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I want more infoHighlights
- Study at a university ranked #1 in Queensland for art and design (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2026).
- Develop business skills and be able to think creatively and critically, communicate professionally, make ethical business decisions and work in a global context.
- Learn experience design so you can be prepared for diverse and agile career pathways in design, technology and innovation. It focuses on cutting-edge design skills, knowledge and capabilities needed for a contemporary designer to work across multiple fields, practices and contexts.
- The combination of experience design skills and business acumen provides unique career opportunities at the intersection of both fields.
Highlights
- Study at a university ranked Top 8 in Australia and Top 150 for art and design (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2026).
- Develop business skills and be able to think creatively and critically, communicate professionally, make ethical business decisions and work in a global context.
- Learn experience design so you can be prepared for diverse and agile career pathways in design, technology and innovation. It focuses on cutting-edge design skills, knowledge and capabilities needed for a contemporary designer to work across multiple fields, practices and contexts.
- The combination of experience design skills and business acumen provides unique career opportunities at the intersection of both fields.
Why choose this course?
With the Bachelor of Design – International (Strategic Design), you can increase your global employment opportunities and enjoy a year of international experience studying with one of our 150+ international partner universities.
This course is ideal if you’re curious about people and systems, enjoy big‑picture thinking, and want to use your creativity to tackle real‑world challenges. Design today goes far beyond creating objects or visuals. Organisations are turning to designers to help solve some of the most complex challenges facing communities, businesses and the world. Strategic designers think broadly and creatively. They ask the right questions, explore different perspectives and bring people together to shape thoughtful, ethical and sustainable solutions.
In this major you’ll learn how design can influence systems, services and experiences. You’ll explore how people, environments, policies and technologies interact and how designers can create meaningful change within these contexts. You’ll graduate with a future-focused skill set and a strong understanding of design’s role in social impact, innovation and sustainable decision making.
You’ll be accomplished systems thinkers and problem solvers, able to grasp the big picture of implications and opportunities, communicate these design insights to diverse audiences, and pivot for solutions-focused employers and your own career.
Real-world learning
Expanding your design studies internationally can provide you with an advantage in your career. You also have the option of undertaking overseas internships as part of your studies, applying your skills and knowledge to new challenges, in new environments.
Strategic design skills are highly transferable and gaining experience in countries known for their expertise in design will enhance your employability and open unique career opportunities at home and around the world.
International study tours and networking with design industry professionals nationally and internationally will ensure you graduate with one of the most versatile and contemporary skill sets in the sector.
You’ll also gain practical and hands-on learning throughout the degree. You’ll work on real projects, case studies and gain experiences that reflect the challenges designers face in practice.
Many of our teaching staff are award-winning professors, accomplished researchers and industry leaders. They bring the latest insights from their fields of study and practice to the classroom, creating an authentic learning environment.
Explore this course
Great design is happening all around the world. If you want to travel overseas, immerse yourself in a different culture and be on pace with the design trends emerging in another country, this degree is for you.
Your degree begins with shared design foundations where you work with students from different disciplines to explore social issues and develop creative responses.
Through the strategic design major you’ll study design history and culture and gain an understanding of ethical and sustainable design practice. You will learn how strategic design can improve our lives and explore how future technologies shape design processes and decisions.
You’ll develop capabilities in cutting edge design practices from design thinking to co-design and systems-led design for circular futures. You will be able to communicate and collaborate across disciplines, sectors and communities, learning to integrate ethics, sustainability and human-centred values into design practices; guided by policy and megatrend social and technological insights.
In your third year of study you will spend two semesters studying abroad before returning to transfer skills and knowledge to a workplace or professional context and gain practical work experience with work integrated learning.
How much will it cost?
While you're on exchange, you'll continue to pay your QUT tuition fees and you won't have to pay any tuition fees at your exchange university.
We support many students with generous bursaries to help with your expenses, and scholarships are also available for particular countries through Australian Government initiatives like the New Colombo Plan.
Great design is happening all around the world. If you want to travel overseas, immerse yourself in a different culture and be on pace with the design trends emerging in another country, this degree is for you.
Your degree begins with shared design foundations where you work with students from different disciplines to explore social issues and develop creative responses.
Through the strategic design major you’ll study design history and culture and gain an understanding of ethical and sustainable design practice. You will learn how strategic design can improve our lives and explore how future technologies shape design processes and decisions.
You’ll develop capabilities in cutting edge design practices from design thinking to co-design and systems-led design for circular futures. You will be able to communicate and collaborate across disciplines, sectors and communities, learning to integrate ethics, sustainability and human-centred values into design practices; guided by policy and megatrend social and technological insights.
