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I want more infoVisual Communication at QUT
Discover how you'll master the world of branding and visual identity through visual communication. From graphic and motion design to user and experience design, craft messages that utilise the power of visuals to communicate to the world.
Prepare for tomorrow's careers
'Visual communication can range from logo design, classic design, to typeface design. To me, design means being able to do a job that I love, that I feel confident in doing. I really love being creative and I can't imagine myself in any other field of work. I'm really excited to be doing a job that may not even exist today, but I'm learning about how I could do that at QUT.'
Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication)
Creating connection through design
'I was inspired to take up visual communication because I knew I wanted to pursue something in the creative industries. I would describe visual communication in the same umbrella as graphic design. To me, both terms refer to the task of taking information or emotions and transforming them into a visual narrative with a purpose or message – which people can either connect with, or connect with others over. I think it's a really special thing.'
Bachelor of Business (Advertising)/Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication)
Push the boundaries of design
'My parents were both designers and I was always drawing and painting, so I knew I wanted to do something in the design field. I attended a visual communication lecture and I discovered this degree really aligned with me and my skills. My favourite teaching staff were the ones that challenged and pushed me as far as possible in order for me to grow. They had industry experience and taught me what they knew.'
Bachelor of Business (Marketing)/Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication)
Visual Communication at QUT
Discover how you'll master the world of branding and visual identity through visual communication. From graphic and motion design to user and experience design, craft messages that utilise the power of visuals to communicate to the world.
Prepare for tomorrow's careers
'Visual communication can range from logo design, classic design, to typeface design. To me, design means being able to do a job that I love, that I feel confident in doing. I really love being creative and I can't imagine myself in any other field of work. I'm really excited to be doing a job that may not even exist today, but I'm learning about how I could do that at QUT.'
Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication)
Creating connection through design
'I was inspired to take up visual communication because I knew I wanted to pursue something in the creative industries. I would describe visual communication in the same umbrella as graphic design. To me, both terms refer to the task of taking information or emotions and transforming them into a visual narrative with a purpose or message – which people can either connect with, or connect with others over. I think it's a really special thing.'
Bachelor of Business (Advertising)/Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication)
Practical learning experience
'During my degree, I had the opportunity to apply my knowledge and practical skills through an internship program with the BMW Group and QUT Design Academy. As part of my project, I contributed to the design of a STEM-themed game for children to use while traveling inside BMW vehicles. It was an amazing experience to collaborate with talented industry professionals, which allowed me to establish a network of connections across the world.'
Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication)
Push the boundaries of design
'My parents were both designers and I was always drawing and painting, so I knew I wanted to do something in the design field. I attended a visual communication lecture and I discovered this degree really aligned with me and my skills. My favourite teaching staff were the ones that challenged and pushed me as far as possible in order for me to grow. They had industry experience and taught me what they knew.'
Bachelor of Business (Marketing)/Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication)
Highlights
- This course prepares you to work as a visual communication designer across traditional and new interactive media forms.
- Develop practical and theoretical skills in graphic design, typography, image making, information design, experience design, motion design, branding and interaction design.
- Build your expertise in professional studio settings with a focus on real-world design projects, a culture of designing for public exhibition and ongoing industry engagement, creative experimentation and critical thinking.
Highlights
- This course prepares you to work as a visual communication designer across traditional and new interactive media forms.
- Develop practical and theoretical skills in graphic design, typography, image making, information design, experience design, motion design, branding and interaction design.
- Build your expertise in professional studio settings with a focus on real-world design projects, a culture of designing for public exhibition and ongoing industry engagement, creative experimentation and critical thinking.
Why choose this course?
Visual communication is the conveyance of ideas and information through a broad range of forms that can be seen including signs, typography, drawing, graphic design, illustration, industrial design, advertising, animation, colour and electronic resources. Visual communication can be powerful. In the right hands, it can craft an image that adds enormous value to a brand. It can simplify the complex. It can help a message to break through the communication clutter.
This degree will give you the skills and finesse you need to be a confident and agile visual communicator. You will develop skills in creative problem solving, critical thinking, technical proficiencies and professional practice that will ensure you can contribute to the field of visual communication in innovative and socially responsible ways.
Learn more about studying design at QUT.
Real-world learning
Professional studio settings allow you to build your expertise and focus on both contemporary and emerging design practices, through real-world design projects. You will be immersed in a culture of designing for public exhibition, ongoing industry engagement, creative experimentation and critical thinking.
Visit the student and graduate blog to find out more about what it’s like to study design and where a QUT degree can take you
Explore this course
Your degree will begin with introductory and shared impact lab units where, working with students from other disciplines, you’ll focus on problems and social issues and identify potential solutions connected to industry and community.
You will then develop both practical and theoretical skills in multiple visual communication design specialisations including graphic design, typography, image making, information design, experience design, motion design, branding and interaction design.
