Bachelors of Information Technology / Design
Overview
Are you a creative problem solver or out-of-the-box thinker? Prepare to meet tomorrow’s challenges in new and novel ways where creativity meets technology.
Our dual degree in Design and Information Technology is designed to give you a unique and powerful skill set to challenge conventional thinking and thrive in the ever-evolving world we live in. By marrying design principles with technical expertise, you'll emerge as a dynamic professional, capable of addressing intricate human problems with a fresh, creative, and innovative perspective.
You can customise your educational pathway with the flexibility to choose a major from each degree, aligning perfectly with your career goals. In the Design component, dive into the core principles through 6 hands-on design studio-based projects and 5 majors to choose from.
On the Information Technology side, we focus on the essential pillars of people, code, and data. You'll build a robust foundation across these core IT streams and have the opportunity to specialise in User Experience Design, Software Design, or Software Information Systems.
Our multidisciplinary approach ensures that you emerge not just as a graduate but as a skilled professional capable of seamlessly navigating the intersection of design and technology.
Program highlights
- Our curriculum is crafted to ensure you gain a deep understanding of both design and information technology, providing you with a holistic education that's relevant in today's dynamic landscape.
- Immerse yourself in authentic, hands-on projects that mirror the challenges and opportunities you'll face in your future career.
- With the flexibility to choose majors from both design and information technology, students craft their own unique educational journey preparing you for a career that aligns perfectly with your goals.
Majors
Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:
- Anthropology
- Buildings and Environments
- Environment and Society
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship
How you'll learn
Your learning experiences are designed to best suit the learning outcomes of the courses you choose.
- Lectures
- Tutorials
- Fieldwork
- Studios
- Workshops
What you'll study
At UQ, degrees are called 'programs' and subjects are called 'courses'.
Career possibilities
Our programs prepare you for your first job and beyond. Depending on which major you choose, here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:
- Customer and user experience designer
- Software developer
- System architect
- Information systems designer
- Web designer
- Application developer
Average annual salary range
Software Architect
seek.com.au
Next steps after graduation
- 82.5% of graduates are in full-time employment (Computer and Information Systems Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching, 2019).
- 400,000 more tech workers needed in Australia by 2027 (The Australian Computer Society).
- Highest growth and demand for tech and digital skills are in design and development (The Australian Computer Society).
Professional memberships
When you graduate, you may be eligible for memberships with the following professional organisations. Contact the organisation to find out how to become a member.
- Australian Computer Society
Program accreditation
The Bachelors of Information Technology / Design is accredited by:
- Australian Computer Society
I didn’t go to university straight after high school. Over time, in a number of jobs, I uncovered my passion for information technology and programming. This led me to look into how I could apply to university. Due to my high school transcript, applying for university wasn’t straightforward, but, it can be done! I studied and passed the STAT test to give me an eligibility ranking high enough to apply for my degree. Now I am studying the Bachelor of Information Technology at UQ.
I didn’t go to university straight after high school. Over time, in a number of jobs, I uncovered my passion for information technology and programming. This led me to look into how I could apply to university. Due to my high school transcript, applying for university wasn’t straightforward, but, it can be done! I studied and passed the STAT test to give me an eligibility ranking high enough to apply for my degree. Now I am studying the Bachelor of Information Technology at UQ.
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Entry requirements
Prerequisites
- General English subject (Units 3 & 4, C), and
- Mathematical Methods (Units 3 & 4, C).
Prerequisites
- General English subject (Units 3 & 4, C), and
- Mathematical Methods (Units 3 & 4, C).
Minimum entry score
Check the minimum entry scores for the individual programs. You must meet the higher score.
English language requirements
IELTS overall 6.5; reading 6; writing 6; speaking 6; listening 6. For other English Language Proficiency Tests and Scores approved for UQ
TOEFL iBT (including Paper Edition) - Overall 87, listening 19, reading 19, writing 21 and speaking 19.
PTE Academic - Overall Score of 64 and 60 in all sub bands.
BE - A minimum overall grade of 4 plus a minimum grade of C in all macro skills.
CES - Overall 176 and 169 in all sub bands.
OET is not accepted.
There are other ways to meet the English language requirements. For some programs, additional conditions apply.
Student visas
International students who are accepted into full-time study in the Bachelors of Information Technology / Design are eligible to apply for an Australian student visa (subclass 500).
There are a number of requirements you must satisfy before a visa is granted, including the Genuine Student (GS) requirement.
Need help meeting the entry requirements?
Additional application information
Majors
Majors
Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:
Good design requires us to think about how people will engage with and relate to the envisioned product, service or practice. This major will provide you with the skills and methods necessary to understand the people you're designing for, and to draw on this research to develop design ideas that fit our future needs.
Design anthropologists typically find work wherever a human interface or an understanding of human needs is required. You'll develop skills that transfer across industries and may find work in large engineering or architecture companies or apply your anthropological skills in policymaking or development applications across a broad range of industries.
