GRAPHIC DESIGN MEDIA

About the Program

Graphic Design Media has been an extremely popular program at Melville Senior High School since starting as a Specialist Program in 2012. Students are guided by experienced digital media teachers utilising world-class facilities and industry standard hardware and software such as iMacs, interactive tablets, the Adobe CC Suite and multiple 3D printers. The teaching staff have excellent networks through their own industry experience, along with a wide range of institutional partnerships including Murdoch University, Curtin University, Edith Cowan University, and the Black Swan Theatre.

Design and Media are huge growth industries as the world seeks for creative people to solve creative problems. The Graphic Design Media program leads directly to a variety of ATAR pathway courses in Year 11 and 12, including Design, Visual arts, and Media Production and Analysis. Melville Senior High School students consistently rank amongst the top in the State in these courses and find the program enables a rare connection between creative expression and learning. Unlike other secondary schools, Melville Senior High School offers Graphic Design Media from Year 7, ensuring that creative students are fostered and mentored from the very beginning of their secondary education.

Throughout Years 7 to 10, Graphic Design Media students are given Master Class opportunities where professionals from the industry work with the students to extend and enhance their learning experience. These professional designers and media makers lecture and hold workshops during the program, coming from fields as diverse as fashion, printmaking, animation, architecture, interior design, illustration, photography, film making and industrial design.

Projects throughout the course are drawn from exercises aimed at increasing core skills as well as giving relevant industry context. Over the course of the year, students normally undertake one major project from each of the four major contexts: spatial design, 2 dimensional design, film and time-based media; and interactive/ photographic media.

Enrolment Details & Folio Submissions

Enrolment in the Graphic Design Media program involves completing the Specialist Program testing process when students are in Year 5 and/or 6. This involves an academic test, submission of a folio of art and design work on testing day, and an interview in Semester 1. An interview preparation sheet can be found below. Students in other year groups are welcome to apply to join the program as sometimes vacancies arise, however this is an extremely popular program and as such vacancies cannot be guaranteed.

Folios should showcase the applicant’s personal creativity in applied art and design tasks. These can include photography, drawing, cartooning, animation, building websites, clothing design, drawing, film, and 3D design. These are suggestions rather than constraints, meaning the folio is welcome to include anything your child has made for purpose. In 2021 applicants may submit either physical or digital portfolios, however in 2022 only digital portfolios will be accepted. See below for further information on portfolio requirements.

Students in the program are required to provide their own laptop and bring it to every class. This will be one of their main tools over the duration of the program. This laptop replaces the iPad that all students are expected to have from Year 7 – there is no need to purchase both. Advice on the required laptop specifications is available to applicants from the Teacher In Charge.

Graphic Design Media Testing & Interviews

The application for Specialist Program enrolment is HERE, and the Specialist and Focus Program Prospectus is HERE. A folio is to be submitted on the day of testing. Year 5s only submit their portfolio in Year 6 when they will receive a letter about dates regarding folio and interview.

Students sit one test for entry to all Specialist Program and In Focus courses on offer at Melville Senior High School. The test consists of writing, general aptitude and Maths. The test requires no prior study.