General Information

Overview

Creativity meets practicality in our Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) (Honours). Study the emotional impact of design, as well as the mechanics of structures. Think about materials, not just maths. From furniture to med-tech devices, you'll be ready for any design brief. And with a focus on new technologies and sustainability, you'll emerge ready for any future. 

Study structure

Successful completion of the Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) (Honours) requires students to complete units of study to the value of 400 credit points. All units of study are valued at 12.5 credit points unless otherwise stated. 

  • Full-time study: 100 credit points/eight standard units of study per year

  • Part-time study: 50 credit points/four standard units of study per year

  • One credit point is equivalent to one hour of study per week per semester (including contact hours and private study)

  • See the course planner for an example degree structure.

  • Full-time study: 100 credit points/eight standard units of study per year

  • One credit point is equivalent to one hour of study per week per semester (including contact hours and private study)

  • See the course planner for an example degree structure.

Units of study Unit code
Core units
Twentieth Century Design
Core unit , 12.5 credit points 		DDD10001
Introductory Design Studio
Core unit , 12.5 credit points 		DDD10006
Product Visualisation 1: Hand Sketching
Core unit , 12.5 credit points 		DID10001
Materials, Finishes and Form
Core unit , 12.5 credit points 		DID10006
User Centered Design
Core unit , 12.5 credit points 		DID10004
Product Visualisation 2: Digital Sketching
Core unit , 12.5 credit points 		DID20007
Digital Modelling
Core unit , 12.5 credit points 		DPD20001
Contemporary Design Issues
Core unit , 12.5 credit points 		DDD20004
Major units
Design and Emotion Studio
Major unit , 12.5 credit points 		DID20001
Materials and Processes
Major unit , 12.5 credit points 		DID20002
Product Visualisation 3: Surface Modelling and Rendering
Major unit , 12.5 credit points 		DID20008
Digital Manufacturing
Major unit , 12.5 credit points 		DID30001
Products in Context: Theories of Industrial Design
Major unit , 12.5 credit points 		DID30003
Furniture Design
Major unit , 12.5 credit points 		DDD30004
Socially Responsible Design Studio
Major unit , 12.5 credit points 		DID30002
Online Enterprise and Opportunities
Major unit , 12.5 credit points 		DID30004
Units of study Unit code
Industrial Design Honours Stream
Studio 1: Methods for Design Research
Honours unit, 25.0 credit points 		DDD40001
Capstone: Industrial Design Major Project 1
Honours unit, 25.0 credit points 		DID40001
Elective
Industrial Design Stream unit, 12.5 credit points
Professional Design Attributes
Honours unit, 12.5 credit points 		DPD40004
Capstone: Industrial Design Major Project 2
Honours unit, 25.0 credit points 		DID40002
or
Design Factory Melbourne Honours Stream
Studio 1: Methods for Design Research
Honours unit, 25.0 credit points 		DDD40001
DFM: Applied Innovation Studio 1
Honours unit, 25.0 credit points 		DDD60030
Project Management and Practice
Honours unit, 12.5 credit points 		DDD30038
Professional Attributes for Design
Honours unit, 12.5 credit points 		DDD30036
DFM: Applied Innovation Studio 2
Honours unit, 25.0 credit points 		DDD70031

Choose from a combination of the following course components to complete 100 credit points of other study. Students may also select elective units (12.5 credit points each).

A co-major is a major in a field of study outside this course. You can choose one in addition to a first major. Co-majors will not be named on your testamur certificate however, they will be shown on your transcript of results.

  • Animation

  • Cinema and Screen Studies

  • Entrepreneurship and Innovation

  • Environmental Sustainability 

  • Games and Interactivity

  • Indigenous Studies

  • Media Industries

  • Psychology 

View co-major units

Advanced minors are a structured set of 4 units or 50 credit points in a field of study which builds upon your first major. Advanced minors can only be taken in conjunction with specific majors - more information will be available soon.

3D Modelling and Animation Advanced

Minors are a structured set of 4 units or 50 credit points and may be chosen from any field of study.

  • Branded Environments
  • Communication Design
  • Engineering
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Indigenous Studies
  • Innovation
  • Interior Architecture
  • Motion Design
  • Photomedia
View minor units

These recommended elective units can deepen your understanding of your chosen major or an area of interest. A full list of available elective units can be found upon enrolment.

  • ANI10001 Introduction to Animation
  • ANI10003 History of Animation
  • ANI10004 Introduction to Character and Environment Design
  • DES20057 Toolbox for Prototyping and Interdisciplinary Collaboration
  • DIA10005 Interior Architecture Communication
  • ENT10001 Entrepreneurship and Opportunity
  • ENT10002 Creativity and Innovation
  • ENT20006 Lean Startup Springboard
  • ENT30015 Launching New Ventures
  • MDA20018 Popular Culture of Asia
  • MGT10009 Contemporary Management Principles
  • MGT10010 Ethics of Innovation
  • MKT10009 Marketing and the Consumer Experience
  • MKT20019 Marketing Research and Analytics
  • MKT20021 Integrated Marketing Communication
  • MKT20025 Consumer Behaviour
  • MKT20031 Marketing and Innovation
  • MKT20032 Frontiers in Digital Marketing
  • MKT30016 Marketing Strategy and Planning
  • MKT30017 Innovative Branding
  • MKT30018 Marketing Insights
Find more detail about elective units

Learning outcomes

Graduates of the Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) (Honours) will have a broad and coherent body of knowledge about Industrial Design, with depth in the underlying principles and concepts in Industrial Design and its applications in other specialised fields as a basis for independent lifelong learning. 
 
