Bachelor of Design Innovation (BDI) specialising in Culture+Context

Please note: Information on this page relates to the 2010 academic year unless otherwise specified.

Overview

The Bachelor of Design Innovation (BDI) in Culture+Context is a cross-disciplinary qualification for students with a strong interest in design who seek professional career opportunities in a wide variety of design-related fields.

Unique to New Zealand, Culture+Context combines studies in design with disciplines such as Psychology, Anthropology, Marketing, Māori Studies, Pacific Studies and Film or Media Studies to name a few.

Culture+Context is an innovative programme that allows students to creatively explore the evolving theories, culture, new concepts and historical ideas that contribute to the field contemporary design. Students will have the opportunity to design objects and environments, both real and virtual, within a critical and theoretical framework.

Students in Culture+Context will study the same first year core courses as design students specialising in Industrial and Media, where students will explore a wide variety of new materials, ideas and techniques while acquiring the substantial skill set needed to become great designers. The BDI is a three-year programme which leads into a two-year Master of Design Innovation (MDI) for those students wishing to reach a higher level of design thinking, reflection and resolution.

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Undergraduate Information

Entry Requirements

To study Culture+Context at Victoria you will need to have a university entrance qualification. A background in creative art or design and essay-based subjects, such as English, History, Art History, Classics, Geography or Economics can be useful.

If you do not have a minimum of 14 NCEA Level 3 credits in the following subjects:

• English
• History
• Art History
• Classics
• Geography or
• Economics

you will need to take WRIT 101 - Writing English or WRIT 151 - Academic Writing in ESL - English as a Second Language in your first year. Admission into the second year of the BDI in Culture+Context is limited and is based on academic performance in your first year.

Culture+Context Specialisation Requirements

The BDI in Culture+Context is a three-year undergraduate degree and consists of 360 points in total. The degree is structured into two main parts. Part one is the first year of the Design Innovation programme that is worth a total of 120 points. In your first year, you’ll study the same courses as Industrial and Media design students.

You will complete a total of eight 100 level courses, four core courses and four elective courses of your choosing. WRIT 101 or WRIT 151 may be replaced by a chosen elective course if you have achieved the necessary NCEA credits. More information can be found below.

In your first year you will take the following courses:

• DSDN 101 - Design Visualisation
• DSDN 111 - Ideas and Principles of Design
• DSDN 171 - A History of Design Ideas
• WRIT 101 - Writing English or WRIT 151 - Academic Writing in ESL - English as a Second Language*and
• four elective courses or courses to complete a minor to the value of 45 points and include the requirements for at least one specialisation (compulsory).

Part two comprises the second and third year of the Culture+Context programme. This is when you will begin to specialise in this particular design discipline. Entry into part two is based on your academic performance in the first year courses listed above. Part two requires a total of 240 points, 120 points each from both second and third year.

The second and third year programme is discipline focused. You will develop an insightful and innovative approach to critical understandings and contemporary interpretations of design, as well as a thorough knowledge of key historical and theoretical approaches and precedents in design. You will also develop an appreciation of the contributions design has made to material and visual culture. A commitment to cross-disciplinary studies means you will also benefit from exposure to other, relevant disciplines. Graduates will take with them a strong grounding in the issues and influences crucial to the expanding field of design and design knowledge as expressed through a diverse range of media.

In your second year you will take the following courses:

• CCDN 231 - Experimental Design Ideas
• CCDN 271 - Design Ideas in Context
• elective course(s) or courses to complete a minor(s) to the total value of 80 points.

In your third year you will take the following courses:

CCDN 331 - Live Theory

CCDN 332 - Design +

CCDN 371 - Design + Culture and
elective course(s) or courses to complete a minor(s) to the total value of 60 points.

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Pathways

BDI Minors for Culture+Context Students

All Culture+Context students are required to include at least one minor in their programme of study. Culture+Context students may choose to do a double minor rather than pursuing elective courses in order to complete the degree requirements for this qualification.

Although not compulsory, it is strongly recommended that the second minor be within the School of Design to ensure:

• It is more closely aligned with the specialisation.
• It complements the compulsory minor and
• It strengthens the design content of the BDI qualification.

Please refer to the list of Culture+Context career opportunities for career focused suggestions when selecting your minor(s). A full list of minors and requirements is available at the bottom of this page.

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BDI elective courses for Culture+Context

BDI electives can be chosen from the BDI schedule, provided appropriate prerequisites have been satisfied. The BDI schedule consists of courses from 100- to 300-level from the following subject codes CCDN, DSDN, INDN, IXDN, and MDDN.

For more information about electives available within the BDI please click on the following link to Bachelor of Design Innovation degree page.

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Postgraduate Information

Postgraduate Qualifications in Culture+Context

• Postgraduate Diploma in Design Innovation (PGDipDI) offered in 2012
• Master of Design (MDes)
• Master of Design Innovation (MDI) offered in 2012
• PhD

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How To Find Out More

The School of Design Student Administration Office offers additional information on:

• admission
• qualifications and courses
• course advice and selection criteria
• exemptions and prerequisites and
• your Application to Study.

Culture+Context courses are taught at the School of Design, Te Aro Campus, 139 Vivian Street, Wellington.

