Course Title: Fundamentals in Communication Design

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Fundamentals in Communication Design

Credit Points: 12


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

GRAP2087

City Campus

Postgraduate

335H Applied Communication

Internet

Sem 1 2007

GRAP2087

City Campus

Postgraduate

345H Media and Communication

Internet

Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2013

Course Coordinator: Russell Bevers

Course Coordinator Phone: +(61 3) 9925 3029

Course Coordinator Email:russell.bevers@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: City campus


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

This course will present to students the principles involved in the language of visual communication. Students will be required to undertake assigned projects that require the use of appropriate visual communication syntax and techniques. It will also present to students the complex semantics of visual communication and develop their understanding of design principles and elements. The series of units within the course are designed specifically for design educators who find they are teaching in areas not covered in their first degree.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course aims to provide students with a thorough understanding of design fundamentals. At the completion of this course students will have been given the opportunity to develop a thorough understanding of visual language, semantics and syntax. The course also tries to address what is unique about communication design as a special sort of discipline and hopefully clears away some of the myths and idealism that dogs much design theory and writing


Refer to section on Capability Development.


Overview of Learning Activities

This course will take place over one semester and be delivered using the RMIT Distributed Learning System.  Content delivery will consist of a mix of lecture notes and image presentations online together with tutorial support though threaded discussion. Students will regularly be presented with design models for discussion and analysis. Appropriate specialist guest lecturers may by used (via threaded discussion) where appropriate. Students will be required to take responsibility for their participation and for their communication with their course coordinator.  Conference sessions led by the course coordinator dealing with aspects of the online content will take place through an online conference facility.  These will occur every week over  the eleven week program with a separate written assessment at the end of each module. Each assessment being worth a percentage of the final grade .


Overview of Learning Resources

Details to be supplied at the start of Module One -or prior to start up by the lecturer.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment tasks
There are three assessment tasks for this course:  Assessment one is based on conference discussion online.  Assessment two and three are written.

Details are available on the Blackboard for this course and outlined by the lecturer on WebBoard at the commencement of Module One.

Assessment timeline
The assessment schedule will be spread throughout the course, with the focus of each item expanding as the student¹s knowledge increases. For each assignment students will be able to develop their work in relation to their own specific areas of interest and work. Assessment timelines will be established at the commencement of semester one.

Assessment submission dates
Exact due dates for assignments will be presented to students in week 1 of the class.  Where students express difficulties with certain timelines for external reasons this will be negotiated for a more effective solution.