Overview

Career Outcomes

This course is beneficial for anyone who contributes to, or manages, design projects. For instance, people in public relations, communications, publishing or advertising need to understand and manage designers to effect business results.

Designers work in a very competitive market place. For this reason, designers with a broader knowledge of business practice and the ability to justify design strategy have a key advantage.

This course provides you with greater understanding of the design process, design theory, business practice and knowledge of topics that relate to design such as branding. This course will enhance your competitive advantage in business and provide knowledge beyond your undergraduate studies. It will relate directly to and support your professional practice.

Professional Recognition

The Master of Design is endorsed by the Australian Graphic Design Association (AGDA). While there are no requirements for design professionals to achieve prescribed qualifications or maintain professional accreditation, the AGDA supports this course.

Eligibility

The Design course has two entrance pathways:

Academic + work experience
Applicants should have three to five years experience in design or a related industry and have a qualification in that discipline. Degrees are a relatively new qualification within design disciplines, so the qualification may be a diploma or certificate. Teachers of design are welcome applicants, and those in fields that work with designers and have a full understanding of the design process will be considered.

OR

Work experience
Entry may be granted to applicants who do not have a qualification, but who have extensive professional experience. These applicants may have to submit a folio work for review. Extensive experience within their profession will be an important consideration for all applicants.

How to Apply

This course is restricted. Students are required to apply and be approved by RMIT University before they can enrol in units through OUA.

Applications for the Master of Communication Design are due by Friday two weeks prior to the close of enrolment.

Please complete the application form below.

1. Read information requirements

   • Select to apply for one or more courses listed on the application form, taking note of the eligibility criteria for each course. If you want to apply for a (restricted) course with a different university, you'll need to submit a separate application from the relevant course page.

   • Read all parts of the application form in advance:

     Receive a faster response by ensuring you have all the required information ready before you start. If you have a web account, sign in first to pre-fill personal details we already have for you on record.

     If you do not have a web account, you'll need to register one within the application form. Once you've registered an account, you'll then be signed in. From here you can choose to complete your application and submit it, or save and return to it later.

     Completing this application should take 15 to 20 minutes.

   • Need help completing your application? Contact us:

     If in doubt about any of the information required to support your application, the more information you can provide the better. If you have any academic queries including how to request credit transfer, contact RMIT University directly. For all other enquiries, contact us.

   • Next steps:

     After submitting your application, you should receive a confirmation email containing a copy of your application for your records.

     Your application will be assessed within 2-4 weeks, and if further information is required, we will contact you. Once your application has been assessed, we will be in touch via email to notify you of the outcome. At the latest this will be one week after the closing date for applications.

     If, after submitting your application, you wish to change your preferences or submit an additional document, please email apply@open.edu.au. Include your full name as it appeared on the application.

2. Prepare supporting documents

   • Check that you have all the required documents, according to individual course requirements and your personal circumstances, specifically:

     1. Your curriculum vitae - required for entry into postgraduate courses only.
     2. Certified copies of academic transcripts - required in most cases but check course eligibility rules.
     3. A letter of recommendation from your employer on company letterhead - recommended for entry using work experience.
     4. Certified legal documentation - if you have changed your name e.g. a marriage certificate, deed poll name change certificate.
     5. Certified legal documentation - if you need to correct an error in your date of birth e.g. a birth certificate.
     6. English language test results - if your courses were not predominantly in English e.g. IELTS or equivalent test results.
     7. Official translations of any documents not in English.

     A "certified" copy is a copy bearing the recognised mark of a Justice of the Peace, Commission of Oaths or declarations, Public Notary or a Solicitor.

   • Create an electronic copy of your attachments:

     For each certified document, scan and save it on your computer. Save your curriculum vitae to your computer, then get ready to upload all documents in the form.

   • Do not send original documents as they will not be returned.

Transition Arrangements

The Master of Design has been retitled from 2012 to the Master of Communication Design to reflect the changes to the course and unit content.

All existing Master of Design students are recommended to contact RMIT for enrolment advice and a study plan either to complete the Master of Design or to transfer to the new Master of Communication Design with credit for all units completed.

Existing students may continue their studies to complete the Master of Design before the end of 2013. Units from the Master of Design program will not be offered after 2013.

Existing students who decide to complete the current program will complete the following requirements.

Master of Design

Award Requirements:

To qualify for the award of Master of Design students must complete either:

Master of Design (Coursework) four core units and eight electives for a total of twelve units.

Master of Design (Coursework and Major Project) four core units, four electives and two double unit major project units for a total of ten units.

Recommended Study Pattern

CORE UNITS - 4 units

Required: GRAP2401 Research Methods and GRAP2402 Design Contract

Optional: Select two core units from those units indentified with * from the Master of Design course structure section

DESIGN ELECTIVES - 4 units

Optional: Select four units from those units identified with ^ from the Master of Design course strucutre section

ELECTIVES - 4 units

Optional: Select four units from either core units* or design elective units^.

Award Requirements

To qualify for the award of Master of Communication Design students must complete a total of twelve units including one double unit.

Exit Points

Master of Communication Design students who do not wish to complete the program may apply for the Exit Award of Graduate Diploma of Communication Design after successfully completing eight units.

Recognition of Prior Learning / Credit

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and credit transfer are ways that RMIT recognises applicants' skills and knowledge gained through formal and informal education and training, work experience, and/or life experience. Applicants should contact the course coordinator for further information.

Recommended Study Pattern

New students - Master of Communication Design

From 2012 all new students will study units from the Communication Design program.

Students must complete the Graduate Diploma level units before enrolling in the Masters units: Global Media and Communication Industries, Masters Seminar and Professional Practice.

Students are encouraged to enrol in two units in each Session and must complete all units required for the Master of Communication Design within six years.

Existing students - Master of Design

Existing students who are completing the Master of Design program should refer to Transition Arrangements for information before enrolling in their 2012 units. The Master of Design units scheduled for final offer in 2012 and 2013 are listed below.

Course Structure