Master of Design

In this subject, students will identify and integrate their personal qualities and career aspirations to create their unique professional identity. A professional identity enables students to understand and establish a sustainable, fulfilling, effective practice and direction in the design industry.

Through self-reflection and the examination of established designers and studios worldwide, this subject provides an opportunity for students to critically examine their own beliefs, values, experiences, and understanding of design. To support their learning, students will hear from industry experts who share their own career journeys and professional identity development. The subject combines critical reflection and analysis of the student's personal values as a designer with a focus on the social imperative to care for and contribute to the sustainability of our planet and the lives that inhabit it.

Assessment Tasks: Poster, report, development plan

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

This subject introduces designers to research methodologies as a basis for identifying problems which can be the catalyst to bring about change. Students gain skills in the analysis of research data using grounded theory and phenomenography, in addition to visual research methods used as a foundation for creative and design solutions inherent in cross-disciplinary creative practice. By means of reflection, analysis and contextualising an identified culture—their own or others— and by drawing on its philosophies, typical behaviours and patterns, designers explore, elicit and assess problems to instigate creative group projects. As a starting point to the creative process designers identify problems with a beneficial outcome which is critiqued and refined during the group collaboration. Through deductive reasoning the group defines the boundaries of the problems and present these to the group in a “quick fire pitch” for critique and feedback, after which students refine and draw closer to their final inventions or solutions. The technologies used for the final design presentations enable the exploration of contexts by means of audio, visual and textual dimensions. The design practices foster understanding of, and connection with, the contexts that designed things participate in, enrich and often transform. The additional emphasis is on problem identification that informs and leads to enhanced futures based on successful creative outcomes.

Assessment Tasks: Report, presentation, design solution

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

This subject provides a suite of cross disciplinary, practice based topics for designers in the areas of, time, space, motion and interaction. Designers will explore conceptual challenges and questions of visual expression in the quest to develop useful, usable and resonant designs for good. This will include understanding and articulating ‘user experience’, the role of design in humanizing information, the aesthetic and conceptual dynamics of effective communication, branding and communication within the international industry landscape.

Assessment Tasks: Discussion forum, design document, prototype, report

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

This subject explores how the practice of design shapes and is shaped by the ecological, financial, and technological demands of modern business. As a designer, you will provide services for a variety of businesses, therefore it is critical to understand how a business operates.

This includes:

• How design contributes to the strategic and operational success of a business and the broader economic landscape.
• How design drives viable and sustainable business to meet customer demands.
• The essential functions required to establish a successful business.

Assessment Tasks: Report, Business Model Canvas, Business Plan

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

Service Design is a human-centred approach to developing quality service interactions that can improve user experiences, meet business objectives and create impact. Students will identify and define an existing complex service problem or issue, which they will investigate using various design research methods. They will use advanced journey mapping and service blueprinting methods to analyse and apply their research findings. In doing so, they can develop innovative solutions at the intersection of users, businesses, and technology.

These could include digital or physical products, services, systems and processes. This subject will challenge students to expand their thinking and equip them with a human-centred mindset to work in adaptive work environments.

Assessment Tasks: Report, Journal, Video

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

In Design Studio, students will research and develop alternative design strategies and solutions in response to a complex problem or need. Working individually, students will investigate various design processes, that will enable them to determine the direction and scope for their Design Studio project and outcome.

Students will develop and expand their knowledge and understanding of contextual issues, processes and technical tools that underpin design practice.

Working within their design discipline of choice, students define a project that allows for innovative and experimental responses to a developed brief. As a result, students will develop confidence in their abilities to take risks and tackle projects that range in scope and ambiguity.

Working alongside with inter-disciplinary peers, students will be encouraged to push their personal boundaries to develop new perspectives and ways of thinking for design solutions.

Assessment Tasks: Journal, presentation, artefact development, report

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

This subject addresses the meaning, practices and elements of social innovation from a global and local perspective, in the context of contemporary and future social culture, and social need for both the individual and community.

Students will identify what is a social issue or problem and critically analyse examples of social issues and innovative strategies or processes to address their social project issues or problems. They will synthesise information from scholarly literature, key media elements, and leading industry exemplars.

Students will develop a relevant project brief, employing a range of tools and innovation methodologies, such as:

• researching and understanding real social need and key stakeholders
• identifying where change needs to occur and how this provides the opportunity for innovation
• strategy and key stakeholder mapping, measuring impact and other key processes

Assessment Tasks: Journal, Report, Presentation, Video

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

Open Studio provides students the opportunity to pursue a significant project in a collaborative or professional environment. Students will develop skills in professional practice, team work and critical thinking that will enhance their prospects of gaining meaningful employment and build their career for the future.

By reflecting on current industry practice and future needs, students broaden their learning while studying in a ‘real world’ context as they work towards a design outcome or solution for their final project.

