Diploma in Design & Media

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The vision of the Department of Design and Media is to not only augment the programmes to meet the needs of the design and media industry, but also to blaze a path of innovation.

Courses and teaching facilities are updated and upgraded constantly with strategic insights from practicing faculty members, as well as the guest lecturers and visiting professors and artists-in-residence from Singapore and around the world. The result: an optimal learning experience that lets ideas take lead.

Building from the strengths of our two successful programmes from before - Multimedia and Visual Communication - the current diploma programme provides students with holistic training within the design and media realm.

This integrated platform gives students the opportunity to explore the traditional design methodologies imbued with new media learning. Through its diverse curriculum, students will also be equipped with essential skills needed for the advertising, design and media industries.

During the first year in this programme, students will undergo a series of foundation studies. This is designed for students to acquire the essential knowledge and fundamental skills in visual arts, irrespective of their intended Major.

Students will then embark on their Major in the second and third year of this programme. The specialisation study options include Advertising, Animation, Graphic Design, Illustration Design, Interactive media and Video Production.

What Job Opportunities Await You?

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Design
• Art Director
• Copywriter
• Concept/Visual Artist
• Desktop Designer
• Publication Designer
• Graphic Designer
• Illustrator
• Photographer
• Visual Merchandising Artist
• Window Display Artist
• Teacher

Media
• Video Production Designer
• Animator
• Interactive Media Designer
• Web/Multimedia Designer
• Concept Artist
• Editor (Video)
• Motion Graphic Designer
• Story Board Artist
• Teacher

Advertising

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This curriculum emphasises the development of conceptual skills, coupled with sensitivity in art direction and effective copywriting to produce work for the integrated mass media. Students will be taught to research and strategise creative and innovative solutions to customise purposeful and effective communications for a variety of products, services, brands, and media platforms. Students will also learn to appreciate and tap on new media to reach targeted audience.

Animation

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This curriculum provides students with the necessary tools to animate their artistic vision into virtual reality. Students will begin to learn and acquire conceptual and development skills, and basic animation principles. These will be further enhanced with practical skills on industry norm software packages to enable students to transform their ideas into 2D & 3D animation. Students will also learn the fundamentals of storytelling, video and sound design and editing, and character design and be exposed to animation production workflow.

Graphic Design

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This curriculum equips students with conceptual problem solving skills based on visual literacy, software competency, and a good foundation in aesthetic principles. Students will gain a wealth of knowledge in researching and strategising creative and innovative solutions to customise purposeful and effective communications for a variety of products, services, brands, and media platforms. Students will also learn to appreciate and tap on new media to reach targeted audience.

Illustration Design

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This curriculum engages students with the practice of rudimentary of line, colour and form, and in a range of media through building on image development, rendering and ideation skills. Students will apply all stages of design process, from initial sketches to presentation, and encouraged to develop their personal illustration style. Illustration projects of different genres will also be introduced for students to hone their interpretive skills in both traditional and digital platforms, and to develop their multidisciplinary problem-solving skills in social and cultural contexts. A host of complementary yet essential skills in design and layout, editorial publishing, and design and marketing will also be developed.

Interactive Media

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This curriculum introduces students to the principles, techniques, tools and processes for designing interactions and objects, and understanding their impact and importance in the world of digital media. Students will undertake projects that seek to investigate the creative, expressive and aesthetic forms and content of new media and media systems, including the preproduction, production and postproduction phases of work.

Video Production

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This curriculum stresses the practical, conceptual and theoretical aspects of video production. Students will be trained in areas such as directing and working with actors, creative storytelling, producing skills, camera and lighting techniques, as well as the various aspects of post-production. While preparing students with foundational concepts, students will be given the opportunity to actively produce a wide variety of video productions, enhancing their skills in a practical experience. As part of their graduation portfolio, students will work on an individual film that showcases their newly-developed conceptual and practical skills in bringing ideas to life.

BA (Hons) Graphic Communication
Top-up Degree Course in collaboration with Loughborough University, UK

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This degree pathway is built upon the Diploma in Design and Media.

The curriculum is designed to enhance students' awareness of the historical precedent, current practice and emerging technology in the field of graphic design. Students will be provided with the opportunity to develop their practical skills in graphic design as well as to acquire the relevant theoretical knowledge.

This course is delivered in two semesters of 16-week duration each. A total of three modules are to be completed; two in the first semester and one in the second. These modules are mainly self-directed, with a wide range of supporting activities such as lectures, tutorials, practical projects and workshops.

The programme of this course also includes a 6-week residential study visit to Loughborough University, during which the British counterpart will provide students with professional inputs to refine their dissertation works and artistic ideas.

This visit will also provide students with invaluable exposure to trends and practices in international art and design.

Commencement of study requires a minimum number of students that will be determined by NAFA and partner university.

BA (Hons) Graphic Communication

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NYC431 • Graphic Communication Contexts (1)
Semester 1 / 30 Credits
This module provides students with the opportunity to negotiate their own specialised area of study by integrating their learning experiences from other parts of the programme through the "learning agreement". The module will further the students' understanding of a professional brief and its requirements. Students are to produce a body of work that equates with professional aptitude. This module is a good training ground for the students' professional skills as a designer, as well as organisational and time management skills. Furthermore, the students will have the opportunity to study graphic communication by integrating a greater component of critical theory for those seeking to pursue postgraduate academic in the future.

NYC500 • Art and Design Dissertation
Semester 1 & 2 / 30 Credits
Students will conduct in-depth research into an area of their interest. They are expected to be able to exhibit academic distinction in their area of interest. Students will be able to develop intellectual reasoning, creative skills and abilities in the development and communication of appropriate design proposals for a selected design project.

NYC432 • Graphic Communication Contexts (2)
Semester 2 / 60 Credits
This module gives students the opportunity to direct their own learning and choose the contents of their study for the remainder of the programme. They will fully explore their strengths and interests through the "student learning agreement". It also provides students the opportunity to produce a portfolio of work which displays to potential employers, professionals or academic, their best qualities and a realistically chosen field of specialisation. Furthermore, students have the opportunity to work with industry through "live projects" and competitions. This module also tests the students' skills in design, conceptual thinking and organisational capability.