In this foundational course, students will learn design principles as they apply to graphic designers. Students will begin by exploring and identifying the roles and responsibilities of a creative team and the role of the graphic designer within that team. They will also develop informed use of colour schemes and harmonies, and then analyse different uses and functions of colour within a design project. Through the exploration of history, students will learn how to identify the main influential visual movements, which influence contemporary graphic designers. By critiquing their own and each other's work, students will develop terminologies and methodologies to analyze design. Design process and theories will be the focal points of this course.

Technical awareness and understanding is an essential foundation to being a responsible and astute graphic designer. This course focuses primarily on the technical aspects of healthy and sustainable desktop digital production techniques. Students will be introduced to the Adobe Creative Cloud environment and libraries, as well as other online collaborative professional tools. They will also grow to understand and use different technical aspects of font management systems and their appropriate project use for Adobe applications. The course will then focus on the main Adobe Cloud graphic applications, such as Photoshop and InDesign, before concentrating on Illustrator to help create, modify and transform objects for use across multiple media through various hands on projects.

In this course, students will learn the tools involved in designing for digital and interactive media. Students will focus on technical skills from the design of professional graphics for digital uses to the creation of high-fidelity clickable prototypes for mobile and web applications. Beyond these technical skills, students will also learn the basic stages and tasks involved in digital or interaction design projects and will practice using cloud-based tools to collaborate and manage projects digitally. The course will finish with a comprehensive project where students use their technical skills to communicate not only design aesthetics but also motion, interaction, and user flow.

Part of a graphic designer's toolbox must include the careful and competent use of images in designs. Students will learn how to source and select images with consideration of copyright laws, as well as develop proficiency in Adobe Photoshop essential tools. Additionally, students will explore mixing and recognizing colour limitations in different colour spaces, making educated choices in resolution size and cropping for various applications, making basic selections and retouching, and exploring layers. Through hands-on projects, students will work from simple guided experimentation towards the assembly of multiple images in a single document.

This is a project-based course that introduces students to both the theoretical and practical applications of digital photography for graphic designers. Students will learn how to professionally use a DSLR camera and basic photo principles to create original images for various projects. Photo principles include the depth of field and aperture, movement and shutter speed, ISO noise and dark scenes, metering and exposure in relation to image, and image size capture for different applications. Once core concepts have been understood, students use specialized image software to edit photography.

Typography is a core element of graphic visual communication. Students will first explore the historical foundations of letterforms and typographic design and will then learn to recognize and use classic typefaces and techniques, including kerning, tracking, leading, and line length, with particular attention paid to legibility and readability. Students will learn to explain and analyze type anatomy and classification systems and will evaluate contemporary trends and issues of functional versus expressive typography. Through creating typographic style sheets in order to analyze, plan, and implement design strategies based on client needs, students develop skills in working with typographic hierarchy and type pairings in relationship to message and context. Adobe Illustrator and InDesign will be used to explore type design, as well as analogue lettering techniques. Font management and font sourcing practices will be introduced.

This course introduces students to the building blocks of effective writing, from overall writing process techniques to details like word choice and sentence structure. Students will learn to define the intended audience and purpose of a written piece and will practice writing persuasive messages for both business communication and marketing purposes. The course will cover various types of professional writing that are relevant to graphic designers, including creative briefs, email correspondence, oral presentations, resumes, and cover letters. While working through writing projects, students will also learn to identify and correct common writing mistakes.

Graphic designers must often solve challenging problems beyond simple aesthetic choices, and design thinking is an approach to problem solving that can help designers tackle these types of problems. Students in this course will learn to define a complex design problem, research and empathize with the stakeholders affected by that problem, generate possible solutions via sketching, and then select a final solution to build, refine, prototype, and test. Emphasis will be placed on building skill in strategic, creative thinking.