This course aims to develop creative and technological aptitude through a user-centred design program supported by business studies, new and emerging manufacturing and material technologies, professional practice, design psychology, consumer knowledge, applied research, sustainability and design ethics. 
 
On successful completion of the Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) (Honours), graduates will be able to:

  • analyse, consolidate, synthesise and evaluate design theories and manufacturing principles with a significant level of independence

  • systematically review and critically evaluate research from a variety of sources to inform their knowledge and conceptual understandings in their chosen area of Industrial Design

  • critically analyse information to generate creative solutions that solve complex, self-determined, design problems

  • apply tacit knowledge and technical skills to demonstrate a comprehensive grasp in product development, digital CAD, manufacturing knowledge, ideation, and manual sketching skills with depth.

  • propose a clear, coherent and independent exposition of knowledge and ideas about Industrial Design to diverse audiences and stakeholders

  • integrate their cognitive and technical skills with principles of sustainability in order to create responsible design solutionspropose a clear, coherent and independent exposition of knowledge and ideas about Industrial Design to different audiences and stakeholders

  • plan and manage their own time and project work effectively by prioritising competing demands and deadlines

Career opportunities

Our alumni have worked in Breville, Dyson, Nura headphones, Blackmagic creative video technology, Jardan furniture, Katapult Design and more. They’ve created the Handydesk and co-founded companies like Steelotto furniture and Ichpig streetwear.

Among other possibilities, graduates may find jobs undertaking product design for, and within, manufacturing industries or design consultancies, for exhibitions, for environmental and furniture design, or as self-employed designers or manufacturers.

Graduates are also eligible to apply for entry into the Master of Design or a PhD program.

Professional recognition

Graduates are eligible to apply to become members of the Design Institute of Australia.

Course rules

To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) (Honours), students must complete 400 credit points comprising of:

  • eight [8] core units of study (100 credit points)

  • eight [8] Industrial Design major units of study (100 credit points)

  • Industrial Design Honours Stream (100 credit points), students select one of the following streams for their honours year.

  • stream 1 – Industrial Design Capstone 

  • stream 2 – Design Factory Melbourne Projects

  • stream 3 – Design Factory Melbourne Global Projects

  • eight [8] units of study comprising of two 25 credit points Professional and Industry Experience* (PIE) units, minor and/or electives (100 credit points). 
     

In the fourth year of the degree, students choose between three elective streams. 
 
Stream 1 is offered in Semester 1 only and provides a highly focussed set of research methods and Capstone units in Industrial Design. Streams 2 and 3 offer the opportunity to participate in either local or global projects with Design Factory Melbourne – a multidisciplinary platform for research and development working with industry clients. 
 
Please note that Stream 2 (for local projects) is offered in Semester 1 only and that Stream 3 (for global projects) is offered in Semester 2 only. Design Factory Melbourne (local projects) consists of 25 out of the 100 credit points students earn in their Honours year, while the Design Factory Melbourne (global projects) comprises 87.5 out of the 100 final year credit points earned. Find out more about local and global projects at Design Factory Melbourne. 
 
Students may not complete more than 150 credit points at Introductory Level 1. A unit of study can only be counted once, where units are shared between majors and/or minors, students must choose an approved alternate.

Industry placements

This course includes an optional placement component for domestic students. Selection processes apply. 

 
Placement is a program in which students are placed in paid, supervised employment, for 24 or 48 weeks, relevant to their studies as part of their degree. It aims to provide experiential, discipline-specific learning in an authentic, real-world environment. 
 
Through observation, enquiry and practice under the supervision and guidance of professional practitioners and an academic mentor, students will engage in professional experiences and test and critically assess their learning to date. The experience contextualises existing design skills within an understanding of the impact of client, customer, team dynamics and direction in the design process. The placement program is part of the Honours stream. Placement gives students practical experience to add to their academic studies, and is a proven advantage in the graduate job market. All placements are subject to availability of places.

Find out more about work placements. Placement is not available to students holding an international student visa. 
 
For students who enter with exempted credits, a minimum of at least 100 credit points of units in this degree (not including electives and placement units) must be completed to be eligible for an award. 
 
* Professional and Industry Experience is not available to students holding an international student visa.

Honours merit calculation

The honours merit calculation will be based on the averaged results of 100 credits points of specified units from a student's last two years of study:

  • Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) (Honours) with High Distinction for students who achieve 80 or above

  • Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) (Honours) with Distinction for students who achieve 70 – 79 

  • Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) (Honours) with Credit for students who achieve 60 – 69  

  • Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) (Honours) for students who achieve less than 60
     

For students who enter with exempted credits, a minimum of at least 150 credits within the Major is required to be eligible for an award and for an honours merit calculation. At least 75 out of the last 100 credits comply with AQF level 8. 
 
