Program Overview

---

Bachelor of Design – BDes

The Bachelor of Design (BDes) is a comprehensive design qualification that allows students to explore various design fields and develop their skills in a studio-based environment. The program is designed to provide students with a solid foundation in design principles, technical skills, and creative thinking.

Overview

The BDes program is a three-year, full-time undergraduate degree that consists of 360 credits. The program is divided into three years, with each year building on the previous one to provide a comprehensive education in design.

Type of Qualification

The BDes is a Bachelor's degree, and it is classified as an undergraduate study program.

Level of Study

The BDes program is an NZQF Level 7 qualification, which means it is a bachelor's degree that requires students to have a high level of knowledge and skills in their chosen field of study.

Time to Complete

The BDes program can be completed in three years of full-time study, which is equivalent to 360 credits.

International Students

The BDes program is open to international students who wish to study on campus in New Zealand.

Key Dates

The program has several key dates, including admission application due dates, course enrolment dates for accepted students, and semester dates.

Study a Bachelor of Design – BDes

The BDes program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in design, and it allows them to explore various design fields and develop their skills in a studio-based environment. The program is structured to provide students with a solid foundation in design principles, technical skills, and creative thinking.

Solve Real Problems and Challenge How We See the World

The BDes program encourages students to think creatively and develop innovative solutions to real-world problems. The program is designed to challenge students' perceptions and encourage them to think outside the box.

Get the Full Picture

The BDes program provides students with a comprehensive education in design, and it allows them to explore various design fields and develop their skills in a studio-based environment. The program is structured to provide students with a solid foundation in design principles, technical skills, and creative thinking.

A BDes is a Good Fit if You:

• are passionate about design and getting hands-on in the studio
• want to re-define the way people live, work and play through great design
• want to work alongside the best creative talent in New Zealand

Entry Requirements

The entry requirements for the BDes program include:

• Admission to Massey University
• Specific requirements for the program, which may include a portfolio of work or an interview

Admission to Massey

All students must meet the university's admission requirements, which include:

• Meeting the university's English language requirements
• Meeting the university's academic requirements

Specific Requirements

There are no specific entry requirements for the BDes program, outside of the university's admission requirements. However, students may be required to submit a portfolio of work or attend an interview as part of the application process.

English Language Requirements

To study the BDes program, students must meet the university's English language requirements, which include:

• A minimum IELTS score of 6.0, with no band less than 5.5
• A minimum TOEFL score of 80, with a minimum of 19 in writing and 18 in reading, listening, and speaking

Prior Learning, Credit and Exemptions

Students may be eligible for prior learning, credit, and exemptions, which can be used to reduce the number of credits required to complete the program.

Structure of the Bachelor of Design

The BDes program is structured to provide students with a comprehensive education in design, and it allows them to explore various design fields and develop their skills in a studio-based environment. The program is divided into three years, with each year building on the previous one to provide a comprehensive education in design.

Year One: Fundamental Design Skills and Principles

In the first year of the program, students will develop fundamental design skills and principles, including:

• Studio courses in different design/art disciplines
• Theory courses that provide a foundation in design principles and history
• Elective courses that allow students to explore different areas of design

Year Two: Focus on Techniques, Skills, Processes in Your Major

In the second year of the program, students will focus on developing techniques, skills, and processes in their chosen major, including:

• Studio courses that provide hands-on experience in design
• Theory courses that provide a deeper understanding of design principles and history
• Elective courses that allow students to explore different areas of design

Year Three: Increasing Collaboration Across Majors

In the third year of the program, students will work on increasingly complex design projects that require collaboration across majors, including:

• Studio courses that provide hands-on experience in design
• Theory courses that provide a deeper understanding of design principles and history
• Elective courses that allow students to explore different areas of design

Electives

The BDes program allows students to take elective courses, which can be used to:

• Take courses from across the college
• Add a minor to boost their major
• Follow a pathway to deepen their knowledge
• Explore courses from other parts of the university

Pathways

The BDes program offers several pathways that allow students to tailor their degree to suit their interests, career goals, or further study plans. These pathways include:

• Climate change
• Material innovation
• Health and wellbeing
• Social change
• Exhibition and curation
• Printmaking

Courses and Specialisations

The BDes program offers several specialisations, including:

• Concept Design
• Fashion Design
• Industrial Design
• Integrated Design
• Mātauranga Toi Māori
• Photography
• Spatial Design
• Textile Design
• Visual Communication Design

Concept Design

The Concept Design specialisation is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge required to design concepts for entertainment and education within film, animation, television, gaming, and location-based experiences.

Fashion Design

The Fashion Design specialisation is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge required to design and create clothing and textiles.

Industrial Design

The Industrial Design specialisation is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge required to design and develop three-dimensional products.

Integrated Design

The Integrated Design specialisation is designed to provide students with a unified approach to design, allowing them to develop strong design strategies and contextual understanding.

