Associate Degree in Applied Design (Z2E)

Overview  2021

Entry Requirements

See entry requirements

Duration

Minimum 2 Years, up to a maximum of 5 Years

Duration

Duration refers to the minimum and maximum amounts of time in which this course can be completed. It will be affected by whether you choose to study full or part time, noting that some programs are only available part time.

Location

Hobart
Semester 1, Semester 2
Launceston
Semester 1, Semester 2

Commonwealth Supported places available

This course may not be available to international students. Please see the International Online Course Guide (PDF 809KB) for courses that are offered to international students

Due to the ongoing response to COVID-19, online study may replace some or all of your on-campus classes. We'll be sure to keep you informed of any changes.
The Associate Degree in Applied Design aims to prepare graduates to become design professional with the ability to identify, analyse, evaluate, apply, transmit, and critically reflect on design concepts and practices in real business contexts through the combination of theory and practice. It does this with an understanding that jobs of the future will be impacted by rapid technological and social change.

During this qualification, graduates will be able to apply interdisciplinary knowledge and skills in order to:
  • Learn how to direct design thinking and design processes for positive impact via real projects that tap into the island’s rich creative sector, local communities and World Heritage landscapes.
  • Prepare for established and emerging design industry roles in Tasmania and beyond, guided by industry-connected staff.
  • Belong to a vibrant, creative community with access to world-class studios and workshops, and national and international industry guests, entrepreneurs and thinkers.
  • Facilitate articulation into undergraduate study, which subsequently prepares individuals to transition into leadership and management roles and future postgraduate study.

The interdisciplinary nature of this qualification draws upon established disciplinary fields such as management, finance, marketing, human resources, business planning, project management, entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership

A key to the distinctiveness of the Associate Degree in Applied Design is its adoption of applied, blended, and online styles of learning. The course requires students to develop knowledge and skills within an authentic learning approach. This integrated approach applies an array of experiential education opportunities such as site visits, field work, case studies, simulated work environments, and data-driven decision-making.

Many units are taught by industry practitioners or involve industry guest input to ensure students formulate clear pathways into industry upon completion. Partnerships with creative industries and organisations, such as MOFO, Junction Arts Festival and 10 Days on the Island, as well as with local and state government organisations, such as Parks Tasmania, are a key feature of the place-based curriculum.

For graduates new to design, this qualification could assist you to gain roles which could include graphic designer, creative technologist, social media manager, information architect, design strategist, user experience designer, packaging designer through to various marketing roles. For those already working in the industry, this course could help you to progress or diversity your career.

On completion of the Associate Degree in Applied Design, graduates will be able to:

  1. Identify and apply design concepts, principles and practices to develop, interpret and present ideas and information
  2. Justify design propositions in professional contexts through critical analysis and self-reflection
  3. Generate and refine design propositions through iterative practice employing a range of creative processes and technical skills
  4. Communicate human centred design solutions or innovations by analysing and applying design concepts, processes, and principles
  5. Engage in ethical, professional and collaborative practice when applying design principles

Students are exposed to authentic and engaged learning experiences designed to develop their understanding of work and the workplace. In the first year of study, students are introduced to (i) different methods of and approaches to practice, (ii) how issues such as values, ethics, empathy and leadership are reflected in the workplace and (iii) the role of reflection and deliberative thinking in developing workplace-based knowledge, skills, attitudes and aspirations. Students develop personal responsibility for and autonomy in developing their portfolio of practice (known as a Practice Manual). This is reflected in educational plans developed in consultation with their Academic Coaches and based on a method or approach to practice from, for example projects, data-driven decision making, case studies, field work, simulated environments, design thinking etc.

The second year of study builds on concepts of learning through practice from the diploma by introducing students to more complex learning experiences. Students will be introduced to: - discipline-based skills and knowledge in dynamic practice situations. This will include authentic and purposeful, industry-related experiences - concepts of managing effective relationships and communicating with others - the development and use of adaptive leadership skills and how these skills relate to innovative and entrepreneurial practice - the nature of responsible, accountable and reflective workplace skills, and creative and critical thinking relevant to para-professional practice. Students will exercise self-awareness, initiative and judgement to manage yourself and professional relationships effectively. The application of tacit knowledge and capabilities will be reflected in a Practice Manual.

Course structure

Completion of the Associate Degree in Applied Design requires 200 credit points including:

  • A Core (100 credit points)
  • A Stream (50 credit points)
  • Electives (50 credit points)

For assistance with the enrolment requirements for this course, please refer to the Course Planner (PDF 100KB).

If you are a new student needing help with your initial enrolment, please contact the Future Students team. If you are a continuing student, please contact UConnect.

