What You'll Learn

Visual Design

This module offers a focused study of graphic concepts and practice of graphic design. Students will build upon basic graphic recognition and application through principles of design, art direction, typography, information graphics and imaging software. By the end of the module, students will explore and apply their knowledge gained through an integrated design project. This module also would provide students with opportunities to expand the various aspects of design and integrating them into other modules.

Research Methods

Having a deep understanding of who you are creating for is the first step in creating desirable content, campaigns, programmes, products, and services. This is a skill that all media and design students need. This module introduces students to the research tools needed to understand their stakeholders and test out their ideas. In this module, students will develop fluency in deriving insights to tackle the problems/issues at hand through research. They will practise teamwork and develop problem solving skills when analysing data.

Digital Product Design

This module introduces students to the framework for designing meaningful interactions between people and the digital products or services that they use. Students will learn to design products and services that are relevant to people’s needs and expectations in both tangible and intangible aspects. To support this, students will study methods from interaction design, with appropriate methods in ancillary domains such as aesthetics and psychology. The module will also explore various tools and techniques to prototype user experience and communicate user scenarios.

Photography & Imaging

This module exposes students to the theory and practice of digital photography within the framework of an integrative digital workflow in content creation, including the finer points of digital image enhancement, manipulation & compositing. Students will be taught product and portrait photography and learn the essentials of controlling and balancing artificial lights with natural lights to achieve impactful aesthetics for photography. Students will focus on studio and outdoor digital photography, and be equipped with the fundamentals of preparing digital images and intermediate techniques of image manipulation & compositing. By the end of the module, students would have created a portfolio of photographic fine prints and digital content for commercial applications.

Prototyping Fundamentals

In this module, students will learn different strategies and techniques in prototyping and be able to design and make simple prototypes for their concept. Students will also develop understanding of simple machine operation and sensitivity towards common materials and their properties, and foster a hands-on experimental approach to design.

Data Fluency (DF)

This module aims to equip students with baseline skills in using data to gain insights into the UN SDGs. These skills are related to the data-handling processes such as formulating data-based questions, pre-processing data and analysing data using numerical and graphical summaries. Upon the completion of this module, students should demonstrate the competency in using data to examine one aspect of a UN SDG and/or generate some insights to support one theoretical solution to a UN SDG.

Artificial Intelligence and Its Impact

This module aims to equip students with a very broad overview of Artificial Intelligence, and its societal and ethical impacts in modern society. Students will build a simple AI model with online tools and discuss how to promote good ethics in AI. Upon the completion of this module, students should demonstrate the competency of using AI to address their chosen UN SDG.

Thinking Critically about the UN SDGs

Polywide Elective 1

Sports For Life

Sports for Life (SFL) is a physical education programme that has become part of the Graduation Criteria for ALL Year 1 students matriculated since AY2018/19. During this e-learning Semester, Year 1 students can choose their preferred module from a selection of 9 sports. SFL aims to encourage students to lead an active lifestyle by following a holistic e-learning package with videos and supplementary materials that focuses on acquiring knowledge, rules of the game, basic sports techniques and maintaining fitness. Besides physical activity, the e-learning curriculum also comprises of syllabus on Mental Wellness and Personal Leadership using 7 Habits of Highly Effective College Students.

Experience Design Studio 1

In Experience Design Studio 1, students will learn about the design process and the notion of creating experiences. Through the study of a wide repertoire of both physical and digital UX, students will immerse in understanding of how users relate and respond to experiences, in order to create human centered design holistically across different touchpoints. They will also learn to be conversant with designing on a range of scales for the human body, objects, spatial environments and services and also focus on the relationship between digital and physcial products.

Digital User Experience Design

Form, Function & Emotion for Product Design

In this module, students will learn about how form, function and emotion each play a unique and interlinked role in product design. Students will learn how products are designed or enhanced to improve their desirability, and better engage their audience through its form, aesthetics and emotional appeal. Students will also reinforce the concept of ergonomics and user needs in the module, as well as acquire a good understanding of key manufacturing processes. This module will also introduce how external factors influence our perceptions of design and affect the visual and tactile experience of a product design.