For further assistance please contact us:

Phone: 0-4-463 6200

Email: address

If you would like to receive posted information on this subject, you can use our Request for Study Material form. (Note: use the Graduate and Undergraduate links to get the form. The form enables you to join Victoria University’s database. Once you have joined, you will automatically receive information about the subjects you are interested in as soon as that information becomes available).

Victoria’s Student Recruitment and Course Advice Office offers a range of advice on courses and help with planning your degree.

Related Subjects and Careers

The Culture+Context specialisation in the BDI and MDI programmes can lead to a wide variety of exciting and fulfilling careers.

Students in the C+C specialisation who enrol in one minor and choose BDI electives from the BDI schedule can look forward to the following career opportunities, to name but a few:

One Minor	Career
Anthropology	Design Culture Critic and Researcher
Art History	Museum or Gallery Critic and Curator
Management	Design Manager
Maori Studies	Promotional Māori Design Advocate
Philosophy	Design Theory Researcher
Psychology	Product Interface Designer
Sociology	Design Consultant and Manager

Students in the Culture+Context specialisation who enrol in two minors can look forward to the following career opportunities, to name but a few:

Double Minor		Careers
Industrial	Asian Studies	Offshore Design Promotion and Facilitator
Film	English	Film Writer
Psychology	Anthropology	Design Analyst
Media	Marketing	In-house Media Design Promoter
Industrial	Marketing	Design Retail Store Manager and Owner

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Full list of minors for Culture+Context

Note: Please see the Course Catalogue for a description of the individual courses included below.

Minor Subject	100-level Requirement	200-level Requirement	300-level Requirement
Cultural Anthropology	ANTH 101, 102	Two 200-level ANTH courses	One 300-level ANTH course
Art History	Two courses from (ARTH 111, 112, 113)	Two 200-level ARTH courses	One 300-level ARTH courses
Asian Studies	ASIA 101	Two 200-level ASIA courses	ASIA 301
English	One 100-level ENGL course and DSDN 171	Two 200-level ENGL courses	One 300-level ENGL course
European Studies	EURO 101 and one of: 1. FREN 116 2. GERM 103,104 (exempt with NCEA Level 3 German) 3. SPAN 112 (exempt with NCEA Level 3 Spanish)	(i) FREN 215, 216 or, (ii) GERM 217, 218 or (iii) SPAN 215, 216	EURO 310
Film	FILM 101, DSDN 171	FILM 231	One 300-level FILM course, one further 200- or 300-level FILM course
Gender and Women's Studies	GEND 101	One 200-level GEND or WISC course	One 300-level GEND or WISC course One further 200- or 300-level GEND or WISC course
Geography	GEOG 111, 114	Two of GEOG 212, 214, 216	One of GEOG 311, 312, 314, 316
Industrial	DSDN 104, 141	INDN 211, 212	INDN 311 or 341
Marketing	MARK 101	MARK 202, 211	One 300-level MARK course
Māori Studies	Two 100-level MAOR courses	Two 200-level MAOR courses	One 300-level MAOR course
Management	MGMT 101	Two of MGMT 202, 205, 206	One 300-level MGMT course
Media Design	DSDN 142	Two of MDDN 211,221,201,DSDN 206, 231, 232	One 300-level MDDN
Media Studies	One of MDIA 101, 102, 103 courses	Two 200-level MDIA courses	One 300-level MDIA course
Music Studies	*Typically 1 or 2 100-level courses	40 points MUSC 200-level	One 300-level MUSC courses
Sonic Arts	CMPO 101 and either CMPO 110 or CMPO 184*	At least 40 points from CMPO 210, 211, 280, 284, 384, MUSC 246, 247, 265*	One of CMPO 310, 340, 341
Pacific Studies	PASI 101 (at least 18 points Samoan/Maori/French Language courses)	PASI 201	PASI 301 One further 200- or 300-level course with significant Pacific content
Philosophy	PHIL 107	PHIL 270 and 210	PHIL 313 or PHIL 322
Psychology	PSYC 121 (15 pts) STAT 193 Strongly recommended	PSYC 221, 232 (15 pts each)	Two of PSYC 326, 333, 334, 338 (15 pts each)
Sociology	SOSC 111, 112	Two 200-level SOSC courses	One 300-level SOSC course

List of Courses

The 2010 BDI prospectus contains detailed information and course prescriptions of all specialisations within the Bachelor of Design Innovation degree available on request from the School of Design Student Adviser or Student Recruitment and Course Advice.

Please refer to contact information at the top of this page.

Below is a list of the Culture+Context (CCDN) courses currently scheduled.

100 Level Design Innovation Courses
DSDN 101 – Design Visualisation
DSDN 104 – Digital Creation
DSDN 111 – Ideas and Principles of Desig
DSDN 112 – Ideas and Principles of Design
DSDN 141 – Experimenting with Materials
DSDN 142 – Creative Coding
DSDN 144 – Digital Photographics 1
DSDN 171 – A History of Design Ideas

200 Level Culture + Context (Design) Courses
CCDN 231 – Experimental Design Ideas
CCDN 271 – Design Ideas in Context
IXDN 221 – Experience Design

300 Level Culture + Context (Design) Courses
CCDN 331 – Live Theory
CCDN 332 – Design +
CCDN 371 – Design + Culture
CCDN 381 – Independent Study
CCDN 382 – Independent Study
CCDN 383 – Special Topic
CCDN 384 – Special Topic
IXDN 321 – Tangible Media
IXDN 322 – Ubiquitous Computing Design