Mātauranga Toi Māori

The Mātauranga Toi Māori specialisation is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in Māori art and design, including the history, principles, and practices of Māori art.

Photography

The Photography specialisation is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge required to take photographs and develop their own photographic style.

Spatial Design

The Spatial Design specialisation is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge required to design physical, temporal, and digital spatial environments.

Textile Design

The Textile Design specialisation is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge required to design and create textiles.

Visual Communication Design

The Visual Communication Design specialisation is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge required to communicate visually, including graphic design, typography, and visual communication.

Minors

The BDes program allows students to complete a minor, which can be used to add breadth to their degree. A minor must be in a different subject from the major and must be made up of at least 60 credits.

Schedule A: Core Courses

The BDes program has several core courses that provide a foundation in design principles and history. These courses include:

• Critical Studies
• Professional Cultures
• Core Studios
• Explorations

Critical Studies

The Critical Studies courses provide a foundation in design principles and history, including:

• Music, People, Places
• Nga Hanga Whakairo: Traditional Māori Visual Art
• Design, Purpose, People and Place
• Art, Culture and Contexts
• Screen Arts, Creativity and Critical Thinking

Professional Cultures

The Professional Cultures courses provide a foundation in professional practice, including:

• Professional Cultures in Commercial Music 1
• Professional Cultures in Design 1
• Professional Cultures in Art 1
• Professional Cultures in Screen Arts 1
• Mātauranga Toi Māori 1: Māori Practices as a Māori Creative Practitioner

Core Studios

The Core Studios courses provide hands-on experience in design, including:

• Product and Industrial Design 1.1: Materialising Form
• Product and Industrial Design 1.2: Furniture Design
• Fashion Design 1.1: Fashioning the Body
• Fashion Design 1.2: Introduction to Fashion Practice
• Photography Studio 1.1: What is Photography?
• Photography Studio 1.2: Introduction to the Darkroom
• Visual Communication Design 1.1: Introduction to Graphic Design
• Visual Communication Design 1.2: Introduction to Typography
• Visual Communication Design 1.3: Introduction to User Experience Design
• Textile Design 1.1: Interwoven Structures
• Textile Design 1.2: Intro to Surface Design, Colour and Screen Print
• Spatial Design 1.1: An Introduction
• Spatial Design 1.2: Immersive Experiences
• Concept Design 1.1: Imagine
• Concept Design 1.2: Worldbuilding
• Toi Ātea 1

Explorations

The Explorations courses provide students with the opportunity to explore different areas of design, including:

• Explorations in Visualisation
• Explorations in Materials and Making
• Explorations in Creative Coding and Media
• Explorations in Modelling
• Explorations in Digital Asset Creation
• Explorations in Drawing
• Explorations in Pacific Positionalities
• Explorations in Narrative
• Explorations in Image and Meaning
• Explorations in Colour and Context
• Explorations in Toi Auaha – Paint and Creative Expression
• Explorations in Te Aho Pūoro Māori – An Introduction and Insight into Traditional Māori Instruments

Schedule B: Majors

The BDes program has several majors that allow students to specialise in a particular area of design. These majors include:

• Concept Design
• Fashion Design
• Industrial Design
• Integrated Design
• Mātauranga Toi Māori
• Photography
• Spatial Design
• Textile Design
• Visual Communication Design

Schedule C: Elective Courses

The BDes program has several elective courses that allow students to explore different areas of design. These courses include:

