Design,MC-DESIGN

Overview

The Master of Design caters for learners who are eager to become design leaders of the future through either a practice or leadership-oriented pathway, or a combination of both.

The course will deepen your understanding of design practice through theory-based and practical units that draw on contemporary and emerging design fields including experience design, social design and speculative design.

For professionals looking to develop leadership capabilities in design, units focusing on entrepreneurship, design-led innovation and design strategy will prepare you for senior or executive design roles.

Throughout your study you will have the opportunity to learn from experts across a range of design disciplines to inform your practice. You will engage with a community of fellow industry professionals and enterprises beyond the design industry to see how design can fuel innovation.

The course offers three levels of study, with completion of one level providing credit to the next. You can choose to exit the degree at the graduate certificate or graduate diploma level.

What you'll learn

• develop an in-depth knowledge of their field of design practice articulated through the creation of new artefacts, services, products or processes
• apply specialised knowledge, theories, frameworks and practices relevant to design leadership to inform design-led innovation
• demonstrate a theoretical knowledge of design and reflect critically on design theory, practice and history in multiple cultural settings through space and time
• apply advanced cognitive, technical and creative skills to the framing and interrogation of design problems to develop innovative design solutions
• professionally communicate concepts, proposals, ideas, and final designs to the target audience in a highly accomplished (and persuasive) manner
• synthesise complex, contextual and critical information drawn from global perspectives to inform design
• apply emerging technologies effectively to their design practice and process to develop design innovations that fulfil individual, collective or societal needs
• develop leadership ability, in the context of the design industry, to manage and work in interdisciplinary project teams and contexts
• develop a lifelong commitment to the value of design and their design practice and be able to inform, advocate and communicate this value to communities, enterprises and public

Entry requirements

English requirements

Curtin requires all applicants to demonstrate proficiency in English. Specific English requirements for this course are outlined in the IELTS table below.

You may demonstrate English proficiency using the following tests and qualifications.

Have your supporting documents to hand, and ensure they meet our guidelines. The documents may include certified copies of your qualifications, English language proficiency documents and supplementary forms for certain courses.

If your documents are not issued in English, an official translation from a recognised translation service must be provided.

Recognised translation services

• National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) accredited translator in Australia
• The Awarding institution
• A Notary Public Office
• The official Government body
• An official and accredited translator*

*Official translations are subject to review.

If you have undertaken previous study or work that matches the content of some of your Curtin course units, you may be able to obtain credit for recognised learning, which exempts you from studying those units.

You can apply direct online through our Applicant Portal. You can access the Applicant Portal by:

1. Navigating to the relevant course page
2. Click ‘Apply now’
3. When the pop-up window appears, select “Apply directly to Curtin University”.

If you want to package your course with a Curtin English course, you can submit your application with your course application documents to streamline the process.

If your application is successful, you will receive an offer that you will need to accept or reject.

If you accept your offer, you will receive a Confirmation of Enrolment ­– a document from Curtin that details your course, how long you will be studying the course, and the tuition fees. This document can be used for acquiring a student visa.

Apply to the Australian government for your student visa. Gaining a student visa will allow you to participate in full-time study in Australia and work up to 40 hours in a fortnight. If you’re under 18 years of age, you must have approved accommodation and welfare arrangements in place before a visa can be issued.

See our pre-departure resources for helpful information regarding your move to Perth.