Bachelor of Design

Good design has the power to transform and provide lasting solutions that improve our lives.

Designers apply creative and open approaches to defining and solving problems, leading to high-quality decisions. This enables businesses and industries to overcome rigid or outdated ways of doing things.

Design has applications in the creation and improvement of our cities, buildings, transport networks, furniture, websites, processes, bridges, landscapes and environment. Designers are innovators who enhance the way we live and interact with the world around us.

Be in demand

With job markets evolving constantly, gaining skills that transfer across industries is really important. The ability to apply design thinking is now recognised as a specific and desirable skill.

As technology drives more and more aspects of our lives, designers are playing an important role expanding the potential of the Internet of Things, such as smart homes, smart cities and intelligent transportation.

If you are imaginative, enjoy learning about new fields, and want to play a role in improving the way we live and the places we live in, Design could be a good fit for you.

Learn through making and doing

Design studios, site visits, field trips and interaction with industry practitioners will take you into ‘real life’ situations with industry briefs.

You will study in award-winning state-of- the-art teaching facilities that demonstrate many of the design techniques you will be working to acquire in class.

The work you will do in class uses the same collaborative approaches you’ll find in workplaces, ensuring you are industry-ready from day one. Many of your teachers are also working in industry at the same time, sharing current knowledge and practice directly with you.

The Bachelor of Design allows you to combine the humanities, sciences and visual and performing arts within a single degree. You can further tailor your skills through breadth study and third-year design specialisations, such as Building Image Modelling (BIM), to expand your core program. You can focus on one or two majors, or complete a major and a specialisation.

Your degree

As a Bachelor of Design student, you’ll use innovative processes to solve problems creatively and determine solutions for a better future. You will develop expert knowledge and skills, and study real projects within the built environment, engineering, technology and performing and visual arts disciplines.

Your connections

The Melbourne curriculum connects students with each other, the University community and the wider world. You will be surrounded by other high-achieving students who will inspire you to take on new challenges and push yourself to a higher level.

We encourage every student to engage with organisations outside the University, through internships with business and community groups, applied research projects and overseas study programs.

Our graduates are in demand: we are ranked 8th in the world for graduate employability.¹ More than 250 Australian and international organisations – consulting and technology firms, government and industry – actively recruit on campus each year.

^{1. QS Graduate Employability 2022}

Please note: There is no portfolio necessary for entry into the course

A portfolio is not required for entry into the course. You will be producing your own designs and learning different design techniques from your very first semester.

• Completed secondary education recently (within the past two years)

• This is information for applicants with recent secondary education (within the past two years)

  Applicants are selected according to academic merit, in the form of the ATAR or notional ATAR calculated by the relevant Tertiary Admissions Centre. Courses which select primarily on ATAR will have minimum ATARs set in advance, and you can only be selected below this point if you have additional criteria to be considered.

  The standard required to receive an offer may be above the minimum ATAR. It is determined by the number of applications and the number of places available.

  External assessment is a key component required in all qualifications approved as entry pathways to the University of Melbourne. For this reason, you’ll need an ATAR or notional ATAR for courses which select primarily on ATAR, and study scores to satisfy prerequisites (not simply completing the subject).

  Consideration of equity, student backgrounds and previous educational disadvantage

  The University of Melbourne takes into consideration equity, student backgrounds and previous education disadvantage through a number of special entry schemes, including Access Melbourne

  Please note: The University of Melbourne does not make ATAR adjustments for VCE graduates who have met the requirements of the VCE - Baccalaureate. For more information about this award, refer to the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority.

  Prerequisites

  All applicants must satisfy the course prerequisites. Usually this is achieved through the relevant Australian Year 12 subject but there are other ways you can satisfy prerequisites.

