Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation

This distinctive degree explores diverse forms of visual communication across design, culture and media. Visual Communication students acquire in depth understanding of the histories, practices and meanings of the visual world. In turn, obtaining the visual knowledge and skills required to negotiate rapidly changing technology, visual media and culture while becoming skilled in apprehending the unprecedented pace at which visual images, visual technologies and information data are produced.

Taking a transdisciplinary approach, the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation utilises multiple perspectives from diverse fields, integrating a range of industry experiences, real-world projects and self-initiated proposals, equipping graduates to address the wicked problems, complex challenges and untapped opportunities in today's world.

Students immerse themselves in a practice-oriented, studio-based culture, studying a range of interdisciplinary subjects encompassing typography, interaction and image-making. Taught by experts in visual communication, students learn everything from the history and theory of visual culture and technology to producing cutting edge creative work in digital media, interaction design, photography, editorial design, information visualisation, web design, wayfinding, mobile apps, code, machine learning, motion graphics, the internet of things and 3D technologies such as VR/AR and 3D printing. Exploring both traditional and experimental research methods students learn to produce conceptually rigorous and socially responsive work. They graduate with the capacity to work across and between disciplines, to articulate design practices and processes, and to apply them to complex problems. Graduates develop industry experience through the degree's emphasis on addressing real-world issues in collaborative and team-based work.

By focusing on the high-level conceptual thinking and problem-solving practices that lead to the development of innovative, creative and entrepreneurial outcomes, students of the combined degree also gain leading edge capabilities that are highly valued in the globalised world, including dealing with critical and creative thinking, invention, complexity, innovation, future scenario building and entrepreneurship, and the ability to work on their own across disciplines. These creative intelligence competencies enable graduates to navigate in a rapidly changing world.

Course aims

The degree has a hands-on, studio-based culture that is supported by a strong historical and theoretical component. Academics encourage both innovation and experimentation in research and practice to help students make work that is conceptually rigorous and ethically responsive.

Offering a variety of interdisciplinary subjects, graduates are able to move into their professional lives with the diverse knowledge and skills required to work collaboratively and across disciplines. All students work with industry clients on real-world projects and undertake work experience during their degree.

Innovation and Transdisciplinary program

Transdisciplinary Electives at UTS Employers tell us the skills our graduates acquire from undertaking a Transdisciplinary Elective sets them apart from the crowd. That’s why we have embedded this program into every undergraduate degree. All you need to do is choose the Elective that inspires you the most. Transdisciplinary Electives integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines, allowing you to approach complex problems from a range of perspectives. By combining methods and insights from various disciplines, transdisciplinary learning often leads to breakthrough ideas and creative innovations that may not be possible within the confines of a single discipline. If you find yourself rapt by the world of innovation – you can pair your core degree with a Diploma in Innovation, graduating with two qualifications in the same timeframe. In both instances, you’ll work on a real-world challenge presented by an industry partner organisation – partners who often create career pathways for our graduates. * Excludes students concurrently enrolled in the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation.

UTS Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation (BCII)

What is Creative Intelligence?

Opening Title: UTS Think. Change. Do.

Music Plays. Moving images of students in collaborative classroom making presentations to each other in response to Briefs from ABC and Google. (Moving image of BCII students Pranav Naik and Daniel Wasilewsky sitting together in a classroom at UTS)

Moving images of students working in teams deconstructing small, portable, electronic devices such as mobile phones and radios.

Pranav Naik B. Design in Architecture, B. Creative Intelligence and Innovation. Pranav: "Creative Intelligence to me is innovation, it's complexity, its originality, and its art in a sense to me."