• Coding for Creative Practice
• Digital Fabrication
• Explorations in Visualisation
• Explorations in Creative Coding and Media
• Explorations in Modelling
• Creative Collaboration
• Interaction and Interface I
• Service and Experience Design
• Internship
• Creative Communities
• Explorations in Digital Asset Creation
• Product and Industrial Design 1.1: Materialising Form
• Product and Industrial Design 1.2: Furniture Design
• Product Design Visualisation
• Furniture Design
• Fashion Pattern Making
• Fashion Construction
• Fashion Design 1.1: Fashioning the Body
• Fashion Design 1.2: Introduction to Fashion Practice
• Garment Block Pattern Drafting and Grading
• Fashion Communication
• Fashion Design 2.3: Inclusive Fashion
• Fashion Design 2.4: Digital Creation and Application in Fashion
• Fashion Design 2.1: Reimagined Fashion
• Fashion Design 2.2: Creative Contour and Drape
• Drape for Design
• Contoured and Knit Apparel
• Digital Applications for Fashion Production
• Fashion Design 3.1: Industry, Markets and Processes
• Fashion Design 3.2: Tailoring Methods
• Painting
• Contemporary Sculpture
• Contemporary Drawing
• Explorations in Drawing
• Drawing in Practice
• Drawing the Body II
• Creative Arts Project 2A
• Creative Arts Project 2B
• Creative Arts Project 2C
• Creative Arts Project 2D
• Creative Arts Project 3B
• Creative Arts Project 3C
• Fine Arts Internship
• Photography as an Agent of Change
• Photography Studio 1.1: What is Photography?
• Photography Studio 1.2: Introduction to the Darkroom
• Photography and the Studio
• Photography and Digital Practices I
• Photography and the Darkroom
• Photography Studio 2.1: Attributes of Light
• Photography Studio 2.2: Fact and Fantasy
• Photography Studio 2.3: The Living Archive
• Photography Studio 2.4: Photography, Representation and the Gaze
• Photography and the Body
• Photography and Digital Practices II
• Photography and the Advanced Darkroom
• Photography Studio 3.1: The Photobook and Narrative
• Photography Studio 3.2: Post Photography
• Printmaking
• Visual Communication Design 1.1: Introduction to Graphic Design
• Visual Communication Design 1.2: Introduction to Typography
• Visual Communication Design 1.3: Introduction to User Experience Design
• Letterpress
• Brand Communication
• Narrative Illustration
• Illustrated Characters
• Typographic Systems
• Sequential Art
• Concept Design for Imaginary Worlds
• Editorial Design
• Narrative Information Design
• Visual Communication Design 3.1: Editorial Design and Production
• Visual Communication Design 3.2: Brand Strategies and Systems
• Visual Communication Design 3.3: User Experience and Interaction Design
• Textile Design 1.1: Interwoven Structures
• Textile Design 1.2: Intro to Surface Design, Colour and Screen Print
• Materials Lab
• Fashion Textiles
• Textile Design 2.1: Knitted Textiles
• Textile Design 2.2: Print, Colouration and Pattern
• Textile Design 2.3: Woven Textiles
• Textile Design 2.4: Digital Textile Print and Application
• Contemporary Wallcoverings
• Textile Print Project
• Textile Design 3.1: Advanced Textile Structures
• Textile Design 3.2: Advanced Textile Print and Visualisation
• Spatial Design 1.1: An Introduction
• Spatial Design 1.2: Immersive Experiences
• Design for Performance
• Design for Display
• Spatial Design 2.1: Place and Community
• Spatial Design 2.2: Producing Atmospheres
• Spatial Design 2.3: Adaptive Interiors
• Spatial Design 2.4: Material Matters
• Spatial Design 3.1: Regenerative Practices
• Spatial Design 3.2: Spatial Agency
• Māori Art and Design Studio I - Toi Atea
• Art, Culture and Contexts
• Māori Art and Design Studio IIA - Toi Atea
• Māori Art and Design Studio IIB - Toi Atea
• Critical Perspectives on Contemporary Art
• Māori Art and Design Studio IIIA - Toi Atea
• Māori Art and Design Studio IIIB - Toi Atea
• Critical Understandings of Contemporary Art
• Explorations in Narrative
• Explorations in Image and Meaning
• Explorations in Colour and Context
• Transformative Creative Practice Topic 1
• Transformative Creative Practice Topic 2
• Transformative Creative Practice Topic 3
• Transformative Creative Practice Topic 4
• Transformative Creative Practice Topic 5
• Transformative Creative Practice Topic 6
• Concept Design 1.1: Imagine
• Concept Design 1.2: Worldbuilding
• Concept Design 2.1: Character and Environment
• Concept Design 2.2: Prop and Creature
• Concept Design 2.3: Visualisation
• Concept Design 2.4 Design for Fabrication
• Concept Design 3.1 Design for Film and Animation
• Concept Design 3.2: Design for Game and Location-Based Experience
• Toi Ātea 1

Fees and Scholarships

The BDes program has several fees and scholarships available to students. The tuition fees for the program are:

• Domestic students: $8,420 – $8,761
• International students: $42,110 – $45,580

The program also has several scholarships available, including:

• Creative Kickstarter Scholarship
• Good Wool Hunting Textile Design Scholarship
• He Oha Puiaki - Massey University Māori First Year Scholarship

Careers and Job Opportunities

The BDes program provides students with a comprehensive education in design, and it prepares them for a range of careers in the design industry. The program's graduates are sought after by employers in a range of industry, business, and marketing-related activities. 94% of design graduates are employed in relevant industries within 6 months of completing their degree.

The BDes program provides students with a range of skills and knowledge that are highly valued by employers, including:

• A portfolio of creative design work
• Solid technical and analytic skills
• A strong research ethos
• A great network

The program's graduates can pursue a range of careers, including:

• Design consultant
• Design manager
• Design researcher
• Design educator
• Design entrepreneur

The BDes program also provides students with a range of transferable skills that can be applied to a range of careers, including:

• Communication skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Creativity skills
• Collaboration skills

Overall, the BDes program provides students with a comprehensive education in design, and it prepares them for a range of careers in the design industry. The program's graduates are highly sought after by employers, and they have a range of career options available to them.