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Personalised for LOCAL students.

Local student means; you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident, a New Zealand citizen or a permanent humanitarian visa holder.

Personalised for INTERNATIONAL students.

International student means; you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident, a New Zealand citizen or a permanent humanitarian visa holder.

Overview Career Pathways Course details Fees & Costs Requirements Next Steps

Vet Courses

Diploma of Graphic Design

VTAC Code: CUA50720 CRICOS: 105819F VTAC Number: Fairfield 6900368114

Overview Career Pathways Course details Fees & Costs Requirements Next Steps

Overview

Campus

Fairfield

Campus

Fairfield

Duration

1 year full time

Duration

1 year

Requirements

Click here to see entry requirements

Requirements

Click here to see entry requirements

Next Intake

February

Next Intake

February

Design a bright future for yourself

Our Diploma of Graphic Design CUA50720 offers hands-on, practical skills. The course combines practical applied design and theory, allowing you to gain a solid range of skills for future employment within the design industry. Advance your knowledge of the fundamentals of graphic design and stand out from the pack in this creative industry.

Illustrate your skills

Melbourne Polytechnic’s graphic design program gives you practical design skills and the chance to develop a strong creative style. You’ll develop design skills to a proficient and professional level, ready to work as a junior graphic designer or freelance artist. You’ll develop skills for both contemporary technologies and traditional design processes, recognising that both are necessary for employment in the graphic design industry.

Your teachers are all industry professionals who guide and support students throughout their studies. You’ll access opportunities to connect with the design industry and collaborate with other students within the Melbourne Polytechnic creative arts network.

Learning from practising specialists ensures that the knowledge you gain is up-to-date and relevant to the industry. Melbourne Polytechnic has a huge range of facilities and software. You will have access to the Fairfield Campus computer labs, Epson printers and scanners. You will get your own subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud, to use on campus and for home use. Our Diploma of Graphic Design CUA50720 is the perfect pathway into our Bachelor of Illustration - the only specialist Illustration degree in Australia.

Major study topics:

digital imaging
advertising and promotional design
drawing and illustration
packaging and publication design
finished art, prepress and printing
typography and visual communications
2D design
concept design
business skills

Career Pathways

Where will the Diploma of Graphic Design CUA50720 take me?

Once you graduate, your prospective employers include:

advertising agencies
large and small art and design studios
advertising departments of large retail companies
packaging and publishing companies (newspapers, magazines and books)
trade-houses (pre-press and large printing firms)
multimedia studios

Graphic Designer

Study Pathways

On successful completion of this diploma course you may continue on to further studies in the Advanced Diploma of Creative Product Development CUA60420 or a Bachelor of Illustration.

Book an interview

This course requires an interview for entry. Please make a booking for your interview time by clicking book an interview

Book an interview Interview Tips

Course Details

Delivery methods

Classroom based with additional resources online.

How you will study

Each course has a dedicated learning method that is designed to let you thrive in your studies.

On-campus

Interactive learning in a face-to-face environment. Classes will be held at a Melbourne Polytechnic campus or partner institute. Visit the How You'll Study page for more information.

Class Schedule

Tue - Morning and Afternoon
Wed - Morning and Afternoon
Thu - Morning and Afternoon
Fri - Morning and Afternoon

Assessment Methods

Assessment by coursework and folio presentation

Units of Study

The hours displayed are nominal, actual classroom hours delivered may differ. Please contact us for the latest student contact hours information.

Code	Subject	Elective	Hours
BSBLEG525	Apply legal principles in intellectual property law matters	Elective	50
BSBMKG551	Create multiplatform advertisements for mass media	Elective	40
CUAACD531	Refine drawing and other visual representation tools	Core	80
CUAACD536	Refine 2-D design ideas and processes	Elective	70
CUAACD537	Refine 3-D design ideas and processes	Elective	70
CUADES413	Develop and extend design skills and practice	Core	30
CUADES511	Implement design solutions	Elective	70
CUADIG512	Design digital applications	Elective	60
CUADIG516	Design interactions	Elective	60
CUADIG519	Investigate technologies for the creation of digital art	Elective	80
CUAGRD501	Research visual communication history and theory	Core	55
CUAGRD502	Produce graphic designs for 2-D and 3-D applications	Core	60
CUAGRD503	Produce typographic design solutions	Core	60
CUAGRD514	Create and manipulate graphics	Core	60
CUAGRD515	Design and manipulate complex layouts	Core	65
CUAGRD516	Develop graphic design practice to meet industry needs	Core	60
CUAILL401	Develop and refine illustrative work	Elective	50
CUAILL511	Develop professional illustrations	Elective	70
CUAPPR513	Present a body of own creative work	Core	60