Eleanor Crumpton B. Design in Integrated Product Design, B. Creative Intelligence and Innovation. Eleanor: "For me creative intelligence and innovation has really changed from what I originally thought it was, to what it is now. I really had no idea what i was expecting, but now I know its really about thinking in new and different ways." (Moving images of Eleanor engaging in group work and speaking with peers in a classroom setting) (moving images of Lee Hunter from Google speaking with microphone to the summer school class in a collaborative lecture space)

(Moving image of BCII students Becky McCreath and Jake Bayssari sitting together in a classroom at UTS)

Becky McCreath B. Engineering (ICT Engineering), B Creative Intelligence and Innovation. Becky: "Sometimes we're kinda talking about trying to explain how its a whole new way of thinking, so kind of completely different to your core degree. You're learning all of these different problem solving methods, just different ways to look at any problem, which will go with any degree that you're studying, any core discipline and just take it apart.

(moving images of students working in groups, drawing and constructing diagrams using small sticky notes and marker pens)

(Moving images of Lee Hunter addressing whole BCII group in a creative studio space)

Lee Hunter Head of Marketing Innovation, Google Asia-Pacific

Lee: "Creativity and innovation to me is all about a fascination with ideas and exploring what's new." (moving images of Lee speaking with microphone to the summer school class in a collaborative lecture space)

(Moving image of BCII students Jasper Ryan and Eloise Walker sitting together in a classroom at UTS) Jasper Ryan B. Engineering (Civil), B. Creative Intelligence and Innovation.

Jasper: "We focus more on how we're accessing the knowledge, rather than what particular knowledge we are accessing. We can actually say OK, what's this new development and how can we adapt to it? and how can we access this new knowledge while we are in the industry... It makes us a lot more versatile."

(moving images of students engaging in discussion in a creative agency space and then casually chatting in a collaborative lecture theatre)

Dominica Ingui BA. Communication (Public Communication), B. Creative Intelligence and Innovation. Dominica: "I think that creativity in entrepreneurship is particularly interesting in the current social climate because of globalisation. A lot of industries are becoming melded together, there is a lot of cross disciplinary action.

(moving images of Dominica writing notes in a notebook, engaging with another BCII student and referring to a digital screen together)

Eloise Walker BA. Communication (Media Arts and Production), B Creative Intelligence and Innovation. Eloise: "I feel like BCII is a brilliant way to network with people from many different industries.

Pranav: Creative intelligence really becomes a huge platform where you can showcase, explore and discuss your work with people of likeminded ideas.

Daniel Wasilewsky B. Business (Marketing and Management), B Creative Intelligence and Innovation. Daniel: "I find creative intelligence amazing, because I always asked the questions "Why?" and "How can I improve that?". It was always difficult to find people that also believed that. Creative Intelligence allows me to meet people that actually don't just see the world as it is, but see how the world could be."

(moving image of Annabel engaging in group work and typing notes on a laptop computer.)

Annabel Vici B Science, B Creative Intelligence and Innovation. Annabel: "If you have ever thought about something, thought about the way problems are being solved and thought about how you would do it differently… then I think BCII is a really great course for that, because it challenges you to push the solutions that we're coming up with currently.

Ellen Wiltshire BA. Communication (Media Arts and Production), B Creative Intelligence and Innovation. Ellen: I've used methods from BCII that I would use in a completely different way in the course itself, but I've taken it away to my core degree - Media Arts - and applied it to story telling techniques. I've used it in so many facets in other areas of my life as well.

Jarnae Leslie B. Design in Interior and Spatial Design,

B Creative Intelligence and Innovation. Jarnae: The CI mindset is compassionate, its understanding, its open-minded, its curious, its investigative, it pulls things apart - and not necessarily in a destructive way - but to pull it back together again.

Jake Bayssari BA. Communication (Media Arts and Production), B Creative Intelligence and Innovation. Jake: "This is the first time you are able to go into a space, into an area and receive a project, where your curiosity feeds the solutions, feeds the answers, feeds the questions.

Becky: … and we're so equipped to be those change agents, not only… We question all of these things and we come up with ideas and we get to push them. We get to be like, the forefront of innovation, taking all of these ideas out...

