Why study interaction design?

As the pace of technological change accelerates, and our relationship with technology becomes more complex, demand is growing for design professionals who possess skills across both the technical and social aspects of interaction design.

The Bachelor of Design (Interaction Design) has been developed with industry partners to ensure our students graduate at the forefront of the field, ready to meet the design challenges of tomorrow.

What will I learn?

Guided by our expert teaching staff, you will develop a critical understanding of the role designers play in technological and social innovation and will be able to apply your design skills to a broad range of contexts. 

You will build technical skills across programming, interface, and intelligent systems design. You will also discover how to design, prototype, and test new products, services, and experiences. These skills will be put into practice in your studio units, where you will be tasked with solving real-world design problems.

Throughout the course, you will develop a sophisticated understanding of how technology shapes our experience of the world. You’ll closely examine technology-mediated interactions, environments, and experiences to better understand both the social and technical aspects of interaction design. The degree structure allows you to specialise in either the technical or the social, or pursue a combination of subjects across both focus areas. 

Will I have the flexibility to pursue other interests?

There are many opportunities to explore and expand your interests throughout the course. You’ll have access to majors, minors, and electives from other faculties through the University’s Shared Pool. This flexible structure allows you to complement your studies in Interaction Design with units of study in Digital Cultures, Software Development, or Visual Arts. You could also explore your other passions such as Music, Philosophy, or a new language.

If you are interested in building your skills in entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation, you might like to consider the combined Bachelor of Design (Interaction Design) and Bachelor of Advanced Studies program. This 4-year program will allow you to deepen your critical thinking and problem-solving skills by undertaking a substantial real-world project or further developing your analytical skills with an Honours research project.

You can also extend your high-level academic skills by undertaking an additional honours year.

What does a career in interaction design look like?

Interaction Design is a fast-growing field, and our design graduates are highly sought after by industry for their deep knowledge and cross-disciplinary skills. 

Interaction design professionals are globally in demand across a diverse range of sectors including tech, media, finance and government. Careers includes: 

• Interaction designer
• User-experience (UX) designer
• Product designer
• Service designer
• Data visualisation specialist
• Creative technologist
• Front-end developer
• Digital producer

Graduates of the design program at Sydney have gone on to work for multinational organisations such as Google, Atlassian, IBM, and PwC, as well as innovative start-ups and renowned design agencies. Through our strong links with the creative industries in Sydney, many of our students receive job offers during their final year.

Did you know you can use a creative portfolio to secure your place in the Bachelor of Design (Interaction Design)? Learn about our Portfolio Admissions Pathway.