Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Design and Society

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

GRAP1041

City Campus

Undergraduate

315H Architecture & Design

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2006,
Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 1 2009,
Sem 1 2010,
Sem 2 2010,
Sem 1 2011,
Sem 2 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 2 2012,
Sem 1 2013,
Sem 2 2013

GRAP1041

City Campus

Undergraduate

320H Architecture & Urban Design

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2014,
Sem 2 2014,
Sem 1 2015,
Sem 2 2015,
Sem 1 2016,
Sem 2 2016,
Sem 1 2017,
Sem 2 2017

GRAP1041

City Campus

Undergraduate

370H Design

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2018,
Sem 2 2018,
Sem 1 2019,
Sem 2 2019,
Sem 1 2022,
Sem 2 2022,
Sem 1 2023,
Sem 2 2023,
Sem 1 2024,
Sem 2 2024,
Sem 1 2025

GRAP2919

Brunswick Campus

Undergraduate

370H Design

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2020,
Sem 2 2020,
Sem 1 2021,
Sem 2 2021

Course Coordinator: Soumitri Varadarajan

Course Coordinator Phone: Please email

Course Coordinator Email: soumitri.varadarajan@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: School of Design, RMIT University, City Campus

Course Coordinator Availability: Please email


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None
 




Course Description

Design practice and its outcomes are both a product, and producer, of historical, political, social and cultural paradigms. In this course, you will explore both contemporary and historical contexts of design and its technical, aesthetic, cultural and political discourses. You will develop a broadened appreciation for the discipline, its origins and its changing fields.  

This course aims to equip you with the foundational knowledge and skills to effectively research and reflect on the inter-contingent nature of design and society through a variety of cultural, social and critical theories and the investigation of contemporary and historical design practices and knowledges. You will develop an approach to design history and theory that will enable the acquisition of a rich theoretical and methodological base from which to conduct an informed and critical practice in design. You will be guided through developing analytical abilities to interpret and articulate how and why design functions within societal contexts, and in doing so will develop your own values and orientations as a designer. 

This is a core course in BH104P25 Bachelor of Industrial Design (Honours) and BP115P26 Bachelor of Graphic Design programs. 


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Program Learning Outcomes 

In this course you will develop the following BH104P25 Bachelor of Industrial Design (Honours) program learning outcomes:  

PLO1; Apply analytical, critical, creative, and strategic thinking to industrial design problems and research across complex, place-based, and cultural contexts.  

PLO5: Demonstrate and champion an awareness of design's impact upon people, place, and culture, through ethically grounded practice.  

PLO7: Reflect on and adapt your design decisions to address issues as they emerge, with awareness of your relationship to the diverse needs, values, and mindsets of others.  

PLO8: Demonstrate and continue to develop a working knowledge of the diverse, technological, environmental, and cultural systems that industrial design practice contributes to.  

 

In this course you will develop the following BP115P26 Bachelor of Graphic Design program learning outcomes: 

PLO1: Demonstrate broad and coherent knowledge of graphic design, its principles, and its role in society 

PLO3: Apply a body of theoretical and practical knowledge and specific design skills in which to base your professional practice or future study.

If you are taking this course as a core or option course or as part of a minor, this course will complement the learning outcomes you are developing in your program.


Course Learning Outcomes 

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: 

CLO1: Evaluate the diversity of ways in which design both affects and is affected by society. 

CLO2: Effectively map, research, analyse and communicate theories and their interrelationships confidently through written, design, oral and visual presentations. 

CLO3: Engage in peer-to-peer learning and critique processes with respect for others and to be critical and reflective of own work. 

CLO4: Locate key ideas in design theory with reference to their historical and methodological origins. 

CLO5: Evidence work undertaken using appropriate academic conventions. 


Overview of Learning Activities

You will be actively engaged in learning that involves a range of face to face and online activities such as lectures, tutorials, group and class discussion, group activities and individual research. You will be required to undertake the following learning activities: reading, in field observations, watching films and documentaries, field trips, debates, presentations, academic writing, drawing, peer review and associated design activities. You are encouraged and expected to participate (in an ongoing manner) in tutorial discussions and activities and to present work and ideas in an open and respectful way for appraisal by peers. 


Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems.  

Course specific resources such as readings, reference lists, access to specialist software, video demonstrations and class notes will be provided online.   

There are services and resources available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the RMIT student website.  

A Library Subject Guide for the discipline this course is aligned to can be found here: https://rmit.libguides.com/design-industrial. 


Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes. 

Core Course  

Please note that this course is a core course in the Bachelor of Industrial Design (Hons) program. This course is not numerically graded and will not contribute to the calculation of your Weighted Academic Mark (WAM). That means you will receive either a Pass Grade (PX) or a Fail Grade (NN) on completion.   

The assessment task percentage weightings give you an indication of the volume and significance of the work required relative to the whole course experience.   

For assessment tasks due for submission during the relevant semester teaching period, if you receive a Fail Grade on work submitted you will have one week to address the specific feedback and resubmit for reassessment. For assessment tasks due after the conclusion of classes this option is not available.   

To successfully complete this course, you need to have passed all assessment tasks.   

Courses with a PX grade structure are automatically excised from the calculation of your Grade Point Average (GPA) and are not included in the calculation of Weighted Academic Mark (WAM) for embedded Bachelor Honours programs.  

This approach to grading and assessment is aimed at ensuring each course is inclusive of student diversity and prior learning and capabilities can be developed as is appropriate to your discipline and interests.

Assessment Tasks 

Task 1: Appreciation, 10% CLO 1

Task 2: Design Research 30% CLOs 2, 3, 5

Task 3: Critical Writing 30% CLOs 2, 3, 4 , 5 

Task 4: Project Report 30% CLOs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 

Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks.  

If you have a long-term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.  

Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures, and instructions.