Graphic design courses

A graphic design course will give you the technical skills you need to create visual assets for print and digital channels. You'll graduate with the ability to design logos, magazines, websites, social media posts and even billboards.

Graphic design courses cover both the creative and practical sides of the design process. You should expect to learn about: 

• industry design tools, including Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator)

• print and digital production processes

• design fundamentals like brand and identity, typography and design research.

Most courses place a strong emphasis on building a graphic design portfolio, so you have something tangible to share with employers.

If you have an eye for visual design and you want to get paid for it, then graphic design could be the perfect path for you. A graphic design course will teach you how to approach design from a commercial perspective so you can work across most industries. 

The number of workers needed across graphic and web design and illustration is expected to grow by nearly 14,000 jobs by 2026, meaning there will be no shortage of demand for your skills.

Graphic designers frequently work remotely—either for themselves, or as an employee. Studying a graphic design course online will help you adapt to this way of operating faster. You’ll understand how to pitch your ideas, collaborate with others and act on feedback from a distance. 

Online students also aren’t required to attend classes at set times, so they have the freedom to work full or part-time while studying. This can make it easier to gain real-world experience in graphic design during your course, and to step straight into the industry after graduating.

There are a lot of reasons to study your course online through us.

• You can enrol without entry requirements We have a unique open-door policy that makes it possible for everyone to enrol in university study, no matter their academic history. If you don’t meet the entry requirements for a degree, we’ll help you get in through single undergraduate subjects and transition into a qualification from there.

• You have total control over how you study Upskill without committing to a whole degree upfront. Or enrol in a full degree, but take it a subject at a time. We’ll introduce you to flexible study options you didn’t even know about, so you can fit uni around what matters to you.

• You’ll graduate with the same qualification as an on-campus student Once you enrol through us, you’ll study online with the university that provides your degree. This means that when you complete your qualification, you’ll graduate with the same degree as on-campus students.

• We’ll help you navigate the university world Our friendly student advisors will be your guide every step of the enrolment journey. They'll help you compare universities, choose a course, provide documentation and understand your finance options.

It depends on the course and whether you choose something short or long-term. Here’s a general guide: 

If you study your graphic design degree online through Open Universities Australia, you have the flexibility to choose how many subjects you take per term. This means you can complete your qualification at a faster or slower pace than you would on campus.

Graphic design isn’t a hard degree, but it does require a creative mind, problem solving skills, and an ability to take critical feedback on board. One of the most challenging aspects about graphic design can be interpreting and acting on feedback from clients who don’t have a design background. If you’re willing to navigate that feedback without taking negative comments personally, then it could be the study path for you.

Most graphic designers in Australia work for marketing and advertising agencies, publishers and corporate brands, but you will find a need for this skill in many sectors. 

Your qualification could also lead to a related career as a: 

• Web designer

• User experience designer

• Multimedia designer

• Illustrator

• Brand manager

• Art director

Many graphic designers also go into business on their own as freelancers. The advantage to this is that you can pick and choose your clients—and ditch the 9 to 5 workday.

Before starting an enrolment, it’s important to read the entry requirements for your chosen course to ensure that you’re eligible to apply. If you don’t quite meet the requirements, we may be able to help you find a pathway into your course through open-entry subjects, which anyone can study.

Chat with us to find out more.

Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.

When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Apply now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.

Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.

Please note that enquiries and applications for some courses are handled directly by the university. If this is the case, it will be indicated on the course listing page.  

For more information about enrolment, read our online self-service enrolling instructions. If you get stuck at any time, contact us and we’ll talk you through it.