Bachelor of Design/Bachelor of Creative Industries (1839)

  • Approved Abbreviation: BDes/BCrInd
  • Western Sydney University Program Code: 1839
  • AQF Level: 7

CRICOS Code: 095717K

This program applies to students who commenced in 2021 or later.

Students should follow the program structure for the session start date relevant to the year they commenced.

For Commencement Year 2017 - 2020 - please refer to: 1839.1 Bachelor of Design/Bachelor of Creative Industries

Design graduates who previously would have planned a career in graphic design, media or advertising companies now face a future where they will be required to continuously adapt and reapply their skills to changing work environments. This double degree brings together the existing Design program with studies that explore emerging creative industries and allows students who are interested in pursuing careers as designers to also engage with new paradigms of creative and cultural production, developing skills in entrepreneurship and working in collaborative projects with creative industries in Greater Western Sydney (GWS).

Students have the option to travel to Penrith campus for a portion of the Creative Industries component.

  • Director of Academic Program - Dr Nicole Bridges

Study Mode

Four years full-time or eight years part-time.

Program Advice

Dr Milissa Deitz

Location

Campus Attendance Mode Advice
Parramatta Campus - Victoria Road Full Time Internal See above
Parramatta Campus - Victoria Road Part Time Internal See above

Accreditation

Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication) graduates are eligible for membership of the Design Institute of Australia (DIA) and the Australian Graphic Design Association (AGDA).

Inherent Requirements

There are inherent requirements for this program that you must meet in order to complete your program and graduate. Make sure you read and understand the requirements for this program online.

Inherent requirements

Work Integrated Learning

Western Sydney University seeks to enhance student learning experiences by enabling students to engage in the culture, expectations and practices of their profession or discipline.  This program includes a placement or other community-based unpaid practical experience.

 

There is a mandatory work component required for completion of this program.  Please contact the Program Advisor listed above for information.

International students should also refer to the link below for more information and a link to the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).

Work Integrated Learning (WIL) for international students

Admission

Applications from Australian and New Zealand citizens and holders of permanent resident visas may be made via the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) or directly through the Western Portal. Use the links below to apply via UAC or Western Sydney University. Applications made directly to Western Sydney do not have an application fee.

http://www.uac.edu.au/
https://westernsydney.uac.edu.au/ws/

Applicants who have undertaken studies overseas may have to provide proof of proficiency in English. Local applicants who are applying through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) will find details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof on the UAC website. Local applicants applying directly to the University should also use the information provided on the UAC website.

International students currently completing an Australian Year 12 in or outside Australia, an International Baccalaureate in Australia or a New Zealand National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) level 3 must apply via UAC International.

http://www.uac.edu.au/

All other International applicants must apply directly to the University via the International Office.  

International students applying to the University through the International Office can find details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof on their website.

International Office

Overseas qualifications must be deemed by the Australian Education International - National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR) to be equivalent to Australian qualifications in order to be considered by UAC and Western Sydney University.

Program Structure

Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 320 credit points as per the recommended sequence below.

Students must complete

  • 80 credit points of Design core subjects
  • 80 credit points of Creative Industries core subjects (which includes one Creative Industries Introduction to Major Pool subject)
  • 80 credit points of Design subjects (which includes two Design subject pairings)
  • 80 credit point Creative Industries Major

Creative Industries Introduction to Major Subject Pool

Students to select one of the following subjects as your Introduction Major Subject

Subject Title Credit Points
MKTG 1001Advertising: An Introduction10
COMM 1010Creative Writing: The Imaginative Life10
HUMN 1066Introduction to Culture and Society10
LANG 1015Introduction to Literary Studies10
BUSM 1026Organisational Behaviour10
COMM 1018News and Media Today10
LAWS 1003Fundamentals of Australian Law10
COMM 1039Introduction to Screen Media10
PERF 1014Music Production10
MKTG 1009Public Relations Theory and Practice10

Equivalent Subjects

The subject listed below counts towards completion of the Introduction to Major Pool Subject for students who passed this subject in 2021 or earlier. 

HUMN 1017 - Everyday Life, replaced by HUMN 1066 Introduction to Culture and Society

Design Pairing Subjects

Students select two of the following Design subject pairings. There are four pairings to choose from.

