Bachelor of Design
at The University of Western Australia, Western Australia.
A studio-led design degree at UWA's School of Design with majors in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Visual Arts and Urban Design. Acts as the undergraduate pathway into the accredited Master of Architecture or Master of Landscape Architecture.
ATAR cutoff history
Published cutoff data for the The University of Western 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 | TISC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | TISC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | TISC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official TISC cutoff release.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
The UWA Bachelor of Design is studio-led from year one in the School of Design buildings on the Crawley campus. Year one runs design fundamentals (form, type, colour, composition), introduction to design history, freehand drawing, digital tools (Adobe Creative Suite, AutoCAD, Rhino, Figma) and one or two electives across the faculty.
From year two students stream into a major: Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Visual Arts or Urban Design (additional minors in Heritage Studies, History of Art and Communication and Media Studies are common). Studio runs in cohorts of 20 to 30 students with six contact hours weekly and a tutor-led desk-crit session.
Year three is portfolio building: students complete a final-year studio research project, an industry-linked capstone brief, a digital portfolio and contribute to the end-of-year School of Design exhibition. Time outside studio runs to 15 to 25 hours of self-directed making per unit. The Architecture and Landscape Architecture majors articulate directly into the two-year accredited masters required for registration.
Example first-year subjects
- Foundations of Design Communication
- Architecture Studio 1 - Spaces of Inhabitation
- History and Theory of the Built Environment
- Design Visualisation (Digital Tools)
- Drawing and Representation
- Materials and Making
How you will be assessed
- Studio portfolio submissions (drawings, models, digital files) weighted 50 to 70 percent
- Weekly desk-crit reviews and final pin-up presentations
- Design history essays of 2000 to 3500 words
- Group urban analysis projects
- End-of-year exhibition contribution (architecture and visual arts)
- Reflective design journals and process documentation
Career outcomes
- Graduates work as architectural designers, landscape architects, urban planners and visual communication designers across Perth studios and agencies.
- Common destinations include WA architecture firms (Hassell, Woods Bagot Perth, COX, JCY Architects), planning consultancies and the in-house design teams of major WA retailers.
- Many alumni progress into design leadership, design strategy and registered practice within five to seven years (after the relevant masters and registration).
Professional accreditation
- Architects Board of WA recognised (with Master of Architecture)
- DIA membership eligible (design majors)
Typical first jobs
- Architectural graduate at Hassell, Woods Bagot, COX, JCY or Kerry Hill Architects Perth
- Landscape architecture graduate at UDLA, Plan E or HASSELL landscape teams
- Urban planning officer at City of Perth, Town of Vincent or WA Planning Commission
- Junior designer at Perth advertising and brand studios
- Exhibition assistant at AGWA, PICA and Fremantle Arts Centre
- Visual arts educator or studio assistant in the WA cultural sector
After graduation
Architecture and Landscape Architecture majors continue into the two-year Master of Architecture or Master of Landscape Architecture, both accredited by the Architects Board of WA / Australian Institute of Landscape Architects pathways. Registration as an architect requires the masters plus the Architectural Practice Examination (logbook plus interview) under the Architects Board of WA. Visual Arts majors pivot to Honours, Master of Fine Arts (research) or Master of Curatorial Practice. Urban Design majors typically take the Master of Urban and Regional Planning at UWA, leading to membership of the Planning Institute of Australia.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students with strong visual thinking and willingness to iterate work
- Those happy spending 25 to 40 hours per week in studio
- People comfortable presenting work to a group of staff and peers
- Students considering registered architecture or landscape architecture careers
- Those who enjoy hands-on making (models, drawing, fabrication)
It is probably not for you if
- Students avoiding visual portfolio work and frequent critique
- Those who want a high-paying graduate role at 21 (registration takes 5 to 7 years)
- Anyone uncomfortable with subjective and open-ended assessment
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the The University of Western Australia handbook and on TISC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/uwa/bachelor-of-design.