You will progress to develop deeper skills in creative problem solving, critical thinking, technical proficiencies and professional practice that will ensure you can contribute to the field of visual communication in innovative and socially responsible ways. Later in your degree you will be able to transfer skills and knowledge to a workplace or professional context and gain practical work experience with work integrated learning.
Double degrees
Study visual communication with business as a double degree to develop business acumen that provides a range of unique career opportunities including business analyst for graphic industries, visual communicators in advertising and marketing agencies, or digital content designer for a range of business applications.
Overseas exchange
Travel overseas and be on pace with international design trends as part of your studies. Enjoy a full year of studies oversees at one of our international partner universities in the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Hong Kong, the US and Canada. Study visual communication design with a Bachelor of Design - International (Visual Communication) to enhance your opportunities to work in diverse design careers internationally.
Careers and outcomes
This degree will give you the skills and finesse you need to be a confident and agile visual communicator across traditional and new interactive media forms. You will graduate industry ready with multiple career options in graphic design, digital media, interactive design, branding, art direction, motion graphics design, advertising, print publication, illustration, information design, service and experience design, packaging and exhibition design.
A business foundation also equips you to become a creative business owner and establish your own design studio. Opportunities exist to work both locally and internationally, and can vary from operating as an independent entrepreneurial designer to a designer within a large firm.
Possible careers
- Advertising specialist
- Art director
- Brand manager
- Creative director
- Creative entrepreneur
- Digital content designer
- Exhibition designer
- Fashion illustrator
- Graphic designer
- Media planner / buyer
- Motion graphics designer
- Theatre designer
To meet the course requirements for the Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication), you must complete a total of 288 credit points, made up of:
- a design major (144 credit points), including four shared foundation units (48 credit points) and 96 credit points from the visual communication discipline
- four school-wide impact lab units (48 credit points)
- complementary studies, made up of both:
- design specialisation units (minimum 48 credit points)
- a minor, or a combination of design specialisation units and electives (unit options) (48 credit points).
Study overseas
Study overseas while earning credit towards your QUT creative industries degree with one of our worldwide exchange partners.
Overseas study can be for one or two semesters (or during the semester break) and the units you take can be in a creative or non-creative discipline area, depending on how they match with your QUT course.
To meet the course requirements for the Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication), you must complete a total of 288 credit points, made up of:
- a design major (144 credit points), including four shared foundation units (48 credit points) and 96 credit points from the visual communication discipline
- four school-wide impact lab units (48 credit points)
- complementary studies, made up of both:
- design specialisation units (minimum 48 credit points)
- a minor, or a combination of design specialisation units and electives (unit options) (48 credit points).
Study overseas
Study overseas while earning credit towards your QUT creative industries degree with one of our worldwide exchange partners.
Overseas study can be for one or two semesters (or during the semester break) and the units you take can be in a creative or non-creative discipline area, depending on how they match with your QUT course.
- ATAR/selection rank threshold
- 70.00
These thresholds are the lowest adjusted scores to which QUT made an offer in Semester 1, 2024.
Don't have a ATAR/selection rank?
- Course code
- DE43
- QTAC code
- 421052
- CRICOS code
- 096565B
-
- Kelvin Grove
-
- Kelvin Grove
- 3 years full-time
- 6 years part-time
- 3 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
Entry rquirements
From 2024, entry to this program will no longer have an audition entry requirement. Selection will instead be based on your ATAR/Selection Rank.
While no audition is required, QUT offers a range of pathways in addition to ATAR thresholds, including previous work life experiences and performing arts qualifications.
Find out more about performance and creative industries course entry
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.
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, 2023
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
94.25
|
Selection rank
96.25
|
| Median ATAR/selection rank to receive an offer |
Selection rank
86.50
|
Selection rank
87.95
|
| Lowest ATAR/selection rank to receive an offer |
Selection rank
69.75
|
Selection rank
70.10
|
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.
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. Tests must be taken no more than 2 years prior to the QUT course commencement.
| English Test | Overall | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTE Academic/PTE Academic Online | 58 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
|
Cambridge English Score
You must share your results with QUT through the Candidate Results Online website. |
176 | 169 | 169 | 169 | 169 |
| IELTS Academic / IELTS Online / IELTS One Skills Retake | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| TOEFL iBT / Home / Paper | 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.
2025 fees
2025: CSP fees available from September
2025 fees
2025: Available from July
2024 fees
2024: CSP $9,400 per year full-time (96 credit points)
2024 fees
2024: $35,200 per year full-time (96 credit points)
Student services and amenities fees
You may need to pay student services and amenities (SA) fees as part of your course costs.
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.
QUT Excellence Scholarship (Academic)
QUT's premier offering for students with outstanding academic achievement.
- Scholarship eligibility
- Academic performance
QUT Real World International Scholarship
A scholarship to cover tuition fees, with eligibility based on your prior academic achievements.
- Scholarship eligibility
- Academic performance
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