There are two project options available to students:

Option 1: Industry Brief

Students respond to criteria set within the context of an Industry Project. Research methodologies appropriate to professional design practice and the documentation of personal creative investigation will be applied. In addition, students will investigate and examine commercial opportunities through collaborative work practice.  Students draw upon the philosophical, practical, methodological, theoretical and technical tools they have gathered over the duration of their studies to successfully complete their project. The project is proposed as inter-disciplinary and draws on both specialised and common industry practices.

Option 2: Industry placement

This project offers students the opportunity to undertake a design industry placement in their chosen discipline. A workplace environment can enable long-term industry relationships to be established as students learn from people who may become employers, colleagues or mentors in the future. Students will undertake a series of industry-led tasks that are relevant to their design discipline in order to understand the fundamental concepts of working in or managing a professional design team. With emphasis on the operation of the environment, students enhance their communication skills and ability to work collaboratively in a professional context.

The subject is delivered from a cross specialisation perspective and draws on both specialised and common industry practices.

Pre-requisite: DSGN6032 Design Studio

Assessment Tasks: e-journal, report, presentation, interview

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online, Intensive

This subject culminates in the development of a synthesised project proposal that can form the foundation for an incubator project. Issues relating to ethical research practices and approaches to potentially sensitive research matters are considered. Students develop and consolidate their understanding of various research practices in order to analyse and review quantitative and qualitative data. Proposals should seek to identify a well formulated research question and hypothesis based on this analysis. Students also undertake reflective analysis with creative and societal innovation founded on research as they develop their project proposal. At the end of this subject students will have proposed the foundations of a self-initiated project that exhibits a sophisticated understanding of contemporary practice based on triple line philosophy:

1. environmental sustainability;
2. social, ethics and creative responsibility combined with;
3. financial responsibility.

Assessment Tasks: Report

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

The subject explores design leadership in driving success and innovation, regardless of the type of organisation you work in. It offers a comprehensive exploration of leadership in organisations, focusing on how design can drive innovation and change by navigating the complexity of our “faster future”. It provides an understanding of the role of design leaders in organisations, which skills and competences they might have to drive design-led innovation at the organizational strategic level. Students will learn and apply methodologies like systems thinking, strategic design, agile management, visual thinking and business modelling to navigate the complexity of organizational transformations.

Students will examine the concepts, principles, skills and capabilities required to lead design teams and design agendas to influence organisational wide transformation. Students will evaluate different leadership styles, reflect on their own style, and apply strategies used to influence positive and sustainable change. This will enhance their leadership capabilities and prepare for future leadership roles. Students develop critical skills in design leadership, teamworking, sustainable and creative change. The course culminates in a final Design Leadership Project, where students apply learned concepts to real-world challenges.

Assessment Tasks: Report, presentation

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

The Advanced Design Studio is a practice-based subject that provides the environment for students to develop a major design outcome. The project is based upon the platform of research work, preliminary concepts and proposal that have emerged throughout the Research and Innovation subject.  

Students will apply their knowledge of design practice and processes considering socio-cultural, ethical, technical, sustainable and economic issues to inform a responsible design outcome.  

An important aspect will be developing and iterating concepts to deliver a design prototype or outcome for evaluation and testing. This includes analysing the functional and aesthetic qualities for the design outcome that successfully addresses the students’ proposed brief.  

Design outcomes may encompass a digital or physical artefact, service design, spatial design, communication design or systems design in the students’ preferred design discipline.  

Pre-requisite: DSGN6029 Research and Innovation

Assessment Tasks: Final brief, report, presentation, artefact development

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

This subject explores how the practice of design shapes and is shaped by the ecological, financial, and technological demands of modern business. As a designer, you will provide services for a variety of businesses, therefore it is critical to understand how a business operates.

This includes:

• How design contributes to the strategic and operational success of a business and the broader economic landscape.
• How design drives viable and sustainable business to meet customer demands.
• The essential functions required to establish a successful business.

Assessment Tasks: Report, Business Model Canvas, Business Plan

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

Service Design is a human-centred approach to developing quality service interactions that can improve user experiences, meet business objectives and create impact. Students will identify and define an existing complex service problem or issue, which they will investigate using various design research methods. They will use advanced journey mapping and service blueprinting methods to analyse and apply their research findings. In doing so, they can develop innovative solutions at the intersection of users, businesses, and technology.

These could include digital or physical products, services, systems and processes. This subject will challenge students to expand their thinking and equip them with a human-centred mindset to work in adaptive work environments.

Assessment Tasks: Report, Journal, Video

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

In Design Studio, students will research and develop alternative design strategies and solutions in response to a complex problem or need. Working individually, students will investigate various design processes, that will enable them to determine the direction and scope for their Design Studio project and outcome.

Students will develop and expand their knowledge and understanding of contextual issues, processes and technical tools that underpin design practice.

