F2010 Bachelor of Design

This course is structured in four parts and develops through theme studies in history and theory, a drawing foundation, design studios specific to each of the specialist areas of study, and a range of self-selected elective units. These will come together in the form of a graduand exhibition developed during the final two studio units in the third year of the course.

Part A. Critical contexts

These studies will equip you with the skills necessary to research design issues that enable you to contextualise your own thinking and making in relation to the broader spectrum of global practices. These units will develop your ability to communicate ideas and strategies. Through the duel lens of historic and contemporary practice, you will begin to situate the place of design in society by referencing pivotal art, design and architecture movements. Later units address issues of culture, society and responsible design practices.

Part B. Disciplinary practices

This will assist you to develop the practical and intellectual skills required by art, design and architecture students in the discipline of drawing. This will introduce you to occupational health, safety and environmental training particularly within the context of studying art, design and architecture.

Part C. Studio practices

This is the component of the course through which you will develop key skills and concepts particular to your design discipline.

In the collaborative design studio units you will create purposeful responses to contemporary social, cultural, and environmental challenges by employing co-design principles, mindsets, and methods. You will explore the specialist and transferable characteristics of collaborative design through simple and complex challenges. Through thematic-based projects, you’ll discover Design as a catalyst for collaboration, curiosity, learning, and impactful action. By immersing yourself in these studio units, you will experience the intersection of creativity and collaboration, and experience design as a relational, social, cultural and political practice with tangible impact.

In the communication design studio units you will undertake an exploration of traditional and emergent media and communication processes. You will learn to engage with and manipulate core design elements including typography, imagery, two and three-dimensional artefacts, interactivity, sound and motion, as key components to communication design solutions. Studio-based projects across both print and digital media platforms will develop skills in narrative story-telling, visible language, image construction and manipulation, interactive communication processes, production methods and technologies, and the planning and management of design outcomes.

In the industrial design studio units you will undertake a focused exploration of the range of issues, skills and techniques vital to the realisation of resolved product and object design. The studio units introduce you to the elements of industrial design including usability, form language and manufacturing. By carrying out industrial design projects, you will learn and apply skills in visualisation, interface design, model making, ergonomics, materials, manufacturing and production methods and technologies.

The spatial design studio units provide the opportunity to experiment with creative ideas while gaining an advanced understanding of the principles of spatial design. You will learn to translate your 2 dimensional concepts into 3 dimensional installations. Studio projects range from real client briefs involving cultural, commercial and community organisations to more speculative briefs that explore the opportunities and challenges of a continually transforming contemporary society. Through the sequence of studio units you will learn to create unique spaces and also how to adapt existing spaces to reflect your design ideas.

Part D. Free electives

Deepen your knowledge by selecting electives from the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture, including gaining workplace experience by selecting an internship unit as an elective and enriching your degree by using free electives for Monash Abroad opportunities. Alternatively, you may choose to select electives from across the university (provided you satisfy the unit rules) to broaden your interdisciplinary perspectives.

Part E. Indonesian studies (For the Indonesia offering only)

This will enable you to gain an understating of key political, social and cultural values that define Indonesia. 

Course progression map

The course progression maps provide guidance on unit enrolment for each semester of study. Please ensure that you refer to the correct course map for your semester of commencement:

Semester 1, 2026 intake

Semester 2, 2026 intake

Monash Indonesia, 2026 intake

The course comprises 144 credit points, of which 96 credit points are focussed on the study of design (Collaborative design, Communication design, Industrial design or Spatial design) and 48 credit points of free electives

You must ensure that you complete no more than 10 units (60 credit points) at Level 1 and at least 24 credit points at Level 3 or higher.

The course is structured in four parts and develops through theme studies in history and theory studies, drawing foundation, and design studio practice and free electives.

Elective units may be at any level, however, no more than 60 points are to be completed at level 1 in the design course.

Units are 6 points unless otherwise stated.

Part A. Critical contexts (30 points)

You must complete the following units.

• BLK1000 Indigenous Australian creative practice and ways of knowing 
• TDN1002 Design and the avant-garde
• TDN2001 Sociologies of design
• TDN3001 Research for design
• TDN3002 Design strategy and professional practice

Part B. Disciplinary practices (6 points)

You must complete the following two units.

