General Information

Overview

Study design and learn how to express your creative ideas through different mediums, including printed media, branding, illustration and packaging.

Develop critical thinking skills that offer solutions to design challenges and gain experience working as part of a team and individually. Learn how to create a visual impact through digital publishing, photography and web design, while gaining an understanding of the history, art and culture that influences the industry.

Study structure

Successful completion of the Diploma of Design (UniLink) requires students to complete units of study to the value of 100 credit points. All units of study are valued at 12.5 credit points unless otherwise stated.

  • Full-time study: 100 credit points/eight standard units of study per year

  • Part-time study: 50 credit points/four standard units of study per year

  • One credit point is equivalent to one hour of study per week per semester (including contact hours and private study)

  • See the course planner for an example degree structure.

  • Full-time study: 100 credit points/eight standard units of study per year

  • One credit point is equivalent to one hour of study per week per semester (including contact hours and private study)

  • See the course planner for an example degree structure.

Admission criteria

Information about Swinburne's general admission criteria can be found at Admissions at Swinburne - Higher Education webpage.

Entry requirements

A. Applicants with recent secondary education (within past three years)

ATAR

This course uses the ATAR as part of its selection considerations.

Guaranteed ATAR: if you receive an ATAR of 50 or higher and meet all the essential requirements for this course, you will be guaranteed an offer.

Educational history 

An applicant's entire academic history, including ATAR results, will be considered for entry into this course. 

Selection rank adjustments 

Selection ranks for this course will be calculated based on your ATAR with adjustments to overall study scores based on subjects studied, location of your home address, SEAS application, and participation in Swinburne's Early Leaders program. For further details about selection rank adjustments, see Admissions at Swinburne. 

Subject Adjustments 

A study score of 25 in Art, Applied Fashion Design and Technology B, Product Design and Technology, Media, Interactive Digital Media C, Creative and Digital Media (VCE VET) I, Studio Arts or Visual Communication Design equals 4 aggregate points per study. Overall maximum of 10 points.

Meeting course prerequisites 

VCE units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 20 in any English (except EAL) or at least 25 in English as Alternate Language (EAL) or equivalent.

VCE units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 20 in one of Art, Interactive Digital Media (VCE VET), Media, Product Design and Technology, Studio Arts, Systems Engineering or Visual Communication Design or equivalent.

ATAR profile for those offered places wholly or partly on the basis of ATAR in Semester 1 2024

ATAR-Based offers only, across all offer rounds ATAR
Excluding adjustment factors		 Selection Rank
ATAR + any adjustment factors
Highest rank to receive an offer 78.2 83.75
Median rank to receive an offer 53.65 58.65
Lowest rank to receive an offer 40.6 44.85

B. Applicants with higher education study

Educational history 

An applicant's entire academic history, including results from previous higher education study will be considered for entry into this course. If previous higher education qualifications are incomplete, results must have been obtained in the last seven years. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent. 

STAT/Bridging courses 

Results from the STAT Multiple Choice will be considered for applicants without an ATAR and whose post-secondary studies do not meet the minimum requirements. Applicants who do not meet the English prerequisites can sit STAT Written English. STAT results are valid for two years.

C. Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study

Educational history 

An applicant's entire academic history from the past seven years, including complete and/or incomplete post-secondary VET studies, will be considered for entry into this course. Only graded results will be considered. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent. 

STAT/Bridging courses 

Results from the STAT Multiple Choice will be considered for applicants without an ATAR and whose post-secondary studies do not meet the minimum requirements. Applicants who do not meet the English prerequisites can sit STAT Written English. STAT results are valid for two years.

D. Applicants with work and life experience

Educational history 

This course uses an applicant's entire academic record as part of its selection considerations, including an applicant's ATAR results from the last seven years can be considered for entry into this course. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent. 

STAT/Bridging courses 

Results from the STAT Multiple Choice will be considered for applicants without an ATAR and whose post-secondary studies do not meet the minimum requirements. Applicants who do not meet the English prerequisites can sit STAT Written English. STAT results are valid for two years.

Work experience

Applicants who have not met the entry criteria through their academic studies can have their work experience considered. Applicants need to have completed secondary school and have four years relevant post-secondary work experience with at least two of these years being full-time work.

Evidence must be in the form of a resume, a letter from an employer (on letterhead) outlining the duration of employment, roles and responsibilities and a position description (optional). If an employer letter cannot be provided a referee check may be conducted.

Student profile

The table below gives an indication of the likely peer cohort for new students in this course. It provides data on students who commenced in this course in the most relevant recent intake period, including those admitted through all offer rounds and international students studying in Australia.

  Semester 1, 2024
Applicant background Number of students Percentage of all students
(A) Higher education study (includes a bridging or enabling course) <5 <5
(B) Vocational education and training (VET) study <5 <5
(C) Work and life experience (admitted on the basis of previous achievement not in the other three categories) <5 <5
(D) Recent secondary education:    
Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR (regardless of whether this includes the consideration of adjustment factors such as equity or subject bonus points) 53 73%
Admitted where both ATAR and additional criteria were N/A considered (e.g. portfolio, audition, extra test, early offer conditional on minimum ATAR) N/A N/A
Admitted on the basis of other criteria only and ATAR was N/A not a factor (e.g. special consideration, audition alone, schools recommendation scheme with no minimum ATAR requirement) N/A N/A
International students 15 21%
All students 73 100%

Notes: 
"<5" – the number of students is less than 5.
N/A – Students not accepted in this category.

Interested in the Diploma of Design (UniLink)?

From state-of-the-art facilities to opportunities to engage with industry – this course is designed with your future in mind. Let's get started.

View course page