Name: Graduate Diploma of Creative Technologies
Price: 10500 NZD

Qualification

One Academic Year
Graduate Diploma Level 7

140 Credits

Start Dates

22 September 2025

23 February 2026

20 July 2026

Course Fees (Year 1. See fees information.)

Domestic $11,000.00 NZD

International $35,549.80 NZD

Admission Requirements

Open to applicants with a degree qualification, or relevant professional experience in a design or creative technologies domain 4+ years

Portfolio Requirements

Standard Portfolio

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This one-year programme will help you further develop your skills in Motion Design through both project-based and solution-based learning.

Making text, illustrations and images move is the specialty of the Motion Graphics Designer. This truly unique art form can be found in numerous elements of digital design, including music videos, promotional videos, television commercials, and in films. This course includes learning key technical skills such as 2D and 3D animation, After Effects, composition, image manipulation and kinetic typography, giving you the experience and evidence of working to a client brief needed to land a job in a dynamic and exciting agency and production environment.

Use the skills you've gained in the first half of the year to work on your Major Project. This is your opportunity to work on your passion project, create incredible work to bolster your design portfolio, and even enter some of New Zealand's prestigious design award competitions.

Our Graduate Diploma of Creative Technologies - Motion Design starts with our standard course outlines below. During your application process you'll talk with our future student advisors and programme leaders, and we'll create a comprehensive 1 year plan around what you want to achieve through your studies.

Course Outline

Our February intake is designed for students who already have a foundation of design skills and knowledge, and want to bring those skills to the realm of Motion Design. You'll spend Term 1 and 2 focused on building your skills with the tools and theory around motion design, before working on your own motion projects in Term 3 and 4

Component Name	Credits	Toggle
Motion Design Theory
Students are introduced to motion design disciplines, historical influences and the theories, principles and processes of motion design with a focus on principles of animation, moving image narrative and production techniques. Advanced ideation and creative problem-solving strategies, including methods for generating & evaluating effective concepts of motion design communication, are also incorporated.

Motion Design Studio
Classes will focus on developing creative and technical solutions in response to motion design briefs through directed and self-directed practice. This will be supported at relevant times with tests and exercises corresponding to the topics taught in Motion Design Theory classes in order to prepare students for formative and summative assessments.

Special Topic (Minor Project)
This component is project-based with students opting to initiate either a self-directed Specialist Investigation for those wishing to deepen understanding in an area of special interest to them, or an Interdisciplinary Project for those wishing to broaden their knowledge of media design as a discipline. Students are required to develop a project proposal based on an independent investigation to explore, develop and realise in a studio environment.

Motion Design Capstone Project: Practice-based Inquiry
Students undertake an independent practice-based inquiry and document a body of work. This final body of work is the culmination of the Graduate Diploma and should also represent the students’ perspective as emerging professional designer. Lecturers will act as mentors and supervisors, providing advice and feedback, as well as monitoring student progress to ensure processes are followed, milestones are met and sufficient progress is being made.

Timetable

For our Feb intake, the course will run over 4 terms from February to November. Your study hours will be:

Semester One: 11:45pm– 2:45pm (Monday - Friday)
Semester Two: 8:30am– 11:30am (Monday - Friday)
+5 hours of directed online learning p/w

For more details about the course and to see the academic calendar, download the course handbook below.

Course Outline

Our July and September intakes are designed to give students a more generalist understanding of Graphic, Motion, and Interactive (UX) design before bringing those skills together for a final major capstone project.

Component Name	Credits	Toggle
Interdisciplinary Design Foundation
Students independently implement a multi-part interdisciplinary project integrating practices across Graphic, Motion and Interactive / UX Design. Formal, technical and contextual theory is delivered to support studio practice. The project is underpinned by User experience (UX) methodologies and is carried out within tight technical and creative limitations, giving students practical experience of industry practice. Independent and reflective thinking, personal responsibility, time management and practical skills are developed using a project-based learning approach

Professional and Academic Practice
This component introduces students to the subjects of project management, interpersonal communication and scholarly investigation. Students are encouraged to examine assumptions and personal biases that effect their investigative practice. Personal communication skills, project management strategies, investigatory approaches and critical thinking methods are also introduced.

Creative Media Strategies
Students are introduced to different areas of marketing communications, the media involved, the concept of creative advertising, the creative brief and the importance of ideas and insights in enabling integrated and transmedia communication.

Special Topic Project
This component is project-based with students opting to initiate either a self-directed Specialist Investigation for those wishing to deepen understanding in an area of special interest to them, or an Interdisciplinary Project for those wishing to broaden their knowledge of media design as a discipline. Students are required to develop a project proposal based on an independent investigation to explore, develop and realise in a studio environment.

Motion Design Capstone Project: Practice-based Inquiry
Students undertake an independent practice-based inquiry and document a body of work. This final body of work is the culmination of the Graduate Diploma and should also represent the students’ perspective as emerging professional designer. Lecturers will act as mentors and supervisors, providing advice and feedback, as well as monitoring student progress to ensure processes are followed, milestones are met and sufficient progress is being made.

Timetable

For our July intake, the course will run over 4 terms from July to June. Your study hours will be:

Semester One: 3:00pm– 6:00pm (Monday - Friday)
+5 hours of directed online learning p/w

Semester Two: 8:30am– 11:30am (Monday - Friday)
+5 hours of directed online learning p/w

For more details about the course and to see the academic calendar, download the course handbook below.

The Graduate Diploma of Creative Technologies provides you with everything you need to level up your skills, and to bring a more diverse skillset to your existing career, or the tools to switch to a new one. Our graduates have gone onto have successfull careers in industry, freelance, or even growing their existing businesses.

Animator/ Digital Artist

As an Animator/ Digital Artist, you would create moving images for use on a variety of platforms, including advertisements, digital content, social media, web or television. Working as an Animator/ Digital Artist involves working with various forms of media to create engaging narratives and visually appealing content. This role involves a unique blend of artistry, technical proficiency, and visionary storytelling.

Motion Graphics Designer

Creates animated content for a variety of media, including advertisements, social media, and video production. This role involves using software like After Effects to design engaging and dynamic visuals that move.

Broadcast Designer

Designs motion graphics specifically for television, including opening title sequences, transitions, and on-screen graphics for live events, news programs, or talk shows.

Student Success Stories

View all Alumni

Jason Barnes

Motion Designer

Freelance

I heard a lot of great things first-hand from MDS alumni, and I found everything to be true – the faculty are super passionate and will go out of their way to support you, the course is structured to get you ready for the industry and the project briefs are exciting and prepare you with fundamental skills and experiences to get you started.

Meet the Faculty

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Graduate Diploma of Creative Technologies - Motion Design

Best Awards 2022

Core77 Design Awards 2022

What is the Graduate Diploma of Creative Technologies - Motion Design?

This one-year programme will help you further develop your skills in Motion Design through both project-based and solution-based learning.

Course Outline & Timetable

Course Outline

Timetable

Course Outline

Timetable