This course introduces students to the writing skills that are critical specifically for designers. Students will learn to analyze the intended audience, purpose, and message of a piece of writing and will practice using outlines, drafts, revisions, and proofreading to create well-structured and clear communication. The course will cover the types of communication that designers practice in the industry, from emails and presentations to self-promotional content and creative briefs. Throughout all types of communication, students will also learn to use inclusive language.

Research is a critical component of the design process. Both primary and secondary research can be used to ensure that designers create work that speaks to the right audience and adequately serves the human needs they're aiming to address. In this course, students will survey various primary and secondary research methods often used in design projects, including qualitative and quantitative approaches. They will practice evaluating and interpreting research data and then put their research skills to work in the creation of a related design project.

In this course, students will learn how to apply traditional design principles and client communication objectives confidently to a variety of compositions. They will learn to identify the key factors that determine a designer's selection, and the use and treatment of type and image within design projects under the consideration of compositional design principles. While working through these concepts, students will continue to develop proficiency in Adobe CC software as well as proper file setup for design projects.

In this course, students will learn how to apply traditional design principles and client communication objectives to a variety of compositions. They will learn to identify the key factors that determine a designer's selection of design elements like type, image, colour, and layout, and will work conceptually with semiotics to learn how type and image combine in the creation of meaning. While working through these concepts, students will continue to develop proficiency in Adobe CC software as well as proper file setup for design projects.

In this course, students will learn to give layouts a clear identity and a strong visual hierarchy through visual and typographic relationships. They will work conceptually with semiotics and learn how type and image combine in the creation of meaning. Students will learn to adapt visual style, layout, and messaging across different formats and will also develop an understanding of how composition shifts across different media. While working through these concepts, students will continue to develop proficiency in Adobe CC software.

Brand identity design is one of the most important disciplines for designers. This creative and dynamic course will give students a robust introduction to the brand identity design process, from research, planning and strategy to design implementation and final file preparation. Students will develop an understanding of the different components of a brand identity by way of a series of brand case studies and will then explore creative approaches to building a brand identity. Each student will establish a comprehensive brand identity design project that involves design research and strategy, logo design, collateral, and style guidelines. Technical skills will also be developed with the use of Adobe Creative Cloud software throughout various in-class assignments and projects.

Students will explore the life cycle of a print job while using industry-standard design software like InDesign and Acrobat Professional to setup print projects. Students will learn print terminology, classifications of paper, printing methods, and print management, with a focus on understanding how print concerns can affect layout and design strategies. Through practical assignments and a tour of a local print shop, students will learn to create, check, and export designs to PDF for output to a printer.

In this course, students will be introduced to basic video production, from planning and storyboarding through to final editing. Students will shoot their own video footage and create their own graphic assets and then use professional video-editing software to create final videos that can be exported for use on various platforms. Projects will explore technical video production topics like lighting, sound, white balance, colour and exposure, transitions, title screens, timing, and export settings.

Students in this course will develop analytical, strategic, and creative thinking skills in the analysis and design of corporate brand identities. Students will develop a deeper understanding of the different components of a brand identity by conceptualizing an overarching message, designing an accompanying visual identity, and then developing visual materials that effectively communicate the brand's message across a variety of different media. Students will create several different types of collateral material, which may include multi-page documents, digital graphics, social media content, or print designs.

This course introduces students to the design of responsive websites as well as basic concepts in user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design. Students will learn how websites are designed and built, what role designers take in website projects, and how the constraints and possibilities of web technologies can affect design. Projects in this course will introduce students to industry-standard web design software and will then work through all the stages of a web design project, from research and wireframing to creating mockups and clickable prototypes that can be shared with clients and web developers.

This course introduces students to the basic technologies of front-end web development and guides them through hand-coding various layouts for the web. Students will learn about the technical setup of domain names and web hosting accounts while creating custom websites with HTML5 and CSS3 using standard and up-to-date best practices. Explorations with web code will centre around responsive page layout and grid structure, basic animations, patterns and images. Students will upload their projects to a live web server via FTP software.