  Criteria that may apply in addition to ATAR

  If you’re not clearly-in, factors may be taken into consideration in addition to your ATAR or notional ATAR:

  Access Melbourne

  Circumstances described in your SEAS application. For some applicants, selection guarantees may apply. For all applicants eligible for Access Melbourne, offers are regularly made significantly below the lowest selection rank offered to and the minimum ATAR. Check if you are eligible for Access Melbourne

  Elite Athletes and Artistic Performers Entry Scheme

  Additional consideration is given on an individual basis based on the circumstances described in your Elite Athletes and Artistic Performers Entry Scheme application. For some applicants, selection guarantees may apply. For all applicants eligible for the Elite Athletes and Artistic Performers Entry Scheme, offers may be made below the lowest selection rank offered to. Find out about the scheme.

  Adjustments for the following criteria are already made as part of the ATAR calculation and we do not adjust for:

  • Extension studies undertaken as part of Year 12
  • Bonus points for completed language subjects.

  Personal statements

  Only relevant work and community experience will be considered and only where work experience is specified in the course selection criteria.

  ATAR-based admission information in Semester 1, 2024

  ATAR-based admission for the Bachelor of Design (includes data also for any Bachelor of Design Graduate Degree Package offers, if applicable).	ATAR
  Lowest ATAR where a recent Year 12 student offer was made (excluding students made offers through special entry schemes)	85.10
  Lowest ATAR to which an offer was made (including students made offers through special entry schemes)	64.80
  Minimum ATAR required for consideration (only applicants eligible for special entry schemes will be admitted below the minimum)	N/A for this course
  Guaranteed ATAR for applicants who completed Year 12 and were eligible for the Access Melbourne categories of regional or remote and/or disadvantaged financial background*	74.00
  Guaranteed ATAR for Indigenous applicants who completed Year 12	70.00
  Guaranteed ATAR for Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars who completed Year 12 and attended an under-represented school*	90.00
  Guaranteed ATAR for Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars who completed Year 12 and did not attend an under-represented school*	95.00

  _{*All students who achieve the specified guaranteed ATAR and meet the course prerequisites will be offered a place}

  ATAR profile of those offered places in the Bachelor of Design wholly or partly on the basis of ATAR in Semester 1, 2024 (includes data also for any Bachelor of Design Graduate Degree Package offers, if applicable). Does not include consideration of student background and equity.

  ATAR-based offers only, across all offer rounds	ATAR
  Highest rank to receive an offer	99.70
  Median rank to receive an offer	89.05
  Lowest rank to receive an offer	85.10

• Completed some or all of a higher education qualification

• This information is for applicants with higher education study from the last seven years (excluding extension studies taken as part of Year 12).

  If your last study was more than seven years ago, see the information about the non-school leaver entry pathway in the section for applicants with work and life experience below.

  Applicants are selected according to academic merit, usually in the form of the weighted average mark.

  Your weighted average mark (WAM)

  If you have completed any higher education study, a weighted average mark (WAM) (weighted according to the point value of the individual subjects) is calculated. Your WAM is calculated across any undergraduate and graduate coursework study you have undertaken. Any research study undertaken is considered in addition to your WAM. Instructions on how to calculate a WAM

  If you have less than a year (1 EFTSL) of higher education study

  Your entire academic record is considered and both your ATAR (or other final secondary result) and your WAM will be considered.

  If you’ve completed less than a year (1 EFTSL) of higher education study and don’t have a secondary qualification assessed by the University as equivalent to the VCE, you won’t be eligible for entry. You may be eligible, however, under the non-school leaver entry pathway, see the section for applicants with work and life experience below.

  If you have a year (1 EFTSL) of higher education study

  Generally, your WAM will be primary factor in assessment, particularly if your study is in a relevant discipline.

  If you have more than a year (1 EFTSL) of higher education study

  WAMs will be calculated across all your higher education study and across the last year (1 EFTSL) and the higher of the two will be considered in assessment. If the points equating to the last EFTSL fall within a study period (e.g., a semester) then all subjects within that study period will be included in the calculation.