• DWG1201 Drawing: Introduction
• OHS1000 Introduction to art and design health and safety

Part C. Studio practices (60 points)

You must complete 60 credit points comprising:
- DGN1000 Design studio (12 credit points); and
- 48 credit points of specialisation studio units (Collaborative design, Communication design, Industrial design or Spatial design).

• DGN1000 Design studio 1 (12 points)

Collaborative design

For this specialisation, you must complete 48 credit points, with at least 36 credit points (three units) from the following list.

Note 1: You must complete Studio 4 and Studio 5 units in your chosen specialisation.
Note 2: You may replace either the Studio 2 or Studio 3 unit below with the equivalent unit from an alternative specialisation.
Note 3: You may replace either the Studio 4 or Studio 5 unit below with the Global design studio unit (DGN3000). Refer to the Global design studio for more information on eligibility.

• COL1002 Collaborative design studio 2 (12 points)
• COL2001 Collaborative design studio 3 (12 points)
• COL3001 Collaborative design studio 4 (12 points)
• COL3002 Collaborative design studio 5 (12 points)

Communication design

For this specialisation, you must complete 48 credit points, with at least 36 credit points (three units) from the following list.

Note 1: You must complete Studio 4 and Studio 5 units in your chosen specialisation.
Note 2: You may replace either the Studio 2 or Studio 3 unit below with the equivalent unit from an alternative specialisation.
Note 3: You may replace either the Studio 4 or Studio 5 unit below with the Global design studio unit (DGN3000). Refer to the Global design studio for more information on eligibility.

• CDS1002 Communication design studio 2 (12 points)
• CDS2001 Communication design studio 3 (12 points)
• CDS3001 Communication design studio 4 (12 points)
• CDS3002 Communication design studio 5 (12 points)

Industrial design

For this specialisation, you must complete 48 credit points, with at least 36 credit points (three units) from the following list.

Note 1: You must complete Studio 4 and Studio 5 units in your chosen specialisation.
Note 2: You may replace either the Studio 2 or Studio 3 unit below with the equivalent unit from an alternative specialisation.
Note 3: You may replace either the Studio 4 or Studio 5 unit below with the Global design studio unit (DGN3000). Refer to the Global design studio for more information on eligibility.

• IDN1002 Industrial design studio 2 (12 points)
• IDN2001 Industrial design studio 3 (12 points)
• IDN3001 Industrial design studio 4 (12 points)
• IDN3002 Industrial design studio 5 (12 points)

Spatial design

For this specialisation, you must complete 48 credit points, with at least 36 credit points (three units) from the following list.

Note 1: You must complete Studio 4 and Studio 5 units in your chosen specialisation.
Note 2: You may replace either the Studio 2 or Studio 3 unit below with the equivalent unit from an alternative specialisation.
Note 3: You may replace either the Studio 4 or Studio 5 unit below with the Global design studio unit (DGN3000). Refer to the Global design studio for more information on eligibility.

• SDN1002 Spatial design studio 2 (12 points)
• SDN2001 Spatial design studio 3 (12 points)
• SDN3001 Spatial design studio 4 (12 points)
• SDN3002 Spatial design studio 5 (12 points)

Part D. Free electives (48 points)

Deepen your knowledge by selecting electives from the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture, including gaining workplace experience by selecting an internship unit as an elective and enriching your degree by using free electives for Monash Abroad opportunities. Alternatively, you may choose to select electives from across the University (provided you satisfy the unit rules) to broaden your interdisciplinary perspectives.

Free electives can be identified using the [[http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/search][browse units]] tool and [[http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/][indexes of units]] in the current edition of the Handbook. [[http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/aos/index-bydomain_type-major.html][Majors]] and [[http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/aos/index-bydomain_type-minor.html][minors]] can also be identified using the Handbook indexes. The level of the unit is indicated by the first number in the unit code; undergraduate units are those that commence with the numbers 1-3. You may need permission from the owning faculty to enrol in some units taught by other faculties.

If you are in a double degree course, some units required for the other degree are credited as electives for the design degrees.

Part E. Indonesian studies (0 credit points) - For the Indonesia offering only

You must complete:

• BEI1270 Indonesian studies (Religion, Indonesian language, Pancasila, and Civic Education) (0 credit points)

Note: the workload requirements (including contact hours) for each of these subjects is 2 hours per week. These units must be undertaking in parallel with your other units and cannot be completed outside Indonesia.