Jake: We're the first frontier in change… that's what I'd like to say - and you'll see our names in headlines ten years from now… (Jake gestures with hand indicating a headline above his head) "Change Agents - Jake and Becky" (laughter and smiles from Jake, Becky and film crew)

Music plays. Closing screen "Copyright 2015 University of Technology Sydney."

Ends

Study plan

A typical program is shown below.

First year

Autumn session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
VC Design Studio: The Politics of Image and Text 87631 12
VC Design Theory: Critical Approaches to Visual Culture 87100 6
Thinking Through Design 85503 6
July session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
Problems to Possibilities 81511 8
Spring session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
VC Design Studio: The Ethics of Image and Text 87632 12
VC Design Project: Symbols, Systems and Visual Play 87222 6
Researching Design Histories 85502 6
December session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
Creative Practice and Methods 81512 8

Second year

Autumn session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
VC Design Studio: Narrative, Form and Time 87731 12
VC Project: Contexts of Visual Communication 87441 6
Select 6 credit points of options: 6
July session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
Past, Present, Future of Innovation 81513 8
Spring session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
VC Project: Typography in Context 87443 6
VC Design Studio: Visualising Experience 87009 12
Select 6 credit points from the following: 6
Designing Social Change 85202 6
The Bio Kitchen 85001 6
Global Studio A 88015 6

Third year

February session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
Creativity and Complexity 81514 8
Autumn session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
VC Design Studio: Design Practice 87832 12
VC Project: Visual Communication and Emergent Practices 87011 6
Select 6 credit points of options: 6
July session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
Leading Innovation 81515 8
Spring session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
VC Project: Research Through Design 87012 6
VC Design Studio: Socially Responsive Design 87010 12
Select 6 credit points of options: 6
December session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
Initiatives and Entrepreneurship 81516 8
Innovation Internship A 81522 6

Fourth year

Autumn session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
Industry Innovation Project 81531 12
March session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
Select 6 credit points from the following: 6
Envisioning Futures 81521 6
New Knowledge-making Lab 81528 6
July session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
Select 6 credit points from the following: 6
Innovation Internship B 81525 6
Speculative Start-up 81523 6
Spring session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
Creative Intelligence Capstone 81532 12
August session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
Transdisciplinary Practice at the Cutting Edge 81524 6

Honours

The Bachelor of Design (Honours) (C09131) is available to meritorious students with an additional one year of full-time study.

Applications are submitted via the UTS Study website.

Course fees

For relevant fee information, please choose from the following:

Local student

All students at UTS pay tuition fees to contribute towards the cost of their studies.

In 2024 all offers made to domestic undergraduate students will be for Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP), which means that the Australian government makes a substantial contribution towards the cost of your education, and you pay the balance through student contributions.

The amount you pay depends on your area of study and the number of credit points (cp) in which you enrol. At UTS 48 credit points is considered to be one Equivalent Full Time Study Load (EFTSL).

The table to the right shows the amount a student can expect to pay for one year of full-time study (1.0 EFTSL).

Students can choose to pay their student contribution upfront, or if eligible, can defer their fees through HECS-HELP.

In addition to tuition fees, students are required to pay a Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). The purchase of textbooks and other course materials may also result in additional cost.

You can calculate your student contribution as a percentage of the amounts shown on the table. Fee rates are divided into four bands covering broad discipline areas.  It is important to note that a particular subject within a course may fall within a different band.

For example, if you are enrolled in a 6-credit point Architecture subject, your contribution would be 6/48 x $9,314 = $1,164.

Student contribution amounts for 2025 commencing students

2025 student contribution - Area of StudyAmount for 48 cp
Law, Accounting, Administration, Economics, Commerce, Communications and Society and Culture$16,992
Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science$13,241
Allied Health, Other Health, Built Environment, Computing, Visual & Performing Arts, Professional Pathway Psychology, Professional Pathway Social Work, Engineering, Surveying, Environmental Studies, Science and Pathology$9,314
Education, Postgraduate Clinical Psychology, English, Mathematics, Statistics, Nursing or Foreign Languages and Agriculture$4,627

International student

Tuition fees for international undergraduate students can be found using tuition fees search.

