Study Abroad and Student Exchange

Learn in an immersive studio environment where you get to work closely with your lecturers so they can support your learning. Studying design will give you the opportunity to practise creative problem solving and communication skills and help you become an effective contributor to team projects. 

Areas of study: 

Communication, Fashion, Product 

Find out more at the School of Design homepage

Bachelor of Design (Fashion)

(Year one courses are available on request) 

15-credit courses (unless stated otherwise) 

Semester One 

Year 2 

Advanced Design Techniques 1 (Fashion) 

To enable learners to develop advanced skills, contemporary specialist design techniques and subject knowledge, appropriate to the medium and discipline focus. Part one of this course focusses on unconventional drape and alternative fashion design forms and methods. Part two of the course is 

materials and process-driven, and is aimed at building skills and knowledge of various forms of creative textiles, surface design, structure and expression with consideration of materials and application to fashion design outcomes. 

Advanced Design Techniques 2 (Fashion) 

To enable learners to develop advanced skills, contemporary specialist design techniques and subject knowledge, appropriate to the medium and discipline focus. Through workshops and individual investigation, students will extend knowledge of contemporary fashion production, with a focus on tailoring, garment engineering and grading techniques. 

Elective Year 2 (Fashion, Communication and Product) 

To enable learners to develop skills, contemporary specialist design techniques and subject knowledge that deepens or complements a discipline focus. Choices may be from – web design, accessories, branding, fashion communication, game design, photography, zine design, etc. 

 
Year 3 

Design Studio Individual (Fashion) (30 credits) 

To enable learners to design, produce and communicate a body of independent or collaborative fashion or fashion related three-outfit collection (or equivalent body of work negotiated with your lecturers) that explores fashion’s potential to empower, confront and respond to the political, social, cultural, and environmental issues facing society in the 21st century. 

Professional Pathways (Fashion, Communication and Product) 

Plan and prepare a strategic pathway for an intended design career. Includes a reflective project and case study (who am I as a designer?) and an integrated research project (how do I relate to the design world?). 

Elective Year 3 (Fashion, Communication and Product) 

To enable learners to develop skills, contemporary specialist design techniques and subject knowledge that deepens or complements a discipline focus. Choices may be from web design, accessories, branding, fashion communication, game design, photography, zine design, etc. 

Elective Year 3 (Fashion, Communication and Product) 

To enable learners to develop skills, contemporary specialist design techniques and subject knowledge that deepens or complements a discipline focus. Choices may be from web design, accessories, branding, fashion communication, game design, photography, zine design, etc. 

Semester Two 

Year 2 

Design Studio – Client Project (Fashion) 

To enable learners to work as a design team collaboratively and to research and develop fashion or fashion-related ideas and solutions in response to a client-based brief set by a fashion professional. 

Design Studio 3 (Fashion) 

To enable learners to design, produce and communicate a body of independent or collaborative work based on an individual direction, a client brief or a specific design scenario. Fashion or fashion-related design outcomes, comprising of two complete outfits or negotiated alternative submission. 

Interdisciplinary Studio (Fashion, Communication and Product) 

To enable learners to explore design and cultural perspectives and approaches that will enhance their discipline-specific learning through an interdisciplinary project. Projects include design thinking and user-centred design to develop creative solutions for local groups. 

 
Year 3 

Design Studio Major (Fashion) (45 credits) 

To enable learners to design, produce and communicate a major body of independent or collaborative fashion or fashion-related work based on the student’s individual direction, a client brief, or a specific design scenario. The collection will demonstrate a professional level of designing and production skills. 

Professional Presentation (Fashion) 

Learners will develop professional skills for the presentation of design studio work in a format that reflects a connection with an intended career. Includes development of an online portfolio. 

Bachelor of Design (Communication) 

(Year one courses are available on request) 
15-credit courses (unless stated otherwise) 

Semester One 

Year 2 

Advanced Design Techniques 1 (Communication) 

To enable learners to develop advanced skills, contemporary specialist design techniques and subject knowledge, appropriate to the medium and discipline focus – choose from typography or 3D modelling or photography, cinematography and script writing or web – mobile screens. 

Advanced Design Techniques 2 (Communication) 

To enable learners to develop advanced skills, contemporary specialist design techniques and subject knowledge, appropriate to the medium and discipline focus. Choose from digital illustration or world building and games narratives, or film (short narrative or film for social media), or apps. 

Elective Year 2 

To enable learners to develop skills, contemporary specialist design techniques and subject knowledge that deepens or complements a discipline focus. Choices may be from – web design, accessories, branding, fashion communication, game design, photography, zine design, etc. 

Special Topic 2 

Learners will develop advanced communication design skills for storytelling and presentation and apply advanced investigation, inquiry and design research skills and methods to discuss contemporary issues and theories using cultural and design perspectives. 

Year 3 

Studio Design Team 1 

To enable learners to design, produce and communicate a body of independent or collaborative work based on an individual direction, a client brief or a specific design scenario. Through interaction design, you will create effective stories and experiences that are based on Māori narratives, nature or immersive experiences. Design-targeted communication outcomes are based on user-focused research methods. A Game Design option is also available – through team-based game design you will collaborate to design, produce and communicate a video game concept (pre-requisites apply). 

