills with a focus on aesthetic and professional understanding.

Diversity underpins the structure of the course with a cross-section of specific subjects covering all aspects of design, advertising and new media – including web and video applications. The course is available by distance education with a minor in Advertising.

Where it will take you

The teaching principle adopted for the graphic design course is simple: actively promote all our students to think first, and worry about the technology second. The merging of disciplines as diverse as design, animation, digital publishing, illustration, multimedia, packaging, web design and advertising has ensured that design graduates will have many career opportunities and options from which to choose including:

• design studios
• advertising agencies
• digital publishing and interactive design
• magazine and print production
• freelance commissions and contracts

Course components

The Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design at Charles Sturt University is a three-year undergraduate course with an option to study Honours in the fourth year. The course is structured in such way as to offer students a flexible platform for learning with an even mix of core subjects, contextual subjects and electives.

Twelve core subjects including digital design, experimental design, design for industry and creative advertising make up 50% of the course. These examine the different aspects of graphic design – the techniques, the process and the technology.

Contextual subjects including visual communication, aspects of design and media: history and society, make up 25% of the course. These subjects look at research, theory and history that build up the students' background knowledge and approach to design, media and communication.

The final 25% of the course is made of minor electives where you may choose between drawing, multimedia, photo-imaging and illustration. You can swap and change between these electives.

Note: Distance education students may only undertake the Advertising minor sequence.

Graduation requirements

To graduate, students must satisfactorily complete 192 points (24 subjects).

Back to Charles Sturt University

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