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Bachelor of Design (ARB007.2)
Please note these are the 2026 details for this course
| Selection rank | Delivery mode | Location | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | Blended On campus |
Bruce, Canberra South Bank, QLD |
3.0 years |
| Faculty | Discipline(s) | Available teaching periods | UAC code |
| Faculty of Arts and Design | School of Design & Built Environment |
View teaching periods | 362106 |
| Fees | English language requirements | AQF level | |
|
|
View requirements | 7 | |
English language requirements
An IELTS Academic score of 6.0 overall, with no band score below 6.0 (or equivalent).
Delivery mode
Blended: Mixture of online and on campus units are available.
On campus: Units are delivered on campus.
Online: All units are online.
Online Plus: Units are available online, except where attendance at a physical location is required for placement or professional accreditation.
Location
All course material is developed and delivered via the location listed. Online units do not require on campus attendance.
Selection rank
The selection rank is the minimum ATAR plus adjustment factors required for admission to the program in the previous year. This is an indicative guide only as ranks change each year depending on demand.
Fees disclaimer
Annual fee rates
The fees shown are the annual fee rates for the course. The annual rate is the fee that applies to standard full-time enrolment, which is 24 credit points. The final fee charged is based on the proportion of 24 credit points in which a student enrols.
Please note: Course fees are assessed annually and are subject to change.
Commonwealth Support Place (CSP)
Students enrolled in a Commonwealth Support Place (CSP) are required to make a contribution towards the cost of their education, which is set by the Commonwealth Government. Information on Commonwealth Supported Places, HECS-HELP and how fees are calculated can be found here.
Research Students
Most domestic Higher Degree by Research students are supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Fee Offset Scholarship and are not liable for fees up the standard course duration. Find out more about your eligibility here.
AQF Level
University of Canberra qualifications are recognised under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
- Level 5 - Diploma
- Level 6 - Associate Degree
- Level 7 - Bachelor Degree
- Level 8 - Bachelor Honours Degree OR Graduate Certificate OR Graduate Diploma
- Level 9 - Masters Degree
- Level 10 - Doctoral Degree
| Selection rank | Delivery mode | Location | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | On campus |
Bruce, Canberra South Bank, QLD |
3.0 years |
| Faculty | Discipline(s) | Available teaching periods | CRICOS code |
| Faculty of Arts and Design | School of Design & Built Environment |
View teaching periods | 113900B |
| Fees | Academic entry requirements | English language requirements | AQF level |
|
|
View academic entry requirements | View requirements | 7 |
Fees disclaimer
Annual fee rates
The fees shown are the annual fee rates for the course. The annual rate is the fee that applies to standard full-time enrolment, which is 24 credit points. The final fee charged is based on the proportion of 24 credit points in which a student enrols. Information on how fees are calculated can be found here.
Please note: Course fees are assessed annually and are subject to change.
Delivery mode
Blended: Mixture of online and on campus units are available.
On campus: Units are delivered on campus.
Online: All units are online.
Online Plus: Units are available online, except where attendance at a physical location is required for placement or professional accreditation.
English language requirements
An IELTS Academic score of 6.0 overall, with no band score below 6.0 (or equivalent).
Location
All course material is developed and delivered via the location listed. Online units do not require on campus attendance.
Academic entry requirements
To study at UC, you’ll need to meet our academic entry requirements and any admission requirements specific to your course. Please read your course admission requirements below. To find out whether you meet UC’s academic entry requirements, visit our academic entry requirements page.
AQF level
University of Canberra qualifications are recognised under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
- Level 5 - Diploma
- Level 6 - Associate Degree
- Level 7 - Bachelor Degree
- Level 8 - Bachelor Honours Degree OR Graduate Certificate OR Graduate Diploma
- Level 9 - Masters Degree
- Level 10 - Doctoral Degree
Design your way to a better future
Unleash your creativity and master the skills to reimagine how we live, work, and connect through design. With emerging technologies like AI reshaping the creative industries, UC's Bachelor of Design combines human insight with digital innovation to prepare you for the future of creative work.
Our program goes beyond mastering tools. You'll develop technical expertise, creative leadership, and the ability to research, plan, and deliver projects from concept to completion. Through hands-on learning and collaborative studio work, you'll gain practical experience while building the confidence, portfolio, and adaptability to thrive in diverse and evolving creative industries.
Choose from five specialisations: Design (multi-disciplinary) brings together industrial, interaction and visual communication design, developing versatile skills to tackle complex challenges across diverse creative fields. Or focus on Interaction Design (digital experiences and UX/UI), Industrial Design (innovative physical products), Visual Communication Design (brands, campaigns, and visual language), or Game Development (game art, design, and programming). Each specialisation offers different delivery modes, including online, on-campus, and blended options to suit your lifestyle.
Students wishing to study the Industrial Design major can do so at our Bruce campus, where access to dedicated design workshops and specialist equipment is provided.
