Bachelor of Design

The Bachelor of Design at the University of Tasmania is a three-year degree built around studio practice. You'll spend most of your time making things, posters, typefaces, brand systems, publications, digital interfaces, and then explaining the thinking behind them in critiques. First year is broad: you try graphic design alongside other design disciplines before choosing your major. After that, the graphic design stream focuses on typography, layout, image-making, branding and screen-based design. You'll learn the software the industry uses, but the degree is not a software course. It's about learning to solve visual problems and argue for your decisions.

How the degree is structured

Australian bachelor degrees are made up of units of study, each worth a set number of credit points. A standard full-time load is eight units a year, split across two semesters. At UTAS you'll combine core design studios with theory units in design history and communication, plus a few electives you can take from other areas of the university. The final year includes a major project where you develop a body of work from brief to finished outcome, often with an industry or community client. Assessment is mostly project-based, folios, presentations, written rationales, rather than exams.

Work-integrated learning and facilities

Design is a field where placement matters. The degree includes opportunities to work on live briefs with organisations, and many students take an internship in a studio, agency or in-house design team as part of their final year. UTAS has studio spaces, print facilities and digital labs where you can produce work at a professional standard. Because the university is based in Tasmania, there are strong links to the state's cultural institutions, festivals and small creative businesses, places where design graduates actually get hired.

Who it suits and what you need

This degree suits people who like making things and thinking about why they work. You don't need to be a brilliant illustrator to start, but you do need curiosity and a willingness to put your work up for criticism. International applicants need to meet the university's English requirements, IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is the usual undergraduate standard, with TOEFL, PTE and Cambridge equivalents accepted. The Student visa has its own English threshold set by the Department of Home Affairs. While studying, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight, and after graduating you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Check the official course page and the CRICOS register for current details, including fees and intake dates.

• Graphic designer, studios, advertising and branding agencies, and in-house teams in government, education and health.
• Digital or UX designer, tech companies, digital agencies and product teams, working on websites and apps.
• Brand and identity designer, consultancies and marketing departments across retail, tourism and hospitality.
• Publication and editorial designer, publishers, magazines, museums and cultural organisations.
• Freelance designer or studio founder, many graduates build their own practice, often alongside part-time work.
• Design roles in the public sector, local councils, state government communications and community organisations.

Graphic design graduates work across Australia's creative industries, from large agencies in Sydney and Melbourne to small studios in Hobart and Launceston. Tasmania's arts, tourism and food-and-beverage sectors hire designers for branding, packaging and digital work.