Program Overview

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Graduate Diploma in Design

Overview

This course is designed for students seeking an advanced exploration of contemporary design practice and research. In addition, it provides a firm grounding in the theoretical, critical, and practical aspects of design and its possibilities for transformation.

The course is ideal for design leaders and managers, as well as design practitioners eager to develop new practice-based competencies to solve design problems.

On successful completion of the graduate diploma, you may enrol in the master degree.

What You'll Learn

• Develop advanced knowledge of a field of design practice through the creation of new artefacts, services, products, or processes
• Apply advanced knowledge, theories, frameworks, and practices relevant to design-led innovation
• Demonstrate a critical reflection on design theory, practice, and history in a social and cultural context and apply this thinking to design practice and process
• Apply knowledge of design to the identification, framing, and interrogation of problems to develop appropriate design solutions
• Professionally communicate concepts, proposals, ideas, and final designs to audiences with clarity and vision
• Understand the complexity and global context of design and apply this to contemporary design practice
• Apply a practical knowledge of technologies effectively to design practice or process to communicate ideas, concepts, and proposals in design
• Apply design practice and process for real-life application in industry and practice
• Develop an advanced understanding of the value of design to communities, enterprises, and public

Course Essentials

Qualification

Graduate Diploma in Design

Duration

This course is 1 year full-time or equivalent part-time study.

Credit

A full-time study load usually consists of 200 credits (approximately eight units) per year, with 100 credits (approximately four units) in each semester.

CRICOS

The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) Code indicates a registered program offered to international students studying in Australia on student visas.

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Location

The Curtin campuses or teaching locations where units of this course are offered.

Curtin Perth

Deadlines for Applying Direct to Curtin

Select Your Preferred Campus:

Select location Curtin Perth

Curtin Perth

• Select location
• Curtin Perth

Intake | Application open | Application close
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Semester 1, 2025 | 1 May 2024 | Applications now closed!
Semester 2, 2025 | Applications now open! | 9 July 2025
Semester 1, 2026 | Applications now open! | 3 February 2026
Semester 2, 2026 | 6 April 2026 | 2 July 2026

Fees and Scholarships

Domestic Fee Paying Postgraduate

2025 Fee Year:

$21,350*

Domestic

• What is a domestic fee-paying (DFP) place?

A domestic fee-paying place is a place at university which is not Commonwealth supported, that is, not subsidised by the Australian Government.

Domestic fee paying students will be charged tuition fees and may be eligible for FEE-HELP assistance for all or part of those tuition fees.

Fees are indicative only.

• Based on a first-year full-time study load of 200 credits. The total cost will depend on your course options (i.e., units selected and time taken to complete).

Location

For start dates, please view the academic calendar.

Curtin Perth

2025

Semester 1

• On campus

Semester 2

• On campus

2026

Semester 1

• On campus

Semester 2

• On campus

All endeavours are made to ensure location information for courses is up to date but please note they are subject to change.

The University reserves the right to withdraw any unit of study or program which it offers, to impose limitations on enrolment in any unit or program, and/or to vary arrangements for any program.

How to Apply

Please review information on how to apply for the campus of your choice

• Curtin Perth

Please note that each campus has different application deadlines. View our application deadlines page for further information.

Specialisations

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Specialisations

• Actuarial Financial Mathematics Specialisation
• Advertising Design Specialisation
• Animation and Game Design Specialisation
• Anthropology and Sociology Specialisation
• Asian Studies Specialisation
• Chinese Language Specialisation
• Construction Management Specialisation
• Creative Writing Specialisation
• Design Thinking and Visual Communication Specialisation
• Designing Fashion Specialisation
• Digital Design Specialisation
• Digital and Social Media Specialisation
• English and Cultural Studies Specialisation
• Environmental Planning Specialisation
• Fashion Design Specialisation
• Fine Art Specialisation
• Geography Specialisation
• Graphic Design Specialisation
• Graphics Specialisation
• History Specialisation
• Illustration Specialisation
• Interior Architecture – Applied Interior Design Specialisation
• Interior Architecture Specialisation
• International Development Specialisation
• Journalism Specialisation
• Landscape and Natural Resource Management Specialisation
• Photography Specialisation
• Principles of Planning Specialisation
• Professional Writing Specialisation
• Screen Production Specialisation
• Social Inclusion and Equity Specialisation
• Social Justice Specialisation
• Surveying and Spatial Sciences Specialisation
• Theatre Arts Specialisation
• Urban Design and Planning Specialisation
• Web Media Specialisation
• Web Presence Specialisation

Bachelor of Commerce Specialisations

• Actuarial Financial Mathematics Specialisation
• Advertising Design Specialisation
• Animation and Game Design Specialisation
• Anthropology and Sociology Specialisation
• Asian Studies Specialisation
• Chinese Language Specialisation
• Construction Management Specialisation
• Corporate Screen Production Specialisation
• Creative Writing Specialisation
• Design Thinking and Visual Communication Specialisation
• Designing Fashion Specialisation
• Digital Design Specialisation
• Digital and Social Media Specialisation
• English and Cultural Studies Specialisation
• Environmental Planning Specialisation
• Fashion Design Specialisation
• Fine Art Specialisation
• Geography Specialisation
• Graphic Design Specialisation
• Graphics Specialisation
• History Specialisation
• Illustration Specialisation
• Interior Architecture – Applied Interior Design Specialisation
• Interior Architecture Specialisation
• International Development Specialisation
• Journalism Specialisation
• Landscape and Natural Resource Management Specialisation
• Photography Specialisation
• Principles of Planning Specialisation
• Professional Writing Specialisation
• Screen Production Specialisation
• Social Inclusion and Equity Specialisation
• Social Justice Specialisation
• Surveying and Spatial Sciences Specialisation
• Theatre Arts Specialisation
• Urban Design and Planning Specialisation
• Web Media Specialisation
• Web Presence Specialisation

Bachelor of Innovation Specialisations

• Advertising Design Specialisation
• Animation and Game Design Specialisation
• Asian Studies Specialisation
• Biological Diversity Minor
• Climate Change Science Minor
• Construction Management Specialisation
• Corporate Screen Production Specialisation
• Creative Writing Specialisation
• Design Thinking and Visual Communication Specialisation
• Designing Fashion Specialisation
• Digital and Social Media Specialisation
• Environmental Management Minor
• Environmental Planning Specialisation
• Fashion Design Specialisation
• Fine Art Specialisation
• Food Science Minor
• Forensic Studies Minor
• Geophysics Minor
• Geospatial Technology Minor
• Go Global – Internship Specialisation 1
• Go Practice – Internship Specialisation 1
• Graphic Design Specialisation
• Graphics Specialisation
• Illustration Specialisation
• Indigenous Australian Cultural Studies Specialisation
• Interior Architecture – Applied Interior Design Specialisation
• Interior Architecture Specialisation
• International Development Specialisation
• Landscape Restoration Minor
• Landscape and Natural Resource Management Specialisation
• Mapping and Land Planning Minor
• Metallurgy Minor
• Mining Minor
• Optimisation Minor
• Photography Specialisation
• Principles of Planning Specialisation
• Screen Production Specialisation
• Social Inclusion and Equity Specialisation
• Social Justice Specialisation
• Strategic Studies Specialisation
• Theatre Arts Specialisation
• Urban Design and Planning Specialisation
• Web Media Specialisation
• Web Presence Specialisation