Bachelor of Design/Bachelor of Creative Industries

This combined degree offers you a unique opportunity to gain the creative and business skills necessary to prosper in the contemporary innovation landscape.

Bachelor of Design/Bachelor of Creative Industries

Duration

Full Time: 4 Years (Available Part Time)*

Next Start Date

04 March 2024

22 July 2024

Closing Date

Campuses
LSR
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Parramatta South UAC 720733
60
Domestic Student Fees
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Indicative annual fee from $11,885

Additional Information

Program Code: 1839

CRICOS Code: 095717K

Design and Creative Industries at Western

Underpinned by a foundation of graphic design, the Bachelor of Design gives you fundamental skills and knowledge in the exciting and constantly changing area of visual communication. The Creative Industries component combines a core of entrepreneurship with major studies including culture and society, creative writing, design, enterprise innovation, journalism, literature, media arts, music performance and photo media. The program is designed for those who wish to pursue a creative practice while gaining the business and legal acumen to become a successful part of the creative economy on their own terms.
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DISCOVER WESTERN WEBINARS

Join us online from 27 February - 11 April to find your perfect course and discover what subjects you will study, career options, early offers and alternative entry.

We’ll also take you on a virtual tour into some of our world-class facilities and teaching spaces.

Plus, our friendly Future Students team will be available to answer all of your questions about studying at Western.

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As an Adobe Creative Campus, Western Sydney University gives all students complimentary access to the Adobe Creative Cloud, so you can level up your digital skills with FREE access to the Adobe Creative Cloud apps. It's like your very own innovation toolkit, where technology meets creativity!

Adobe Creative Cloud is a comprehensive suite of software tools and services which provide a one-stop platform for professionals and enthusiasts in various creative fields, offering a wide range of applications for graphic design, video editing, web development, photography, and more!

Our graduates are eligible for membership of the Design Institute of Australia (DIA) and the Australian Graphic Design Association (AGDA).

Explore your potential in our $2 million, purpose-built media studio and industry-recognised television production subjects at Parramatta South campus.

Semi Permanent is a global design platform that connects leading creators andthought-leaders, with brands and audiences - across live events, content and aspecial projects. Through this partnership, Western Sydney University students are able to access, learn from and be inspired by global leaders in the creativeand business worlds.

What you can expect to study

The program structure is outlined in our handbook. Here you can view all of the subjects you will be studying.

B Advanced Science

You can choose from the following majors:

The Advertising major gives students a thorough grounding in general principles of communication as well as practical skills in advertising. The external major can be completed by students enrolled in the Bachelor of Business. 

The major offers a balance of advertising theory and practice and focuses on real, project-based outcomes. Areas of study include advertising strategy, advertising creative and art direction, client and account management, digital and social media contexts, advertising campaigns. 

The Creative Writing major provides students the opportunity to produce their own creative writing and to edit and publish their work. Students study with professional authors, editors and publishers from the Writing and Society Research Centre and staff from the School of Humanities and Communication Arts. 

In addition, students have the opportunity to study contemporary approaches to language and literary studies, including literary criticism and theory, linguistic analysis, genre and textual study, and to read and examine a wide selection of modern and classic literatures. Career prospects include publishing, editing, teaching, writing and advertising. 

Cultural and Social Analysis is an interdisciplinary major developing knowledge, research skills and analytic capacities relevant to understanding and interpreting landscapes of cultural diversity and social difference in our contemporary world, both in terms of the broad contours, as well as specific micro-social environments. This major provides grounding in contemporary debates and methodologies in cultural studies and social theory, and draws on various disciplines including history, sociology, communications, and linguistics. Topics include popular culture, everyday urban life, cultural and social impacts of scientific theories and new technologies, multiculturalism, and contemporary spirituality. Study in this area is relevant for work involving commentary and analysis of contemporary social issues and cultural practices (e.g. journalism, teaching, activism) and fields concerned with designing, delivering and evaluating cultural and artistic productions, and education, communication, welfare or health services, in culturally diverse communities. 