Prototyping & Visualisation

The ability to visualise information/products/services and the interaction/experience that consumers have with them; and represent them for the purpose of communication, is an essential skill any experience and product designer should possess. In this module, students will continue to develop good prototyping processes and skills, including basic computer-aided design (CAD) drawing and rendering skills that aid in communicating concepts efficiently and effectively. They will be introduced to an array of tools and techniques to prototype, test and stage experiences.

Sustainable Innovation Project

Work in multi-disciplinary groups to apply the design thinking method and tools backed by research and qualitative data, to tackle local issues mapped to the UN SDGs. You will also tap on what you have learnt in the CCC modules that come before this module to create sustainable and innovative prototype solutions for real-life issues faced by a local community in need. In the process, you will develop empathy for the community you have identified for your project and a better understanding of yourselves.

Polywide Elective 2

Experience Design Studio 2

In Experience Design Studio 2, students will reinforce their knowledge and praxis in observing and understanding the users through the use of different user research methods. They will learn learn to find patterns and formulate experience design strategies. They will learn to design eperiences that take users through a journey that starts with objects found within their near-space, and gradually expand towards dealing with interactions in the environment.

Creative Innovation & Technology

In this module, students will learn and apply a range of technologies to create interactive experiences. Students will understand and create outcomes combining product design, digital product design, digital media and data analysis with a strong focus on experimentation.

Creative Video Content Creation

Video content is booming, and it’s everywhere. Brand realise the value of video and its success can give the organisation a powerful lead over their competitors. This module exposes students to the theory and practice of digital video production for video content creation. Students will be taught the importance of video content creation through learning social media marketing. Students will learn the essential form of scriptwriting, story structure, film grammar, video camera techniques, audio capture techniques, set art direction, non-linear editing techniques and learn the essentials of controlling and balancing artificial lights with natural lights to achieve an impactful aesthetics for videography. Students will focus on pre-production, production and post-production and be equipped with the fundamentals to prepare a digital video in various formats for different platforms. By the end of the module, students will be expected to create a showreel of commercially viable work.

Digital User Experience Design

MAD Studio Project

The MAD Studio Project aims to build on the interdisciplinary practices taught in PlayLab in order to further develop students’ ability to generate new ideas and contribute to innovations. Students will work in mixed groups and take on complex, real-world industry projects. They will draw on the domain knowledge and skills from their own tracks, as well as those of their peers from other tracks, in order to gain a deeper understanding of an issue, and transform them into new knowledge which confronts the challenges of the present world. This module is a facilitated time and space for students to explore across the disciplines of creative perspectives, which necessarily includes research and design, problem-solving and communication of ideas. The teaching facilitation will also embrace the design inquiry cycle that enables learners to mind shift and lead into a convergence of viewpoints.

Persuasive Communication with Data Storytelling

Final Year Project

Students will put all the skills acquired in the specialisation thus far to propose, conceptualise, write/script and pitch an original TV or online scripted series to content commissioners from the industry. This module will showcase the students’ strengths as content writers and creators.

Transdisciplinary Project

The Final-Year Project is an opportunity for students to integrate, apply and deepen the knowledge, skillsets and competencies (both technical and general) they have gained over the course of their study. Building on the skills taught in PlayLab and the MAD Studio Project, students will work in mixed groups to tackle complex real-world issues through industry projects. They will learn how to research and generate new, innovative solutions that go beyond a single domain, while considering other factors such as meeting a business-end, dealing with resource constraints, as well as taking advantage of social, cultural and economic trends. They will also learn how to communicate with their stakeholders and manage a project. By the end of this module, students will deepen their skills in acquiring and synthesising knowledge from across disciplines and develop resilience and an entrepreneurial spirit in tackling complex problems.

Polywide Elective 3

Internship Programme

This module aims to immerse students with the real-world industry experience. This programme comprises a 22-week enhanced internship programme integrating a structured learning outcome which facilitates authentic learning.

Personal Branding and Career Agility

Effective Writing for the Workplace