Design
Designers shape our world by creating products, environments, services and experiences that tackle a wide range of global challenges.
Your study experience includes extensive design studio and design practice experiences throughout your degree. Design studios focus on a unique real-world problem where you develop, test, refine and apply your design skills using a range of technologies and techniques in collaboration with internationally renowned designers, and local community and industry partners.
Our two year Associate Degree and three year Bachelor degree provide options for you to match to your desired career path. You can even exit the Associate Degree after one year with a Diploma of Design, and we're here to help you the whole way as your knowledge grows.
You’ll get extensive design experience and graduate with the vital skills you need. Tasmania’s extraordinary environment and incredible creative scene, filled with art, festivals and innovation will give you the inspiration and opportunity to kick-start your design career.
If you are interested in architecture, also see our Architecture and Built Environments course options.
Catalyst Program
Are you a high achiever and want to get the most out of your University experience? The Catalyst Program combines your Bachelor degree with scholarships, extracurricular experiences, special events, and networking opportunities. It was created for outstanding students, just like you.
Course Options
Bachelor of Design
3 years min, 7 years max
Hobart, Launceston CRICOS 098158A
Associate Degree in Applied Design
2 years min, 5 years max
Hobart, Launceston CRICOS 00586B
Undergraduate Certificate in Applied Design
0.5 year min
Hobart, Launceston, Distance
Bachelor of Environmental Design (Honours)
1 year min, 3 years max
Launceston CRICOS 039205K
Tasmania is an ideal place to study design. Surrounded by inspiring landscapes, you’ll access practical studio spaces where your ideas will flourish and thrive.
Create design solutions for real clients through industry and community projects. You’ll meet potential employers and gain valuable work experience.
You will have the chance to discover your design path. With our flexible learning options and five design streams, the possibilities are endless.
Double degrees
Our new double degrees allow you to deepen your knowledge and expertise within two separate study areas. This means you can choose from our range of exciting, diverse courses and embark on a journey as unique as you are.
Pathways
At the University of Tasmania, we’ll help you get the skills you need to pursue a degree. We offer a wide range of preparatory and pathway programs, as well as short foundation programs, to assist in the transition to university.
Study options
Business Design
Gain the professional knowledge and skills to work with teams or create your own business. Combine your creativity with key areas of business: project and event design, communications, and marketing.
Digital Design
Create new virtual worlds and possibilities through learning about web and user experience design, interactive design, and combining your creativity with technology to enhance human experience and design possibilities.
Object Design
Pursue your passion for hands-on making and materials, while developing skills and knowledge in craft and digital fabrication processes and manufacturing. Perfect for a career in furniture and product design, and the design of wearable objects.
Spatial Design
Combine knowledge and skills from the fields of architecture, interior, landscape and urban design to pursue careers in areas like exhibition and event design, or fabrication of pop-ups across a range of industries.
Communication Design
Engage your creativity in the multidisciplinary practice of visual communication and pursue a career in traditional fields such as graphic design, or explore new horizons in contemporary spaces, galleries and interpretation sites.
Course breakdown
What is the difference between the Associate Degree of Applied Design and the Bachelor of Design?
The Associate Degree of Applied Design will give you the opportunity to learn from industry experts as you develop technical skills and theoretical knowledge in real-world scenarios. You can choose to graduate after 2-years of full-time study, or continue your studies with a credited pathway directly into the Bachelor of Design. You can also exit the Associate Degree after one year with a Diploma of Design.
The Bachelor of Design will give you a deeper understanding of conceptual design and offer you the opportunity to push your ideas and creativity further. This course places you at the centre of your design journey and gives you the ability to apply your learning in projects targeting global challenges, personal interests and career aspirations.
1
Bachelor of Design
Typically three years, 300 credit points
Design Practices Major (100 credit points)
You’ll undertake four units (two in first year, two in second year), choosing from Communication, Business, Digital, Object, or Spatial Design.
In third year, you’ll undertake capstone units that apply skills from your stream of choice in applied design projects.
Design Core Learning (100 credit points)
Eight units that develop transferable knowledge and skills in design thinking, processes, methods, and tools, preparing you for a rewarding design-related career.
Elective Units (100 credit points)
These units broaden your learning with discipline-specific studies from anywhere in the University. You may use this to complement your design skills towards a wide range of specialist areas from game design to ecotourism.
2
Associate Degree in Applied Design
Typically two years, 200 credit points
Stream Units (50 credit points)
You’ll undertake four units (two in first year, two in second year), choosing between Communication, Business, or Digital Design.
Design Core Learning (100 credit points)
Eight units that develop transferable knowledge and skills in design thinking, processes, methods, and tools, preparing you for a rewarding design-related career.
Elective Units (50 credit points)
You will complete four Elective Units that will add breadth to your degree by exploring a variety of different subject areas from across the University.
Choose units in areas such as Arts, Business, Design, 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.
Students completing the Associate Degree in Applied Design will be able to articulate into the Bachelor with full credit.
3
Undergraduate Certificate in Applied Design
Typically six months to a year, 50 credit points
Design Core Learning (50 credit points)
Four units that aims to prepare graduates to become paraprofessionals 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.
Career outcomes
Turning a passion for design into a physical reality
Thom Port switches things up from graphic design to crafting bespoke furniture.
Creative Technologist
As a creative technologist, you will combine your passion for design and technology to create ideas and solutions that improve the user experience in the digital space.
Graphic Designer
Learn how to communicate ideas and inspire consumers by designing visual concepts created using computer software or by hand.
Event Designer
Consider the themes, intentions, locations, audiences and resources of events. Create immersive, atmospheric and enjoyable experiences.
Design Futurist
Gain knowledge, skills and experience for diverse career paths in future industries such as design for health, food innovation, ecotourism, social enterprise, and future trend forecasting.
Study Experiences
Designing for Mona Foma
“Mona Foma BLOMA is all about people talking to each other, the democratisation of culture. The lineage goes back to the Mona Foma SOMA project (2018) where students produced a mobile sound recording and performance stage, to engage with communities across Tasmania.” - Dr Andrew Steen, lecturer at Architecture & Design,
Your study experience includes extensive studio and design practice, preparing you for the practical realities of being a designer no matter where your career takes you.
Regardless of how you customise your degree, you’ll have opportunities to focus on real-world problems. You’ll develop, test, refine and apply your design skills using a range of technologies and techniques, in collaboration with internationally renowned designers.
Entry information
Entry requirements
Entry requirements vary across courses and are available on each individual course page, which you can access from Course Options. 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, our admissions team will work with you to find the best pathway option.
Credit for prior learning
The University of Tasmania aims to provide you with credit for approved prior study or equivalent professional experience which exceeds standard entrance requirements for courses. For more information please visit Recognition for Prior Learning.
English language requirements
For those applicants who are nationals of and currently residing in a country where English is not the official language, evidence of an IELTS or TOEFL test must be provided. For more information, please visit International Future Students.