This course will give students a strong foundational understanding of the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design principles designers need to create intuitive and effective websites and apps. Students will gain an understanding of user research and user-centred design approaches and will learn how to use common user-interface elements in designing custom interactive functionalities. Students will improve their skill in problem-solving and will learn to think in systems while working on complex design projects.

Wordpress is currently the most widely used content management system (CMS) in the graphic design industry. It is used to power online presences on a variety of scales, from small entrepreneurial businesses to large scale enterprises. In this course, students will be introduced to the basic functionalities included in a default Wordpress installation and will also be guided through the process of selecting and installing themes and plugins to change the look, layout, and functionality of the website. The course will also teach students to customize existing Wordpress templates using hand-coded CSS, page-builder plugins, and customizable theme settings. Domain names, web hosting, and FTP software will be reviewed.

Students will individually select from the year a number of design projects and learn how to effectively showcase their design work through a variety of formats and mediums. They will build and develop their own brand identity to aid in the planning and execution of their portfolios, considering audience and communication avenues throughout. In addition to learning how to write and develop a professional resume and cover letter, students will learn the importance of self-promotion and networking in a global, digital environment while adhering to industry standard professional guidelines.

Being able to independently and proactively engage in design exploration is a great asset to every designer, and this course gives first-year students the opportunity to freely explore various design-related topics through self-selected projects. The self-selected projects are intended to help students develop their skills in independent thinking and time management as they select and plan their own work. Students will also expand their skills in teamwork and communication by completing at least one collaborative project during the course. In selecting projects, students will be asked to consider how their selections will help build skills and knowledge needed to launch a successful design career after graduation - for example, by gaining skill in an area of specialization, bolstering an area of weakness, or creating unique work for a portfolio. The course will include mentorship from an instructor who will check in with each student personally each class and will also lead learning activities related to creative thinking, personal and project management, professional development, and communication.

Students in this mini-course will review all the work they’ve completed in their first year of the Graphic Design Diploma program. Under the mentorship and guidance of an instructor, students will select past projects to revise or re-attempt in an effort to improve any skills that they struggled with in first-year courses. Reflection and discussion exercises will help students assess strengths, weaknesses, experiences, and interests that appeared during the first-year of the program and then identify possible areas of specialization or improvement to focus on in second year. Students will also create a mini-portfolio that they can later use as the foundation of a personal brand and self-promotion strategy in second year.

Design can have a powerful influence on social, cultural, economic, and political systems. As a result, it's important for designers to think critically about how their work can influence our world. This course will introduce students to key concepts relating to equity, diversity, and inclusion, including the history of systemic discrimination and inequity in Canada, and will then move deeper into investigating how the work of designers can impact these issues. Students will practice critically analyzing design solutions for the influence they may have on larger systems and will also learn to work respectfully with diverse groups. Throughout the course, students will critically examine personal beliefs, attitudes, and biases and will finish by developing a personal equity, diversity, and inclusion statement that relates to their work as designers.

Students will explore the life cycle of a print job while using industry-standard design software like InDesign and Acrobat Professional to setup print projects. Students will learn print terminology, classifications of paper, printing methods, and print management, with a focus on understanding how print concerns can affect layout and design strategies. Through practical assignments and a tour of a local print shop, students will learn to create, check, and export designs to PDF for output to a printer.

In this course, students will be introduced to basic video production, from planning and storyboarding through to final editing. Students will shoot their own video footage and create their own graphic assets and then use professional video-editing software to create final videos that can be exported for use on various platforms. Projects will explore technical video production topics like lighting, sound, white balance, colour and exposure, transitions, title screens, timing, and export settings.

Brand identity design is one of the most important disciplines for designers. This creative and dynamic course will give students a robust introduction to the brand identity design process, from research, planning and strategy to design implementation and final file preparation. Students will develop an understanding of the different components of a brand identity by way of a series of brand case studies and will then explore creative approaches to building a brand identity. Each student will establish a comprehensive brand identity design project that involves design research and strategy, logo design, collateral, and style guidelines. Technical skills will also be developed with the use of Adobe Creative Cloud software throughout various in-class assignments and projects.