The English major invites students to explore contemporary approaches to language, literary study and writing, including literary criticism and theory, linguistic analysis, genre and textual study, and creative writing. 

The English major focuses on the imaginative workings of language, and students can study a wide selection of modern and classic literature, as well as the relationships between written texts and other media such as film and information technology. 

Students also have the opportunity to produce their own creative writing and to edit and publish their work. Career prospects include publishing, editing, teaching, writing and advertising. 

The Enterprise Innovation major equips you with the expert skills to create a career as a management specialist. You will be prepared to succeed in a range of roles in contemporary private, public, and not-for-profit organisations in Australia and abroad. 

In this major you will develop strategic management knowledge to enable effective organisational decision making. The units in this major focus on organisational learning and development and behaviour, operations management, leadership and entrepreneurship, change and innovation, and policy. 

You can look forward to a range of careers in the broad and complex field of management. 

The Enterprise Innovation major equips you with the expert skills to create a career as a management specialist. You will be prepared to succeed in a range of roles in contemporary private, public, and not-for-profit organisations in Australia and abroad. 

In this major you will develop strategic management knowledge to enable effective organisational decision making. The units in this major focus on organisational learning and development and behaviour, operations management, leadership and entrepreneurship, change and innovation, and policy. 

You can look forward to a range of careers in the broad and complex field of management. 

The Law and the Creative Industries major equips you with specialised legal skills and knowledge to support your career in the creative industries in Australia.

In this major you will develop tailored, strategic knowledge to enable you to effectively contribute to business decision making and to appreciate the legal and regulatory challenges within the context of creative and innovative enterprises.

The units in this major focus on the fundamentals of Australian law, critique and analysis of law, contracts, torts, alternative dispute resolution and media law, with the option to also incorporate studies in competition and consumer law, intellectual property and law within the employment context. The legal and regulatory focus of this major will provide you with specialised knowledge and skills designed to enhance your access to a range of careers within the creative industries sector. Students are advised that this specialisation does not qualify students for admission to legal practice in NSW. Students wishing to pursue a career in legal practice should apply for one of the relevant Bachelor of Laws courses. For further information, please contact the Academic Course Advisor for the Bachelor of Laws as noted below.

The major in Media Arts Production is designed to provide students with production skills, complete with practical hands-on experience together with a theoretical foundation in the moving, visual media. From 2017 this specialisation is available on Parramatta campus only.

The Music major provides students from outside the Music program with a comprehensive introduction to current practice in the fields of music, performance and sound production for sound design, composition and performance. Foundation level units examine the fundamentals of music performance, acoustics, stereo recording and mixing, MIDI systems and sequencing, sound synthesis, and composition utilising environmental sound. Technical concepts are contextualised within a survey of electroacoustic music and sonic arts practice. Students will also examine studio techniques, new performance technologies, and composition and design for screen media.

The Public Relations major covers the skills and knowledge required in the profession of public relations, including event management, issues and crisis management and campaign development.

The major focuses on the role of the public relations practitioner or adviser and provides a theoretical framework of the industry. Students engage with both theory and practical projects and complete an internship placement.

Career Opportunities

As a graduate of this degree, you can look forward to a broad range of exciting career opportunities in different sectors and industries. Below are some examples of the possible careers you can pursue with this degree:

  • Writing
  • Market research
  • Photography
  • Design
  • Media Production
  • Music Performance
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Alumni

"The creative industries are so incredibly versatile, allowing you to utilise your skills in a wide range of fields. It's a great collaborative environment."

— Melissa Fonti, Bachelor of Design/Bachelor of Creative Industries

B Psychological and Social Sciences

Entry requirements for domestic students

Please consult the handbook for more information regarding entry requirements for this course.

You can read more about special requirements here.

B Psychological and Social Sciences

Entry requirements for international students

**Please note, if this course lists a part-time option, this is not available to International Students on a Student Visa.

