Diploma in Design Communication
THE PROGRAMME
The mission of Orita Sinclair is to develop students into bold and imaginative professionals in the pursuit of their ambitions. The diploma in design communication aims to provide an all-rounded, interdisciplinary design education through excellence in teaching creative and innovative design practices, and building students’ portfolios. The design department is committed to creating an open-minded and creative atmosphere to pursue research and discover collaborative practices that nurture students’ potential through active engagement and participation in a small class size setting. Our graduates understand where knowledge comes from and how to integrate them to influence art, design, and communication. At the end of the course, graduates will be ready to take on a wide range of roles in the creative industry—graphic design, branding, editorial design, digital design, motion graphics, packaging design and campaign strategy.
Full-Time – 12 Months Coursework plus 6 Months Internship
Part-Time – 18 Months Coursework
THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE
is an open, discussion-driven, caring and supportive learning environment. You will be working closely with our faculty comprising seasoned industry professionals in small close-knit groups. The average teacher-to-student ratio is 1:12.
THE FINAL OUTCOME
is a career-ready designer with a wide range of skills and a bold, imaginative mindset. You will be able to handle all aspects of a creative project from pitch to product.
Modules
Design Fundamentals
Synopsis:
Design fundamentals looks into the essentials of compositing, arranging and manipulating images and space to communicate intangible ideas into effective visual narratives.
Objectives:
Students will learn the elements and principles of design, and the basics in colour theory to apply them effectively to integrate functionality and beauty. Thereafter, they will learn to apply mind mapping as an ideation technique.
Typography I
Synopsis:
Typography is the visual component of text, and focusses on the basic understanding of typeface characteristics and pairing. At its core, typography performs a utilitarian function that is separate from its aesthetic role.
Objectives:
Students will learn to identify the characteristics of typefaces and their uses, and to select typefaces in supporting the message and design. Students will learn the technical aspects of typesetting, and develop an eye for choosing typefaces that are best suited for the project.
Brand Design
Synopsis:
Brand design is one of the most important aspect in any business. It is the foundational piece in a business' marketing communication to its consumers.
Objectives:
Students will be introduced to the techniques, processes and considerations in brand development, consumer connection and designing identity material. Students will be exposed to the creative process involved in the development of brand collateral and design planning. Students will also learn how to design according to brand standards and add visual appeal into their imagery.
Professional Design Practice
Synopsis:
Professional practice here refers to the conduct and work process, such as interview preparation, portfolio building, and work ethics and practices of the design communication and interaction design industries.
Objectives:
Students will be guided on the considerations required to package their individual portfolio based on their strengths, works and/or direction, and gain an insight on the processes and practices in design, and understand the importance of networking, and client management.
Internship
Synopsis:
The 6-month internship programme is an ideal way to prepare students for the industry after graduation. Alongside our partner organisations, the school provides students with the opportunity to gain invaluable exposure to a work environment and hone their creative skills in a real-world setting. They will be guided by supervisors as they learn and develop soft skills like empathy, persuasion and adaptability that are highly sought after by employers today. This module is only applicable to full-time students. Students who are not successful in securing an internship placement will do a 3-month industry-related project instead.
Objectives:
Students will be expected to excel in a professional setting and apply their design skills to a variety of job roles. They will be evaluated based on their ability to fulfill their assigned responsibilities and thrive in a collaborative work environment. Students will fulfill a minimum of 960 work hours.
Entry Requirements
For Singaporeans:
- Minimum 16 years of age.
- 3 GCE ‘O’ Level passes grade A to C or grade 1 to 6 in English and two other subjects.
- For applicants who do not meet requirement 2., a placement test is administered before an applicant can be enrolled into this course. Entry into the course is dependent on results of the placement test or
- Higher NITEC or NITEC Applicants may be required to sit for an interview and an internal English placement test to assess the applicant’s suitability.
For International Students:
- Minimum 16 years of age.
- 3 GCE ‘O’ Level passes grade A to C or grade 1 to 6 in English and two other subjects.
- International applicants who have completed at least 10 years of education may be considered for application. Relevant supporting evidence of applicants’ achievements in the arts must be submitted with the application.
- Equivalent English qualifications include internet-based TOEFL (score of 75 and above), and IELTS (overall score of 5.0 and above).
- For applicants who do not meet requirement 2., a placement test is administered before an applicant can be enrolled into this course. Entry into the course is dependent on results of the placement test.
Career Opportunities
Graduates can look forward to the following jobs:
Faculty
Meet our passionate educators who are all industry practitioners. They are seasoned designers and trend-setters in the creative field.
boon Lim
Senior Programme Manager, Design Faculty
MA in 2D and 3D Visualisation, Loughborough University
Boon has a decade of working experience in printing, promotions, and advertising, working with brands such as Skippy, Lipton, Martell, Chivas, and Alfa Romeo, and government statutory boards such as BCA and NEA, before moving on to tertiary education.
