Advanced Diploma of Graphic Design

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National code: CUA60320 Advanced diploma (TAFE) Hawthorn Send me a link to this course

Draw upon your previous studies – and your passion for design – to expand your knowledge, skills and career prospects, with the Advanced Diploma of Graphic Design.

This course prioritises career-readiness. All of your work is focused through the lens of establishing a path into a career in the graphic design industry. Beyond the technical design skills you’ll hone while studying, you’ll also focus on important business skills, such as costing and scheduling and how to appeal to different target audiences.

Working on real-world client briefs, you’ll build business cases for creative decisions across:

Social media
UX/UI
Exhibition design
Print
Packaging

Industry placement is a feature of the course and may well prove to be a valuable foot in the door as you embark on your career.

Potential professional roles include graphic designer, web designer, visual merchandiser, digital content creator and art director. Or, upon graduating with a credit average, you can transition into the third year of Swinburne's Bachelor of Design.

Duration

6 months full-time or equivalent part-time

Intakes

Hawthorn (February) - View application and start dates

Study mode

Full-time

This is a nationally approved vocational course that is recognised throughout Australia.

Student work

Georgia, Advanced Diploma of Graphic Design
Chris, Advanced Diploma of Graphic Design
Georgia, Advanced Diploma of Graphic Design

I chose Swinburne because of its renowned graphic design course. Plus, the course structure is flexible enough to suit my busy life of study, work and family. My teachers are among the best I’ve had – they’re extremely dedicated and helpful. I’ve gained practical skills and I’m excited to start my placement in a design studio.

Zhou Fang

Advanced Diploma of Graphic Design

Course information in detail

- Course detail, course structure and units of study.

Course description

The Advanced Diploma of Graphic Design is your next step in expanding your existing graphic design skill-set. You will further explore industry opportunities and make design career readiness your focal point. In a collaborative studio environment, advance your creativity as you develop essential costing and scheduling business skills. Understand target markets and what catches their attention. Justify creative decisions based on commercial objectives while designing for Social Media, UX UI, Exhibition Design, Print and Packaging.

Gain industry experience by responding to briefs from real industry clients. Explore working collaboratively with various organisations and developing social responsibility by creating a dynamic design for community and not for profit organisations.

Make your mark with an industry placement that could lead to ongoing employment and begin your exciting career in design.

Students who complete the Advanced Diploma of Graphic Design (with a credit average) can pathway directly into the 3rd year of Swinburne's Bachelor of Design.

Course structure

The Advanced Diploma of Graphic Design is a one-semester course. Classes schedule up to 18 hours per week including online units, additional hours are required to prepare and complete tasks.

Technical Requirements:

Students will need access to a small practical workspace to continue working on projects remotely from time to time.

Students will also require technology and access to the internet to facilitate online classes including video and audio requirements.

Swinburne students have access and can download the Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft 365 products.

To obtain the Advanced Diploma of Graphic Design students must complete 15 units.

Students who pathway from Swinburne's Diploma of Graphic Design complete 10 of these units within their Diploma studies. The remaining 5 units are completed in the Advanced Diploma of Graphic Design one-semester course.

Units of study

Core Units

Establish, negotiate and refine a design brief (CUADES512)

Manage design realisation (CUADES611)

Extend typographic design expertise (CUAGRD603)

Engage in the business of graphic design (CUAGRD611)

Originate graphic designs for complex briefs (CUAGRD612)

Collaborate in professional creative projects (CUAPPR612)

Elective Units

Work with photomedia in creative practice (CUAACD522)

Refine drawing and other visual representation tools (CUAACD531)

Research and apply light and colour (CUAACD534)

Create user interfaces (CUADIG413)

Design digital applications (CUADIG512)

Design interactions (CUADIG516)

Develop graphic designs for the built environment (CUAGRD615)

Develop graphic designs for packaging (CUAGRD616)

Develop professional illustrations (CUAILL511)

Careers and graduate outcomes

- Career opportunities, course aims and objectives and graduate skills.

Career opportunities

Career opportunities exist within advertising agencies and graphic design studios with branding, web design, publishing, advertising, printers, film, and television production. Students may also find employment through in-house design studios for large corporations, educational institutions, and government departments.

Aims and objectives

The course aims to provide participants with wide-ranging and sophisticated print and digital media skills that include advertising and promotion, art direction, branding, corporate identity, instructional design, packaging, signage, web design, and animations. This course is a high-level graphic design course providing sophisticated communication, organisational and project management skills.

The Graduate will have:

A portfolio consists of a wide range of design work
Work placement experiences
Work independently with external clients from initial concepts to the final design.
Project management skills including project costing and budgeting.

Graduate skills

Graduates are good visual communicators who are self-motivated and organised with exceptional computer and technical skills. Graduates are excellent with concepts and execution from initial stage to final design. They will acquire problem-solving and efficient skills in the Adobe suite with Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, XD, Dimension, Animate, After-Effect, Spark, and others. Graduates will have a strong understanding of print production, web, interface, environmental design, animation and packaging design. They will develop presentation and business skills when working with external clients and experience real projects through work placement.

Course fees and requirements

- Entry requirements and non-year 12 entry.

Course fees

A VET Student Loan is available for this course – allowing you to defer part of your fees if you're eligible.

The maximum VET Student Loan amount for this course is $16,788. You must start repaying this loan once you earn above the compulsory repayment threshold.

Advanced Diploma of Graphic Design Estimated course fees for 2023*
*You will need to pay this amount if you do not* receive a VET Student Loan**	$13,970	$8,490	This course is not eligible for Free TAFE
You will need to pay this amount if you do receive a VET Student Loan	Fully Covered	Fully Covered	This course is not eligible for Free TAFE

Estimated course fees for 2023*

For students who are not granted a Skills First government-subsidised place

For students who are granted a Skills First government-subsidised place

Is this a Free TAFE course?

You will need to pay this amount if you do not receive a VET Student Loan

$13,970

$8,490

This course is not eligible for Free TAFE

You will need to pay this amount if you do receive a VET Student Loan

Fully Covered

This course is not eligible for Free TAFE

Fees published on this page are estimates only and are subject to change depending on individual circumstances at the time of enrolment. The above fees apply for units studied in 2023 only and may change for units studied in future years. There may be additional costs related to learning material and equipment.

This training is delivered with Victorian and Commonwealth Government funding.

Skills First Government-subsidised place
You could be granted a Skills First government-subsidised place when you apply for this course. Check your eligibility now.

Concession rates for vocational students
Concession rates for Diploma and Advanced Diploma programs are also available if you self-identify as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent and qualify for a government-subsidised training place under the Indigenous Completions Initiative.

The eligibility criteria are set by the Victorian Government and assessed by Swinburne in accordance with government directives, which are subject to change at any time.

Find out if you’re eligible for a fee concession here.

Full course fee
If you are not granted a government subsidised place, the full course fee will apply. Check your eligibility now.

Indicative nominal course hours: 975.

Entry requirements

To enter this qualification you must have:

1. Completed a Diploma of Graphic Design.

2. A folio that demonstrates the ability to;

produce professional typography that demonstrates application of visual communication history and theory,
produce graphic designs for two-dimensional and three-dimensional applications,
create and manipulate graphics and design complex publication layouts.

Skills and knowledge may have been acquired through graphic design work experience or through formal study.