Master of Design

The Master of Design and Production offers three distinct specialisations: Production Design for Screen, Stage Design, and Graphic Design. Production Design for Screen equips students with skills for art department roles including production design, art direction, set decoration and graphic and set design for screen. Stage Design trains students to conceptualise and document designs for theatre, dance and opera. Graphic Design focuses on applied skills and experimental practice, enabling students to develop their own graphic voice across a wide range of media.

Yes. Through placements on productions mounted within the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), students in the stage and screen specialisations will gain practical experience and develop a portfolio of work that may include film, theatre, dance, and opera. In the graphic design specialisation, students will work on live briefs with partners in the Melbourne arts precinct and may participate in a student-led design studio. Industry placements also allow students to test their skills in professional contexts and gain insight to guide them towards career pathways and contacts.

Yes, students have the option of undertaking a thesis, which provides a pathway towards PhD research in their specialised area of study.

The Master of Design and Production is for those who want to develop their creative practice in a range of collaborative artforms. It provides intensive training in design specialisations to a cohort from diverse backgrounds of training or practice, which may include architecture, visual art, graphic design, interior design, film or drama studies.

Collaboration is a core principle of the program. Students interact with other creative practitioners at VCA, and the course provides a unique opportunity to develop creative partnerships that can lead to future professional collaborations. Guest lecturers from the industry and staff who are also experienced practitioners further ensure the training is professionally relevant and current.