Master of Design Technology

Want to tell interesting stories using time-based digital media? The Master of Design Technology (MDT) is designed to build upon the existing digital media skills you’ve acquired in an undergraduate degree.

Learn industry leading software, techniques and professional practices from our experienced lecturers in visual effects (VFX), game design, animation, extended reality (XR), exhibition design and multimedia design.

It’s taught at the Miramar Creative Centre (a partnership with Miramar Creative) among the Weta group buildings on Park Road and offers unrivalled access to work experience and professional connections. We’re proudly supported by Weta Digital with guest lectures and mentoring. We’re, also, a certified SideFX Houdini Certified Partner.

This programme is unique to New Zealand in providing students with the best expertise in both university research and industry practice with which to gain the skills they need for a future in the broad based and rapidly growing technology sector.

You can find further information about the MDT, including detailed course lists, on the Wellington ICT Graduate School website.

Programme structure
MDT is a one-year (full-time) 180-point programme that starts in March each year. Students will produce a professional portfolio based around their chosen focus of study. The practicum that concludes the programme will involve creating a time-based short narrative work produced in teams with the guidance of faculty and industry mentors.

Courses:
MDDN 451 - Creative Coding for Digital Content: This course will teach students computer graphics techniques that are used as current practice in the film industry through a range of projects ranging from generating special effects to the algorithmic treatment of media. Using Houdini and the Vex programming language students will build procedural models and parametric tools, generate environments, grow complex systems and more.
MDDN 421 - Compositing and Motion Graphics (elective): This course will teach students professional approaches to previsualisation, production planning and coordination including workflows for post-production and compositing. Students will progress to asset creation, which may include live action plates, set extensions, visual effects elements, matte painting, and modelling. The primary software for this course will be Nuke from The Foundry
MDDN 432 - Character Animation (elective): This course will teach students how to analyse and create digital animated sequences with a strong focus on using character-based animation to convey compelling and emotive narratives. It’ll focus on technical workflows, skills, and good practices for animating complex characters and will culminate in a final animated short. Students will primarily be using the industry standard 3D platform Maya from Autodesk.
CCDN 412 - M?tauranga Design:This course will teach students how to engage with toi (M?ori creativity) and m?tauranga (M?ori understanding) in the production of both visual and material cultural design that honours our place and past in Aotearoa New Zealand. Guided by traditional M?ori protocols and knowledge, students will learn how to understand and interact with M?ori symbols and visual spatial strategies in ways that are culturally sound and appropriate.
CCDN422 - Design Ideation: This course is an advanced investigation of a range of topics relevant to professional practice in design practice today including branding, marketing, networking, presentation, and portfolio. Students will consider both traditional and emergent approaches to these topics while demonstrating an autonomous design style and content.
MDDN431 - Lighting and Rendering (elective): This course will teach students about traditional applications of lighting such as portraiture, practical studio lighting, and cinematography. You’ll develop a mastery of digital lighting and rendering software in creative focus in areas such as CG animation, games, VR, and motion capture. Working primarily in the 3D software packages Houdini and Unreal, this course will focus on the fundamentals of telling a story through scene construction.
MDDN422 - Effects and Simulation (elective): This course will teach students the skills relating to the creation of creature, human, and mechanical puppet rigs for digital characters, as well as creating digital simulations of physical phenomena. The principle software for this course is Houdini.
MDDN541 – Visual Effects Practicum: This course consists of a supervised practicum, working on design studio-based research and production. Students will work in teams to produce a complete time-based short narrative work with the guidance of faculty and industry mentors.