In your third year of study you will spend two semesters studying abroad before returning to transfer skills and knowledge to a workplace or professional context and gain practical work experience with work integrated learning.
How much will it cost?
While you're on exchange, you'll continue to pay your QUT tuition fees and you won't have to pay any tuition fees at your exchange university.
Careers and outcomes
Strategic design skills are increasingly sought after by organisations looking to innovate, support communities and rethink systems. This major prepares you for roles where creativity, systems thinking and problem solving make a meaningful impact.
Graduates will be equipped to work in areas such as government innovation, digital and technology teams, sustainability and environmental design, healthcare and corporate or social innovation.
Professional recognition
Our graduates qualify for membership at the Design Institute of Australia (DIA), the professional body for Australian designers.
Members have exclusive access to a range of services, products and discounts to advance their careers.
Possible careers
- Experience designer
- Interface designer
- Mobile app designer
- Product designer
- Robotics design
- UX/UI designer
- Usability expert
- User researcher
- Visualisation expert
- Web designer
In order to complete this course you must complete a total of 384 credit points comprising:
- Core units - 60 credit points
- A Design major - 96 credit points
- A Capstone unit option - 12 credit points
- QUT You - 24 credit points
- Complementary studies - 192 credit points
Special conditions
You'll need to meet certain criteria to be eligible for your exchange year, including:
- be currently enrolled at QUT (not deferred).
- have a GPA of at least 4.50. This must be maintained up until your time of departure for exchange.
- you must complete DYB102 Impact Lab 2: People at any stage prior to your exchange.
- be supported by your faculty, who will be asked to confirm your suitability to participate in the exchange program. They will consider any history of not meeting the standards of behaviour outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.
- be financially self-sufficient for the duration of your exchange. You'll need to pay for your own travel and living expenses.
- agree to the key exchange requirements when applying for exchange. These include but are not limited to:
- Abiding by the QUT code of conduct whilst on exchange
- Attending the compulsory pre-departure session.
- Abiding by all exchange conditions with regards to QUT insurance and registration with Customer Care. More information about this is given on the pre-departure page.
Students who do not meet these requirements will be ineligible.
Where possible QUT will try to ensure students get their preferred study destination, but this cannot be guaranteed. However every student who meets the QUT exchange program requirements, as well as DE45 course requirements, will be able to undertake an overseas study experience.
In order to complete this course you must complete a total of 384 credit points comprising:
- Core units - 60 credit points
- A Design major - 96 credit points
- A Capstone unit option - 12 credit points
- QUT You - 24 credit points
- Complementary studies - 192 credit points
Special conditions
You'll need to meet certain criteria to be eligible for your exchange year, including:
- be currently enrolled at QUT (not deferred).
- have a GPA of at least 4.50. This must be maintained up until your time of departure for exchange.
- you must complete DYB102 Impact Lab 2: People at any stage prior to your exchange.
- be supported by your faculty, who will be asked to confirm your suitability to participate in the exchange program. They will consider any history of not meeting the standards of behaviour outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.
- be financially self-sufficient for the duration of your exchange. You'll need to pay for your own travel and living expenses.
- agree to the key exchange requirements when applying for exchange. These include but are not limited to:
- Abiding by the QUT code of conduct whilst on exchange
- Attending the compulsory pre-departure session.
- Abiding by all exchange conditions with regards to QUT insurance and registration with Customer Care. More information about this is given on the pre-departure page.
Students who do not meet these requirements will be ineligible.
Where possible QUT will try to ensure students get their preferred study destination, but this cannot be guaranteed. However every student who meets the QUT exchange program requirements, as well as DE45 course requirements, will be able to undertake an overseas study experience.
- ATAR/selection rank threshold
- 70.00
These thresholds are the lowest adjusted scores to which QUT made an offer in Semester 1, 2026.
Don't have a ATAR/selection rank?
- Course code
- DE45
- QTAC code
- 401392
- CRICOS code
- 096566A
-
- Kelvin Grove
-
- Kelvin Grove
- 4 years full-time
- 8 years part-time
- 4 years full-time
- February and July
- February and July
Assumed knowledge
Before you start this course, we assume you have sound knowledge of the subject/s listed below. If you don't have the subject knowledge, you can still apply for the course but we strongly encourage you to undertake bridging studies to gain the knowledge:
- English, or Literature, or English and Literature Extension, or English as an Additional Language (Units 3 & 4, C)
Year 12 early offer scheme
If you're a current Queensland Year 12 student, you may be eligible to receive an offer for this course on the last day of Queensland Year 12, before receiving your ATAR or selection rank.
