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Unit of Study MDIA1002 - Visual Communication and Design (2024)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Enrolment information

    N/A

Unit description

Introduces students to the principles of visual communication and design through the analysis and production of digital media. Students acquire skills in image capture, creation and manipulation, and in layout and typography, and apply them using industry standard software in response to design briefs.

Unit content

  1. What is Visual Communication?
  2. Design Principles & Design Elements
  3. Image analysis
  4. Layout and Composition
  5. Typography    
  6. Symbols & Icons; Brand Identity

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
Coomera
Term2
Term2
Gold Coast
Term2
Term2
Lismore
Term2
Term2
Online
Term2
N/A

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

Identify and analyse modes of digital presentation and publishing in social, cultural, political and economic contexts

Understand and implement current technical standards for the creation, manipulation and distribution of digital images

Apply principles of visual design and communication to the production of digital media for specific audiences.

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • Additional Readings will be available via myReadings from MySCU, ..
  • Most of the compulsory readings for this unit are from the prescribed text which is available as an ebook and can be accessed online via the SCU Library: Hashimoto, A & Clayton, M , 2009, Visual Design Fundamentals: A Digital Approach, 3rd edn, Charles River Media / Cengage Learning, Boston, MA. ISBN: 9781584505815.
Prescribed Resources/Equipment

  • All students need regular access to a computer and the Internet via a broadband connection.

    The relevant software is available in the Mac computer labs at the Lismore campus and all students enrolled will be given access. Students studying externally, who live close to the campus are encouraged to utilise the facilities.

    Similar facilities are also available at the Coffs Harbour and Gold Coast campuses.

    It is also vital to have a portable storage device (such as a USB flash drive) to back up your work. It is vital that you keep multiple copies of your work to avoid last-minute hardware and software problems.

  • Students will learn digital design processes using Adobe Photoshop. Students with access to campus are able to access Photoshop when using the Mac computer labs. More details are listed below.

    Media students are also encouraged to purchase the Adobe Cloud suite of software. A factsheet is provided on MySCU.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.