Fees & Costs

Tuition Fees

	Government subsidised fee	Non-subsidised fee
Tuition fee	$12750	$17000
Maximum annual amenities	$250	$250
Total payable	$13000	$17250

Per year	$19200
Per semester	$9600

The student tuition fees as published are subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment.

Displayed course fees are indicative only. There are many variables that impact the total amount of your full course costs including qualification for government subsidies, concessions or recognition of prior learning. Tuition fees do not include the cost of student amenities or material costs.

This training is delivered with Victorian and Commonwealth Government funding. Contact us to find out if you’re eligible for a Government subsidy.

Melbourne Polytechnic offers a range of payment options to help you pay your tuition fees, so you can get on with your studies.

Fees displayed are effective for new applications received on or after 1st of November. Tuition fees do not include textbooks, course materials or overseas student health insurance and visa fees.

After initial deposit, international students are able to pay tuition fees in installments, four times per year.

For more detailed information please read the International Student Fees.

Materials

Lists of required materials, books and timetables will be provided at course induction or class enrolment by the teaching department.

Fees explained

The fees for those ineligible for a government-funded enrolment.

Check your eligibility here.

The cost of tuition for those eligible for government funding.

Check your eligibility here.

Additional expenses

The Student Services and Amenities Fee is charged at forty cents (40 cents) per student contact hour and is capped over a twelve (12) month period, effective from the enrolment date, to:

$250 for full fee-paying students; and
$175 for concession-paying students studying Certificate I, II, III, or IV.

Amenities fees are used to improve non-academic services including libraries, counselling services, student support, and recreational activities.

You will be required to purchase specialist equipment/materials throughout the duration of the course. Lists of required materials, books and timetables will be provided at course induction or class enrolment by the teaching department.

Students will be required to purchase specialist equipment/materials throughout the duration of the course at an approximate total cost of $200.00 AUD. Lists of required materials, books and timetables will be provided at course induction or class enrolment by the teaching department.

Requirements

All applicants are required to attend an interview and folio presentation.
Your folio needs to provide evidence of technical skills demonstrating examples of graphic design work that responds to various design challenges. Use of typography that supports a design solution and an ability to use graphic design industry software, such as the Adobe Creative suite.
Skills may have been acquired through personal or work experience, or formal study.
Successful completion of VCE/equivalent or mature age
Non-VCE applicants must be at least 17 years old
VCE students selected on the basis of interview and folio
Non-VCE and direct applicants selected on the basis of interview and folio

Academic: Australian Year 12 equivalency
English: Academic IELTS 5.5 with no individual band below 5.0, Pearson PTE Academic 42 overall with no individual communicative skill below 36, or Melbourne Polytechnic recognised equivalency.
Other: Applicants are required to present a folio, which should demonstrate the use of a range of materials and techniques including a selection of graphic design solutions, typography, illustrations, visual artwork, photography, freehand observational drawings, digital and other artwork. Demonstrated ability to use graphic design industry software, such as the Adobe Creative suite. Skills may have been acquired through personal or work experience, or formal study. Attend an interview.

Next Steps

The first step to enrolling is completing the application short form from the Apply Now page.

After you complete that form we will send you an email with a link to an application form webpage. If you don’t receive the email, check your spam and junk folders.

Complete the application form on the application form webpage.

You will be required to complete an online literacy and numeracy assessment.

We’ll ask you to attend an interview to ensure that this is the right course for you.

Once you are ready to enrol, you will be invited to attend an enrolment appointment over the phone or on campus.

For Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas, you may be eligible for a VET Student Loan. Read more about them here.

If you need assistance with your application and the next steps, you can contact one of our Education and Course Advisors on 1300 635 276 or follow a step-by-step guide to enrolling for vocational education local students.

When we receive your application, the International Office will be in contact with you shortly to discuss your application and provide you additional instructions.

If you'd like to speak to one of our International Office staff directly, call 1300 635 276