Master of Design and Production (MC-DESPROD)

Overview

Award title	Master of Design and Production
Year & campus	2025 — Southbank
CRICOS code	103430K
Fees information	Subject EFTSL, level, discipline and census date
Study level & type	Graduate Coursework
AQF level	9
Credit points	200 credit points
Duration	24 months full-time

The Master of Design and Production is a professional coursework Masters program where students gain the skills, knowledge and experience necessary to work in the field of design within creative arts contexts, including graphic, production or costume design for film, television, theatre, dance, music and the visual arts.

This structured coursework program provides an enriched and comprehensive pathway into the profession encompassing formal classes, workshops and studio-based learning as well as placements on productions and events produced within the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA). It also provides an optional pathway to further learning and Graduate Research degrees.

A core principle of the program is that collaboration is at the heart of design in the creative sector. In developing this skill, students will be working and interacting with others involved in the making of creative works.

Links to further information

This course is available in My Course Planner

My Course Planner is an interactive web application that allows you to explore your study options and decide which subjects and major(s), minors and/or specialisations are right for you.

Entry requirements

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:

a bachelor degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline, or six years of documented, relevant professional work experience; AND
a portfolio; and
a set creative task (shortlisted applicants only); and
an interview (shortlisted applicants only).

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:

prior academic performance; or
documented professional practice; AND
portfolio; and
set creative task (shortlisted applicants only); and
performance in an interview (shortlisted applicants only).

3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.

4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university's English language requirements for graduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 6.5 is required.

Notes:

Details for the portfolio, set creative task (shortlisted applicants only) and interview (shortlisted applicants only) can be found on the Fine Arts and Music Study website https://finearts-music.unimelb.edu.au/study-with-us

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

Inherent requirements are the abilities, knowledge and skills needed to complete this course that must be met by all students.

For information on the inherent requirements specific to this course contact the course/program coordinator. In some circumstances reasonable adjustments may be available to enable students to meet these requirements while still preserving the academic integrity of the university's learning, assessment and accreditation processes.

For more information on how to seek these adjustments refer to the Student Equity and Disability Support website: https://students.unimelb.edu.au/student-support/student-equity-and-disability-support

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of this course, graduates should be able to:

evaluate and critique design and other elements of creative arts production, using appropriate theoretical frameworks;
explore and communicate ideas through design for creative arts production;
use advanced technical and creative skills in the development of designs for the creative arts;
present designs for a creative arts production effectively, using a range of media;
evaluate and make informed choices between creative options, on both pragmatic and artistic grounds as a senior member of a collaborative team;
collaborate with other members of the design and project team;
incorporate into their practice as a designer a clear understanding of the industry landscape.

Generic skills

On completion of this course, graduates should be able to:

apply advanced skills and techniques applicable to the discipline;
demonstrate well-developed problem-solving abilities in the discipline area, characterised by flexibility of approach;
communicate advanced competencies in areas of professional practice and/or scholarship;
articulate their knowledge and understanding in oral and written presentations;
display an advanced understanding of the national and international context of the specialist area;
show an appreciation of the design, conduct and reporting of original practice and research;
manage competing demands on time, including self-directed project work;
exemplify the capacity to value and participate in projects which require teamwork.

Graduate attributes

The focus of the Master of Design and Production is the practice of design for creative arts productions, with majors in stage design, production design for screen or graphic design. The degree provides graduates with design skills and understandings that will equip them to engage and make a meaningful contribution to the development of work in the creative arts.

Those skills or understandings are:

a grounding in design history, theory and technology enabling them to develop innovative, complex and responsive designs relevant to time, place, people and culture;
the ability to manage a design practice and work collaboratively as leaders of and within teams to realise designs in a creative arts context;
highly developed creative, critical and reflexive thinking, promoting an ability to situate themselves and their practice within broader contexts and solve problems with ingenuity and agility;
the ability to employ resources, materials and technologies to produce responsible and sustainable designs.

Course structure

The Master of Design and Production requires the successful completion of 200 credit points.

All students must complete:

75 credit points of Year 1 compulsory subjects
100 credit points of Year 2 compulsory subjects
Completion of one specialisation (consisting of 25 credit points)

Course Progression Rules

To progress from Year 1 to Year 2, students must complete all Year 1 subjects.

Subject Options

Year 1

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
DPSS90001	Design Research	Semester 1 (Extended) (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5
DPSS90002	Design Projects 1	Semester 1 (On Campus - Southbank)	25
DPSS90003	Design Projects 2	Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	25
DPSS90008	Design and the Production Process	Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5

PLUS two core subjects (25 credit points) according to the specialisation being undertaken.

Year 2

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
DPSS90010	Industry Practice Part 1	Semester 1 (Extended) (On Campus - Southbank)	25
DPSS90004	Design Projects 3 Part 1	Semester 1 (Extended) (On Campus - Southbank)	25
DPSS90011	Industry Practice Part 2	Semester 2 (Early-Start) (On Campus - Southbank)	25
DPSS90005	Design Projects 3 Part 2	Semester 2 (Early-Start) (On Campus - Southbank)	25

Majors, minors & specialisations

Name	Credit Points
Graphic Design	25
Production Design for Screen	25
Stage Design	25

Last updated: 27 March 2025