Higher Diploma in Creative Design and Media (Visual Communication)

Programme Objectives

This Higher Diploma programme emphasises design and media applications, teaching students to master visual language from the ground up. It covers iconography, colour schemes, typography, and industry-level design software. Students will be able to apply this knowledge to various media and designs, including corporate branding, interactive design, packaging design, and multimedia design.

This design programme aims to cultivate students' creative thinking, problem-solving skills, and market awareness, enabling them to transform innovative ideas into design solutions that meet commercial needs. The programme has close ties with the design academia and industry, providing students with opportunities for industry placements, overseas exchanges, and participation in commercial projects. This broadens students' horizons, allowing them to keep abreast of industry developments and become competitive creative design talents.

Programme Contents

Higher Diploma in Creative Design and Media (Visual Communication) features a comprehensive range of design theory, techniques, communication, and presentation, boosting students' competitiveness for future employment and further education. It equips students aspiring to a career in the creative design industries with professional skills and a solid, versatile design foundation. With the rapid development of technology, students need to master both traditional design skills and modern technology and media. In this programme, in addition to essential graphic design skills, students will use cutting-edge computer design software and integrate various design elements such as sound and interactive images in multimedia projects to develop their creativity and design talents.

Programme Features

• Professional Programme Content: The curriculum integrates colour design, visual communication, graphic design, branding design, illustration, typography, packaging, editorial design, advertising, interactive media design, etc.
• Diverse Learning: Beyond design techniques, this design programme covers creative applications in video production and interactive media, allowing students to choose future career paths based on their interests and strengths.
• Catering to Market Demands: This programme equips students with professional design techniques and creative thinking methods, trains students to analyse business market intelligence before developing design solutions that cater to market demand.
• Diverse Opportunities: This programme offers a wide range of opportunities for students to gain design experience. Students can participate in activities such as business projects, community mural creation, industrial sharing, and overseas exchanges.
• Industrial-level Software: This programme includes design industry-standard software training, teaching various professional design software used in the field, such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Adobe Premiere, 3D Studio Max, etc. 
• No Examinations: Students are assessed through professional practice and project assignments.
• Career Oriented: This design programme is career-oriented, emphasising practical and applied learning. Students have more opportunities to utilise professional equipment and software.
• Small Class Teaching: Lectures are conducted in small class size. Students can receive more individual attention.
• Membership Recognition: Students are eligible to apply for student membership of the Hong Kong Designers Association (HKDA)

Featured Modules

• Innovation and Information Technology in Society
• Creative Thinking
• Digital Media and Design Appreciation
• Typography Application
• 3D Imaging
• Introduction to Audio Visual Imaging
• Photography and Art Direction
• Project Development and Presentation
• Interactive Media Practice
• Branding Identity Design
• Advertising and Promotion Design
• Final Project (Visual Communication)

Star Teacher

Mok Tsz Ki (JKE M)
Founder and Design Director of OHH!MY LAB

JKE has won over 30 local and international design awards. He and his team have done over 800 design projects and over 350 branding projects. Some of the clients in recent years are Disney, Nike, Leica, Canon, IKEA, CASETIFY, Facesss, OLAY, DBS, ZENYUM, Pampers, Rimmel London, K-11, TWINS, Tsui Wah, GEOX, Hang Heung, Fox TV and BMW, etc.

• Graduates can articulate to bachelor degree programmes related to the design discipline. (The bachelor degree programmes can be completed within a year.)
  

  Graduates may apply for the following top-up bachelor's degree programmes which include, but are not limited to:

  - Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Scheme in Design (Advertising Design) (PolyU)
  - Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Scheme in Design (Product Design) (PolyU)
  - BA in Creative Media (CityU)
  - BA (Hons) in Visual Arts (HKBU)
  - BA (Hons) in Creative Arts and Culture (Visual Arts) (EdUHK)

• This Higher Diploma programme focuses on graphic design, visual communication, and media applications. Graduates can pursue positions such as graphic designers and media creative designers in a variety of industries. These areas include graphic design, advertising, print design for books and magazines, logos, packaging, video production, and motion graphics design.
  
  
• 2023 Graduation Progression
  20% Articulated to Bachelor's Degree Programmes
  80% Employment

Articulation Agreement with:

University of Sunderland

Our students have articulated to the below Bachelor's Degree programmes in recent years:

BA in Bimodal Bilingual Studies, Hong Kong Chinese University
Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours in Imaging Design and Digital Art, Hong Kong Metropolitan University
BA (Hons) Graphic Design, University of Sunderland   

This design Higher Diploma programme partners with over 15 organisations to provide internship opportunities to students. Students may be arranged for internship in 4As advertising company/student enterprise/related overseas organisation to obtain practical work experience.

Student Achievements

• The only self-financing institution to complete the production of giant mural in all 18 districts
• Successfully completed the production of Hong Kong's largest campus 3D mural
• Design and media production students have received over 40 design and media competition awards for three consecutive years
• For six consecutive years, students won the championship and outstanding work award in the AIDS Care Mask Design Contest
• Invited by a renowned brand to design Mother's Day gifts and eco-friendly packaging for two consecutive years

Student Sharings

Wong Siu Man
'I would like to thank both teachers, Karty and Kiki. My foundation in design wasn't very strong, but Karty would offer suggestions from my perspective on how to improve, and would frequently check on my progress. Kiki is very clear about each student's strengths and weaknesses, and prepares homework topics tailored to each person's weaknesses. Through homework and targeted training, he has helped me a lot.'

Huang Yinan
'One of my most memorable experiences was when I asked the teacher a question in the early hours of the morning. The teacher was willing to join Discord to discuss with us. It's rare to find a teacher willing to sacrifice their own rest time to guide us, which made a lasting impression on me.'

Tse Kam Wai
'I didn't have a foundation in art and design software, so it was initially challenging. However, the teacher was very patient and provided various resources to help me solve problems.'

Mok Tsz Ki (JKE M)
Founder and Design Director of OHH!MY LAB
'I would like to thank my teacher for never giving up and using 120% of her efforts to cultivate me, allowing me to find my goals and develop my design talents. I won multiple scholarships and various awards in competitions.'

Cheng Siu Tung (Winston)
Founder and Design Director of Beeswork Design & Production Limited
'In my 2-year study, I would like to thank HKCT for providing me different design practices which let me realize my strength in specific aspects of the industry. HKCT also gave me a chance of internship from which I learnt a lot. The skills and experiences I got from the internship allowed me to start my career more easily.'

Tong Ka Yeung (Andrew)
Bachelor of Graphic Design, University of Sunderland
'Throughout two years studying in HKCT design programme, I think I had learnt and grew a lot. HKCT had invited different guests as tutors for us to know and learn more about the design and creative industry. It can help me to understand what kind of design and person I can be in the future. Finally, I would like to thank HKCT for everything that it had done for me. I hope I can use these skills and knowledge to establish my own design company in the future.'