Master of Design (Communication Design)

This unique qualification will extend your knowledge and skills in graphics and illustration. It will also provide you with advanced research skills.

The Master of Design (Communication Design) builds on knowledge and skills already attained and will extend your learning in preparation for a rewarding career across of a range of creative employment sectors, including:

• advertising
• branding
• merchandising
• communication
• publication design

UniSA boasts award-winning, purpose-built studio spaces and five floors of impressive workshops that feature state-of-the-art digital equipment.

You will also benefit from:

• our strong industry links when you embark on industry placements
• our world-class teaching staff
• industry master classes hosted by national and international industry professionals

Our teaching staff are professional designers, so the curriculum is industry-relevant and mostly practical in nature. You will also work alongside world-class researchers in communication design1.

As Australia's university of enterprise:

• we are ranked top 10 in Australia for employer satisfaction2
• we are the largest university in South Australia with more than 31,000 students
• we are No.1 in Australia for quality education3

It's a very good time to choose UniSA for your postgraduate study.

1 Results in Design Practice and Management - 2018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA)2 QILT: 2018 Employer Satisfaction Survey, Overall Satisfaction Indicator - National Report3 2019 THE University Impact Rankings

To be an effective communication designer you need to be able to identify problems, and to examine and develop strategies and approaches to overcome them. This qualification addresses design issues that you may be faced with in the workplace, such as:

• socio-cultural change
• economic constraints
• environmental impacts

You will also develop an advanced understanding of communication design principles and graduate with the ability to develop and design effective communications for a range of audiences. Cognitive skills needed to review and analyse research will also be developed.

This master degree comprises design research studio classes, advanced research skills and a choice of electives, including an internship.

This industry is expecting strong growth in long-term employment prospects Australia-wide, with the number of job openings over the next few years, until November 2019, expected to be above average1.

Graduates from this degree enjoy careers in a variety of roles, such as:

• animation and motion designer: use graphic software to create animated images
• art director: responsible for the visual aspects of a publication, campaign, or other published material; a chief liaison between the client and designers
• graphic designer: create visual concepts to inspire, inform or captivate an audience
• communications designer: use software applications to create visual design elements for publishers, web developers and multimedia companies
• illustrator: produce still drawings for use in advertisements, magazines, on packaging, greeting cards and in newspapers
• typographer: create the typeface that graphically reflects a client's brief
• web designer: create and maintain websites, this may include the design, layout and coding

Creativity, patience, motivation, commitment and, of course, excellent communication skills, are all qualities of a successful communication designer.

1Australian Government Department of Employment, Occupational Employment Projections 2015