Tuition fees must be paid in advance each session and are subject to annual increase. Fees for future year(s) published in fees search, whilst unlikely to change, are estimates only. UTS makes every effort to provide up to date future year(s) fee estimates and to limit any changes, however, UTS reserves the right to vary fees for future year(s) at any time.

For this course, the cost per credit point for 2025 is $974. The total credit points are 240.


All international students should familiarise themselves with the following documents:

In addition to tuition fees, students may be required to pay a Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). Textbooks and other course materials will also result in additional costs.

UTS Alumni save 10%: alumni.uts.edu.au/advantage

For further information on costs related to your study at UTS, visit the international students' fees information page.

Careers

There are many career options in a range of fields for graduates, such as digital media, publication designer, graphic designer, interaction designer, interactive media designer, web designer, branding specialist, art director, motion graphics designer, advertising, illustrator, and exhibition designer. Graduates are also equipped with the skills to become writers, researchers, editors and critics, and to apply design thinking in a non-design industry business.

By being creative thinkers, initiators of new ideas, scenario planners, global strategists, open network designers or sustainable futures innovators within their chosen field of study, graduates maximise the potential of their chosen profession, making them highly sought after graduates with the ability to identify and develop solutions to some of the most complex issues that face their disciplines and society.

Course structure

Course structure explained

Students must complete 240 credit points, comprising 144 credit points in visual communication and 96 credit points in creative intelligence and innovation. The creative intelligence and innovation subjects are undertaken in accelerated form within July and Summer sessions during the first three years of study, and through one full year of study after completion of the professional degree. The Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation is not offered as a separate degree, but is completed only in combination with the professional degree program.

Industrial training/professional practice

In the final year of the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation, students can undertake between 6 and 12 credit points of internship (work experience) that relates to innovation within their research, career development or core degree specialisations. For students undertaking 12 credit points of internship, international internships may be negotiated.

This course involves significant industry engagement as part of the learning process. Students may be required to relinquish intellectual property when they opt in to certain industry-related experiences, particularly relating to internships and capstone projects.

Course completion requirements
Requirement Credit Points
STM91427 Core Subjects (Visual Communication) 108
STM91882 Design Studies 18
CBK92309 Options 18
STM90839 Core subjects (Creative Intelligence and Innovation) 96
Total 240

Additional information

Course duration

The course is offered on a four-year, full-time basis.

Admission requirements

Admission requirements

Applicants must have completed an Australian Year 12 qualification, Australian Qualifications Framework Diploma, or equivalent Australian or overseas qualification at the required level.

Admission to the combined degree is on merit according to the admissions policy for the Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication.

UTS: Design, Architecture and Building may consider applications based on the results of the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) if students lack academic qualifications but have extensive professional experience. The STAT is conducted through the Universities Admissions Centre.

Students must refer to the inherent requirements for all degrees offered by Design and Architecture in the Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building.

The English proficiency requirement for international students or local applicants with international qualifications is: IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall with a writing score of 6.0; or TOEFL iBT: 79-93 overall with a writing score of 21; or AE5: Pass; or PTE: 58-64 with a writing score of 50; or C1A/C2P: 176-184 with a writing score of 169.

Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.

International students

Visa requirement: To obtain a student visa to study in Australia, international students must enrol full time and on campus. Australian student visa regulations also require international students studying on student visas to complete the course within the standard full-time duration. Students can extend their courses only in exceptional circumstances.

Check to see if there are additional admission requirements for this course.

Additional information relating to this course, including the ATAR profile of domestic students who commenced this course in Autumn 2022, is located under UTS' admissions requirements, alongside information relating to the commencing student cohort who were enrolled in this course past the Autumn 2022 census date.

