Diploma of Graphic Design
– for Year 11 and 12 STEP Students

What is STEP?
In 2009, Southbank Institute of Technology (SBIT) will offer units within selected Diploma programs to school students in Years 11 and 12.

This program is known as STEP – Southbank Tertiary Entrance Program.

STEP students will be offered an on-campus experience at SBIT. STEP students will be required on campus at SBIT between 3–5 hours per week for semesters 1–3. During semester 4 however, students will be required on campus up to 7 hours per week. Following Year 12, STEP students will have the opportunity to complete the entire Diploma program at SBIT with confirmed entry and credit into the Diploma they have been studying.

The majority of these Diplomas will provide pathways and credit towards university programs.

Benefits
• Upon completion of Year 12, STEP students will be offered a confirmed entry with credit towards the Diploma they have been studying at school. STEP students will therefore know in Year 11
they have a guaranteed place at SBIT, post senior schooling and have the ability to bypass the QTAC process at the end of Year 12.

• Since STEP forms part of a student’s high school curriculum, students will be accumulating credit towards their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) as well as undertaking a Diploma qualification.

• STEP offers students a more affordable option; students pay no tuition fees, only material fees.

• If a STEP student transitions to university after completing their Diploma of choice it is likely to diminish their HECS fees due to reduced time at university and students will graduate with both a Diploma and university qualification in near to the equivalent time it takes to complete a university award.

• The pathways developed by SBIT and university partners provide a quality, highly focused learning experience for STEP students. These pathways combine the complementary strengths of both institutions.

To be considered as a STEP student, Principal and Parent/Guardian consent is mandatory.

At the completion of this Diploma STEP students may be employed in areas such as:
• print-based design and production
• web design
• motion graphics
• employment in advertising agencies, design studios, print shops

Full Time :
School: 2 years (refer to the outline section for more information)

Remainder of time at Southbank Institute of Technology

If STEP students complete all of these units over Years 11 and 12, they will be offered a reduced work load on entry to Southbank Institute of Technology post senior schooling. This enables students to select extra courses to accelerate through this 2 year Diploma.

University Pathway Programs
Successful completion of this Diploma and the achievement of certain levels of attainment allow students to articulate directly into the Bachelor of Design, at Griffith University.

As part of SBITs pathway agreement with Griffith, students will study some units of this Diploma at both university and SBIT. Therefore, students will effectively receive 1 Ύ years credit towards the Bachelor of Design, at Griffith University, leaving only 1 year at university.

Diploma

STEP students will not be required to pay any tuition fees, only the material and administration fees associated with the units over Years 11 and 12. The material fees for this program are:

Semester one $ 63.50*
Semester two $ 35.50*
Semester three $ 40.50*
Semester four nil*

*As at 1 August 2008, these are the material fees for the abovementioned Diploma. Southbank Institute of Technology reserves the right to change these fees without notice. Material fees are non-refundable post start of study.


Please note: All programs are subject to a $14 Administration Fee per year, payable on enrolment.