Bachelor of Design - Program changes in 2026

Please be assured that if you are enrolled in the existing pre-2026 program, you will be able to complete the program by following the structure and rules that were in place when you commenced. 

It is important to note that some courses are no longer offered, and new courses have been developed so there may be some changes required to your study plan. The transition checklist is available to guide you through this process. The transition checklist has been developed to help ensure that no student will be disadvantaged by the changes however it is your responsibility to ensure that your enrolment is correct and allows you to meet the program requirements.  If you have any questions or concerns after completing the transition checklist, you should book an appointment to speak to an academic advisor.  

In some instances, pre-2026 students may choose to change to the new program structure. Students will be required to submit a program change request in SI-net within the published application period. Once a program change is approved, you will not be permitted to return to the pre-2026 structure.

It is very important that you consider the implications of changing the structure of your program. If you choose to change, you will be required to follow the 2026 program structure and program requirements. Please note that in some instances, there are no existing substitutions for new compulsory courses in the new program, which may mean that you will be required to complete additional courses above the minimum program requirements. In addition, the new course offerings will be progressively rolled out, which may result in a potential delay to your graduation.

Students following the new program structure will not be able to graduate until December 2027 or later due to the progressive rollout of the below new course offerings.  These courses are compulsory BDes Core Courses in the new program structure and therefore must be completed.  There are no approved substitution courses for these Core courses, and no program requirement variations will be approved for these courses. 

In addition, students who select the No Major option should note that a compulsory requirement of this plan is completion of 4 units for all Design Extension Course which is ADPS3000 Interdisciplinary Studio, which will not be offered for the first time until Semester 1 2027. For this course, there is no approved substitution course available and no program variation will be approved for this course.

To change program, you must carefully complete each step: 

1. Complete the relevant transition checklist. 

2. Use the completed transition checklist to create your study plan. 

3. If you have questions or there is anything you are unsure about, book an academic advice appointment. 

4. Submit a copy of your finalised transition checklist and study plan to the faculty at enquiries@eait.uq.edu.au 

5. Submit a Program Change request on SI-net within the published application period. View the academic calendar for details

The new majors – Architectural Studies and Urban Systems, are only available in the new program structure.  Depending on which courses you have already completed, students early in their degree program may be able to change to the 2026 program and complete one of these new majors.   

Students who are currently doing the Buildings and Environments major should refer to I am doing the Buildings and Environments major, what options do I have? 

Students who have commenced in a different major should complete the relevant transition checklist for the new 2026 program and seek academic advice to understand how the change may affect their expected completion of their program. In some cases, this may mean that you will be required to complete additional courses above the minimum program requirements which will extend your graduation. 

The Buildings and Environments major has been discontinued and is not available to students who choose to change to the 2026 program structure.   

Students who wish to complete this major must continue under the existing program structure and can follow the transition checklist provided. Four courses in the Buildings and Environments major have been discontinued and will be offered for the final time in 2025 or 2026.  

Students should ensure they follow the below enrolment advice as failure to do so may result in a potential delay to graduation.   

Single degree program:
Depending on the number of units and specific courses completed, students may consider changing to the 2026 program with an Architectural Studies or Urban Systems major.  

Students who do not wish to complete the Buildings and Environments major, may be eligible to transfer to the new program with No Major. See I don’t want to complete my current major.   

Dual degree program:
Students who do not wish to complete the Buildings and Environments major, may be eligible to transfer to the new program.  The 2026 dual degree structure no longer includes BDes majors as an option however students may be eligible for credit for up to 4 units of their major units towards general electives.  See I am enrolled in a dual degree with Bachelor of Design

If you wish to complete the Bachelor of Design with a double major, you must remain in the pre-2026 program.  The new 2026 program structure does not allow for students to complete a double major due to the introduction of additional BDes Core Courses.   

Depending how many units you have completed from your current major, program electives and general elective courses, you may be able to change to the new program with either a different Major or No Major option.  Any courses completed towards a Major in the pre-2026 programs may be able to counted in the 2026 program towards 1) the 16 units of General Electives in the No Major option OR 2) towards up to 4 units of Program Electives/General Electives in the Major Option.

