Diploma in Design & Media

What you will learn in a glance?

In a glance, the Design and Media program offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to equip students with essential skills in the creative industry.

Semester 1 focuses on building foundational skills in the Design and Media field, including terminology, technologies, drawing fundamentals, idea generation, and visual thinking.

In Semester 2, you will develop communication skills and gain an understanding of art and media theories relevant to the creative industry. You will also enhance hand illustration skills and learn presentation methods using marker renderings.

Semester 3 introduces project management in the creative field, emphasizing research methods for effective design solutions. You will engage in team-based projects to cultivate design thinking skills. Additionally, you will explore animation, 3D digital imaging, and conceptual art design for characters and environments.

• Route A (Leading to Advertising and Media Pathway)

In Semester 4, you will gain hands-on experience through industry-based projects. You will explore brand placement, identity, market research, basic marketing principles, consumer behavior, and creative strategies.

Semester 5 includes the study of design context, cinematography taxonomies, and the showcase of your design skills through a major project exhibition.

• Route B (Leading to Animation Pathway)

In Semester 4, you will gain practical experience through industry-based projects and receive a historical overview of animation development. You will explore creativity, contextualization, cinema, animation, and other visual mediums.

Semester 5 involves the study of design context, cinematography taxonomies, and the introduction to traditional and digital character sculpting methods. You will also showcase your design skills in a major project exhibition.

• Route C (Leading to Visual Effects Pathway)

In Semester 4, you will gain hands-on experience through industry-based projects and select pathway modules to expand your technical specialization. You will delve into the history, theory, and practices of digital compositing, understanding visual effects production workflows using post-production technologies in both 2D and 3D spaces.

Semester 5 involves illustrated talks, discussions on design context, and critical evaluation of cinematography taxonomies. You will further develop your skills in 3D post-production techniques such as 3D tracking, lighting, and compositing. The semester concludes with a major project exhibition, where you can showcase your design skills to industry professionals.

• Route D (Leading to Industrial Design Pathway)

In Semester 4, you will gain valuable hands-on experience through industry-based projects and select pathway modules for technical specialization. Practical sessions will familiarize you with different tools and materials used in industrial design. You will also learn solid modeling computer-aided design (CAD) skills like Solidworks or Rhino.

Semester 5 includes illustrated talks, discussions on design context, and critical evaluation of cinematography taxonomies. The semester culminates in a major project exhibition, providing an opportunity to meet industry experts and present your portfolio.

Future opportunities

Upon successful completion of this programme and fulfillment of requirements for credit transfer, you will be eligible to progress into Level 2 of the following degree programmes offered at APU

• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Industrial Design

• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Visual Effects

• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Animation

• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Digital Advertising

• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Media and Communication Studies

Dual Degrees from APU and DMU United Kindom

Students who joined the Diploma in Design & Media at APU University Malaysia will have the option to apply for the APU-DMU Dual Degree Scheme. Under this Scheme, students will be able to get 2 Degree Certificates and transcripts upon graduation: 1 from Asia Pacific University (APU), Malaysia, and 1 from De Montfort University (DMU), UK. please note this is optional and costs GBP 375 Per year.