You will explore both building and planning including sustainability and conservation, transport and infrastructure, architecture and built environment, and the economic and social aspects of development.
You will also explore how human-led processes and design outcomes shape our ability to respond to pressing environmental problems, including climate change, bushfires, food insecurity, waste and biodiversity loss.
Drawing from many disciplines, including sociology, anthropology, planning, philosophy and economics, this major covers global issues including social and environmental injustice, environmental racism and violence, the politics of conflict, and activism and social change.
With broad applications across many career paths, including the diverse field of design, you’ll be prepared to address the environmental challenges of the future. This major will be particularly relevant if you want to address environmental and social challenges through government policymaking, environmental communication and advocacy, and international development.
You'll first be introduced to basic principles of innovation and entrepreneurship, including the entrepreneurial mindset and process. Then you'll apply this knowledge in practical courses on digital innovation, social entrepreneurship and growth strategies, as well as technology and innovation management.
Through leadership development, you'll become a resourceful, creative and resilient innovation leader who delivers sustainable commercial and social value. Further extending your skill set, you’ll engage directly in a short placement or consulting project in a startup or commercial partner project.
You’ll also have the option to develop and grow your own business in an incubator or accelerator within the UQ entrepreneurship ecosystem or beyond. These deep immersion experiences will move you closer to commercially viable business solutions while establishing valuable networks with potential partners, investors, entrepreneurs and mentors.
Career paths include starting your own for-profit or social venture as an entrepreneur, driving innovation within established organisations as a business manager or innovation leader, and supporting other businesses to manage and commercialise innovation as a consultant.
You'll engage with course components that examine culture as art, popular culture, social media and the cultural diversity of digital media in Australia and across the world.
This major is particularly suitable for students pursuing professional ambitions in the digital media industries and user-centred digital design.
Courses in this major focus on programming, software engineering, project management, requirements analysis, specification and the software process, as well as software applications involving internet design, human-computer interaction, algorithms, data structures and concurrency.
Graduates of the Software Design major typically work in a broad range of roles from software engineer and software developer, to software development manager.
Join a growing industry
- Join a thriving sector of the global IT industry that develops applications such as games, apps for mobile devices, or tools and systems used by individuals, governments and companies
- The digital technology sector is one of the fastest growing parts of Australia’s economy
- 6 of the 10 most valuable brands in the world are tech companies (Forbes, 2019).
Learn about cutting-edge approaches to large-scale database design, including systems that span multiple organisations.
Graduates of the Software Information Systems major typically work in software development companies, or in companies with information systems, which includes almost every medium to large-scale business or organisation in the world.
Join a growing industry
- Information systems are integral to almost every business and government organisation
- Design and build the information systems that are used everywhere in our modern life: in retail, banking, healthcare, transport, education, entertainment, science and engineering
- The digital technology sector is one of the fastest growing parts of Australia’s economy.
This major is intended for students who want to take up careers in the multi-skilled and interdisciplinary field of human-centred design.
UX designers are increasingly sought-after across all technology sectors, where their combination of people skills, creativity and technical ability allows them to work in the rapidly changing field of technology design.
Career paths can lead to roles as user interface developers, user experience designers, usability specialists, human factors analysts, user researchers and human interface developers.
Graduate in demand
- User experience (UX) designers are the people who ensure the design of software, websites or technologies meets their intended use – from commercial software to personal fitness apps to games, and everything in between
- Future-proof your career when you graduate with a combination of people skills, creativity and technical abilities
- Design-first thinking is in demand. Service designer was the #13 emerging job of 2020 (LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report).
Majors
Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:
Good design requires us to think about how people will engage with and relate to the envisioned product, service or practice. This major will provide you with the skills and methods necessary to understand the people you're designing for, and to draw on this research to develop design ideas that fit our future needs.
Design anthropologists typically find work wherever a human interface or an understanding of human needs is required. You'll develop skills that transfer across industries and may find work in large engineering or architecture companies or apply your anthropological skills in policymaking or development applications across a broad range of industries.
You will explore both building and planning including sustainability and conservation, transport and infrastructure, architecture and built environment, and the economic and social aspects of development.
You will also explore how human-led processes and design outcomes shape our ability to respond to pressing environmental problems, including climate change, bushfires, food insecurity, waste and biodiversity loss.
Drawing from many disciplines, including sociology, anthropology, planning, philosophy and economics, this major covers global issues including social and environmental injustice, environmental racism and violence, the politics of conflict, and activism and social change.
With broad applications across many career paths, including the diverse field of design, you’ll be prepared to address the environmental challenges of the future. This major will be particularly relevant if you want to address environmental and social challenges through government policymaking, environmental communication and advocacy, and international development.
You'll first be introduced to basic principles of innovation and entrepreneurship, including the entrepreneurial mindset and process. Then you'll apply this knowledge in practical courses on digital innovation, social entrepreneurship and growth strategies, as well as technology and innovation management.