In this unit you will learn about the relationships between design elements. Through structured activities and workshops, you will learn how to organise designs artefacts into complex compositions and assemblies. By developing an awareness of the social, material, and cultural…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 2
LauncestonSemester 2

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

In this unit you will be introduced to a range of visual tools and techniques for conceptualising and communicating complex relationships and generating new insights through design. Through a combination of interactive, self-directed learning activities and practical exercises, you will…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 2
LauncestonSemester 2

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

Design thinking draws on creative, iterative and collaborative approaches to problem-solving, including exploration of potential solutions though idea generation, rapid prototyping and testing. While conventional approaches to problem-solving often rely on the application of highly structured methodologies and process controls,…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 1
LauncestonSemester 1
LauncestonSemester 2

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

In this unit, you will investigate elements and principles of visual language in art and design, to understand the importance of aesthetics in design and its application to real world projects. You will also be introduced to the nature of…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 1
LauncestonSemester 1
LauncestonSemester 2

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

In this unit, you will be introduced to historical influences on the development of contemporary design practices. You will examine the key features of art history in the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and 20th century periods, as well as specific…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 1
LauncestonSemester 1

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

In this unit, you will consider a range of ethical problems that are commonly encountered by design practitioners. This can include questions relating to borrowing and acknowledging the ideas and intellectual property of other designers, the impact of design activities…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 1
HobartSemester 2
LauncestonSemester 1
LauncestonSemester 2

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

This unit explores the relationship between design and industry to develop skills in the planning, development, and production of products and services for a target market or use-case scenario. You will learn how to identify opportunities for new product and…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 1
LauncestonSemester 1

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

One of:

In this unit, you will apply the knowledge and skills you have acquired throughout the course to define, develop and deliver a personal design project. The project will be based on industry practice and involve analysing problems to recommend possible…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 1
HobartSemester 2
LauncestonSemester 1
LauncestonSemester 2

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

This unit focuses on participatory and inclusive design practices to engage diverse audiences in the co-creation of projects. Co-design is an increasingly popular practice that is used in a wide range of contexts to foster inclusion, to identify opportunities, and…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 2
LauncestonSemester 2

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

You should only select in KDA207 if you plan to articulate into the Bachelor of Design; otherwise please enrol in ZAD227.

In this unit, you will examine branding and visual identity – the use of conceptual and visual signs to embody, evoke and represent the qualities, meaning or ‘narrative’ of a product or service to a particular group of people, customers…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 1
HobartSemester 2
LauncestonSemester 1
LauncestonSemester 2

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

In this unit, you will explore differences and intersections between virtual/conceptual and physical/experiential fields of design. Through practical fieldwork, you will consider human interactions with public and private spaces, objects, and buildings and architecture in the physical world, and compare…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 1
LauncestonSemester 1

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

This unit introduces digital design applications for image making, illustration and digital visualization, in both vector and raster formats. It explores the diverse nature of digital media tools available and the specific areas of the creative industries they service. Although…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 2
LauncestonSemester 2

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

Select one of the following units

Photography 1 will introduce you to the medium of photography. Directed by staff and technicians, in the context of a studio/workshop/tutorial curriculum, you will be introduced to traditional techniques, new technologies and approaches to contemporary practice. Study of this unit…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 1
HobartSemester 2
LauncestonSemester 1

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

This unit will introduce you to the techniques of drawing and printmaking as processes of enquiry and creation. You will learn about the technical and material possibilities of both mediums and how to use a studio as both a site…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 1
HobartSemester 2
LauncestonSemester 2

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

This unit investigates events of varying scale, and identifies their contribution as a potential key driver of growth and economic development of businesses, cities and communities. It analyses the social, cultural and environmental impacts of events on destinations and communities.…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 2
LauncestonSemester 2
Cradle CoastSemester 2

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

This unit introduces you to entrepreneurial opportunities and gives you the theory behind developing, pricing and promoting and goods and services. Creative entrepreneurs look outside existing social, economic and cultural paradigms to create new and innovative partnerships. They cultivate new…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 1
LauncestonSemester 1
LauncestonSemester 2

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

In this unit you will investigate approaches to design and delivery of projects in industry contexts. This will include identifying and analysing relevant concepts, tools and processes used in the formulation, delivery and management of projects. Investigations will focus on…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 2
LauncestonSemester 2
Cradle CoastSemester 2

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

This capstone unit will provide opportunities for you to bring together the knowledge learned, and skills developed through your course of study and apply these to entrepreneurial and innovative contexts. This unit creates a practical awareness of the concepts of…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 2
LauncestonSemester 2
Cradle CoastSemester 2

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

User Experience (UX) design seeks to improve the usability, accessibility, and pleasure a product or service provides by identifying the specific points of interaction. By adjusting these points, data can be captured, and improvements measured and replicated. Once you learn…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 1
LauncestonSemester 1
LauncestonSemester 2

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

This unit introduces digital design applications for image making, illustration and digital visualization, in both vector and raster formats. It explores the diverse nature of digital media tools available and the specific areas of the creative industries they service. Although…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 2
LauncestonSemester 2

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

Credit Points: 12.5

This unit is currently unavailable.

