Diploma of Graphic Design CUA50720

If you love design and technology and have a bit of experience with graphic design (self-taught or through work experience), then the Diploma of Graphic Design may be the course for you. 

The Diploma is a great way to get the skills you need to launch a brand-new career, or if you have been working in the industry, it is the perfect way to formalise your skills and get the qualification you need to take the next step in your career. 

Graphic Design Information Session

Curious about studying Graphic Design? Join our weekly Graphic Design Q&A sessions to explore the course, get industry insights, and connect with your trainer. Ask your questions live and see if this path is right for you.

• Every Friday at 11.00 AM – 11:30 AM
• Microsoft Teams meeting: Join meeting now
• Meeting ID: 480 812 897 388 8
• Passcode: kW6kW9W8

During your studies, you will learn: 

• Design fundamentals, such as, typography, colour, visual communication and manipulation of graphics and layouts 
• How to master drawing and illustration, as well as print and packaging 
• How to understand and interpret branding and identity 
• How to understand and work with a client design brief 
• How to work in digital design 
• Creation of multiplatform assessments 
• Key skills around developing your own professional design practice, setting you up to work effectively as a freelancer, or in an agency environment 

• Multiple choice Quiz
• Portfolio
• Role plays
• Video
• Written assessments

The duration for the course is maximum 24 months. As a self-paced online course, the time it will take you to complete is flexible and dependent on ability and time available.

Mandatory Entry Requirements:

Students need to be able to demonstrate and/or provide evidence of their graphic design skills and ability.

Students need to be able to:

• Produce multiple examples of graphic design work that respond effectively to different design challenges
• Produce typography that supports the overall design solution
• Use graphic design software
  

To meet the above requirements, students will be required to:

• Complete the two graphic design tasks (entry portfolio tasks) using Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and/or Photoshop, OR
• Provide examples of their existing work that meet similar criteria as below, OR
• Enrol in the Graphic Design Pathway program, which includes D0121 Graphic Design Essentials. Successful completion of the Graphic Design Essentials course will provide students with the knowledge and skills to meet the mandatory entry requirements. Students will not have access to the Diploma of Graphic Design until they have completed Graphic Design Essentials. There is an extra cost associated with the Graphic Design Essentials.
  

Entry Portfolio Tasks:

Task 1: Produce an A3 (297mm x 420mm) typographic poster that gives reasons why you want to be a graphic designer.

The poster must:

• Use only 3 colours
• Use only one serif font and 1 sans-serif font
• As part of the design process, undertake some research into current design trends and incorporate this into the design
  
  

Task 2: Produce a 105mm x 148mm postcard to match your typographic poster.

The postcard must:

• Share the same style, theme and typography, however, it can only be black and white
• Only have 1 reason why you want to be a graphic designer on it
• Select the reason that is most important to you
  
  

IMPORTANT NOTE: While working on the poster and postcard, students must take 2 screenshots while each piece of work is in development. This allows Open Colleges to see the software and tools that the student is using.

Recommended Local Entry Requirements

Students will need to be at least 18 years old. Students under 18 will need a parent or guardian to complete the parent or guardian declaration on the Enrolment Form.

Students residing in WA/NT under the age of 18, who are not currently studying for their year 12 certificate cannot be enrolled.

Students are recommended to have the language, literacy, and numeracy skills that ensure the ability to read and comprehend technical terms and communicate effectively through email.

These skills are equivalent to:

• ACSF Level 4 OR
• Successful completion of Certificate IV qualification or higher

Tools, equipment, and skills required:

• Access to up to 3 people to participate in role plays and assessments
• Access to a device with audio & video capabilities to record simulated role-play tasks for submission
• Tripod to provide a stable and secure platform to mount the digital recording device
• Proficient / Advanced computing skills
• Uploading documents through websites/Cloud computing
• Peripherals - 1280 x 800 display (1280 x 1024 recommended) with 16-bit colour and 512 MB of VRAM
• External hard drive for back up of 1T or above
• Access to a modern computer with high-speed internet
• Access to Microsoft Office

Software Requirements:

• Paid subscription to Adobe Creative Suite - Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Adobe Creative Cloud (Refer to the Adobe website at https://www.adobe.com/ for current pricing)
• Audio recording Software (Voice recorder app, Garageband, or Audacity)
• Video editing software (iMovie, Video Editor app)
• File compression software