Advanced Diploma of Graphic Design

About this course

Would you like to have advanced skills in visual communication and design? This course will prepare you for a range of different roles in the creative industry.

You will study a variety of topics essential for a career in graphic design including:

design principles
digital illustration
photo editing
managing creative processes
project management
print and digital media
user experience (UX)
marketing plans, research and processes.

After you complete the course, you will be able to seek work as a:

graphic designer
junior art director
freelance designer
web designer
UX designer.

Note that the availability of electives may vary depending on your selected training provider.

This qualification is recognised nationally under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).

To be eligible for this course, you must provide evidence of your ability to:
- produce professional typography that demonstrates application of visual communication history and theory
- produce graphic designs for two-dimensional and three-dimensional applications
- create and manipulate graphics and design complex publication layouts.
Your skills and knowledge may have been acquired through graphic design work experience or through formal study.

Contact your preferred course provider for more information on course entry requirements.

Units of study

Core units

Unit title	Unit code
Establish, negotiate and refine a design brief	CUADES512
Manage design realisation	CUADES611
Extend typographic design expertise	CUAGRD603
Engage in the business of graphic design	CUAGRD611
Originate graphic designs for complex briefs	CUAGRD612
Collaborate in professional creative projects	CUAPPR612

Elective units

Unit title	Unit code
Originate and develop concepts	BSBCRT512
Apply critical thinking for complex problem solving	BSBCRT611
Establish operational strategies and procedures for new business ventures	BSBESB406
Initiate and lead applied research	BSBINS603
Lead and manage organisational change	BSBLDR601
Apply legal principles in intellectual property law matters	BSBLEG525
Create and optimise digital media	BSBMKG437
Develop social media engagement plans	BSBMKG546
Create multiplatform advertisements for mass media	BSBMKG551
Write persuasive copy	BSBMKG555
Manage organisational marketing processes	BSBMKG622
Develop marketing plans	BSBMKG623
Manage market research	BSBMKG624
Implement and manage international marketing programs	BSBMKG625
Manage business risk	BSBOPS504
Develop and implement business plans	BSBOPS601
Manage personal and professional development	BSBPEF501
Undertake project work	BSBPMG430
Manage project integration	BSBPMG540
Establish innovative work environments	BSBSTR501
Manage innovation and continuous improvement	BSBSTR601
Develop and implement an e-commerce strategy	BSBTEC501
Contribute to managing work-related psychological health and safety	BSBWHS512
Write complex documents	BSBWRT411
Work with photomedia in creative practice	CUAACD522
Refine drawing and other visual representation tools	CUAACD531
Create observational drawings	CUAACD532
Select and refine a specialised drawing technique	CUAACD533
Research and apply light and colour	CUAACD534
Refine 2-D design ideas and processes	CUAACD536
Refine 3-D design ideas and processes	CUAACD537
Extend professional expertise with drawing and other visual representation tools	CUAACD611
Extend professional expertise across new art forms and media	CUAACD612
Manage copyright arrangements	CUACMP511
Implement design solutions	CUADES511
Design innovative products	CUADES601
Research global design trends	CUADES612
Research and apply design theory	CUADES801
Author interactive media	CUADIG401
Create user interfaces	CUADIG413
Coordinate testing of interactive media products	CUADIG511
Design digital applications	CUADIG512
Design e-learning resources	CUADIG513
Design interactions	CUADIG516
Design digital simulations	CUADIG517
Refine digital art techniques	CUADIG518
Investigate technologies for the creation of digital art	CUADIG519
Source funding for projects	CUAFIM511
Develop and execute advertising concepts	CUAGRD614
Develop graphic designs for the built environment	CUAGRD615
Develop graphic designs for packaging	CUAGRD616
Develop graphic designs for branding and identity	CUAGRD617
Develop professional illustrations	CUAILL511
Refine illustration techniques	CUAILL512
Enhance professional practice using creative arts industry knowledge	CUAIND512
Employ colour management in a digital imaging workplace	CUAPHI523
Apply visual communication theory to photo imaging practice	CUAPHI531
Explore and apply photo lighting techniques	CUAPHI533
Plan and produce visual art photo images	CUAPHI539
Develop sustainability of own professional practice	CUAPPR512
Establish and maintain environmentally sustainable creative practice	CUAPPR514
Establish and maintain safe creative practice	CUAPPR515
Originate a body of independent creative work	CUAPPR611
Engage in the business of creative practice	CUAPPR613
Publicly present a body of own creative work	CUAPPR614
Evolve ideas for professional creative work	CUAPPR615
Extend expertise in a specialised art form to professional level	CUAPPR616
Extend cultural research expertise	CUARES612
Write scripts	CUAWRT601
Build dynamic websites	ICTWEB513
Develop complex web page layouts	ICTWEB519
Develop complex cascading style sheets	ICTWEB520
Develop website information architecture	ICTWEB522
Research and apply emerging web technology trends	ICTWEB527
Build and launch a small business website	SITXEBS003

Course providers

This course is offered by the following providers. Click on the links to the provider websites for the latest information on course details, fees and how to apply.

Government funding for eligible students:
Locations: Hawthorn
Delivery modes: Full time on-campus
- Visit Swinburne University of Technology for course details, fees and how to apply
- Check our FAQs on choosing a course and provider