Design and media studies
A specialist course to learn about the practices and techniques used by designers and media creators.
About the Design and media studies course
Specialist department-approved elective courses have specific requirements. Due to this, running specialist department-approved elective courses may require substantial investment in areas like staffing, professional learning, school resources, infrastructure and equipment.
This course helps students build their interest, skills and knowledge in design and media production. They learn about the conventions and practices of different mediums to communicate with and persuade audiences.
Students will use the techniques they learn to create their own effective and engaging design and media products. This includes developing a long-term creative project.
The course allows students to engage with a range of practices to create 2D, 3D and time-based media including:
- filmmaking and video production
- illustration, cartooning and animation
- graphic design
- 3D, game and interactive design.
Design and media studies may be delivered as a 100 or 200-hour course.
Staffing requirements
Design and media studies may be taught by any teacher with relevant skills and knowledge in design and media. Principals are best placed to make staffing decisions based on the skills and experience of their staff.
Specialist support staff are not required to run design and media studies, however, the prominent use of computer and technology resources may require some additional support from school-based IT coordinators or support staff.
School resources
Design and media studies is a course with a practical focus and will require the use of specialist equipment and software.
Specialist equipment to support the delivery of options topics may include:
- interchangeable lens cameras with upgraded lenses suitable for filmmaking, or dedicated video cameras, with additional battery, data storage/transfer, cleaning and storage accessories
- audio recording equipment
- lighting equipment
- tripods and stands
- graphics tablets
- specialist computer software.
Work, health and safety
In Core 1, students identify safe working practices in design and media production, including:
- physical safety protocols and Work Health Safety (WHS) policies
- the role of preparation
- safe use of specialist equipment.
Specific WHS considerations are further outlined in support resources and include:
- safe use of electrical equipment such as lighting
- safe use of other equipment that may present hazards, such as tripods, cabling and audio/lighting equipment mounted on stands
- supervision and management of group work outside the classroom.
Class sizes
Class sizes for this course are not addressed specifically in the staffing agreement. It is recommended that no class need exceed 22 students. This aligns Design and media studies with Design and Technology (elective), where there are similarities between classroom activities and course content.
Additional subject-specific requirements
Exhibition, presentation or publication of design and media works to audiences is essential to the course. Schools will need to provide opportunities for students to exhibit their works such as in a school exhibition or showcase.
Schools may need to consider the following if delivering design and media studies:
- provision of adequate time for planning and programming
- resourcing, including
- staffing
- new teaching resources and materials
- budget implications to upskill teachers, including casual release.
Course documents
Schools must use the Design and media studies course document (DOCX 245 KB) to develop educational programs for this course. They must comply with the:
- Curriculum planning and programming, assessing and reporting to parents K–12 policy
- associated Curriculum policy standards.
The content is organised into 10 modules which are all mandatory and should be taught in chronological order.
Assessment advice
Design and media studies assessment advice (DOCX 203 KB) is available to assist teachers. They can select a range of different activities to assess and report on.
Assessment activities should:
- reflect the school's organisation of the course
- provide students with opportunities to show their learning.
Department-approved elective courses are not credited on the Record of School Achievement (RoSA).
Teaching resources
Schools may adapt or change this content or use other materials suitable to their local context. Provided they comply with the course documents.
Sample scope and sequences:
Sample option topics resources:
Illustrations of practice
Learn how other schools have implemented the Design and media studies elective. Resources include a learning sequence, assessment tasks and student workbook with sample student responses.
- Learning sequence from Newtown Performing Arts High School – illustration of practice (DOCX 45 KB)
- Year 10 assessment task from Newtown Performing Arts High School – illustration of practice (DOCX 51 KB)
- Student workbook with sample responses from Newtown Performing Arts High School – illustration of practice (DOCX 450 KB)
- Year 9 assessment task from Northmead High School – illustration of practice (DOCX 2.64 MB)
Contact
For more information: