Visual Language of Design
UndergraduateTUA-DGDVL1002026
Course information for 2026 intake
Start seeing and thinking like a designer. You’ll explore how art, history, and creativity shape visual communication. Build your skills to turn ideas into powerful visual stories that connect with audiences.
Enrol today with instant approval and no entry requirements
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 8 Feb 2026
- Entry requirements
- No ATAR needed, No prior study
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Start dates
- 16 Feb 2026,
- 30 Mar 2026,
- 1 June 2026,
- 13 July 2026,
- 14 Sept 2026,
- 2 Nov 2026
- Price from
- $2,700
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- FEE-HELP available
Visual Language of Design
About this subject
By the end of this 12-week subject, you'll be able to:
- Demonstrate technical and theoretical design knowledge and skills, with some depth in the underlying practices, languages, forms, technologies and techniques of design.
- Demonstrate the ability to experiment with tools and processes used in the generation of ideas, images and material artefacts to communicate visual messages.
- Identify, evaluate and apply theoretical concepts to develop design solutions.
- Demonstrate the ability to effectively express design decisions, principles and processes in an articulate, structured and persuasive manner to present ideas and solutions to others.
- Introduction to the Visual Language of Design: Communicating Meaningful Messages
- Evolution of Art and Design—Where It All Began
- Introduction to Traditional Design Principles, Elements and Processes
- Understanding the Brief and Design Strategy—Reading, Interpreting and Communicating
- The Creative Process: From Imagination to the Page—Research, Inspiration and Ideation
- Design Heroes—Movers and Shakers
- Design Heroes—Contemporary Rule Breakers
- Design Trends
- Refinement, Execution and Presentation
- Storytelling: Explaining Your Work, Pitching an Idea
- Creative Communities, Networking and Your Portfolio
- Review and Reflect
In this subject students will study the history and evolution of art and design acknowledging the major influences and commentators of the industry. The introduction of essential fundamental design principles and elements build to a comprehensive understanding, enabling students to start seeing and thinking like a designer. Students will be challenged to develop visual solutions to design problems and acquire the knowledge, skills and perspective necessary to identify and articulate techniques and concepts exhibited in design work. This is followed by an in-depth look at the design process from receiving the brief up to the client presentation and reflection on success of project.
- Principles of Design ( Quiz) (10%)
- Elements of Design ( Visual Journal) (25%)
- Periods of Design ( Presentation) (30%)
- Design interpretation ( Presentation) (35%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
At Torrens University Australia you can tailor your study to suit your lifestyle. Thanks to their innovative digital learning system you’ll gain the ultimate in flexibility, and still receive personalised guidance from academics and access to work placement, mentorship and internship opportunities. Online you can attend live classes or view recorded sessions, connect with lecturers and fellow students, and access content on-demand 24/7.
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Entry requirements
No entry requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
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Single subject FAQs
What’s a single subject?
Single subjects are the individual components that make up a degree. With Open Universities Australia, you’re able to study many of them as stand-alone subjects, including postgraduate single subjects, without having to commit to a degree.
Each of your subjects will be held over the course of a study term, and they’ll usually require 10 to 12 hours of study each week. Subjects are identified by a title and a code, for example, Developmental Psychology, PSY20007.
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If that degree allows entry via undergraduate subjects, there will be information about this under the Entry Requirements section. You will find a list of 2-4 open enrolment subjects you need to successfully complete to qualify for admission into that qualification.
Once you pass those subjects, you will satisfy the academic requirements for the degree, and you can apply for entry.
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