Please consult the handbook for more information regarding entry requirements for this course.

You can read more about international academic entry requirements here.

Indicative annual fee

UG Direct

A Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) is one that is subsidised by the Commonwealth and applicable only to Domestic students. This means that the Australian Government pays part of your fees towards your program, therefore reducing your program fees, and the remaining amount is paid by you, this is considered your Student Contribution.

To work out how much your Student Contribution will be before you study, you will first need to find out the Student Contribution band your subjects fit into based on their general discipline area.

You can then calculate your student contributions to work out the total amount of your contribution.

The Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) is a range of loans introduced by the Australian Government from 2005 to provide fee payment assistance to eligible students. Loans are for Australian citizens studying in Australia or overseas. Permanent residents who hold a humanitarian visa are also eligible if studying in Australia.

If eligible you may be able to defer all or part of your Student Contribution through the HECS-HELP loan program. You may also be eligible for OS-HELP if undertaking studies overseas.

New Zealand citizens and holders of an Australian permanent resident visa (other than an Australian permanent humanitarian visa) are generally not entitled to HECS-HELP assistance. If you are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident your Student Contribution amount must be paid in full by the census date.

However, the Australian Government has passed new legislation that changes the way some New Zealand citizens, who hold a Special Category Visa (SCV), studying in Australia will pay their fees. More information is available on the Changes to fees for New Zealand Citizens webpage.

Find out more about HECS-HELP

Find out more about OS-HELP

Apply as a Domestic Student

If you are a domestic student, you can apply through our Western Application system which is free of charge.

Domestic students are:

  • Australian Citizens
  • New Zealand Citizens
  • Australian permanent residents
  • Australian permanent humanitarian visa holders

Scholarships

Western Sydney University recognises and rewards students who demonstrate community engagement, outstanding academic ability and superior leadership skills. Donor-funded scholarships are also available, providing support for students based on both academic achievements and equity considerations. There are also scholarships available for specific degrees. 

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Apply as an International Student

If you are an international student, you can apply for free through our international student application system or through an agent representative.

International students are:

  • Not an Australian citizen;
  • Not a New Zealand citizen; and
  • Not a permanent resident of Australia.

If you are an international student completing the Australian HSC, IB or NCEA, apply direct via UAC International.

Admission to Western Sydney University is on the basis of meeting minimum academic and English language requirements. For more information about tuition fees and other costs, visit the Fees and Costs page.

Scholarships

When you apply to Western, you’re automatically assessed for a Scholarship, no additional application required! We’re offering multi-year scholarships (for up to 3 years) valued at $6,000 or $3,000 and even 50% off tuition fees. Scholarships are awarded on academic merit.

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Want to know more?

We're here to provide clarity.

If you're uncertain about your study journey, enquire about our program today and gain the confidence to move forward.

Australian students
1300 897 669

International students
+61 2 9852 5499

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Kingswood campus

OTHER STUDY OPTIONS

Bachelor of Creative Industries

Full Time: 3 Years (Available Part Time)*

Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication)

Full Time: 4 Years (Available Part Time)*

Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Creative Industries

Full Time: 4 Years (Available Part Time)*

Bachelor of Communication / Bachelor of Creative Industries

Full Time: 4 Years (Available Part Time)*

The tuition fees quoted above are the fees for the normal full-time study load of the program (80 credit points) per annum. International students will be subject to a variable fee regime; i.e. enrolled students will be required to pay fees during their program based on the approved fee for each calendar year. Fee changes (if any) will occur at 1 January each calendar year. Students who extend their program past the normal finish date of the program will be required to pay additional fees based on the prevailing fee level. Western Sydney University is a multi-campus institution. The University reserves the right to alter the location of its programs between campuses and other locations as necessary. Students should be aware of the possibility of change of location for the whole or part of programs for which they enrol and should plan for the need to travel between Western Sydney campuses.