AUT - Digital Design major: Bachelor of Design
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Digital Design major: Bachelor of Design
Design of the moving image is at the heart of digital design. It covers everything from 3D animation, cinema, serious gaming and visual effects to motion graphics/television commercials, mobile phone apps and interactive installations for performance. 3D animation is also becoming heavily involved in the medical industry, engineering, health and recreation, architecture, gallery facilities and education. NZ has become extremely well regarded in digital design, a field the Government recognises as of high importance and is keen to help develop.
The Digital Design major in the Bachelor of Design degree (BDes) enables you to become a problem solver and effective story teller. This means that you will be able to approach each digital design project with a variety of creative solutions.
- Studio/software lab based learning environment with 2 classes of 25 students commencing in Year 1. Students stay in these classes for the 3 years but interact with the other classes and the other years
- Learn how to animate any character you have created in 3D and to place it into any moving image project, whether animated or cinematic
- Practical skills: you will learn to write, plan, shoot and post-produce a digital cinematic narrative
- 60 hours of work experience in a field of your choice in Year 3 for organisations such as Oktobor, Flux Animation Studio, Watermark, Toybox, TV3 Auckland, Ogilvy Advertising, Yukfoo Animation, Brandspank Ltd, Images and Sound, Fish ‘n’ Clips, and One To One Hundred
- Covers the skills to research correctly with an emphasis on writing and referencing
- Opportunity to exhibit your work to media and industry through the AUT School of Art and Design festival at the end of Year 3
- On completing the programme, you will be work-ready and have the skills necessary to further your development in postgraduate programmes
More information about the Bachelor of Design
See a video our student created:
Entry requirements
- University Entrance
- Portfolio of art work
- Interview may be required
Structure
Most papers last one semester and are worth 15 points. You must complete 120 points each year (360 points for the entire degree). In each year you will study core (compulsory) papers, and select other papers from a range of options.Year 1 papers - 120 points in total
First year digital core papers are Digital Technology and Design, History, Culture and Context and Pictorial Studies.
CORE PAPERS
Level 5:
115024 Creative Process (15)
115100 Core Studio Art and Design (30)
115101 Core Theory Art and Design (15)
115131 Pictorial Studies (30)
115132 History, Culture, Context I (15)
115400 Digital Technology and Design I (15)
Year 2 papers - 120 points in total
Second year digital core papers are Digital Technology and Design and History, Culture and Context. There is also an elective project.
CORE PAPERS
Level 6:
116008 History, Culture, Context II (30)
116200 Elective Project (15)
116401 Digital Technology and Design II (45)
Year 3 papers - 120 points in total
In the third year there are 2 core papers, Digital Technology and Design III and Professional Practice.
During the Professional Practice paper in Year 3 you will have an industry speaker every week that covers their field and their business.
You will complete 60 hours of work experience in any field you wish to enter. This provides networking opportunities, solid work experience and the opportunity to further develop your showreel (digital portfolio) content.
CORE PAPERS
Level 7:
117301 Professional Practice (15)
117402 Digital Technology and Design III (60)
With a further three papers (45 points) from Digital Design electives.
DIGITAL DESIGN ELECTIVES:
Level 6
116404 Visual Effects (15)
116405 Animation (15)
116407 Broadcast Design and Motion Graphics (15)
116408 Interactive Design and Game Development (15)
Level 7
117014 Experimental Studies (15)
117015 Digital Cinema Studies (15)
117210 Contextual Studies (15)
117405 Animation Studies (30)
117406 Visual Effects Studies (30)
Click here to view programme structure and paper outlines.
Additional course information can also be found here.
Enrolment in papers is subject to meeting all requirements and availability of papers.
Career opportunities
- VFX artist
- 3D Animator
- Art director
- Game artist
- Interactive designer
- Motion designer
- Programmer
- Screen Arts