The study of Design and Graphics focusses on exploring the purposeful use of technologies and creative processes to produce design solutions. Students acquire knowledge and develop skills using technologies and other processes appropriately, to design and create graphic solutions.

Students engage with emerging technologies, make connections with industry, and apply industry standards and practices through the development of their projects.

Design and Graphics provides pathways in a range of related fields such as architecture, digital 3D modelling, industrial design, engineering, interior design, graphic design, furniture design, fashion, jewellery, ceramics, textiles, and trade-based careers.

The Design and Graphics course is written under the BSSS TECHNOLOGIES Framework.

Achievement Standards for TECHNOLOGIES courses can be found within the Framework.

Students will demonstrate knowledge of research, skills of ideation and design, prototyping production, solution testing and communication of their understanding. Technologies promotes deep learning, creativity and innovation.

Design Applications

In this unit, students learn graphic design principles which focus on solving design problems, presenting ideas and solutions as graphical products. They explore a range of mediums to create practical solutions to design problems. The purpose of this unit is to build skills such as sketching and modelling. Students create a finished product for a specified purpose. They create solutions using a range of processes, applying industry conventions and standards where applicable.

Design for a Client Brief

In this unit, students learn how to interpret a design brief based on needs analysis and task identification. They research the client’s and target user(s)/audience needs considering ethical considerations, financial constraints and affordances, meeting deadlines and deliver a product that is fit for purpose. This unit develops the knowledge and skills to generate concepts and solutions in response to design briefs in a range of real-world contexts.

Visual Communication

In this unit, students learn to use graphics to inspire, inform or persuade a target audience using a range of graphical techniques. Drawing on current issues in society, students create a visual campaign in response to a design brief.

They learn to create graphic images using colours, textures, contours and shapes to communicate emotions, attitudes and experiences.

Design for Screen & Media

In this unit, students learn to develop designs for a range of platforms including social media, video sharing, digital newspapers and mobile platforms. They use research to understand how the relevant technology can be used to meet the requirements of the given brief. Students develop skills to solve problems in converting products across multiple platforms. Students build knowledge of data conversion, data storage and data manipulation. They create media files, drawing on the technical aspects of design within a digital framework.

Independent Study

An Independent Study unit has an important place in senior secondary courses. It is a valuable pedagogical approach that empowers students to make decisions about their own learning. An Independent Study unit can be proposed by an individual student for their own independent study and negotiated with their teacher. The program of learning for an Independent Study unit must meet the unit goals and content descriptions as they appear in the course. Students must have studied at least THREE standard 1.0 units from this course. A student can only study a maximum of one Independent study unit in each course. An Independent Study unit requires the principal’s written approval. Independent study units are only available to individual students in Year 12. Principal approval is also required for a student in Year 12 to enrol concurrently in an Independent unit and the third 1.0 unit in a course of study.

Design & Graphics A/T/M (579 KB)

Design & Graphics A/T/M (298 KB)

The following courses are also available:

• Design and Emerging Technologies
• Design and Technology Integrated
• Design and Textiles
• Designed Environments