Contemporary Design Issues
36 hours + Blended
One Semester or equivalent
Hawthorn, Online
Available to incoming Study Abroad and Exchange students
Overview
This unit explores key issues in contemporary design and media practice and their relation to social, economic and political contexts. Students will be introduced to appropriate research and writing methodologies and apply these skills to design practice and projects.
Requisites
Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-March-2025
01-June-2025
01-June-2025
Last self-enrolment date
16-March-2025
Census date
31-March-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
24-April-2025
Results released date
08-July-2025
Teaching Period 1
Location
Online
Start and end dates
10-March-2025
08-June-2025
08-June-2025
Last self-enrolment date
23-March-2025
Census date
04-April-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
02-May-2025
Results released date
Teaching Period 2
Location
Online
Start and end dates
07-July-2025
05-October-2025
05-October-2025
Last self-enrolment date
20-July-2025
Census date
01-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
22-August-2025
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Start and end dates
03-November-2025
08-February-2026
08-February-2026
Last self-enrolment date
16-November-2025
Census date
28-November-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
02-January-2026
Results released date
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Investigate and analyse design and media issues in relation to social, economic and political contexts using primary sources
- Articulate a range of contemporary issues related to design and media practice
- Use a body of relevant critical theory in the form of an argument and apply it to design and/or media practice
- Develop a cohesive argument about a design issue that articulates a point of view, suitable for a published (professional) journal
Teaching methods
All Applicable Locations
Activity Type | Activity | Total Hours | Number of Weeks | Hours Per Week | Venue Type and Activity Detail |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
On-campus | Studio | 36 | 12 weeks | 3 | |
Unspecified Activities | Various | 48 | 12 weeks | 4 | Readings, 3 Skill-building Tasks |
Unspecified Activities | Independent Learning | 66 | 12 weeks | 5.5 | Assignment preparation, Revision |
Total Hours: | 150 | Total Hours (per week): | 12.5 |
Swinburne Online
Activity Type | Activity | Total Hours | Number of Weeks | Hours Per Week | Venue Type and Activity Detail |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Online | Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning | 150 | 12 weeks | 12.5 | Modules |
Total Hours: | 150 | Total Hours (per week): | 12.5 |
Assessment
Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
---|---|---|---|
Assignment | Individual | 0% | 1,3,4 |
Skill-building Tasks | Individual | 0% | 2,3 |
Weekly written online responses | Individual | 0% | 1,2,3 |
Content
The unit will explore a wide range of thematic areas that may include discussions on topics such as:
- The role of design, new technologies and new materials in the 21st Century
- Cross/inter-disciplinary practices in design and new media
- Key contemporary practitioners
- Design philosophies
- Aesthetics in the 21st Century
- Design for environmental and social sustainability
- Design for emotion
- Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Verbal communication
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.