Whakarāpopoto kaupapa

  • Design

    Level Two Design – 12VDS
    Course Content: 
    This course prepares students for the first stages of a career in Graphic Design or many related design or architectural careers. Students are taught the basic principles of design and the ways that designers work. They will learn about the design process and how to apply this process to a range of design tasks, including graphic design, package design, typographic layout and the use of Photoshop and InDesign. The aim of this course is to provide students with a thorough grounding in Design, which involves understanding a design brief, how to carry out research, generating ideas and developing these ideas in a systematic way through to finished artwork. 

    Assessment: Level 2 Design is a 17 credit course offering two Achievement Standards.

    • Produce a resolved work that demonstrates purposeful control of skills appropriate to visual arts cultural context (internally assessed 5 credits)
    • Produce a systematic body of work that shows understanding of art making conventions and ideas within design. (externally assessed 12 credits)

    Course Requirements: Students will require access to their own laptop. Adobe Creative Suite software will be included as part of the course costs take home component for the year.

    Entry Requirements: Nil, however, entry into Level 2 Design will be aided by the completion of Level 1 Digital Art. Where places are limited preference will be given to students who have taken Level 1 Digital Art and gained 12 external credits.



    Level Three Design – 13VDS
    Course Content: 
    Students work throughout the year to complete an external folio of work and two internals, which requires them to demonstrate their ability to successfully solve design problems. Some students will be encouraged to enter the Scholarship examination.

    Students new to the subject in Year 13 will be taught the principles of design and how to apply these to graphic design problems. They will also be instructed in the use of computer programmes to enable them to produce work that reflects contemporary technology. In preparing work for their folio submission, students select a topic and carry out a design brief: that enables them to research information, generate, develop and refine ideas and resolve the solution in finished design. Students will typically attempt design problems that involve corporate identity, typographic layout and graphic design. Students wishing to pursue a career in any of the fields of design, (graphic, industrial, fashion, typographic, illustration, architecture and interior design), are prepared for tertiary study and given guidance and advice to enable them to have the best chance of achieving a place in these limited entry courses. Level 3 Design is an approved subject for University Entrance.

    Assessment: Level 3 Design is an 18 credit course offering two Achievement Standards.

    • Systematically clarify ideas using drawing informed by established design practice (internally assessed 4 credits)
    • Produce a systematic body of work that integrates conventions and regenerates ideas within design practice (externally assessed 14 credits)

    Course Requirements: Students will require access to their own laptop. Adobe Creative Suite software will be included as part of the course costs take home component for the year.

    Entry Requirements: Entry into Level 3 Design will be aided by the completion of Level 2 Design. Where places are limited preference will be given to students who have taken Level 2 Design and gained 12 external credits.