Master of Design and Production

The Master of Design and Production prepares you to turn thought into form through a specialisation in stage, screen or graphic design. The Master of Design and Production offers you the skills, knowledge and hands-on experience necessary to successfully take on an array of contemporary design and production roles across the stage, screen or graphic design industries. It achieves this by honing and expanding your craft skills, by broadening your conceptual capabilities and by encouraging experimentation and collaboration with your peers.

This structured coursework program provides you with an enriched and comprehensive pathway into professional design and production roles. In addition to theory, the course encompasses workshops and studio-based learning where you will explore the role of graphic design, stage design or production design for screen. Guest lecturers from the industry and staff who are also experienced practitioners ensure the training is professionally relevant and current. 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 allow you to test your skills in professional contexts, where you will gain insight and experience to guide you towards career pathways and contacts. You also have the option of undertaking a thesis, providing a pathway towards PhD research in your specialised area of study.

A core principle of the program is collaboration. In developing this skill, you will interact with other creative practitioners at VCA. As such this course provides a unique opportunity to develop creative partnerships that can lead to future professional collaborations.