PROD386-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025

Special Topic

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 14 July 2025
End Date: Sunday, 9 November 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 27 July 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 28 September 2025

Description

Special Topic

PROD386 Special Topic - Graphic Design: Brand and Visual Identity

This course aims to introduce students to foundational knowledge, skills and experience in graphic design. Typography—the design and deployment of typefaces (or fonts)—is the ‘bread and butter’ of graphic design and, as such, will be central to this course. Drawing on the history of typo-graphic design, students will learn why certain typefaces look the way they do and how they were designed to be used. Students will then learn how to layout complex information by way of a publication project which will draw together a technical understanding of hierarchical typesetting, diagrammatic design, photographic image processing, and sequential composition/multiple page layout. Content for this core project will be directed by the supervising lecturer but tailored by each student to their interests.

This course will be delivered predominantly through the supervision and critique of project work. It will also involve technical workshops led by the supervising lecturer.

Learning Outcomes

1. Define key concepts such as brand, brand identity, and brand strategy.
2. Understand the role of graphic design in shaping and communicating a brand.
3. Create logotypes that reflect appropriate traits of a given identity.
4. Apply typography and composition principles to develop a consistent visual identity.
5. Build a complete visual brand system including logo, colour palette, type system,
iconography and supporting graphics.
6. Design for both print and digital applications.
7. Present ideas and design work clearly and confidently.
8. Receive and incorporate feedback constructively.

Prerequisites

Subject to the approval of the Head of School.

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Workshop A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01-P1 Tuesday 14:00 - 17:00 West 213A (15/7, 23/7-20/8, 10/9-15/10)
Len Lye 201 Computer Lab (15/7)
 14 Jul - 20 Jul
01-P2 Wednesday 10:00 - 13:00 West 213A
21 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Workshop B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Thursday 13:00 - 16:00 West 213A (17/7-21/8, 11/9-16/10)
Len Lye 201 Computer Lab (17/7-21/8, 11/9-16/10)
 14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct

Course Coordinator

Luke Wood

Course Administrator

Alison Lowery

Lecturer

Claudia Long

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Mid-semester Hand In 20%
Style Manual/Brand Toolkit - Idenity System Application 25%
Participation 10%
Workboook 20%

Notes

This is a special optional course for students in their 2nd or 3rd year of the Bachelor of Product Design degree (and associated conjoint degrees). This course will meet the credit requirement for either of the technical electives (200- or 300- level plus) required for the degree.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $894.00

International fee $4,100.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see School of Product Design on the departments and faculties page .

All PROD386 Occurrences

  • PROD386-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025
Previous year