Find out more about the QUT Year 12 Early Offer Scheme
Helping you to get into your course
If you don't think your ATAR or selection rank is high enough to get into this course, you can guarantee your entry with guaranteed advanced standing by upgrading through one the following programs which you can select as one of your QTAC preferences:
QUT College Diploma in Creative Industries
As a QUT College Diploma in Creative Industries graduate you will automatically receive an offer to start the Bachelor of Design within one week after completion of the diploma. You will also automatically receive up to 1.0 year (96 credit points) credit transfer and be able to complete the degree in 2 years as a full-time student (or equivalent part-time).
Find out more about the QUT College Diploma in Creative Industries
Offer guarantee
If you achieve an ATAR or selection rank of 70.00 or higher (including any adjustments) and satisfy all other admission requirements, you are guaranteed an offer for this course in the Semester 1 offer rounds, up to the main offer round in mid-January.
VET guarantee
If you have completed an AQF certificate IV, diploma or higher, and satisfy all other admission requirements, you are guaranteed an offer for this course in the Semester 1 offer rounds, up to the main offer round in mid-January.
Advanced standing
If you have prior studies or work experience, you may be eligible for advanced standing (credit). You can apply for advanced standing once you've been accepted to QUT. If you're in your first semester of study, you must apply for advanced standing within 10 days of receiving your offer.
Deferment
You can defer your offer and postpone the start of your course for one year.
More about deferring your offer
Adjustments to your ATAR/selection rank
Any adjustments you receive to your ATAR or selection rank will be applied to this course.
Find out if you’re eligible for an adjustment to your ATAR or selection rank
Offers we made to school leavers in Semester 1, 2025
The figures listed in the tables below reflect the offers that were made to recent ATAR students. The entry thresholds box at the top of this page shows the lowest adjusted ATAR/selection rank required to receive an offer for all applicants for the most recent January QTAC offer round.
| Excluding adjustments | Including adjustments | |
|---|---|---|
| Highest ATAR/selection rank to receive an offer |
Selection rank
91.05
|
Selection rank
93.05
|
| Median ATAR/selection rank to receive an offer |
Selection rank
81.75
|
Selection rank
83.05
|
| Lowest ATAR/selection rank to receive an offer |
Selection rank
66.05
|
Selection rank
70.05
|
You can find out more about your fellow students’ backgrounds with this course’s student profile.
Other admission options
If you are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, you may be eligible for admission through our Centralised Assessment Selection Process (CASP).
Select the country where you completed your studies to see a guide to the grades you need to apply for this course.
If your country or qualification is not listed, you can still apply for this course and we will assess your eligibility.
I completed secondary school in Australia
- ATAR/selection rank
- 70.00
Offer guarantee
If you completed secondary school in Australia and achieve an ATAR/selection rank of 70.00 or higher (including any adjustments) and satisfy all other admission requirements, you are guaranteed an offer for this course.
VET guarantee
If you have completed an AQF certificate IV, diploma or higher, and satisfy all other admission requirements, you are guaranteed an offer for this course.
Minimum English language requirements
Select the country where you completed your studies to see a guide on meeting QUT’s English language requirements.
Your scores and prior qualifications in English-speaking countries are considered. Approved English-speaking countries are Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, United States of America and Wales.
If your country or qualification is not listed, you can still apply for this course and we will assess your eligibility.
We accept English language proficiency scores from the following tests undertaken in a secure test centre. Tests must be taken no more than 2 years prior to the QUT course commencement.
| English Test | Overall | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic / One Skill Retake | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
|
Cambridge C1 Advanced
You must share your results with QUT through the Candidate Results Online website. |
176 | 169 | 169 | 169 | 169 |
| PTE Academic | 58 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| TOEFL iBT Australia Test (120 scale) | 79 | 16 | 16 | 21 | 18 |
Don't have the English language score you need? We can help!
We offer English language programs to improve your English and help you gain entry to this course.
When you apply for this course, we will recommend which English course you should enrol in.
Your actual fees may vary depending on which units you choose. We review fees annually, and they may be subject to increases.
2027 fees
2027: Fee available from October
2027 fees
2027: Fee available from July
HECS-HELP: loans to help you pay for your course fees
You may not have to pay anything upfront if you're eligible for a HECS-HELP loan.
You can apply for scholarships to help you with study and living costs.
International Merit Scholarship
A high achievement scholarship for future international undergraduate and postgraduate students.
- Scholarship eligibility
- Academic performance
International Talent Scholarship
A new scholarship for 2026 that covers tuition fees, with eligibility based on your prior academic achievements.
- Scholarship eligibility
- Academic performance
Updates about this course
Bachelor of Design - International (Strategic Design) is available from 2027.
Updates about this course
Bachelor of Design - International (Strategic Design) is available from 2027.
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