2 trimesters (8 months)
3 trimesters (12 months)
Trimester 1, 2, 3
Gold Coast Campus (Southport)
CRICOS 111385K
Studio practise combined with theoretical studies will enable you to develop strong foundational design skills and unique problem-solving capabilities. The Diploma of Design will empower you to have a positive impact on the world and open the door to a multitude of exciting creative career pathways.
After learning the foundation of design across disciplines, including visual communication, interaction design, product design, and interior design, you will be able to pursue your studies at Griffith University.
Enter directly into the second year of a Bachelor of Design and select from any of the Design Majors or consider alternative pathways to a various range of creative degrees.
Non-Tuition Fees: Allow approximately $50 for drawing tools.
Non-Tuition Fees: Allow approximately $50 for drawing tools.
Non-Tuition Fees: Allow approximately $50 for drawing tools.
Non-Tuition Fees: Allow approximately $50 for drawing tools.
With a Diploma of Design from Griffith College, you could start your journey towards one of the careers below:
Domestic students (QTAC codes included)
| QTAC code | Degree code | Program | Campus | Credit granted* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 083411/ 083311 | 1189 | Bachelor of Design Majors: Visual Communication Design, Interior & Spatial Design, Product Design, Immersive Design, Interaction Design | Gold Coast / South Bank | 80 CP |
| 083331 | 1492 | Bachelor of Architectural Design | Gold Coast | 20 CP |
| 083611/ 083511 | 1568 | Bachelor of Design/Bachelor of Business | Gold Coast / South Bank / Nathan | 60 CP |
| 083531 | 1651 | Bachelor of Visual Arts | South Bank | 40 CP |
| NA | 1619 | Bachelor of Laws (Honours) | Gold Coast / Nathan | 40 CP |
Progression:
Students will progress to their bachelor degree upon completion of their Griffith College diploma with a GPA equivalent to Griffith University’s admission rank requirement for entry to the bachelor program. Contact Griffith College for GPA to rank equivalencies. Diploma students who do not meet the progression requirements for their pathway to Griffith University can apply for a place in their preferred degree via QTAC, and be considered along with other external applicants subject to QTAC admissions requirements and processes.
*80 credit points is equivalent to one year of full-time study. Completion of degrees where students obtain less than 80 credit points of advanced standing in the degree, may take additional time.
| Degree code | Program | Campus | Credit granted* | Min. GPA requirements† |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1189 | Bachelor of Design Majors: Visual Communication Design, Interior & Spatial Design, Product Design, Immersive Design, Interaction Design | Gold Coast / South Bank | 80 CP | 4 |
| 1492 | Bachelor of Architectural Design | Gold Coast | 10/20 CP‡ | 4 |
| 1568 | Bachelor of Design/Bachelor of Business | Gold Coast / South Bank / Nathan | 60 CP | 4 |
| 1651 | Bachelor of Visual Arts | South Bank | 40 CP | 4 |
| 1619 | Bachelor of Laws (Honours) | Gold Coast / Nathan | 40 CP | 5 |
*80 credit points is equivalent to one year of full-time study. Completion of degrees where students obtain less than 80 credit points of advanced standing in the degree, may take additional time.
†International students must achieve the required minimum GPA to progress to their chosen Griffith College bachelor degree.
‡Lower amount of credit applied if students are required to undertake language enhancement course (unless they have IELTS 7.0)..
Note: This structure is a sample only. Please refer to Current Program Structure and Course Outlines for your trimester of study.
Students who enter with an IELTS (or equivalent) < 6.0 will be required to undertake the free Language Development Modules as part of their program.
Language Development Module 1 (LDM100)
This module is designed to provide students with opportunities to review, develop and practice the English language systems and skills required to successfully participate in an undergraduate degree program.
Academic & Professional Skills Development (1201GRC)
This course offers students a broad introduction to the skills involved in acquiring information and in displaying knowledge to others. It includes the basic knowledge and skills required to successfully participate in an undergraduate degree program and to operate effectively in a professional context.
Thinking Through Drawing (1515QCA)
This course examines drawing as a primary mode of observation and communication. Through practical studios, students will be introduced to drawing media and processes, developing a comprehensive portfolio of outcomes and strategies to contribute to their professional design practice.
Form, Space & Process (1516QCA)
This course introduces 3D design principles through practical activities including drawing for design skills, studio modelling skills and spatial reasoning. Students develop a design process that applies creativity, research skills and spatial understanding to solve diverse design problems.
Visual communication is a powerful force to drive new ideas – and obtaining access to the tools that ‘make media’ is an integral part of a perpetually changing world. It has the power to influence society (think: body image, sexualised imagery, consumerism) and environment (think: greenwashing, property development, transport industries) and culture (think: political campaigns, volunteerism, social media).
Language Development Module 2 (LDM200)
This module is designed to provide students with opportunities to review, develop and practice the English language systems and skills required to successfully participate in an undergraduate degree program.
This course provides an intellectual foundation in key concepts and approaches in design. It draws on work in design thinking, creativity studies, philosophy of technology and sociology. Critical and analytical approaches are introduced that help contextualise design activities.
This course provides an overview of current developments in the emerging field of interactive digital media. The course explores the relationship between contemporary practices and their precedents and introduces a range of ideation strategies that engage problem-solving skills through digital technologies. The course grounds this knowledge in practical activities that combine hardware, software and physical materials into working interactive media prototypes. Students will connect theoretical topics and conceptual problems to their own works and will demonstrate their understanding through both written and practical interactive media tasks.
Design Histories & Futures (1537QCA)
This first-year course critically examines design history and theory. Design history, in its traditional form, focuses on design movements, designers and the materiality of the design object and the ways in which it connects to production and consumption, integrated into circulated systems of meaning. The course distinguishes between the concepts and historical figures of the past to frame and inform the key themes influencing art and design theory, practice and culture – today and in the future. The relation between design and its place in history, why the designer needs such knowledge and how they need to employ it in future practice will be examined.
Introduction to Creative Careers (1539QCA)
This course will assist students to foster a sense of career direction, purpose and aspiration. It will raise awareness of possible career options and how to plan future studies to increase employability. Students will develop a positive and professional graduate identity by building a sense of proficiency, leadership, and resilience.
