Associate Degree in Applied Design (Z2E)

Overview  2024

Entry Requirements

See entry requirements

Duration

Minimum 2 Years, up to a maximum of 5 Years

Duration

Duration refers to the minimum and maximum amounts of time in which this course can be completed. It will be affected by whether you choose to study full or part time, noting that some programs are only available part time.

Location

Hobart
Semester 1
Launceston
Semester 1

This course may not be available to international students. Please see the list of distance courses (i.e. online and taken outside Australia) that are offered to international students

Take new understandings of how design shapes every aspect of our world and create change by applying hands-on design skills for positive impact. Help businesses and organisations tell their stories, visualise messages and data to help people through complexity, devise services to meet unmet community needs, or design creative events and experiences that inspire.

In this course you’ll combine foundational design knowledge – in design thinking, processes, forms and language – with a skills focus in one of three design streams: Communication, Digital and Business. You’ll engage with industry-connected projects, practices and expectations, and explore design ethics and histories to contextualise your design work.

Our practice-based learning approach with a diverse, creative community supports you to develop valued and transferable skills of collaboration, reflective and critical thinking essential for problem framing and solving. It also means that tapping into your life and work experience – no matter its length or bent – is encouraged and nurtured because design is at work everywhere!

Your tutors are established designers in Tasmania applying design to care for people and place. We see opportunities for individuals, communities and businesses to thrive by designing the transitions we all need to make swiftly, for local and global resilience. We’re inspired to design for positive social and environmental outcomes as part of our creative livelihoods – not as trade-offs. Connecting people and planet is how we do design.

Graduates of the course may take on work roles involving: inclusive user experience design; web design and digital content creation; creative direction of projects and events; visual design strategy for new and existing organisations; or launch their own creative enterprise.

On completion, you can also choose to expand and deepen your design learning and gain credit towards the Bachelor of Design. This course offers five stream options: Communication Design, Digital Design, Business Design, Object Design and Spatial Design, with engaging opportunities for cross-pollination and networking across our design, art, media, business and architecture disciplines.

Key contacts

Current student enrolment questions and advice UConnect
Course Coordinator Mr Jose Vicente Garcia Cesar
  • 1 Identify and apply design concepts, principles and practices to develop, interpret and present ideas and information.
  • 2 Justify design propositions in professional contexts through critical analysis and self-reflection.
  • 3 Generate and refine design propositions through iterative practice employing a range of creative processes and technical skills.
  • 4 Communicate human centred design solutions or innovations by analysing and applying design concepts, processes, and principles
  • 5 Engage in ethical, professional and collaborative practice when applying design principles.
  • Practice-based, experiential learning and portfolio development is a key component of the Associate Degree in Applied Design.

    We help you develop transferable skills by providing an authentic and engaging learning experience with work-based components that you can tailor to your individual circumstances. This means you can contextualise your learning to your personal interests through authentic simulated experiences, or for those already in the industry, you are encouraged to apply and complete relevant assessments within your work environment.

    You will be introduced to:

    • different methods of, and approaches to, practice,
    • how issues such as values, ethics, empathy and leadership are reflected in the workplace and
    • the role of reflection and deliberative thinking in developing workplace-based knowledge, skills, attitudes and aspirations.

    Course structure

    The Associate Degree in Applied Design (Z2E) includes:

    • eight compulsory units as a core in applied design,
    • a choice of four units within an aligned stream in either Business, Digital, or Communication, and
    • four elective units.

    A student will opt into one of the streams at the commencement of their course. In both years of the degree a student would undertake four core applied design units, two stream units, and two electives. 

    A student may exit at the end of the first year of the course (minimum eight units) with a Diploma of Applied Design.

    In this unit you will learn about the relationships between design elements. Through structured activities and workshops, you will learn how to organise designs artefacts into complex compositions and assemblies. By developing an awareness of the social, material, and cultural…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    HobartSemester 2
    LauncestonSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    In this unit you will be introduced to a range of visual tools and techniques for conceptualising and communicating complex relationships and generating new insights through design. Through a combination of interactive, self-directed learning activities and practical exercises, you will…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    HobartSemester 2
    LauncestonSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    Design thinking draws on creative, iterative and collaborative approaches to problem-solving, including exploration of potential solutions though idea generation, rapid prototyping and testing. While conventional approaches to problem-solving often rely on the application of highly structured methodologies and process controls,…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    HobartSemester 1
    LauncestonSemester 1
    OnlineSemester 1
    OnlineSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    In this unit, you will investigate elements and principles of visual language in art and design, to understand the importance of aesthetics in design and its application to real-world projects. You will also be introduced to the nature of ‘aesthetics,’…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 1
    OnlineSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    This unit explores a wide range of different prototyping methods through a series of design-sprints. Each sprint will begin with a brief. From the brief you are to immediately start storyboarding how the prototype might work, in what context and…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    HobartSemester 1
    LauncestonSemester 1

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    In this unit, you will be introduced to historical influences on the development of contemporary design practices. You will examine the key features of art history in the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and 20th century periods, as well as specific…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    HobartSemester 1
    LauncestonSemester 1

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    In this unit, you will consider a range of ethical problems that are commonly encountered by design practitioners. This can include questions relating to borrowing and acknowledging the ideas and intellectual property of other designers, the impact of design activities…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    HobartSemester 2
    LauncestonSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    Choose one of the following:

    This unit focuses on participatory and inclusive design practices to engage diverse audiences in the co-creation of projects. Co-design is an increasingly popular practice that is used in a wide range of contexts to foster inclusion, to identify opportunities, and…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    HobartSemester 2
    LauncestonSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    In this unit, you will apply the knowledge and skills you have acquired throughout the course to define, develop and deliver a personal design project. The project will be based on industry practice and involve analysing problems to recommend possible…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    This unit is currently unavailable.

