This program has been designed with visual arts and media focus to enable students to develop skills and knowledge in art techniques and media design, including in visualisation, printing, painting, sculpting and video, to create a portfolio of well-presented artwork. 

Students use Microsoft Package and Adobe Creative Suite Package.

Year 1 Wantirna campus

  • Wednesday 9:00am–3:00pm

Year 2 Wantirna campus

  • Wednesday 9:00am - 3:00pm
  • Classroom delivery
  • Required equipment: laptop, sketchbooks, pencils, flash drives, headphones and cameras or phones (optional)
Certificate III Visual Arts - VDSS

Certificate III Visual Arts

Learn how you can gain practical experience across a range of visual arts disciplines in this two year course. 

Title: Certificate III Visual Arts - VDSS Creator: Pathways and Vocational Education

Year: 2026

[Swinburne logo and text: Certificate III Visual Arts over drone footage of Hawthorn Campus]

At Swinburne, it's not just about the destination, it's about the journey.

[Voice over showing images of student artworks, students undertaking work, and gallery spaces]

This two-year Certificate III program provides students with practical experience across a range of contemporary visual arts disciplines while developing professional, creative, technical, and digital media skills. Working with our professional photographic studio, printmaking studio, and 3D media workshop, students, refine their abilities in drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, video and sound production, creating innovative and original creative works. This isn't just about receiving an education, it's about developing your own artistic voice through research, experimentation, critical reflection and creative problem solving. Swinburne University of Technology, your arts future today.

[Title screen with Swinburne logo, showing text: Apply now to study Visual Arts at Swinburne Wantirna Campus, now offering Certificate III VDSS courses in 2027]

[END OF TRANSCRIPT]

Units of competency

Unit code Unit name Nominal hours Compulsory/Elective
BSBWHS211 Contribute to the health and safety of self and others 20 Compulsory
CUAACD311 Produce drawings to communicate ideas 90 Compulsory
CUAPPR311 Produce creative work 45 Compulsory
CUARES301 Apply knowledge of history and theory to own arts practice 50 Compulsory
CUAPAI311 Produce paintings 50 Elective
CUAPRI312 Produce prints 50 Elective
  Total nominal hours 305  
Unit code Unit name Nominal hours Compulsory/Elective
CUAPHI312 Capture photographic images 60 Elective
CUADES301 Explore the use of colour 50 Elective
CUASCU311 Produce sculpture 50 Elective
CUADES202 Evalute the nature of design in a specific industry context 30 Elective
CUADIG316 Produce video art 50 Elective
MSMPMC304 Prepare for production 30 Elective
  Total nominal hours 270  

Outcomes

On successful completion of this program, students will:

VCE: refer to the VCAA VCE Community Services Program Booklet for information about VCE VET unit credits.

VCE VM: meets the requirement for the Industry Specific Skills strand and may also contribute to the Work-Related Skills Strand of VCE VM

Qualification: Be eligible for the award of CUA31125 Certificate III in Virtual Arts.

Career opportunities include: visual artist, craft or design practitioner, community arts worker, gallery technician, artist assistant, arts administrator, digital content creator, graphic designer, media editor, media producer, multimedia developer, photographer.

Pathways and further study

Start with...

CUA31125
Certificate III in Visual Arts – Media 

progress to...
Certificate IV in Visual Arts

How to apply for VET Delivered to Secondary Students

Essentially, we’re in partnership with you and your school. You speak to your school and they coordinate your application with Swinburne. Seek out your school’s VET or careers coordinator for course recommendations and discuss your options. Then, when you’ve decided on a VDSS course that fits, your school will forward your application directly to us.

To be eligible for consideration for a VDSS program you must be currently enrolled in Year 10, 11 or 12.

You’ll receive notification from your school about the outcome of your application. Successful? More information about enrolment will follow.

If there is greater demand than course places available, you’ll be placed on a waiting list. So, take note of our key application dates to allow time for your school-endorsed application to get to us.

Please refer to Swinburne's policies and regulations for student rights and responsibilities while on campus.

Course costs

The costs associated with Swinburne VDSS programs is invoiced directly to schools. For more information on course costs, it’s best to contact your school’s VET or careers coordinator.

2027 key dates

Applications
First round applications open Monday 17 August 2026
First round applications close

Friday 11 September 2026
Schools notified Monday 5 October 2026
Late applications open Monday 12 October 2026
Late applications close Friday 6 November 2026


Note: These dates are indicative only.

Enrolment and Orientation

Orientation for courses at Wantirna campus and Croydon campus is scheduled for Wednesday 25 November 2026.

When you’ve completed your enrolment and we’ve seen you on campus for orientation, you’ll attend Swinburne one day per week for training while continuing at your secondary school.

Courses commence Wednesday 3 February 2027.

Explore other VET courses Delivered to Secondary Students

Contact the VET Delivered to Secondary Students team

Have questions? If you would like more information about Swinburne's Vocational Education and Training Delivered to Secondary Students, please email VETDSS@swinburne.edu.au

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