This Honours merit calculation will be based only on units completed at Swinburne. If a student has not completed the specified units, they will graduate with a Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) (Honours) as an award title, but will not be eligible for a merit based honours description. 
 
The following units will be used in the Honours merit calculation: 

Stream 1 - Industrial Design 

  • DDD20007 Design Systems and Services
  • DID40001 Capstone: Industrial Design Major Project 1
  • DID40002 Capstone: Industrial Design Major Project 2
  • DPD40004 Professional Design Attributes
  • DDD40001 Studio 1: Methods for Design

Stream 2 - Design Factory Melbourne Projects 

  • DDD40001 Studio 1: Methods for Design Research
  • DPD40004 Professional Design Attributes
  • DDD60030 DFM: Applied Innovation Studio 1
  • DDD70031 DFM: Applied Innovation Studio 2
  • DDD20007 Design Systems and Services

Maximum Academic Credit

The maximum level of credit that can be granted for the Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) (Honours) is 250 credit points (normally 20 units).

Admission criteria

Information about Swinburne's general admission criteria can be found at Admissions at Swinburne - Higher Education webpage.

Entry requirements

A. Applicants with recent secondary education (within past three years)

ATAR

This course uses the ATAR as part of its selection considerations.

Guaranteed ATAR: if you receive an ATAR of 70 or higher and meet all the essential requirements for this course, you will be guaranteed an offer.

Educational history

An applicant's entire academic history, including ATAR results, will be considered for entry into this course.

Selection rank adjustments

Selection ranks for this course will be calculated based on your ATAR with adjustments to overall study scores based on subjects studied, location of your home address, SEAS application, and participation In Swinburne's Early Leaders program. For further details about selection rank adjustments, see Admissions at Swinburne.

Subject Adjustments

A study score of 25 in Art, Applied Fashion Design and Technology B, Product Design and Technology, Engineering Studies (VCE VET), Furnishing B, Furnishing C, Furnishing D, Furnishing E, any Mathematics, Studio Arts, Systems Engineering or Visual Communication Design equals 4 aggregate points per study. Overall maximum of 15 points.

Meeting course prerequisites

VCE Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 25 in any English (except EAL) or 30 in English as Alternate Language (EAL) Units 3 and 4: satisfactory completion in one of Art Creative Practice, Product Design And Technology, Media, Creative And Digital Media (VCE VET) I, Art Making And Exhibiting or Visual Communication Design

ATAR profile for those offered places wholly or partly on the basis of ATAR in Semester 1 2024

ATAR-Based offers only, across all offer rounds ATAR
Excluding adjustment factors		 Selection Rank
ATAR + any adjustment factors
Highest rank to receive an offer 92.1 99.95
Median rank to receive an offer 75.25 83.85
Lowest rank to receive an offer 62.75 69.5

B. Applicants with higher education study

Educational history 

An applicant's entire academic history, including results from previous higher education study will be considered for entry into this course. If previous higher education qualifications are incomplete, results must have been obtained in the last seven years. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent. 

STAT/Bridging courses 

Applicants who do not meet the English prerequisites can sit STAT Written English. STAT results are valid for two years.

C. Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study

Educational history 

An applicant's entire academic history from the past seven years, including complete and/or incomplete post-secondary VET studies, will be considered for entry into this course. Only graded results will be considered. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent. 

STAT/Bridging courses 

Applicants who do not meet the English prerequisites can sit STAT Written English. STAT results are valid for two years.

D. Applicants with work and life experience

Entire academic record 

This course uses an applicant's entire academic record as part of its selection considerations, including an applicant's ATAR results from the last seven years can be considered for entry into this course. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent. 

STAT/Bridging courses 

Applicants who do not meet the English prerequisites can sit STAT Written English. STAT results are valid for two years.

Student profile

The table below gives an indication of the likely peer cohort for new students in this course. It provides data on students who commenced in this course in the most relevant recent intake period, including those admitted through all offer rounds and international students studying in Australia.

  Semester 1, 2024
Applicant background Number of students Percentage of all students
(A) Higher education study (includes a bridging or enabling course) 6 20%
(B) Vocational education and training (VET) study <5 <5
(C) Work and life experience (admitted on the basis of previous achievement not in the other three categories) <5 <5
(D) Recent secondary education:    
Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR (regardless of whether this includes the consideration of adjustment factors such as equity or subject bonus points) 13 43%
Admitted where both ATAR and additional criteria were considered (e.g. portfolio, audition, extra test, early offer conditional on minimum ATAR) N/A N/A
Admitted on the basis of other criteria only and ATAR was not a factor (e.g. special consideration, audition alone, schools recommendation scheme with no minimum ATAR requirement) 8 27%
International students 0 0%
All students 30 100%

Notes: 
“<5” – the number of students is less than 5.
N/A – Students not accepted in this category.  

Interested in the Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) (Honours)?

From state-of-the-art facilities to opportunities to engage with industry – this course is designed with your future in mind. Let's get started.

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