  The information provided in your VTAC personal statement regarding your motivation in applying for the course and your study and career goals will also be taken into consideration.

  VTAC personal statement

  Some elements of your VTAC personal statement may be considered during assessment:

  • Relevant work and community experience will be considered only where work experience is specified as part of the course selection criteria
  • Explanations about why the WAM does not truly represent your potential:
    • Difficult circumstances - we would typically assume that these have been dealt with via special consideration and other internal mechanisms at your previous institution. If this is not the case, you can describe the issue and the impact it had in a personal statement and attach independent supporting documentation to corroborate your claim.
    • Please note: if you have previous higher education study you are not eligible for Access Melbourne (excluding extension studies done as part of Year 12 and applicants eligible for the non-school leaver entry pathway). For most applicants with higher education study, we do not look at information provided in the VTAC SEAS application, only at information provided in the personal statement.
  • If you believe your performance was impacted by the discipline you were studying and you are now seeking a ‘fresh start’, you can mention this in this form. If your higher education study was consecutive, recent, not more than a year, and your secondary results are above the level required for entry, then in some cases you may be assessed mainly on your secondary results.

  If you have completed more than a year of tertiary study, details about your motivation in applying for the course and your future study and career goals will be considered.

  Prerequisites

  All applicants must satisfy the course prerequisites. Usually this is achieved through the relevant Australian Year 12 subject but there are other ways you can satisfy prerequisites, including through the completion of approved tertiary subjects

  There is no time limit for satisfying an English prerequisite but other prerequisites must generally be satisfied within the last 10 years to ensure the knowledge is current.

  Advanced standing (credit)

  Advanced standing (sometimes known as credit or recognition of prior learning) may be awarded based on prior study. It is not awarded for work experience in undergraduate degrees. Learn more about Advanced Standing.

• Completed some or all of a VET qualification

• This information is for applications who have completed all or some vocational education and training (VET) study from the last seven years.

  If your last study was more than seven years ago, see the information about the non-school leaver entry pathway in the section for applicants with work and life experience below.

  To be considered for entry, your study must be at Diploma or Advanced Diploma level and in a discipline relevant to the course you are applying for. If this is not the case, assessment will be based on other study completed (typically secondary results).

  Applicants who have completed the Diploma in General Studies at Melbourne may be eligible for guaranteed selection.

  Applicants are selected according to academic merit, usually in the form of the weighted average mark.

  Your weighted average mark (WAM)

  If you have completed a Diploma or Advanced Diploma in a relevant discipline a weighted average mark (WAM) (weighted according to the point value of the individual subject) will be calculated. Qualifications which are not graded (for example, where only competency results are awarded) are not suitable for entry as assessment is based on the WAM. Instructions on how to calculate a WAM

  Access Melbourne

  If you’ve undertaken vocational education and training (VET), you can apply through Access Melbourne, our special entry scheme.

  Personal statements

  Only relevant work and community experience will be considered and only where work experience is specified as part of the course selection criteria.

  Prerequisites

  All applicants must satisfy the course prerequisites. Usually this is achieved through the relevant Australian Year 12 subject but there are other ways you can satisfy prerequisites.

  There is no time limit for satisfying an English prerequisite but other prerequisites must generally be satisfied within the last 10 years to ensure the knowledge is current.

  Advanced standing (credit)

  Advanced standing (sometimes known as credit or recognition of prior learning) may be awarded based on prior study. It is not awarded for work experience in undergraduate degrees. Learn more about Advanced Standing.

• Applicants with work and/or life experience

• Applicants in this category typically fall into one of the following categories:

  • Non-school leaver entry pathway for applicants whose secondary education was completed over two years ago and/or any tertiary study was more than seven years ago
  • Applicants with an overseas secondary qualification
  • Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander applicants who don’t fit into the above categories but are assessed as likely to succeed in the proposed course. (See additional information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the section below).