Subject Title Credit Points
Illustration
DESN 2007Illustrating Narrative10
DESN 3007Illustrating Popular Culture10
Interactive
DESN 3008Interactive Design: Apps10
COMM 2019Interactive Design: Games10
Photomedia
DESN 2013Photomedia: Photographic Practice10
VISU 3002Photomedia: Fashion and Identity10
Digital Design
DESN 2011Motion Design10
DESN 3002Data Visualisation10

Creative Industries Majors

The major for the Bachelor of Creative Industries component should be selected from the list below

Note: Each major must have no more than three Level 1 subjects and a minimum of three Level 3 subjects

Note: For the purposes of this double degree, students may not undertake the Graphic Design or Digital Cultures majors offered for 1838 Bachelor of Creative Industries. Therefore, DESN 1021 Web and Time-based Design  and DESN 1011 Image Design cannot count as an Introduction to Major subject in this program; they are to be completed as components of the Bachelor of Design core.

Recommended Sequence

Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 320 credit points as per the recommended sequence below.

The recommended sequence is subject to variation based on the student's nominated Creative Industries major.

Students selecting Law and the Creative Industries as their major must complete the subject LAWS 1003 Fundamentals of Australian Law  as their core subject and Introduction to Major subject.

Full-time start-year intake

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
Autumn sessionCredit Points
DESN 1009 Graphic Design: Understanding the Principles 20
DESN 1011 Image Design 10
COMM 1036 Introduction to the Creative Industries 10
 Credit Points40
Spring session
DESN 1021 Web and Time-based Design 10
BUSM 1010 Financing Enterprises 10
DESN 1018 Visual Storytelling 10
Select one subject from the Creative Industries Introduction to Major subject Pool 10
 Credit Points40
Year 2
Autumn session
DESN 1003 Design Histories and Futures 10
DESN 2014 Researching the Visual 10
Select two Creative Industries Major Subjects 20
 Credit Points40
Spring session
BUSM 1008 Enterprise Leadership 10
BUSM 1006 Enterprise Innovation and Markets 10
DESN 2001 Australian Design 10
Select one Creative Industries Major Subject 10
 Credit Points40
Year 3
Autumn session
Select two Design Pairing subjects 20
Select two Creative Industries Major Subjects 20
 Credit Points40
Spring session
COMM 3011 Creative TEAMS 1 10
Select two Design Pairing subjects 20
Select one Creative Industries Major Subject 10
 Credit Points40
Year 4
Autumn session
COMM 1020 Media Cultures and Industries 10
DESN 3001 Contextual Design Studies 10
DESN 3013 Social Design: Research and Practice 10
COMM 3012 Creative TEAMS 2 10
 Credit Points40
Spring session
DESN 3003 Design Research Project 10
COMM 3010 Creative Industries Professional Project or Internship 10
Select two Creative Industries Major Subjects 20
 Credit Points40
 Total Credit Points320

Full-time mid-year intake

The recommended sequence is subject to variation based on the student's nominated Creative Industries major.

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
Spring sessionCredit Points
DESN 1021 Web and Time-based Design 10
BUSM 1010 Financing Enterprises 10
DESN 1018 Visual Storytelling 10
Select one subject from the Creative Industries Introduction to Major subject Pool 10
 Credit Points40
Autumn session
DESN 1009 Graphic Design: Understanding the Principles 20
COMM 1036 Introduction to the Creative Industries 10
DESN 1011 Image Design 10
 Credit Points40
Year 2
Spring session
BUSM 1008 Enterprise Leadership 10
BUSM 1006 Enterprise Innovation and Markets 10
DESN 2001 Australian Design 10
Select one Creative Industries Major Subject 10
 Credit Points40
Autumn session
DESN 1003 Design Histories and Futures 10
DESN 2014 Researching the Visual 10
Select two Creative Industries Major Subjects 20
 Credit Points40
Year 3
Spring session
COMM 3011 Creative TEAMS 1 10
Select two Design Pairing subjects 20
Select one Creative Industries Major Subject 10
 Credit Points40
Autumn session
COMM 3012 Creative TEAMS 2 10
COMM 1020 Media Cultures and Industries 10
DESN 3013 Social Design: Research and Practice 10
Select one Creative Industries Major Subject 10
 Credit Points40
Year 4
Spring session
DESN 3003 Design Research Project 10
COMM 3010 Creative Industries Professional Project or Internship 10
Select two Creative Industries Major Subjects 20
 Credit Points40
Autumn session
DESN 3001 Contextual Design Studies 10
Select three Creative Industries Major Subjects 30
 Credit Points40
 Total Credit Points320