All design degree students enrol in honours. Towards the end of third year, you decide whether you want to stick with the honours route, where your 4th year will be strongly research-led. The non-honours path is less research-focused and gives you room for more electives in 4th year. As a Massey design student, you will spend most of your time making and thinking in studios, workshops and media labs, whatever your major. There are many opportunities to explore other design fields through electives and cross-disciplinary collaboration is encouraged. There is also a focus on real world problem-solving and students in their 4th year have the opportunity to engage with live briefs and external clients. The future is visual Visual communication is one of the most universal forms of design. It is at the heart of how our world works; guiding, informing, persuading, and inspiring us every day. What is it Like? The world is undergoing a radical shift in how people communicate, work and share ideas. More people can share more ideas in more ways than ever before – photos, video, animations, graphics, experiences, tweets, the list is endless. We can connect with people across countries, languages and cultures. People can interact with governments and corporate in new ways, and they are using the same tools to try to influence us. Visual communication design offers huge scope and flexibility. At Massey, we teach a diverse range of media (eg print, web, video) and problem solving strategies, and give you the chance to try all of them. At the same time, you’ll be able to follow your interests and aspirations by developing a higher level of expertise in a specific area. We set you up for the real world, where you’ll work collaboratively, adapt to new ideas and technologies, and turn your hand to whatever needs to be done. Careers There has never been a more exciting time to be a visual communicator. There are opportunities to work in areas such as publishing, branding, interactivity and entertainment. But there is also a growing demand for graduates who can apply design thinking at a strategic level in business, government, and within social and civic enterprises. Massey design graduates with a visual communication design major are employed in a diverse range of enterprises in New Zealand, Australia, Europe, North America and beyond. They work for design firms and consultancies, advertising agencies, computer and web design firms, film studios, post-production companies, and publications. Some are self-employed freelance illustrators and designers. Some have set up their own successful companies. Structure: The Bachelor of Design with Honours is the best preparation for becoming a well-rounded designer, whatever your chosen field of practice. Regardless of what major you choose, your degree has the same basic structure. Note: July start will take 3.5 years to complete