Karen Chiam
Lecturer, Design Faculty
BA (Hons) Graphic Communication, Loughborough University
Karen has 15 years of work experience in aspects of design, content creation, brand marketing and communications. She co-founded DAZINGFEELSGOOD—a practice that reflects on rational and reduction approaches guided by design fundamentals across disciplines—in 2015 to pursue her artistic interests. Since then, the studio has had works represented in local and international platforms such as ArtStage Singapore, DesignArt Tokyo, Maison&Objet Paris, SingaPlural, and received international design awards including Asia Design Prize and A’ Design Award.
Loong Cui Wen
Adjunct Lecturer, Design Faculty
BFA in Visual Communications, NTU School of Art, Design and Media
Cui Wen has more than 8 years of experience in graphic design and illustration, and has worked with commercial and private clients such as Love and Co, STB and various design agencies to create artworks. She has collaborated with an author on a published children's book, 'If Doors Could Speak'. She has a keen interest in outdoor painting and sketching, as well as creating illustrations in watercolour and acrylic mediums. She also loves to share art making techniques with people of all ages in workshops and classes.
Shawn Heng
Adjunct Lecturer, Design Faculty
BDes in Communication Design, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
Shawn is a part-time educator, part-time creative, and a full-time dad. He currently leads a design team at DSTNCT, an integrated marketing agency, and has a decade of experience in print, advertising, and (more recently) social media. Shawn has a HOW design award under the Promotion & Marketing category in 2018, as well as SingaPlural Recognition awards for his works in 2016 under the label Simitaiji.
Kevin Tan
Adjunct Lecturer, Design Faculty
BA (Hons) in Design Communication, Goldsmiths' College.
A multi-disciplinary designer who is active in User Experience Design and Web Development for the past 5 years. Kevin always has been fond of designing and developing digital ideas, products or solutions that are modular and have strong emphasis on clean, playful and usable design.
Xu Zhi Wei
Adjunct Lecturer, Design Faculty
BA in Mass Communications, Queensland University of Technology
Zhiwei has been in the advertising industry for 12 years, of which five as a copywriter, and seven as a strategy planner. He specialises in recruitment, retail, tourism, and public service, and has worked with clients such as National Arts Council, National Heritage Board, Singapore Civil Defence Force, Bugis+, and United Overseas Bank. The move from writing to planning sees him solve communication challenges by marrying creative and media strategies to achieve synergized campaigns.
Elsa Ng
Adjunct Lecturer, Design Faculty
BA (Hons) Graphic Design, University of the West of England, Bristol
Driven by passion in design, Elsa graduated with BA (Hons) in Graphic Design some years after her stint at PricewaterhouseCoopers as a tax professional. She has a decade of experience working with clients across industries, including aviation and wellness, balancing design and business decisions with maturity. Her inexplicable fondness for Chinese language and culture is evident in multiple compelling works to catalyse meaningful conversations and elevate awareness around the diminishing tradition. Currently, the award-winning communication designer is a regional creative content lead directing branding and communications initiatives across Asia Pacific and beyond. Progressively, Elsa aspires to make purposeful differences in redefining design education for the next generations.
Elwin Goh
Adjunct Lecturer, Design Faculty
BFA in Photography and Imaging, Art Center College of Design
Brewed by 10 years of experience with visual art, Elwin has cultivated a knack for narrating stories with images, working with various mediums and concepts that garnered him international photography awards for both advertising and art.
Sheau Chan
Adjunct Lecturer, Design Faculty
BA (Hons) in Graphic Design, Camberwell College of the Arts
With close to 20 years of global client experience in London, Singapore & Bangkok, Sheau’s multi-disciplinary skills range from corporate, retail & FMCG branding, paper engineering to signage & environmental graphics. Her winning entry in the BBC Design Awards is the original prototype of the proprietary packaging solution RAP.
Jackson Chua
Adjunct Lecturer, Design Faculty
Advanced Diploma in Multimedia, Raffles Design Institute
With over 13 years of experience in the video industry, Jackson has been working in his own studio on corporate videos and campaigns with clients such as Marina Bay Sands, Dassault Systemes and NTUC Enterprises. Bringing a storytelling perspective to his work, he is known for creating a nimble and flexible creative team that helps him to bring his visions to life.
How to apply
All prospective students are encouraged to contact our Recruitment Executive or authorised recruitment agents for a pre-course counseling session if they would like to enrol for a course with Orita Sinclair School of Design & Music. The purpose of this session is for us to address the needs of students as an individual, professional and as a student of our institute.
Application Date
Local Students
22nd Mar 2021International Students
5th Feb 2021You might be interested in
