Program Requirements

The Master of Design (Advanced) requires completion of 96 units, which must consist of:

24 units from completion of the following introductory component:

6 units from completion of foundation theory courses from the following list:

ARTH6004 City Sites: studies in art and urbanity
ARTH6043 Modernism and Postmodernism in Art and Design: 1850-2000
ARTH6162 Cyberculture
ARTH6164 Theories of the Object
ARTH6165 Theories of the Image
ARTH6167 Issues in Contemporary Craft and Design
ARTH6171 Costume, Fashion and Visual Culture

18 units from completion of foundation studio and design courses from the following list:

ARTV6000 Animation
ARTV6003 Video Art
ARTV6006 Photography
ARTV6057 Hands On: Material Language
DESN8001 Design inquiry: Application of Research

24 units from completion of disciplinary courses from the following list:

DESA6017 Multiples and Production: The Unique Offering
DESN6001 Digital Form and Fabrication
DESN6002 Foundations of Creative Code
DESN6003 Creative Data Visualisation: representing data in visual and material form
DESN6004 Dynamic Design and Generative Systems
DESN6005 Form and Fabrication in Context
DESN6006 Front-End Web: Crafting Online Experience
DESN6010 Design Practice: Engagement, Internship and Entrepreneurship
DESN8001 Design inquiry: Application of Research
DESN8002 Major Design inquiry: Application of Research
DESN8003 Extended Design inquiry: Application of Research
MGMT7161 Entrepreneurship and New Venture Planning
MUSC8018 Exhibition Design and Delivery

24 units from completion of the following research component:

12 units from completion of research training courses from the following list:

ARTH8020 Arguing Objects
ARTH8021 Writing About Art and Creative Practice
ARTH8022 Points of View: Independent Creative Art and Media Practice
DART8067 Digital Arts Research: contexts, practices and methodologies

12 units from completion of research project courses from the following list:

DESN8001 Design inquiry: Application of Research
DESN8002 Major Design inquiry: Application of Research
DESN8003 Extended Design inquiry: Application of Research

24 units from completion of THES8105 Thesis

The following courses are repeatable for credit, up to a maximum of 36 units each, and if repeated must be repeated with a different topic each time. Each instance of a course may only be counted towards one list.

DESN8001 Design inquiry: Application of Research
DESN8002 Major Design inquiry: Application of Research
DESN8003 Extended Design inquiry: Application of Research

Unless otherwise stated, a course used to satisfy the requirements of one list may not be double counted towards satisfying the requirements of another list.

Students must have the written agreement of an identified supervisor in order to enrol in THES8105 Thesis in a specified semester one calendar year in advance of the start date of that semester. Students who do not have the written agreement of an identified supervisor one calendar year in advance, or whose agreed supervisor either subsequently leaves the university or is on leave from the university, will be transferred to the Master of Design.

Unless otherwise stated, a course used to satisfy the requirements of one list may not be double counted towards satisfying the requirements of another list.

Study Options

Admission Requirements

A Bachelor degree or international equivalent with a minimum GPA of 6.0/7.0, and the approval of an identified supervisor for the research project/thesis.

Applicants must also have a successful assessment of a portfolio of works.

Students must have the written agreement of an identified supervisor in order to enrol in THES8105 Thesis in a specified semester one calendar year in advance of the start date of that semester. Students who do not have the written agreement of an identified supervisor one calendar year in advance, or whose agreed supervisor either subsequently leaves the university or is on leave from the university, will be transferred to the Master of Design.

Cognate Disciplines

Architecture, Art History, Art Theory, Communication Design, Curatorship, Design, Digital Humanities, Game Design, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Information Technology, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Media Arts, Museum Studies, Science Communication, Visual Arts, Visual Communication, Web Design.

English Language Requirements

All applicants must meet the University’s English Language Admission Requirements for Students.

Assessment of Qualifications

Unless otherwise indicated, ANU will accept all Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications or international equivalents that meet or exceed the published admission requirements of our programs, provided all other admission requirements are also met. Where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will base assessment on the qualification that best meets the admission requirements for the program. Find out more about the Australian Qualifications Framework: www.aqf.edu.au

ANU uses a 7-point Grade Point Average (GPA) scale. All qualifications submitted for admission at ANU will be converted to this common scale, which will determine if an applicant meets our published admission requirements. Find out more about how a 7-point GPA is calculated for Australian universities: www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/admission-criteria/tertiary-qualifications

Unless otherwise indicated, where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will calculate the GPA for each qualification separately. ANU will base assessment on the best GPA of all completed tertiary qualifications of the same level or higher.

Application for course credits

Applicants with a Bachelor Degree or Graduate Certificate in a cognate discipline may be eligible for up to 24 units (one semester) of credit. Applicants with a Graduate Diploma or Bachelor degree with Honours in a cognate discipline may be eligible for up to 48 units (one year) of credit. 

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the skills and knowledge to:

1. Develop practice-led methodologies through investigation, analysis and synthesis of complex information to plan and execute substantial design research projects.

2. Generate, develop and evaluate complex ideas and concepts using critical, technical and creative skills through design projects.

3. Critically reflect upon and evaluate theoretical, conceptual and aesthetic aspects of design.

4. Research, design and develop projects that offer innovative conceptual and practical propositions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.

5. Complete a major piece of research in the field of design.