Studio Design Team 2 

To enable learners to design, produce and communicate a body of independent or collaborative work based on an individual direction, a client brief or a specific design scenario. Using industry processes and best practices, learn how to work creatively and collaboratively as a team. Respond to a brief with unique design outcomes that reflect the design problem while considering ethical considerations, including the bicultural context of Aotearoa. Experiment and design solutions that challenge client perceptions and employ innovative design methods (a Game Design option is also available – through team-based game production you will collaborate to develop, iterate and communicate your SDT1 video game concept through a playable prototype. Prerequisite: SDT1). 

Elective Year 3 

To enable learners to develop skills, contemporary specialist design techniques and subject knowledge that deepens or complements a discipline focus. Choices may be from web design, accessories, branding, fashion communication, game design, photography, zine design, etc. 

Professional Pathways 

Plan and prepare a strategic pathway for an intended design career. Includes a reflective project and case study (who am I as a designer?) and an integrated research project (how do I relate to the design world?). 

Semester Two 

Year 2 

Advanced Design Techniques 3 (Communication) 

To enable learners to develop advanced skills, contemporary specialist design techniques and subject knowledge, appropriate to the medium and discipline focus. Develop further a working understanding of theory and practical application of user-focused methods suitable for contemporary design research. You will also be introduced to market research, positioning, and effective communication through design. Choose from Branding (developing brand identity strategy and imagery that suit a targeted audience) OR Game Development Design (creating a game design presentation and a gameplay prototype for a games industry mentor). 

Design Studio – Client Project (Communication) 

To enable learners to design collaboratively and to research and develop ideas in response to a client-based project or external opportunity. Choose from an Advertising stream where an integrated advertising campaign and strategy 

will be researched, planned and executed OR Game Development where the game design from Advanced Design Techniques 3 will be developed as a full, playable game. 

Special Topic 2 

Learners will study advanced communication design skills for storytelling and presentation and apply advanced investigation, inquiry and design research skills and methods to discuss contemporary issues and theories using cultural and design perspectives. 

Interdisciplinary Studio 

To enable learners to explore design and cultural perspectives and approaches that will enhance their discipline-specific learning through an interdisciplinary project. Projects include design thinking and user-centred design to develop creative solutions for local groups. 

Year 3 

Design Studio Major (Communication) (45 credits) 

To enable learners to design, produce and communicate a major body of independent or collaborative work based on the student’s individual direction, a client brief or a specific design scenario. 

Professional Pathways 

Plan and prepare a strategic pathway for an intended design career. Includes a reflective project and case study (who am I as a designer?) and an integrated research project (how do I relate to the design world?). 

Bachelor of Design (Product) 

(Year one courses are available on request) 

15-credit courses 

Semester One  

Year 2 

Advanced Design Techniques 1 (Product) 

To enable learners to develop advanced skills, contemporary specialist design techniques and subject knowledge, appropriate to the medium and discipline focus. Advancing on the Solidworks software learnt in Design Techniques, students explore rendering and non-parabolic CAD software selected with the advice of industry partners. 

Design Studio 3 (Product) 

To enable learners to develop advanced skills, contemporary specialist design techniques and subject knowledge in materials, manufacturing techniques and processes. 

Elective Year 2 (Fashion, Communication and Product) 

To enable learners to develop skills, contemporary specialist design techniques and subject knowledge that deepens or complements a discipline focus. Choices may be from web design, accessories, branding, fashion communication, game design, photography, zine design, etc. 

Year 3 

Design Studio Individual 2 (Product) 

To enable learners to design, produce and communicate a body of independent or collaborative work based on an individual direction, a client brief or a specific design scenario. Students are able to bring in their individual project direction in preparation for Studio Major. 

Design Studio Team 1 (Product) 

To enable learners to design, produce and communicate a body of independent or collaborative work based on an individual direction, a client brief or a specific design scenario. Students are given a brief from either health, outdoor education, conservation or an industry partner to complete within a block six-week period. 

Professional Pathways (Fashion, Communication and Product) 

Plan and prepare a strategic pathway for an intended design career. Includes a reflective project and case study (who am I as a designer?) and an integrated research project (how do I relate to the design world?) 

Elective Year 3 (Fashion, Communication and Product) 

To enable learners to develop skills, contemporary specialist design techniques and subject knowledge that deepens or complements a discipline focus. Choices may be from web design, accessories, branding, fashion communication, game design, photography, zine design, etc. 

Semester Two 

Year 2 

Advanced Design Techniques 2 (Product) 

To enable learners to develop advanced skills, contemporary specialist design techniques and subject knowledge, appropriate to the medium and discipline focus. Design thinking tools for need finding and concept development are explored with the aim to develop a small social or non-social enterprise idea. 

Design Studio - Client Project (Product) 

To enable learners to design collaboratively and to research and develop ideas in response to a client-based project or external opportunity. Local industry partners are asked to give a brief and help develop and manufacture the students’ concepts. 

Interdisciplinary Studio (Fashion, Communication and Product) 

To enable learners to explore design and cultural perspectives and approaches that will enhance their discipline-specific learning through an interdisciplinary project. Projects include design thinking and user-centred design to develop creative solutions for local groups. 

Year 3 

Design Studio Major (Product) (45 credits) 

To enable learners to design, produce and communicate a major body of independent or collaborative work based on the student’s individual direction, a client brief or a specific design scenario. Students are encouraged to frame their project as either a client project; a self-initiated project with specialist help; or market ready project. 

Professional Presentation (Product) 

Learners will develop professional skills for the presentation of design studio work in a format that reflects a connection with an intended career. Includes development of an online portfolio.