Bachelor of Design
at Torrens University Australia, South Australia.
A studio-led design degree spanning visual communication, product, interaction and spatial design. Most programmes culminate in a major design project and portfolio show.
ATAR cutoff history
Published cutoff data for the Torrens University Australia Bachelor of Design. We never invent figures; entries marked "not published" mean the university or admissions centre has not released a verified cutoff for that intake.
| Intake year | ATAR cutoff | Admissions centre |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ATAR cutoff not published | SATAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | SATAC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | SATAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official SATAC cutoff release.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
Torrens delivers design through Billy Blue College of Design, a long-running specialist creative school, so teaching is studio-based and portfolio-driven from the first trimester. Early study builds visual literacy, design thinking, typography, colour, layout and the core software (the Adobe suite, prototyping and vector tools), with briefs that mimic real client work rather than abstract exercises. Through the middle of the degree you concentrate in a stream such as graphic and digital design, branded fashion, interior design, photography or interaction and user experience. Studios run on a critique model: you develop concepts, present them, take feedback and iterate. As a private provider Torrens runs multiple intakes a year on a trimester calendar, so cohorts are small and the pace is steady year-round. The final stage is a self-directed major project and a curated portfolio built for industry, supported by a work-integrated placement arranged through Billy Blue industry partners. Graduates leave with a body of polished work, a public graduate show and direct studio contacts rather than a written thesis.
Example first-year subjects
- Design Thinking and Process
- Typography Fundamentals
- Visual Communication
- Digital Design Tools
- Colour and Composition
- History of Design
How you will be assessed
- Studio projects and design briefs
- Portfolio development and presentation
- Critique sessions and peer review
- Concept boards, mockups and prototypes
- Reflective process journals
- Work-integrated placement assessment
Career outcomes
- Graduates work as visual designers, UX designers and industrial designers in agencies and in-house teams.
- Common destinations include digital product agencies, advertising studios and the in-house design teams of major retailers and banks.
- Many alumni progress into design leadership, design strategy and freelance practice within five years.
Professional accreditation
- DIA membership eligible
Typical first jobs
- Junior graphic or visual designer
- UX or UI design assistant
- Brand or studio designer
- Production or layout artist
- Junior interior or spatial designer
- Freelance design generalist
Graduate starting salary
$52,000 - $64,000 per year
Source: https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey-(gos). Last reviewed 2026-05-24.
After graduation
Most graduates move straight into junior or mid-weight design roles, often through the studio or agency that hosted their placement, and build a freelance side practice from the same portfolio. Torrens offers articulated postgraduate study including graduate certificates and masters in design, branding and design management, entered by direct application across several intakes a year. Diploma graduates from Billy Blue and other providers can ladder into the bachelor with credit.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Visually creative people who like making things rather than writing essays
- Students comfortable presenting work and taking critique
- Those who want a portfolio and studio contacts before graduating
- Self-directed learners suited to trimester and studio pacing
- People who enjoy iterating concepts to a deadline
It is probably not for you if
- Students who dislike public critique of their work
- Those wanting a theory-heavy or research-led degree
- People who prefer large public-university campus life
- Students seeking a clearly licensed profession at the end
Careers this leads to
Australian career pathways that name this Bachelor of Design as an entry route. Each page shows uni, TAFE and apprenticeship alternatives.
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the Torrens University Australia handbook and on SATAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/torrens/bachelor-of-design.