An example of 2nd yr Identity System work for a client, The Communication Collective. Identity System by Vlada Barsanova.

Work-integrated learning is embedded throughout the Graphic Design course at Murdoch University. Many of the units in the Graphic Design course enable you to build valuable skills whilst establishing all-important professional networks. From the 2nd year of study, as a Graphic Design student, you can work with real-world clients, engage in international study tours and do internships and work placements with local design and communications agencies.  For example, the unit CRE325 Creative Media Professional Placement allows you to take appropriate work placements whilst being supervised by a lecturer over a semester.  Read about how a work placement led to Sebastien Gerard (a recent Design and Web Communication graduate) finding his new job as a Multimedia Production Specialist.

Many of the units throughout the Graphic Design course engage working with real-world projects and clients to give you a wider skill set. For example, the unit GRD338 Advanced Web Design Project requires you to build a custom themed WordPress Website.

An example of a custom themed WordPress website made by 3rd yrs for the client ASETTS- Association for Services to Torture and Trauma Survivors

This unit gives you skills in, customizing content management systems, Agile and Waterfall project management methods, holistic web design and development and working as part of an interdisciplinary team – just like the real world.  The 2nd yr unit GRD202 Brand and Identity Design will require you to build an identity system for a real not-for-profit client. Whilst, the unit GRD310  Service Design, gives you skills in user experience design, co-design, information design and design thinking, where you will work through a client-based problem that will require an innovative and holistic value proposition or service solution.

Graphic Design students also have access to real-world clients through MESH– a design and communications consultancy on campus. Students will work with MESH clients in units but also complete extra-curricular client design jobs as well.

Here is a pic of some of our 3rd year Graphic Design students Billy, Katie and Charlie, fresh from our design sprints, and into a card sort with their webdesign client WASUA.

All of the lecturers in Graphic Design run their own design businesses so they are well aware of the real-world requirements of graphic design graduates. We also recommend that students take on projects outside of class time. This might mean doing graphic design work for friends or family or engaging freelance projects from websites like freelancer.com. Doing extra freelance projects gives you experience whilst giving you the confidence to engage clients and build that all-important portfolio.

As a Graphic Design student, you can also do work placements on international study abroad exchange programs.  For example, Murdoch Graphic Design students can apply to travel to the University of Applied Sciences in Salzburg, Austria, the number 1 design school in Austria, where you can do an internship with some major international businesses. You could also work as a part of a team of graphic design and games art students that travels to Singapore and work on projects like the augmented reality project for the Singapore Museum or the VR store experience for Swarovksi or re-branding for the Salvation Army Singapore.

An in Unity screenshot of the augmented reality project the games and graphic design students worked on with the Singapore Museum and MAGES Games Design Institute.

Here is the proof that the work-integrated learning embedded in the Graphic Design course at Murdoch University really works, take a look at our Graphic Design Graduate Honour Board which demonstrates the range of jobs our students get. You can also read about some of our graduates like Florencia Mostaccio or Connor Liddelow who took advantage of Murdoch’s double major option that helped them find work in the industry.

Apply to study at Murdoch here