GDC offers a Higher Certificate in Design Thinking with a focus on Graphic Design, NQF5. 

The purpose of the qualification is to lay a foundation in the broad principles and practices of design. The programme introduces learners to creative and visual thinking, design thinking and the design process, visual communication methods, professional practice and the analysis and critique of design solutions. It offers an integrated combination of conceptual and applied skills and prepares learners to become flexible, problem-solving thinkers outside the boundaries of a single design discipline. This Higher Certificate is an elective in Design Thinking with a focus on Graphic Design in the second semester.

The elective equips learners with the fundamental toolkit to problem solve and develop creative design solutions within the exciting field of graphic design to develop 2D and 3D design solutions in a print-based environment. Students get to explore designs that might incorporate the fields of corporate identity design and logo design, poster design, editorial design, packaging, typography and type design. Through a variety of problems, Students will learn the necessary software, graphic communication, prototyping and academic writing skills required for future study. In addition, students acquire the academic reading and writing skills required for further study and qualify with a standalone NQF level 5 qualification.  

Features and Benefits

• Learn critical industry-required skills plus the industry-standard software for visual design including Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, with a 1-year student license.  

• Get a free Office 365 Education A1 license, valid for the duration of your studies. 

•  Greenside Design Center is an authorised Autodesk training centre. 

• Our learning methods is a technology mediated delivery model, focused on flexibility, accessibility, and academic support to provide the ultimate learning experience without compromising teaching time and quality.  

• Job placement assistance through our industry network and online recruitment portal, exclusively available to The Greenside Design Center

• Shared industry skills such as Project Management was added to further maximum employment success. 

• Involvement in our institution-wide community engagement project known as 10 percent. Our students across all levels of study and all disciplines, come together to form new multidisciplinary teams, and apply their design expertise to work with a real community. 

• Access to local and international student award entries

• Industry exposure from top industry key players

• Contact students get free access to our on-campus specialised labs including our Makers Lab with 3D Printing, CNC Machining and Laser Cutting facilities and the VRLab 

• Specialized LabMakersLab
• Specialized LabVRLab

The MakersLab gives students the chance to see their designs, ideas and innovations become a reality.

Learn More

An interactive space that helps students explore the use of Virtual and Augmented Reality in the visualizing and presentation of data.

Learn More