Master of Production Design (MC-PRODDES)

Overview

Award title	Master of Production Design
Year & campus	2024
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 Production Design is a professional coursework Masters program where students gain the skills, knowledge and experience necessary to work in the field of design for either stage or screen, including film, television, theatre and dance.

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 either film or stage productions mounted within Victorian College of the Arts (VCA). It also provides an optional pathway to further learning and Research Higher Degree (RHD).

A core principle of the program is that collaboration is at the heart of design for both screen and stage. In developing this skill, students will be working and interacting with others involved in the making of work for either the stage or the screen.

Entry requirements

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

an undergraduate degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline (such as the performing arts, design, and digital arts); or
at least six years of documented professional practice in the creative arts industry; and
a portfolio; and
presentation of a response to a specific brief set out in the application process; and
an interview.

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

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

prior academic performance; and/or
documented professional practice; and
portfolio; and
response to design brief; and
interview.

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.

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://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home

Intended learning outcomes

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

Evaluate and critique design and other elements of a performance or film, using appropriate theoretical frameworks
Explore and communicate ideas through design for stage or screen
Use advanced technical and creative skills in the development of designs for screen or stage
Present designs for stage or screen 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 performance team
Incorporate into their practice as a designer a clear understanding of the industry landscape.

Generic skills

Advanced skills and techniques applicable to the discipline
Well-developed problem-solving abilities in the discipline area, characterised by flexibility of approach
Advanced competencies in areas of professional practice and/or scholarship
A capacity to articulate their knowledge and understanding in oral and written presentations
An advanced understanding of the national and international context of the specialist area
An appreciation of the design, conduct and reporting of original practice and research
A capacity to manage competing demands on time, including self-directed project work
The capacity to value and participate in projects which require team-work.

Graduate attributes

The focus of the Master of Production Design is the practice of production design for either the screen or the stage. 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 on either the screen or the stage.

Those skills or understandings are:

A grounding in stage and screen design history, theory and technology enabling them to develop innovative, complex and responsive designs relevant to time, place, people and culture
To manage a design practice and work collaboratively as leaders of and within teams to realise designs for stage and screen
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

200-point program:

Nine compulsory subjects (187.5 points)
One subject core to one of the following specialisations:
- Stage (12.5 credit points); or
- Screen (12.5 credit points).

Course Progression Rules

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

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
DPSS90009	Technical Collaboration (Stage & Screen)	Semester 2 (On Campus - Southbank)	12.5

PLUS one core subject (12.5 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

Students complete one 12.5-point subject from one of two formal specialisations:

Name	Credit Points
Stage	12.5
Screen	12.5

Last updated: 26 April 2024

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