Choose one of the following units

This unit introduces you to the design and prototyping of 3D objects using digital modelling and fabrication techniques. Through hands-on exercises, you will gain knowledge of contemporary additive and subtractive rapid prototyping technologies and develop skills in object design and…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 1
LauncestonSemester 1

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

In this unit, you will examine branding and visual identity – the use of conceptual and visual signs to embody, evoke and represent the qualities, meaning or ‘narrative’ of a product or service to a particular group of people, customers…

Credit Points: 12.5

LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
HobartSemester 1
HobartSemester 2
LauncestonSemester 1
LauncestonSemester 2

Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

Electives

You will complete 50 credit points of Elective units in the Associate Degree in Applied Design. Your electives can be used to add breadth to your degree, by exploring a variety of different subject areas from across the University in areas such as Arts, Business, Science, and Information Communication Technologies . Alternatively, you can deepen your engagement with specific subject areas, for example, by completing additional units in the same discipline field. To search for possible elective units, use the Unit Search tool to search by the discipline that you are interested in. You can complete any units marked as "Student Electives" which you meet the pre-requisites for.

Need help choosing your first year units? Try the Unit Selection Guide.

Entry requirements

We encourage you to apply for the courses you most want to study. If you’re not eligible to enter your chosen course right now, the UTAS admissions team will work with you to find the best pathway option.

DOMESTIC APPLICANTS
Domestic Applicants who have recently completed secondary education
  • Completed the TCE (or equivalent)

Domestic Applicants with higher education study

  • Completed at least one undergraduate unit (equivalent to 12.5 UTAS credit points).

Domestic Applicants with VET / TAFE study

  • A completed VET Certificate III or higher,

Domestic Applicants with work and life experience

  • If you have not successfully completed senior secondary, tertiary or TAFE/VET study, but have relevant work and life experience you can complete a personal competency statement. You may be eligible for an offer if you have work and life experiences that demonstrate a capacity to succeed in this course.

Prerequisites
Nil

SPECIAL CONSIDERATION

If your ability to access or participate in education has been affected by circumstances beyond your control, you can apply for special consideration as part of your application. We will consider a range of factors for special consideration, including economic hardship, a serious medical condition or disability.

We can only approve applications for special consideration where we are confident that you have the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in your studies. If your application is not approved, the UTAS admissions team will work with you to find the best alternative pathway to your chosen course. Special consideration is not available for international applicants.

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

This course is not currently available to International students.

You may be eligible for advanced standing (i.e. credit points) in this associate degree if you:

  • Have completed an award such as a Diploma or Advanced Diploma at the University, from TAFE or another institution;
  • Are currently studying another associate degree at the University or at another institution;
  • Have completed studies towards a Bachelor degree at the University or from another institution.

Find out more information about how to apply for a credit transfer/advanced standing at Recognition of Prior Learning, or talk to us on 1300 363 864 or enquire online about your credit transfer.

Students articulating into the Associate Degree in Applied Design from a completed Undergraduate Certificate in Applied Design will receive 50 credit points of advanced standing. Articulation from other courses will be in line with the University’s standard application for credit process

Graduates of the Associate Degree in Applied Design are eligible to continue their studies in the Design discipline through an approved articulation pathway to the Bachelor of Design and will receive 200 credit points of advanced standing. Graduates will also be able to continue their studies in a range of Bachelor level courses at the University of Tasmania.

Detailed admissions information and advice for all undergraduate courses, including comprehensive, course-level student profiles, is available from UTAS Admissions.

Fees & scholarships

Domestic students

Domestic students enrolled in a full fee paying place are charged the Student Services and Amenities Fee but this fee is incorporated in the fees you pay for each unit you enrol in. Full fee paying domestic students do not have to make any additional SSAF payments.

Detailed tuition fee information for domestic students is available at the Domestic Student Fees website, including additional information in relation to a compulsory Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).

International students

International students should refer to the International Students course fees page to get an indicative course cost.

Scholarships

Each year the University of Tasmania administers an estimated $7 million in scholarships to students from all walks of life, including those who have achieved high academic results; those from low socio-economic backgrounds; students with sporting ability; students undertaking overseas study; and students with a disability.

There are a number of scholarships available to those students studying an Associate Degree in Applied Design.

For more information on scholarships and to view the full range of scholarships available to you, head to the Scholarships website.

Additional costs

In addition to course costs, students may be subject to other costs related to study at university including:

How can we help?

Do you have any questions about choosing a course or applying? Get in touch.

Domestic
1300 363 864
International
+61 3 6226 6200
Email
Course.Info@utas.edu.au
Online
Online enquiries

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