Note that the new program includes 2 new BDes core courses which will not be offered for the first time until 2027. In addition, a compulsory requirement of the No Major option is completion of 4 units for all Design Extension Course which is ADPS3000 Interdisciplinary Studio.  This course will not be offered for the first time until Semester 1 2027 and there is no approved substition course available. Please refer to I want to change to the new program structure for further information.

It is important that you complete the transition checklist and study plan as changing may require you to complete additional units above the minimum requirement.  Additionally, the progressive rollout of new courses may delay your graduation.  

All changes to the dual degree apply specifically to the Bachelor of Design component. Students may complete their dual degree under the existing pre-2026 structure by enrolling in approved substitute courses where applicable. To plan your enrolment, it is important to complete the relevant transition checklist.

Students who have declared a major within the Bachelor of Design (BDes) component of their dual degree must continue under the pre-2026 structure, as the new 2026 dual degree structure no longer include BDes majors as an option.

Depending how many units you have completed, you may have space within your program to transition to the new program structure.  It is strongly advised that students considering transitioning to the new 2026 program, have completed no more than 4 units within their existing major. Transitioning after this point may require the completion of additional units and could delay graduation.

The choice to transition to the new program structure is yours – you can choose to stay enrolled in the current program structure if that is your preference. It is essential that you complete the transition checklist and develop a study plan to fully understand how the changes may impact your academic progress and graduation timeline.

Appointments are available with Academic Advisors for you to discuss any questions, receive enrolment advice and confirm your study plan.

Prior to your appointment, ensure you: 

1. Listen to the recorded presentation 

2. Review the information on this webpage

3. Ask any general questions on the Padlet or read questions from other students

3. Complete a transition checklist

4. Complete your study plan  

After completing the above steps, you can make an appointment by emailing adp@uq.edu.au with the subject line "BDes Academic Advice Appointment".  Students must complete the relevant transition checklist and prepare a draft their study plan before attending an academic advising session. Both documents must be supplied for the Academic Advisor to review when booking the meeting.  

It is your responsibility to ensure that your enrolment is correct and allows you to meet the program requirements.  It is very important that you follow the transition checklist and study plans to ensure that you will meet the program requirements. Graduation checks are completed by the EAIT Faculty during your expected final semester. It is not possible for the School to identify sooner if you are not following the program requirements.   It is strongly recommended that you book an academic advice session if you have any concerns.

Please refer to the relevant checklist and study plans from below. 

We have also created a blank study plan template that you can use to plan your enrolment. 

I would like to continue in the pre-2026 program structure 

• Transition checklist for students following the pre-2026 Bachelor of Design structure (PDF, 381.2 KB) 

• Transition checklist for students following the pre-2026 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Design structure  (PDF, 361.7 KB)

• Transition checklist for students following the pre-2026 Bachelor of Business Management / Bachelor of Design structure  (PDF, 358.4 KB)

• Transition checklist for students following the pre-2026 Bachelor of Information Technology / Bachelor of Design structure (PDF, 332.3 KB)

Study plans for continuing students following the pre-2026 Bachelor of Design are available on the Program Information and Study Plans page - ensure you refer to the Design pre-2026 tab.

I would like to change to the 2026 program structure 

• Transition checklist for continuing students following the new 2026 Bachelor of Design program (PDF, 518.6 KB) 

• Transition checklist for continuing students following the new 2026 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Design program (PDF, 391.5 KB) 

• Transition checklist for continuing students following the new 2026 Bachelor of Information Technology / Bachelor of Design program (PDF, 372.1 KB) 

• Transition checklist for continuing students following the new 2026 Bachelor of Business Management / Bachelor of Design program  (PDF, 390.6 KB)

  Study plans for the 2026 Bachelor of Design are available on the Program Information and Study Plans page - ensure you refer to the Design 2026 tab.