Bachelor of Creative Arts - Graphic Design and New Media

Course Description

The Graphic Design and New Media major in the Bachelor of Creative Arts (BCA) degree at the University of Wollongong is made up of a combination of theory and laboratory production components. Students are introduced to a range of graphic and digital imaging techniques and practices across a number of industrial contexts including graphic design, web and interactive multimedia design. The Graphic Design and New Media major encourages an interdisciplinary approach to the study and practice of creative print and screen-based design. Student work is shown throughout the year in one of five gallery spaces in the Faculty.


First Year
The course covers both an introduction to graphic design and to theories of visual and graphic arts. Students are encouraged to carry out research into historical and contemporary designers and cultural trends then experiment with a range of production techniques, computer software and hardware skills and creative solutions. Students gain a solid grounding in visual art methods of drawing and constructing images, both analog and digital.


Second year
Specific subjects in typography, campaign graphics and editorial design, web design and design theory are introduced to the course. Students will be more independent in their motivations and research focus. Increasingly, student projects are concerned with real clients and job briefs. Theory and production subjects run in parallel throughout the year.


Third Year
Advanced design theory and production subjects introduce the student to professional practice methods and techniques. The emphasis is on developing a range of critical and practical skills in the rapidly expanding fields of graphic and digital design. Interactive multimedia and new media theory form a focus for end of degree students. Major projects are developed for real clients. An end of year exhibition of final session work is held in one or more of the Faculty galleries. An on-line gallery is also available for students to show their work.


Students enrolling in the BCA and BCA double degrees are required to complete:

1. A Major Area of Study in the BCA
The major study is comprised of compulsory subjects which focus on practice and includes compulsory history and theory subjects.

and for students enrolled in a BCA double degree only:

A major area of study in the second degree (for information, please refer to the other Faculty from which the second degree will be taken).

2. Elective Subjects
In addition to subjects required for their major study area/s, students choose elective subjects which make up the total credit point requirement for the degree/s. A limited range of electives are offered by the Faculty of Creative Arts. However, students are encouraged to take advantage of the full range of subjects offered within the University. Please note that elective subjects may be limited in double degree programs.


Degree Structure

Each subject is allocated a credit point value. Generally, subjects that take a full year to complete (annual subjects) are valued at 12 credit points, while subjects undertaken for one session (sessional subjects) are, on average, valued at 6 credit points. Normally a full-time student undertakes 48 credit points per year. Thus a degree requiring 144 credit points, such as the BCA, will normally take three years to complete (3 x 48 credit points).

Below is a sample course structure (totalling 108 credit points) for a major study in Graphic Design and New Media: