What is Design?
Design is the process of constructing a physical or virtual element in a specific way through one’s creativity, skills and knowledge.
Design is everywhere around us and is the prime factor for decision making at times for humans. Think about the shoes, house, clothing, interior, or computers you choose to purchase. A lot of the time, people tend to make decisions based on the appearance of things and not for its functionality or efficiency. This makes design an important factor in enhancing one’s experience when making a purchase or scrolling through a website.
What Are The Different Specializations in Design?
Design is an extremely vast stream that encompasses a variety of specialisations. Below are the specialisations in design that are most sought after and popular in the design industry today.
Type of Specialisation | Description |
Interior design/ Interior Architecture | Process of creating functional and man-made spaces through design and architecture |
Fashion design | Creates concepts and ideas for clothing and accessories through application of design and aesthetic |
Video Game Designer | Plans, designs, develops electronic games for computers, mobile devices and websites |
Graphic Design | Projects visual communication intended to convey specific messages |
Multimedia Design | The art of designing visual audios, images, and graphics for advertisements or informational videos |
Industrial Design | Designs and develops concepts for manufactured products (i.e cars, appliances, electronics, etc.) |
Skills Needed to Study Design
Creativity
- Well, I guess you saw it coming that creativity, without a doubt, is an essential skill needed to stand out in this competitive industry. Having a visual eye is one of if not the most important skill to possess when entering into the design world. Having structured creative thinking and a framework in place that allows one to come up with new ideas continuously is one of the key elements of being a designer no matter the specialisation.
Communication
- Being able to communicate things well visually is as important as being good at written and spoken communication. Good communication makes designers stand out due to their ability to convey messages effectively whether it is through their work or with their co workers. Having to communicate well makes working in a team a much easier task.
Software Skills
- No matter the specialisation, having software skills in several platforms like Photoshop and Illustrator are most often coveted skills seeked by employers in the design industry. As technology changes constantly, being on top of it can be highly regarded.
What Will You Be Studying In Design?
You will mostly be studying and learning about many different concepts and technical skills in a degree in design. Depending on the area of design you choose to major in, it may range from learning how to do technical drawing (as in fashion, interior and industrial design) to learning how to utilise software programmes (as in video game design and graphic design)
Here are some of the subjects you will most likely be studying in these areas of design:
Type of Specialisation | Subjects |
Interior design/ Interior Architecture |
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Fashion design |
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Video Game Designer |
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Graphic Design |
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Multimedia Design |
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Industrial Design |
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*Note that the subjects offered may vary across different universities. Feel free to contact us for any further enquiries!
What Are The Career Options Available With A Degree In Design?
Where can a degree in design get you in this competitive industry? Well, you’d be surprised with the wide variety of professions available to you due to the flexible and fundamental skill set acquired.
Some of the career options available with a design degree include :
- Interior Designer
- Fashion Designer
- Graphic Designer
- Industrial Designer
- User Experience Designer
- Multimedia Artist
- Architect Designer
- Game Designer
- Animation Designer
- Web Designer
- Software Developer
Entry Requirements to Study Design in Malaysia
Academic Entry Requirements
STPM | CC with min. CGPA 2.00 |
A-Levels | MIn. grades EE |
UEC | Pass with min. 5Bs |
South Australian Matriculation/ SACE International | Min. ATAR 60 |
Canadian Pre-University (CPU) | Min. average of 55% in 6 subjects |
Foundation in Arts/ Science | Pass with min CGPA of 2.00 |
*Requirements vary across universities, faculties, and courses. For inquiries on the specific requirements, contact Excel Education.
Top Private Colleges & Universities To Study Design in Malaysia 2022
#1 Taylor's University
Course name | Duration | Intake |
Diploma in Interior Design | 2.5 years | April, August |
Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Interior Architecture | 3.5 years | January, March, August |
Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media | 3 years | January, March, August |
Bachelor of Fashion Design Technology (Hons) | 3 years | January, March, August |
For more information regarding the university, course structure, entry requirements, fee structure and more, contact us! We’re more than happy to guide you.
#2 The ONE Academy
The One Academy have academic partnerships with various leading art and design institutions of higher learning in the UK, the USA, Australia and New Zealand. After students have completed their art and design education and getting their diplomas,they can easily transfer into our partners’ degree programmes at the maximum provision.
Here are the affiliated universities in The United Kingdom, New Zealand, United States and Australia:
Country | Universities |
United Kingdom |
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New Zealand |
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United States |
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Australia |
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Here are the courses offered at The One Academy:
Course name | Duration | Intake |
Diploma in Digital Media Design | 3 years | January, April, August |
Diploma in Advertising & Graphic Design | 3 years | January, April, August |
Diploma in Digital Animation | 3 years | January, April, August |
Diploma in Illustration | 3 years | January, April, August |
Diploma in Interior Design | 3 years | January, April, August |
Diploma in Fashion Design & Pattern Making | 3 years | March, September |
Diploma in Fine Arts | 3 years | January, April, August |
Diploma in Film Visual Effects | 3 years | January, April, August |
BA (Hons) Graphic Design | 3 years | May |
BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design | 3.5 years | May |
BA (Hons) Digital Media Design | 3 years | May |
For more information regarding the university, course structure, entry requirements, fee structure and more, contact us! We’re more than happy to guide you.
#3 SEGi University
Course name | Duration | Intake |
Diploma in Graphic Design | 2.5 years | January, May, September |
Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Visual Communication Design | 3 years | January, September, October |
Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Multimedia Design | 3 years | January, March, May, July, September |
For more information regarding the university, course structure, entry requirements, fee structure and more, contact us! We’re more than happy to guide you.
#4 UCSI University
Course name | Duration | Intake |
Diploma in Fashion Design | 2 years | January, May, September |
Diploma in 3D Animation Design | 2 years | January, May, September |
Diploma in Graphic Design | 2 years | January, May, September |
BA (Hons) Graphic Design | 3 years | January, May, September |
BCA (Hons) 3D Animation Design | 3 years | January, May, September |
BA (Hons) Multimedia Design | 3 years | January, May, September |
BA (Hons) Game Design | 3 years | January, May, September |
BA (Hons) Fashion Design with Marketing | 3 years | January, May, September |
For more information regarding the university, course structure, entry requirements, fee structure and more, contact us! We’re more than happy to guide you.
#5 Raffles College & University
Course name | Duration | Intake |
Diploma in Interior Design | 2 years 4 months | January, May, September |
Diploma in Jewellery Design | January, May, September | |
Diploma in Visual Communication | January, May, September | |
Diploma in Multimedia Design | January, May, September | |
Diploma in Creative New Media Technology | January, May, September | |
Diploma in Creative Animation Design | January, May, September | |
Diploma in Creative Game Design | January, May, September | |
Diploma in Fashion Design | January, May, September | |
Diploma in Fashion Marketing | January, May, September | |
Diploma in Fashion Business | January, May, September | |
Diploma in Fashion Styling | January, May, September | |
Diploma in Fashion Retail Management | January, May, September | |
Bachelor of Fashion Design (Honours) | 3 years | January, May, September |
Bachelor of Graphic Design (Honours) | January, May, September | |
Bachelor of Multimedia Design (Honours) | January, May, September |
For more information regarding the university, course structure, entry requirements, fee structure and more, contact us! We’re more than happy to guide you.
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About The Author
Gabrielle Marie Wong
Be you and do what excites.