Study a Bachelor of Design at UC and you will:
- Master cutting-edge design technologies and emerging tools like AI to amplify your creativity
- Create compelling visual experiences that communicate powerful messages across digital and physical mediums
- Design innovative products, interactive experiences, and immersive digital worlds
- Develop user-centric solutions that solve real-world problems and enhance people's lives
- Build expertise in advanced 2D and 3D design technologies, from concept sketching to digital fabrication
- Explore diverse creative fields and discover your unique design voice through hands-on experimentation
Work Integrated Learning
Take advantage of opportunities for direct industry engagement at every level of your study. Work on industry-based studio projects with leading partners such as Breville, the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA), and the National Gallery of Australia (NGA), alongside internship opportunities with local, national and international organisations.
As part of your degree, develop essential employability skills, networks and a deeper understanding of your profession through real case studies and live industry briefs, field trips and faculty-led international study tours, cross-disciplinary collaborative projects. By graduation, you'll have built an impressive portfolio of genuine design projects and had opportunities for it to be reviewed by industry professionals.
Career opportunities
- Brand Designer
- Graphic Designer
- Game Designer
- User Experience (UX) Designer
- Web & App Designer
- Product Designer
- Design Researcher
- Illustrator and Digital Artist
- AR & VR Designer
- UI Designer
- Systems Designer
Course specific information
Take your degree overseas with short-term Study Abroad options tailored specifically to this course. Simply use your breadth units as an exchange opportunity, and work with leading designers and students at prestigious overseas institutions.
Standard entry to this course is by selection rank, but a portfolio entry is also possible.
Admission to this course is based on an entrance rank. A rank can be achieved by the following means:
- Year 12 ATAR
- diploma pathway
- other Australian Qualification
- work experience
- overseas qualification
The Specialist Major in Industrial Design is offered only at our Bruce campus and must be completed on-campus at this location.
We also offer a number of entry initiatives that give you the opportunity to gain entry to the University via alternate pathway programs and admissions schemes.
More information is available on our Alternative Entry page: http://www.canberra.edu.au/future-students/applications/apply-now/alternative-entry
Assumed knowledge
None.
Periods course is open for new admissions
| Year | Location | Teaching period | Teaching start date | Domestic | International |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Bruce, Canberra | Semester 2 | 10 August 2026 | ||
| 2026 | South Bank, QLD | Semester 2 | 10 August 2026 | ||
| 2027 | Bruce, Canberra | Semester 1 | 15 February 2027 | ||
| 2027 | South Bank, QLD | Semester 1 | 15 February 2027 | ||
| 2027 | Coomera, QLD | Semester 1 | 15 February 2027 | ||
| 2027 | Bruce, Canberra | Semester 2 | 09 August 2027 | ||
| 2027 | Coomera, QLD | Semester 2 | 09 August 2027 | ||
| 2027 | South Bank, QLD | Semester 2 | 09 August 2027 |
Credit arrangements
A credit transfer arrangement is available for this course for the following institutions:
Credit Based On Work Experience
Other Australian Tafe
Other Australian Tafe
Bachelor of Design (ARB007) | 72 credit points
- Must pass 24 credit points from anywhere in the University, as a breadth major, a breadth minor and/or as individual units.
Note:
- From 2026, unit 12227 Image and Animation Production replaces 11836 Digital Media Art 2: Image Production.
Note:
Note:
- From Semester 1 2025, unit 12169 Advanced Game Development has replaced 11650 Advanced Real-Time Production.
Note:
- From Semester 1 2025, unit 12171 Extended Realities has replaced 11687 Virtual Environments.
Note:
- From Semester 1 2025, unit 12169 Advanced Game Development has replaced 11650 Advanced Real-Time Production.
Note:
- From Semester 1 2025, unit 12170 Indie Game Development has replaced 11683 Introduction to Games Production.
Note:
- From Semester 1 2025, unit 12171 Extended Realities has replaced 11687 Virtual Environments.
Note:
- From Semester 1 2025, unit 12172 Tabletop Game Design has replaced 11689 Introduction to Game Design.
- Please note: The Specialist Major in Industrial Design is delivered on our Bruce campus only.
1. As per the University of Canberra's Course Procedure - Courses and Course Components, students in a three-year bachelor degree must complete at least 18 credit points at level 3 or above.
2. Please keep this in mind when choosing your majors and electives and contact FAD.Student@canberra.edu.au if you need help with your study plan.