Working within their design discipline of choice, students define a project that allows for innovative and experimental responses to a developed brief. As a result, students will develop confidence in their abilities to take risks and tackle projects that range in scope and ambiguity.

Working alongside with inter-disciplinary peers, students will be encouraged to push their personal boundaries to develop new perspectives and ways of thinking for design solutions.

Assessment Tasks: Journal, presentation, artefact development, report

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

This subject addresses the meaning, practices and elements of social innovation from a global and local perspective, in the context of contemporary and future social culture, and social need for both the individual and community.

Students will identify what is a social issue or problem and critically analyse examples of social issues and innovative strategies or processes to address their social project issues or problems. They will synthesise information from scholarly literature, key media elements, and leading industry exemplars.

Students will develop a relevant project brief, employing a range of tools and innovation methodologies, such as:

• researching and understanding real social need and key stakeholders
• identifying where change needs to occur and how this provides the opportunity for innovation
• strategy and key stakeholder mapping, measuring impact and other key processes

Assessment Tasks: Journal, Report, Presentation, Video

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

Open Studio provides students the opportunity to pursue a significant project in a collaborative or professional environment. Students will develop skills in professional practice, team work and critical thinking that will enhance their prospects of gaining meaningful employment and build their career for the future.

By reflecting on current industry practice and future needs, students broaden their learning while studying in a ‘real world’ context as they work towards a design outcome or solution for their final project.

There are two project options available to students:

Option 1: Industry Brief

Students respond to criteria set within the context of an Industry Project. Research methodologies appropriate to professional design practice and the documentation of personal creative investigation will be applied. In addition, students will investigate and examine commercial opportunities through collaborative work practice.  Students draw upon the philosophical, practical, methodological, theoretical and technical tools they have gathered over the duration of their studies to successfully complete their project. The project is proposed as inter-disciplinary and draws on both specialised and common industry practices.

Option 2: Industry placement

This project offers students the opportunity to undertake a design industry placement in their chosen discipline. A workplace environment can enable long-term industry relationships to be established as students learn from people who may become employers, colleagues or mentors in the future. Students will undertake a series of industry-led tasks that are relevant to their design discipline in order to understand the fundamental concepts of working in or managing a professional design team. With emphasis on the operation of the environment, students enhance their communication skills and ability to work collaboratively in a professional context.

The subject is delivered from a cross specialisation perspective and draws on both specialised and common industry practices.

Pre-requisite: DSGN6032 Design Studio

Assessment Tasks: e-journal, report, presentation, interview

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online, Intensive

This subject culminates in the development of a synthesised project proposal that can form the foundation for an incubator project. Issues relating to ethical research practices and approaches to potentially sensitive research matters are considered. Students develop and consolidate their understanding of various research practices in order to analyse and review quantitative and qualitative data. Proposals should seek to identify a well formulated research question and hypothesis based on this analysis. Students also undertake reflective analysis with creative and societal innovation founded on research as they develop their project proposal. At the end of this subject students will have proposed the foundations of a self-initiated project that exhibits a sophisticated understanding of contemporary practice based on triple line philosophy:

1. environmental sustainability;
2. social, ethics and creative responsibility combined with;
3. financial responsibility.

Assessment Tasks: Report

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

The subject explores design leadership in driving success and innovation, regardless of the type of organisation you work in. It offers a comprehensive exploration of leadership in organisations, focusing on how design can drive innovation and change by navigating the complexity of our “faster future”. It provides an understanding of the role of design leaders in organisations, which skills and competences they might have to drive design-led innovation at the organizational strategic level. Students will learn and apply methodologies like systems thinking, strategic design, agile management, visual thinking and business modelling to navigate the complexity of organizational transformations.

Students will examine the concepts, principles, skills and capabilities required to lead design teams and design agendas to influence organisational wide transformation. Students will evaluate different leadership styles, reflect on their own style, and apply strategies used to influence positive and sustainable change. This will enhance their leadership capabilities and prepare for future leadership roles. Students develop critical skills in design leadership, teamworking, sustainable and creative change. The course culminates in a final Design Leadership Project, where students apply learned concepts to real-world challenges.

Assessment Tasks: Report, presentation

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

The Advanced Design Studio is a practice-based subject that provides the environment for students to develop a major design outcome. The project is based upon the platform of research work, preliminary concepts and proposal that have emerged throughout the Research and Innovation subject.  

Students will apply their knowledge of design practice and processes considering socio-cultural, ethical, technical, sustainable and economic issues to inform a responsible design outcome.  

An important aspect will be developing and iterating concepts to deliver a design prototype or outcome for evaluation and testing. This includes analysing the functional and aesthetic qualities for the design outcome that successfully addresses the students’ proposed brief.  

Design outcomes may encompass a digital or physical artefact, service design, spatial design, communication design or systems design in the students’ preferred design discipline.  

Pre-requisite: DSGN6029 Research and Innovation

Assessment Tasks: Final brief, report, presentation, artefact development

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online