    The Stream Business requires the completion of 50 credit points comprising:

    • 25 credit points at Introductory (100) level
    • 25 credit points at Intermediate (200) level

    This unit investigates events of varying scale, and identifies their contribution as a potential key driver of growth and economic development of businesses, cities and communities. It analyses the social, cultural and environmental impacts of events on destinations and communities.…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    HobartSemester 2
    LauncestonSemester 2
    Cradle CoastSemester 2
    OnlineSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    This unit introduces you to the creative industries and the roles of the so-called 'creative class' and creative entrepreneur in shaping communities, urban development and digital economies in recent decades. By delving critically into the discourse of creative entrepreneurship, you…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    HobartSemester 1
    OnlineSemester 1
    OnlineSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    In this unit you will investigate approaches to design and delivery of projects in industry contexts. This will include identifying and analysing relevant concepts, tools and processes used in the formulation, delivery and management of projects. Investigations will focus on…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    HobartSemester 1
    LauncestonSemester 1
    Cradle CoastSemester 1
    OnlineSemester 1

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    This capstone unit will provide opportunities for you to bring together the knowledge learned, and skills developed through your course of study and apply these to entrepreneurial and innovative contexts. This unit creates a practical awareness of the concepts of…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    HobartSemester 2
    LauncestonSemester 2
    Cradle CoastSemester 2
    OnlineSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    The Stream Communication requires the completion of 50 credit points comprising:

    • 25 credit points at Introductory (100) level
    • 25 credit points at Intermediate (200) level

     

    In this unit, you will examine branding and visual identity – the use of conceptual and visual signs to embody, evoke and represent the qualities, meaning or ‘narrative’ of a product or service to a particular group of people, customers…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    HobartSemester 1
    LauncestonSemester 1

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    Choose one of the following

    This unit will introduce you to the techniques of drawing and printmaking as processes of enquiry and creation. You will learn about the technical and material possibilities of both mediums and how to use a studio as both a site…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    HobartSemester 1
    HobartSemester 2
    LauncestonSemester 1

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    Photography 1 will introduce you to the medium of black and white photography. Directed by staff and technicians, in the context of a studio/workshop/tutorial curriculum, you will be introduced to traditional techniques, new technologies and approaches to contemporary practice. Study…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    HobartSemester 1
    HobartSemester 2
    LauncestonSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    In this unit, you will explore differences and intersections between virtual/conceptual and physical/experiential fields of design. Through practical fieldwork, you will consider human interactions with public and private spaces, objects, and buildings and architecture in the physical world, and compare…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    HobartSemester 1
    LauncestonSemester 1

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    This unit introduces digital design applications for image making, illustration and digital visualization, in both vector and raster formats. It explores the diverse nature of digital media tools available and the specific areas of the creative industries they service. Although…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    The Digital Stream requires the completion of 50 credit points comprising:

    • 25 credit points at Introductory (100) level
    • 25 credit points at Intermediate (200) level

    Through this unit you will explore and analyse spaces of interaction that operate on different scales and with different sets of relations, for example human and non-human, analogue and digital. Drawing from diverse design methodologies you will learn approaches to…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 1
    OnlineSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    Choose one unit from the following

    This unit introduces you to the design and prototyping of 3D objects using digital modelling and fabrication techniques. Through hands-on exercises, you will gain knowledge of contemporary additive and subtractive rapid prototyping technologies and develop skills in object design and…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    HobartSemester 1
    LauncestonSemester 1

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    In this unit, you will examine branding and visual identity – the use of conceptual and visual signs to embody, evoke and represent the qualities, meaning or ‘narrative’ of a product or service to a particular group of people, customers…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    HobartSemester 1
    LauncestonSemester 1

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    This unit introduces digital design applications for image making, illustration and digital visualization, in both vector and raster formats. It explores the diverse nature of digital media tools available and the specific areas of the creative industries they service. Although…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 2

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    In this unit you will focus on key web design practices and methodologies and applying web development tools to a web design brief. Through guided sessions and self-paced tutorials, you will learn how to apply user experience and interface design…

    Credit Points: 12.5

    LocationStudy periodAttendance optionsAvailable to
    OnlineSemester 1

    Key: On-campus    Off-Campus    International students    Domestic students

    Select four of the following units

    We want your study experience with us to be as smooth as possible and we know that choosing from lists and lists of electives can sometimes be overwhelming!