If you don't meet the admission requirements for this course, there may be alternative pathways to help you gain admission.

ATAR and selection ranks

To find out further information regarding ATAR and selection ranks from previous applicants who received an offer to this course, please visit our Admissions Stats Tool

Year 12 adjustment factor scheme

To see a list of courses where HSC subjects provide adjustment factors, please refer to the Year 12 adjustment factors page.

Scholarships and prizes

Scholarships

For Creative Intelligence and Innovation and Design, Architecture and Building - 2 students

Only for international students

For all domestic students

Only for Aboriginal Australian or Torres Strait Islander students

Prizes and awards

For Creative Intelligence and Innovation and Design, Architecture and Building - 2 students

UTS: Handbook

See the Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation in the UTS: Handbook for comprehensive course details.

Information for international students

Find out about support services, the Australian education system, accommodation and more to help you get the most out of your study at UTS.

  • BCII Alumni Success

    Alumni Success

    Hear from recent UTS graduates on how the award-winning Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation has helped with their career.

  • BCII Students

    Student Experiences

    Get the inside scoop from students and find out their experience studying the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation at UTS.

Domestic students

Before you apply

Here are a few important things for you to check out before you apply:

How to apply

Domestic applicants can apply via the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) (opens an external site)

UAC code(s): 609555 (Autumn session)

Make a note of the relevant UAC code before starting the UAC application.

Intake

Autumn Session 2025

Important dates

NOVEMBER 2024
1
Closing date for change of preferences (November Round 1)
8
UAC offers released (November Round 1)
14
Closing date for change of preferences (November Round 2)
21
UAC offers released (November Round 2)
28
Closing date for change of preferences (December Round 1)
DECEMBER 2024
5
UAC offers released (December Round 1)
18
UTS Info Day
18
Closing date for change of preferences (December Round 2)
23
UAC offers released (December Round 2)
JANUARY 2025
2
Closing date for change of preferences (January Round 1)
9
UAC offers released (January Round 1)
16
Closing date for change of preferences (January Round 2)
23
UAC offers released (January Round 2)
30
Closing date for change of preferences (February Round 1)
FEBRUARY 2025
3 - 14
Autumn session orientation
6
UAC offers released (February Round 1)
7
Closing date for change of preferences (February Round 2)
13
UAC offers released (February Round 2)
17
Autumn session commences (main calendar)
27
Closing date for change of preferences (March Round 1)
MARCH 2025
3
Last day to enrol for Autumn session
6
UAC offers released (March Round 1)
20
Autumn census date – last day to withdraw from subjects or apply for leave of absence

Need more information?

Ask UTS

Scholarships, prizes and awards

Scholarships

For Creative Intelligence and Innovation and Design, Architecture and Building - 2 students

Only for international students

For all domestic students

Only for Aboriginal Australian or Torres Strait Islander students

Prizes and awards

For Creative Intelligence and Innovation and Design, Architecture and Building - 2 students

International students

Before you apply

Here are a few important things for you to check out before you apply:

You can meet an international student advisor at one of our events worldwide to ask questions and submit an application.

Important dates

Visit the UTS Handbook for full academic dates. Visit essential information for international students for the application closing dates.

How to apply

International applicants can apply to study through UTS International.

International applicants who are currently doing:

  • an Australian Year 12 qualification in or outside Australia
  • an International Baccalaureate, or
  • a New Zealand National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 3

can apply through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) (opens external site).

Intake

Autumn Session 2025

Apply online

Download an application form

Need more information?

Ask a question

Scholarships, prizes and awards

Scholarships

For Creative Intelligence and Innovation and Design, Architecture and Building - 2 students

Only for international students

For all domestic students

Only for Aboriginal Australian or Torres Strait Islander students

Prizes and awards

For Creative Intelligence and Innovation and Design, Architecture and Building - 2 students

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.