Combine real-life industry projects and design theory with a hands-on focus on production to create sustainable contemporary modern furniture products. In RMIT’s award-winning furniture design program you’ll learn to develop creative and original furniture designs with a strong grounding in design methods, manufacturing technologies and processes informed by cultural and social factors. This program allows you to use a combination of manual skills and machine technologies in the product development and construction of contemporary furniture products. You’ll gain a higher level of critical and conceptual thinking skills and develop ideas that will address issues within today’s society, including sustainable approaches to design and manufacturing. With hands-on design-focused learning and an emphasis on production and craft knowledge, this program offers a blend of topics that will enable you to design modern furniture. You will gain the skills to explore design through real-world industry projects with companies such as Moran Furniture and Schiavello. The program teaches you to investigate contemporary, cultural and environmental aspects of professional furniture design practice. You’ll connect with Australian and international industry mentors such as Marc Pascal and Adam Cornish. These mentors will work with you to provide feedback on the commercial viability of your design work. You’ll also have the opportunity to compete in local and international design competitions such as London Design Week, Fringe Furniture, The Edge (Sydney) and the Australian International Furniture Fair. This is a hands-on program where you will explore design solutions, taking into consideration aesthetics, technology, ergonomics, usability, stress analysis, sustainability and materials engineering, marketing and lean manufacturing. You will develop freehand and computer-aided drawings and illustrations and develop your skills in everything from 3D ideas generation to prototypes that demonstrate and test furniture. Careers Upon graduation you will be able to design your career future, working for major production companies or as an independent designer in the global furniture industry in roles such as: designer production manager buyer retail specialist account managers. Pathway options When you successfully complete the Certificate IV in Design and achieve the required minimum grades, you are guaranteed entry into the Associate Degree in Design (Furniture). Grades include a 'Competency with Distinction' (CDI) in the ‘Explore and Apply the Creative Design Process to 3D Forms’ and the ‘Develop and Extend Critical and Creative Thinking Skills’ courses (plus a 'Competency with Credit' (CCR) across all graded courses). If you achieve below the minimum grades, you may still apply and will need to submit a folio. You will be assessed on a case by case basis. Alternatively, you can gain entry from RMIT Foundation Studies or a range of vocational study programs. Further study When you successfully complete the Associate Degree in Design (Furniture) and achieve a minimum GPA of 3.5, you are guaranteed entry into the Bachelor of Industrial Design (Honours) with 3 semesters of advanced standing (equivalent to 144 credit points). If you achieve below the minimum GPA, you may still apply and will need to submit a folio. You will be assessed on a case by case basis and credit is not guaranteed. Alternatively, you may be eligible for entry into other RMIT undergraduate programs.