Stage One courses
2025
Updated September 2024
Bachelor of Design
Semester One:
- DESIGN 100 and 101
- WTRENG 100
Semester Two:
- Three Design elective courses
- One General Education course, or
- An AELR course if you need to complete this requirement
Design conjoint degrees
Students need to carefully plan enrolments on both sides of the conjoint degree. You can use My Programme Requirements and the University Calendar, including course listings, to help you make sure that your enrolments are correct for your degree. To discuss planning your conjoint, and for further progression advice and support, contact the Student Hubs.
The recommended Design courses to take in the first year of a conjoint:
- BA/BDes, BCom/BDes:
- Semester One: DESIGN 100 and 101 (45pts total)
- Semester Two: Two Design elective courses (30pts total)
- BDes/BSci - Computer Science major:
- Semester One: DESIGN 100 and 101 (45pts total)
- Semester Two: Two Design elective courses (30pts total)
- BDes/BSci - Psychology major:
- Semester One: DESIGN 100 and 101 (45pts total)
- Semester Two: One Design elective course (15pts total)
- BDes/BSci - all other majors:
- For enrolment advice, contact the Student Hubs.
- BDes/BE(Hons):
- Semester One: DESIGN 101 (15pts)
Course information
DESIGN 100 - Design Methods and Processes 1
- Course prescription: Introduces students to human-centred design methods and tools that range from problem framing to prototyping, modelling, and validating solution ideas. Students will address a variety of briefs based on real-world problems and contexts, exploring their personal creative potential through a series of hands-on projects supported by presentations.
- Programme restriction: BDes and Design conjoint students only
- Semester availability: Semester One
- Location: City Campus
- Points: 30
DESIGN 101 - Design Theory and Fundamentals
- Course prescription: Introduces historical and contemporary drivers of design as a maker of socio-cultural meaning. Students will learn fundamental design principles used for communication and sense-making, applied across a variety of mediums and technologies. Students will be introduced to tikanga Māori and to the main ethical, socio-cultural, economic and environmental propellants of design.
- Programme restriction: BDes and Design conjoint students only
- Semester availability: Semester One
- Location: City Campus
- Points: 15
Bring your own device - getting started
We recommended all Design students have their own laptop, although computer facilities are available on campus. View the suggested laptop and software requirements