Chose between a 1 year Diploma of Graphic Design at CATC Design School or 3 year Bachelor of Communication Design taught by Billy Blue College of Design at Torrens University, Australia. Learn about the differences between the two courses below.
Diploma of Graphic Design
Key points:
- This is a very hands on and practical course, all students graduate with a professional portfolio
- After completion students can enter directly into the 2nd year of the Bachelor of Communication Design or come back at a later time to enter the 2nd year of the Bachelor
- Learn from industry professionals
- Your teachers are industry professionals who still work as professional designers, some have their own design studio and teach to share their passion with you. For this reason, most only teach part-time so that they can continue to share with you the latest industry trends and software. This is a VERY important point to consider when choosing a college. Nobody wants to spend their hard earned money learning how to use software that is now outdated.
- Intense course which will give you the skills and confidence to begin your career in design
Who is this course for?
- For those who were always scribbling drawings on their notebooks. Yes, there are theoretical concepts to learn however this course focuses on teaching you practical skills
- Those who enjoy designing into the early hours of the morning. Welcome to the real world of Design where being able to quickly produce quality work can make the different between winning or losing a client.
- For those who want to become Graphic Designer, work in Advertising, Branding, Publishing or illustration
- Those who are unsure whether a Bachelor is for them and may not be ready to commit to 3 years of study can chose the Diploma to get a taste of what the Bachelor is like before deciding to continue into 2nd year of the Bachelor
Cost:
- $25,000 (separate payments at commencement of each trimester)
*Note that tuition fees are subject to change each year
Duration:
- 1 year (3 trimesters of 12 weeks each)
Start Dates:
- 20 February, 5 June, 18 September
Campus:
- Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne
Entry Requirements:
- Successful completion of High School year 12
- IELTS Academic 5.5 overall with a minimum 5.0 in each skill or equivalent
- Show basic design skills with a portfolio of 3-5 images
- We can advise you of what the college is looking for in a portfolio so that you can correctly prepare this. The purpose of the portfolio is too ensure all students have a minimum understanding of basic software and computer skills so that you can learn at the same speed.
What will I learn?
- dvertising
- Career Preparation
- Drawing and Colour
- Finished Art
- Illustration
- Interactive Media
- Packaging Design
- Symbols and Branding
- Specialisation subject
- Typography
- Visual Communication
How will I learn?
Learn by doing! Preparing you for the real world. For example, you will have the opportunity to work on real projects.
Online access to learning portal. Access your reading materials, assignments and grades online. If you didn't have time to take all the notes in class, access the learning portal to cover the parts you didn't understand.
No lectures of 100+ students, only small tutorial style classes of 20-25 students.
No Exams. You will be assessed by demonstrating that you have learnt the skills and knowledge. This is done through practical and written projects as well as presentations to the class
Jobs after this course
Design is a competitive industry however with the right skills and knowledge on how to sell your skills most students seek work as junior designers to commence their career. It is also common for students to work for themselves as freelance designers or start a design studio or business.
When going to a design job interview, one of the first questions you will be asked is, "Can I see your portfolio?". A portfolio is the equivalent of a business persons Resume or CV and shows an employer your skills, experience with different projects and maturity as a designer. As a graduate of this course you can confidently answer "yes" to this question and show your professional portfolio
Areas where graduates find work:
- Illustration
- Magazine Design
- Brand and Identity Design
- Logo and Corporate Design
- Packaging Design
- Advertising agency
- Freelance
Bachelor of Communication Design
Key points:
- Includes an Internship in final year! Graduate with work experience - often the very first question you will be asked in a job interview is "Do you have work experience?"
- This course combines theoretical and technical knowledge so that you can apply these to real world design problems
- Graduate with a professional portfolio
- Learn from industry professionals. Your teachers are industry professionals who still work as professional designer, some have their own design studio and teach to share their passion with you. For this reason, they only teach part-time so that they can continue to share with you the latest industry trends and software. This is a VERY important point to consider when choosing a college. Nobody wants to spend their hard earned money learning how to use software that is now outdated.
- Intense course which will give you the skills and confidence to begin your career in design
- This is a three year course which therefore qualifies for a Post-Study Work visa (485 visa) allowing students to apply for a two year work visa after graduation. *Note that this government policy can change whilst you are studying. Other requirements as set by the department of immigration must also be met, please contact us for more information. More details can be found on the department of immigration’s
Who is this course for?
- For those looking for a comprehensive design course that combines theory, with technical knowledge all using a practical approach
- For those looking to one day have a senior design role. For example, Art Director
- For those who were always scribbling drawings on their notebooks. Yes, there are theoretical concepts to learn however this course focuses on teaching you practical skills
- Those who enjoy designing into the early hours of the morning. Welcome to the real world of Design where being able to quickly produce quality work can make the different between winning or losing a client.
- For those who want to become Graphic Designer, work in Advertising, Branding, art direction, digital media and print, Publishing and illustration
Cost:
- $73,700 (9 separate payments at commencement of each trimester over 3 years)
*Note that tuition fees are subject to change each year
Duration:
- 3 years (9 trimesters of 12 weeks each)
Start Dates:
- 20 February, 5 June, 18 September
Campus:
- Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne
Entry Requirements:
- Successful completion of High School year 12
- IELTS Academic 6.0 overall with a minimum 5.5 in each skill or equivalent
- This course does not require a design portfolio as we teach the fundamentals of design in the first year.
What will I learn?
Core Subject list below:
- Design Fundamentals
- Design Exploration
- Thinking Visually
- Typographic Fundamentals
- Ways of Seeing
- Message, Meaning, Media
- Live Design Studio
- Major Project
- Culture of Change
- Exhibition/Live Briefs
- Portfolio
- Business by Design
There are also 25 Elective subjects to choose from such as Brand Management, Interface Development and Motion Design.
For a full list of all the subjects and their detailed descriptions please click below and we will send you a detailed course guide.
How will I learn?
- Learn by doing! Preparing you for the real world. For example, you will have the opportunity to work on real projects.
- Online access to learning portal. Access your reading materials, assignments and grades online. If you didn't have time to take all the notes in class, access the learning portal to cover the parts you didn't understand.
- Flipped classroom appraoch. Rather than spending your valuable class time covering textbook and reading material, students are provided access to reading materials online and it is expected that they read this before class. Class time is then used to ensure you understand the topic through real-life examples, discussions and guest speakers.
- No lectures of 100+ students, only small tutorial style classes of 20-25 students.
- No Exams. You will be assessed by demonstrating that you have learnt the skills and knowledge. This is done through practical and written projects as well as presentations to the class
Jobs after this course
Design is a competitive industry however with the right skills and knowledge on how to sell your skills most students seek work as junior designers to commence their career. It is also common for students to work for themselves as freelance designers or start a design studio or business.
When going to a design job interview, one of the first questions you will be asked is, "Can I see your portfolio?". A portfolio is the equivalent of a business persons Resume or CV and shows an employer your skills, experience with different projects and maturity as a designer. As a graduate of this course you can confidently answer "yes" to this question and show your professional portfolio.
On top of this, in the Bachelor you can select to complete an Internship as part of your subject selection. This is another advantage of the Bachelor course in comparison to the Diploma which does not include an internship.
Areas where graduates find work:
- Producer
- Illustration
- Magazine Design
- Art Director
- Publisher
- Copywriter
- Brand and Identity Design
- Logo and Corporate Design
- Packaging Design
- Advertising agency
- Freelance