    The guides and links below are presented to help you navigate all of these options and find the electives that are best for you.

    Find the answer to your question - ASK US

    What are electives?

    How do I enrol?

    My enrolment in the Student Portal

    Please don't hesitate to get in touch with our team at UConnect if you need any help.

    Your electives can be used to add breadth to your degree, by exploring a variety of different subject areas from across the University in areas such as Health, Business, Science and the Creative Arts. Alternatively, you can deepen your engagement with specific subject areas, for example, by completing additional units in the same discipline as your major or related fields. You can also use this space to complete an optional 2nd major which may be a 2nd major from your current course or a major from another course*. Please contact U.Connect@utas.edu.au if you need more information or if you want to add a 2nd major to your study plan. *Some exclusions apply. Not all majors can be taken by students in different courses.

    Entry requirements

    We encourage you to apply for the courses you most want to study. If you are not eligible to enter your chosen course right now, the UTAS admissions team will work with you to find the best pathway option. 

    Enquire online for advice on the application process and the available pathways to study at UTAS.

    Domestic applicants who recently completed secondary education (in the past two years)

    This course does not use ATAR as part of the admission process. To be an eligible for an offer, applicants must have completed the Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) or an equivalent qualification.

    Domestic applicants with higher education study

    To be eligible for an offer, you must have:

    • Partially completed an undergraduate course at Diploma level or higher (or equivalent). You must have completed at least one unit of study (equivalent to 12.5 UTAS credit points), at 100 level or higher and which may include 100 level units completed in the UTAS Diploma of University Studies. If you have failed any units, your application may be subject to further review before an offer is made; OR
    • Completed the UTAS University Preparation Program (or an equivalent qualification offered by an Australian University).

    Domestic applicants with VET / TAFE study

    To be eligible for an offer, you must have completed a Certificate III or higher (or equivalent) in any discipline.

    Applications on the basis of work or life experience

    Applicants without senior secondary, tertiary or VET / TAFE study can complete a personal competency statement.

    Applicants may be eligible for an offer if they have relevant work and / or life experiences which demonstrate a capacity to succeed in this course.

    This course is not available to international students. Please enquire online for advice on alternative course options.

    You may be eligible for advanced standing (i.e. credit) in this associate degree if you:

    • Have completed an award such as a Diploma or Advanced Diploma at the University, from TAFE or another institution;
    • Are currently studying another associate degree at the University or at another institution;
    • Have completed studies towards a Bachelor degree at the University or from another institution.

    Find out more information about how to apply for a credit transfer/advanced standing at Recognition of Prior Learning, or talk to us on 1300 363 864 or enquire online about your credit transfer.

    Students articulating into the Associate Degree in Applied Design from a completed Undergraduate Certificate in Applied Design will receive 50 credit points of advanced standing. Articulation from other courses will be in line with the University’s standard application for credit process.

    Graduates of the Associate Degree in Applied Design are eligible to continue their studies in the Design discipline through an approved articulation pathway to the Bachelor of Design and will receive 200 credit points of advanced standing. Graduates will also be able to continue their studies in a range of Bachelor level courses at the University of Tasmania.

    Detailed admissions information and advice for all undergraduate courses, including comprehensive, course-level student profiles, is available from UTAS Admissions.

    Fees & scholarships

    Domestic students

    Options for this course

    Cost shouldn’t get in the way of you studying.

    If you’re a domestic student, you may be eligible for a Commonwealth Supported Place in this course. This means your fees will be subsidised by the Australian Government. You’ll only need to pay the student contribution amount for each unit you study within the course.

    You may also be able to defer payment of the student contribution amount by accessing a HECS-HELP loan from the Government. If eligible, you’ll only have to pay your tuition fees once you start earning above a specific amount.

    Further information is available at Scholarships, fees and costs.

    Student contribution

    Student contribution amounts are charged for each unit of study. This means that how much you’ll pay will depend on which units you choose. Find out more about student contribution amounts.

    Further information

    Detailed fee information for domestic students is available at Scholarships, fees and costs, including additional information in relation to the compulsory Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).

    Scholarships

    Scholarships for domestic students

    We have a range of opportunities for students from all backgrounds.

    Whether you’re looking for financial support or relocation assistance, experiencing educational disadvantage or seeking recognition of academic or sporting achievement, we have a scholarship for you.

    International students completing years 11 and 12 onshore in Australia can also apply for the same scholarships available to domestic students, so long as they meet the eligibility requirements.

    Support scholarships are automatically assessed as part of your course application. Merit and diversity scholarship applications open in August.

    For more information, visit Domestic Scholarships.

    Scholarships for international students

    We offer many scholarships for international students. They can be awarded on merit or to provide access to university. Our scholarships can help you with your fees or with your move to Tasmania.

    For more information, visit International Scholarships.

    Additional costs

    In addition to course costs, students may be subject to other costs related to study at university including:

    How can we help?

    Do you have any questions about choosing a course or applying? Get in touch.

    Domestic
    13 8827 (13 UTAS)
    International
    +61 3 6226 6200
    Email
    Course.Info@utas.edu.au
    Online
    Online enquiries

    Next steps