In addition to course requirements, in order to successfully complete your course you must meet the inherent requirements. Please refer to the inherent requirements statement applicable to your course
UC - Canberra, Bruce
Year 1
Semester 1
One Restricted Choice Elective
Semester 2
Two Restricted Choice Electives
Year 2
Semester 1
Two Open Elective Units
Two Restricted Choice Electives
Semester 2
Two Open Elective Units
Two Restricted Choice Electives
Year 3
Semester 1
Two Restricted Choice Electives
Two Open Elective Units
Semester 2
Two Open Elective Units
One Restricted Choice Elective
Year 1
Year 2
Semester 2
Two Restricted Choice Electives
Year 3
Semester 1
1 Open Elective
One Restricted Choice Elective
Semester 2
One Restricted Choice Elective
1 Open Elective
Year 4
Semester 1
1 Open Elective
One Restricted Choice Elective
Semester 2
Two Open Elective Units
Year 5
Semester 1
One Restricted Choice Elective
1 Open Elective
Semester 2
One Restricted Choice Elective
1 Open Elective
Year 6
Semester 1
One Restricted Choice Elective
1 Open Elective
Course duration
Standard 3 years full time or part-time equivalent. Maximum 10 years from date of enrolment to date of course completion.
Learning outcomes
| Learning outcomes | Related graduate attributes |
|---|---|
| Identify and define problems, to work with other designers and non-designers to develop innovative solutions to those problems, and to evaluate and iteratively refine those solutions. | UC graduates are professional: Employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills; communicate effectively; use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems; work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict; display initiative and drive, and use their organisational skills to plan and manage their workload; take pride in their professional and personal integrity. UC graduates are global citizens: Think globally about issues in their profession; adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries; understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures; communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings; make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives; behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives. UC graduates are lifelong learners: Reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development; be self-aware; adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas; evaluate and adopt new technology. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing: Use local Indigenous histories and traditional ecological knowledge to develop and augment understanding of their discipline; communicate and engage with Indigenous Australians in ethical and culturally respectful ways; apply their knowledge to working with Indigenous Australians in socially just ways. |
| Clearly communicate complex concepts and ideas to different audiences using appropriate methods and channels including verbal and visual language. | UC graduates are professional: Employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills; communicate effectively; use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems; work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict; display initiative and drive, and use their organisational skills to plan and manage their workload; take pride in their professional and personal integrity. UC graduates are global citizens: Think globally about issues in their profession; adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries; understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures; communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings; make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives; behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives. UC graduates are lifelong learners: Reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development; be self-aware; adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas; evaluate and adopt new technology. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing: Use local Indigenous histories and traditional ecological knowledge to develop and augment understanding of their discipline; communicate and engage with Indigenous Australians in ethical and culturally respectful ways; apply their knowledge to working with Indigenous Australians in socially just ways. |
| Articulate the role of design and designers in developing ethical design solutions that are responsive to the diverse disciplinary, cultural and economic backgrounds within their community. | UC graduates are professional: Employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills; communicate effectively; use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems; work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict; display initiative and drive, and use their organisational skills to plan and manage their workload; take pride in their professional and personal integrity. UC graduates are global citizens: Think globally about issues in their profession; adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries; understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures; communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings; make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives; behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives. UC graduates are lifelong learners: Reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development; be self-aware; adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas; evaluate and adopt new technology. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing: Use local Indigenous histories and traditional ecological knowledge to develop and augment understanding of their discipline; communicate and engage with Indigenous Australians in ethical and culturally respectful ways; apply their knowledge to working with Indigenous Australians in socially just ways. |
| Select and use appropriate design technologies, skills and knowledge (including familiarity with industry standard tools, technologies and practices) to enable design solutions. | UC graduates are professional: Employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills; communicate effectively; use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems; work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict; display initiative and drive, and use their organisational skills to plan and manage their workload; take pride in their professional and personal integrity. UC graduates are global citizens: Think globally about issues in their profession; adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries; understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures; communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings; make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives; behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives. UC graduates are lifelong learners: Reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development; be self-aware; adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas; evaluate and adopt new technology. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing: Use local Indigenous histories and traditional ecological knowledge to develop and augment understanding of their discipline; communicate and engage with Indigenous Australians in ethical and culturally respectful ways; apply their knowledge to working with Indigenous Australians in socially just ways. |
Majors
- Core Major in Design (CM0003)
- Specialist Major in Interaction Design (SM0011)
- Specialist Major in Industrial Design (SM0010)
- Specialist Major in Design (SM0090)
- Specialist Major in Game Development (SM0092)
- Specialist Major in Visual Communication Design (SM0012)
Awards
| Award | Official abbreviation |
|---|---|
| Bachelor of Design | B Des |
| Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) | BDes (IndDes) |
| Bachelor of Design (Interaction Design) | BDes (InteractionDes) |
| Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication Design) | BDes (VisCommDes) |
| Bachelor of Design (Game Development) | BDes (GameDev) |
Honours
None.
Enquiries
| Student category | Contact details |
|---|---|
| Prospective Domestic Students: | Email study@canberra.edu.au or Phone 1800 UNI CAN (1800 864 226) |
| Prospective International Students: | Email international@canberra.edu.au or Phone +61 2 6201 5342 |
| Current and Commencing Students: | Email FAD.Student@canberra.edu.au or Phone 1300 301 727 |
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