Through leadership development, you'll become a resourceful, creative and resilient innovation leader who delivers sustainable commercial and social value. Further extending your skill set, you’ll engage directly in a short placement or consulting project in a startup or commercial partner project.
You’ll also have the option to develop and grow your own business in an incubator or accelerator within the UQ entrepreneurship ecosystem or beyond. These deep immersion experiences will move you closer to commercially viable business solutions while establishing valuable networks with potential partners, investors, entrepreneurs and mentors.
Career paths include starting your own for-profit or social venture as an entrepreneur, driving innovation within established organisations as a business manager or innovation leader, and supporting other businesses to manage and commercialise innovation as a consultant.
You'll engage with course components that examine culture as art, popular culture, social media and the cultural diversity of digital media in Australia and across the world.
This major is particularly suitable for students pursuing professional ambitions in the digital media industries and user-centred digital design.
Courses in this major focus on programming, software engineering, project management, requirements analysis, specification and the software process, as well as software applications involving internet design, human-computer interaction, algorithms, data structures and concurrency.
Graduates of the Software Design major typically work in a broad range of roles from software engineer and software developer, to software development manager.
Join a growing industry
- Join a thriving sector of the global IT industry that develops applications such as games, apps for mobile devices, or tools and systems used by individuals, governments and companies
- The digital technology sector is one of the fastest growing parts of Australia’s economy
- 6 of the 10 most valuable brands in the world are tech companies (Forbes, 2019).
Learn about cutting-edge approaches to large-scale database design, including systems that span multiple organisations.
Graduates of the Software Information Systems major typically work in software development companies, or in companies with information systems, which includes almost every medium to large-scale business or organisation in the world.
Join a growing industry
- Information systems are integral to almost every business and government organisation
- Design and build the information systems that are used everywhere in our modern life: in retail, banking, healthcare, transport, education, entertainment, science and engineering
- The digital technology sector is one of the fastest growing parts of Australia’s economy.
This major is intended for students who want to take up careers in the multi-skilled and interdisciplinary field of human-centred design.
UX designers are increasingly sought-after across all technology sectors, where their combination of people skills, creativity and technical ability allows them to work in the rapidly changing field of technology design.
Career paths can lead to roles as user interface developers, user experience designers, usability specialists, human factors analysts, user researchers and human interface developers.
Graduate in demand
- User experience (UX) designers are the people who ensure the design of software, websites or technologies meets their intended use – from commercial software to personal fitness apps to games, and everything in between
- Future-proof your career when you graduate with a combination of people skills, creativity and technical abilities
- Design-first thinking is in demand. Service designer was the #13 emerging job of 2020 (LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report).
Fees and Scholarships
Indicative annual fee
Approximate yearly cost of tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your selected courses and study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.
$8,948
2024
$8,948
2024
Approximate yearly cost of tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.
AUD $49,632
2024
AUD $49,632
2024
Government assistance
Financial aid
As an international student, you might be eligible for financial aid – either from your home country, or from the Australian Government.
HECS-HELP
Domestic places in the Bachelors of Information Technology / Design are Commonwealth Supported. This means the cost of your education is shared between you and the Australian Government.
Instead of tuition fees, Commonwealth Supported students pay what are called student contribution amounts.
HECS-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme to assist eligible students with the cost of their student contribution amounts.
Centrelink support
The Australian Government offers a number of income-support payments to eligible Australian university students.
Scholarships
You may be eligible for more than 100 scholarships, including:
How to apply
Applying online
If your senior schooling is from outside Australia, you can submit your application to UQ. Or, if you prefer, you can use an approved UQ agent in your country.
The program code for the Bachelors of Information Technology / Design is 2531.
Find out more about applying for undergraduate study
If your senior schooling is from Australia
Submit your application to the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre if you're an international student who is currently studying:
- Australian Year 12 (in Australia or another country), or
- the International Baccalaureate in Australia.
The QTAC code for the Bachelors of Information Technology / Design is 733310.
Applying through QTAC
All domestic applications should be submitted to the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC).
The QTAC code for the Bachelors of Information Technology / Design is 733310.
Important dates
If you’re studying Year 12 in Australia, go to the QTAC website to check the closing date for this program.
If you’re applying to UQ, the closing date for this program is:
- To commence study in semester 2 - May 31 of the year of commencement.
- To commence study in semester 1 - November 30 of the previous year.
To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.
Important dates
To check the closing date for this program, go to the QTAC website.
To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.
Admissions schemes
Applying to university can be both exciting and daunting, which is why we’ve tried to make the process as simple as we can.
We have several schemes in place to improve your chances of getting a place at UQ.
Pathway options
A rank or score doesn’t determine your potential.
If you're not offered a place in your first-choice program – or if you don't meet the entry requirements – you still have a number of options.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants
For support with applying – or if you have any questions about university life – get in touch with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit.
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