Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication Bachelor of International Studies (Honours)

Admissions information

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• Course description arrow_forward_ios

  This course is designed for students pursuing a career in visual communication and international studies, aiming to blend design expertise with cultural and linguistic proficiency. Choose this course to gain a comprehensive education that merges creative design with global awareness, setting you apart in the competitive job market.

  What sets this course apart is its unique combination of hands-on design practice with an immersive international experience. You'll not only master visual communication but also deepen your understanding of a foreign language and culture through a year-long study abroad.

  You will develop a robust skill set, including digital media, editorial design, web and app development, and emerging technologies like VR/AR and 3D printing. Your learning will be grounded in the history and theory of visual culture, ensuring your work is conceptually strong and socially relevant.

  Teaching is studio-based and interactive, led by industry experts. You'll engage in real-world projects, collaborate with peers, and gain industry experience through work placements. The international year further enhances your adaptability and global perspective, making you a valuable asset to employers.

  By completing this course, you'll be well-equipped to navigate the complexities of visual communication within a global context, ready to contribute to diverse professional environments with creativity and cultural insight.

  Please note, this is an exit-only course. There is no direct admission to it. Current UTS students may be able to submit an Internal Course Transfer (Graduating) application to exit with this course. See the Course transfer page for further details.

  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, photography, editorial design, information visualisation, web design, wayfinding, mobile apps, code, interaction design, 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.

  The international experience enhances career options, making students more marketable to prospective employers.

• Important dates arrow_forward_ios

  Find out more about application dates relating to this course

• Year 12 adjustment factor scheme arrow_forward_ios

  If you perform highly in your Year 12 subjects, your selection rank may be boosted by the Year 12 subject scheme.

  The scheme, which is automatically applied, awards selection rank adjustments to your application based on your marks in subjects that are relevant to the courses you have applied to.

• ATAR and selection ranks arrow_forward_ios

  Your Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is a score between 0.00 and 99.95. It shows you how you rank compared to all the students in your year group in New South Wales. A selection rank combines your ATAR with any other adjustment points that make up your overall university entrance score. Your selection rank may differ from university to university, depending on the adjustment points granted to you at each institution.

• Scholarships and prizes arrow_forward_ios

  Discover our scholarships for undergraduate, postgraduate and research students. Our scholarships celebrate diversity and academic excellence. Use the scholarship search tool to find the right scholarship for you.

  Scholarships for domestic students

  Scholarships for international students

• Transdisciplinary Electives at UTS arrow_forward_ios

  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.

• Course duration arrow_forward_ios

  The course is offered on a five-year, full-time basis. Students may study this program part time after consultation with the program director. Students spend two sessions of study at a university or other higher education institution in the country of their major.

• Domestic course fees arrow_forward_ios

  2025 Indicative tuition fees for government-supported domestic students

  All offers for domestic undergraduate students are for Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP).This means the Australian Government contributes to your education costs, and you pay the remaining tuition fees, known as the student contribution. If eligible, you can defer payment through HECS-HELP, or you can choose to pay your fees upfront each session.  

  2025 Tuition Fees

  Indicative first-year tuition fee: 

  Indicative total tuition fee:   

  Additional Costs 

  Your tuition fees do not include: 

  • The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF), which supports student services and activities. If eligible, you can defer this fee using SA-HELP.
  • Textbooks, materials, and other course-related costs.
  • Any applicable payment processing fees (e.g., credit card surcharges).

  Important Information 

  • Fees are shown in Australian Dollars (AUD).
  • The indicative tuition fees above are based on full-time study (1 year = 48 credit points).
  • Your actual fees depend on the year you enrol, your study load and the subjects you choose. Some subjects fall into different student contribution bands.
  • You can calculate your student contribution based on the amounts listed in the student contribution table. 

• Inherent requirements arrow_forward_ios

  Inherent requirements are academic and non-academic requirements that are essential for successfully completing a course at UTS. You can find the inherent requirements for your course via the inherent requirements directory.

• Assumed knowledge arrow_forward_ios

  There are no prior language requirements for the international studies program. During their first year of study students complete a language survey to ensure they commence their language and culture study at the appropriate level.