Diploma in Design Communication
THE PROGRAMME
Design Communication is a programme that provides you with an all-rounded design education. You will learn the fundamental concepts and skills of graphic design and copywriting before studying the intricacies of brand, packaging and layout designs. It is an intensive programme in which you will be thoroughly prepared for professional practice and the demands of being an industry practitioner. You will be reviewed regularly during the programme through a mix of projects and formative assessments. At the end of the programme, you will present your final major project to a group of external assessors. As our student, you will graduate with a broad portfolio of works that showcase a good range of your creative abilities.
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 & Conceptualisation
Synopsis:
Design fundamentals and conceptualisation are the essentials to 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 visual thinking, brainstorming and conceptualising techniques to help build the framework in which a design approach situates.
Copywriting
Synopsis:
Copywriting is an integral component in design communication. Image and text work together to build visual narratives with strategic messaging to deliver focussed and effective communication.
Objectives:
This module provides an introduction to copywriting and how companies use copywriting to promote their brands. Students will learn the essentials of body copy, how to write copy for both online and offline media outlets and techniques which enhance their text and brand awareness.
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.
Final Major Projects
Synopsis:
This module introduces students to problem solving using a structured process to tackle a project commissioned by a hypothetical client. Generally, the following steps may be applied: Defining the problem, Generating ideas and solutions, Evaluating solutions, Implementing and following up on selected solution, and Presentation.
Objectives:
Students will be assessed on the culmination of their skills and knowledge learnt in the programme. Students are required to work out a campaign that will implement design on various media such as packaging, brochure, and website that is cascaded down from a brand identity system—cohesive and consistent.
Industry Placement
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 Course 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 a background in retail and 13 years of work experience in aspects of design, content creation and brand communications. She co-founded DAZINGFEELSGOOD in 2015 to pursue her artistic interests—a practice that reflects on rational and reduction approaches, guided by design fundamentals across disciplines. Since then, the studio had works represented in local and international platforms such as ArtStage Singapore, Maison&Objet Paris and SingaPlural. DAZINGFEELSGOOD is also a recipient of international design awards including Asia Design Prize and A’ Design Award.
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.
Shawn Heng
Adjunct Lecturer, Design Faculty
BDes in Communication Design, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
Shawn co-founded Simitaiji – a label with a strong focus on locally inspired design and aesthetics in 2014, and is currently a designer at Yellow Octopus. He is also excessively obsessed with kerning and leading.
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.
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.
Hu Qi Ren
Adjunct Lecturer, Design Faculty
MFA in Photography and Related Media, Parsons The New School for Design
Qiren (b.1983) completed his MFA in Photography and Related Media at Parsons The New School for Design under the Provost scholarship in 2015 and has showcased his work at the One World Trade Center, Queens Museum, Aperture Foundation and Photoville in New York, the Lourvre Museum in Paris, International Photography festivals in Singapore, Japan, China and New Zealand. More recently, Qiren was the grand winner of the Harper's BAZAAR Art Prize.
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
30th Sep 2020International Students
21st Sep 2020You might be interested in
