Graduate Certificate in Design

Admission to the Graduate Certificate in Design requires a Bachelors degree in any field. Applicants who apply with a bachelors degree completed more than 10 years ago can be admitted where they have 5 or more years professional experience in a design or media-related field since graduation. Applicants without a Bachelors degree may be admitted on a case-by-case basis by the Program Director, on the basis of a Portfolio of work and professional experience.

For domestic students, the 2026 indicative CSP first year fee is $5,000 and the indicative CSP fee to complete the degree is also $5,000. For full-fee domestic students, the 2026 indicative first year full fee is $19,500 and the indicative full fee to complete the degree is $19,500. For international students, the 2026 indicative first year fee is $24,500 and the indicative fee to complete the degree is $25,000. Fees are subject to annual review and may vary accordingly.

The Graduate Certificate in Design consists of four courses: two in the design core which introduce you to design processes and communication, and two from areas of design practice or other studio electives. These electives include Spatial Experiences, Interaction Design and UX Experience, Visualisation and Visual Effects, Future Making, Graphic Communication, Planar Practices and Temporal and Spatial Practices.

The Graduate Certificate in Design commences in Term 1, Term 2, and Term 3, offering multiple entry points throughout the year. The duration of the program is 0.7 years, and it is delivered face-to-face (including blended) at the Paddington campus.

Graduates of the Graduate Certificate in Design can pursue careers in UX and experiential design, graphics, media and digital design, events, theatre and production design, creative consultancies, social innovation and entrepreneurship, and design management and strategy. UNSW has also been awarded Most Employable students for seven years in a row (Australian Financial Review Top100 Future Leaders Awards, 2020–2026).