Being able to independently and proactively engage in design exploration is a great asset to every designer, and this course gives students the opportunity to freely explore various design-related topics through self-selected projects. The self-selected projects are intended to help students develop their skills in independent thinking and time management as they select and plan their own work. Students will also expand their skills in teamwork and communication by completing at least one collaborative project during the course. In selecting projects, students will be asked to consider how their selections will help build skills and knowledge needed to launch a successful design career after graduation - for example, by gaining skill in an area of specialization, bolstering an area of weakness, or creating unique work for a portfolio. The course will include mentorship from an instructor who will check in with each student personally each class and will also lead learning activities related to creative thinking, personal and project management, professional development, and communication.

A strong ability in image editing allows a designer to create images that fit well into their designs and also communicate the desired message of a project. In this course, students will push their ability to create and edit images, using advanced editing and retouching techniques to create professional images and photographic composites. Projects will explore technical skills like advanced selections and masks, image adjustments, filters, blend modes, patching and healing, non-destructive editing, and more. Students will use these technical skills to create images that communicate a conceptual message, a brand message, or a narrative.

Professional design projects are complex, requiring several stages and different collaborative roles. This course introduces students to the key principles in design project management, from initial research stages and project planning through to completion and final presentation. Students will choose from a variety of mock client projects and will collaboratively practice their project management skills via role play, project planning, design implementation, and presentation. At the completion of this course, students will be ready to work with real clients in the program's advanced client studio courses.

This course will give students a strong foundational understanding of the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design principles designers need to create intuitive and effective websites and apps. Students will gain an understanding of user research and user-centred design approaches and will learn how to use common user-interface elements in designing custom interactive functionalities. Students will improve their skill in problem-solving and will learn to think in systems while working on complex design projects.

Concept is key in advertising design, and in this course, students will use creative thinking and visual communication principles to develop an ad campaign concept that can be adapted across various media. They will create designs that effectively communicate a desired message to a target audience, applying their idea through multiple advertisements with visuals customized for different media. Students will also learn to communicate their artistic direction to other creatives working on a team, such as photographers, illustrators, or writers.

In this course, students will dive into the management of professional design projects by working with real clients in the department's client studio. Students will be guided in learning important project management skills like task planning, scheduling, and budgeting. They will work collaboratively, improving their skills in communication, problem solving, creative thinking, and leadership by completing projects in teams. Alongside their client projects, students will also complete various instructor-led projects related to both project management and design fundamentals.

This advanced writing course gives students a deeper understanding of concept and strategy in verbal and written communication. Students will learn how to analyze the goals of a project and create an effective content strategy to accomplish that goal across different media. Students will deepen their understanding of audience and purpose by writing strategic and persuasive self-promotional content that can be used for portfolios and project proposals. Students will also practice important general communication skills that will support their design careers.

This course introduces students to the basic technologies of front-end web development and guides them through hand-coding various layouts for the web. Students will learn about the technical setup of domain names and web hosting accounts while creating custom websites with HTML5 and CSS3 using standard and up-to-date best practices. Explorations with web code will centre around responsive page layout and grid structure, basic animations, patterns and images. Students will upload their projects to a live web server via FTP software.

Students in this course will improve their ability to creatively solve problems as UI/UX designers. Projects will present students with advanced web or interaction design challenges that require novel solutions and creative problem solving. Students will work collaboratively by forming an in-depth understanding of a particular user problem and then conceptualizing and designing custom solutions using wireframes, prototypes, and mockups. Projects will also allow students to continue practicing their visual skills by creating consistent visual identities and style guides for web or app design projects. By the end of this course, students will have a greater ability to engage in the depth of thinking and level of problem solving required by complex UI/UX design projects.

The selection and organization of content is a critical component in the design of interactive experiences, and this course introduces students to important concepts in both content strategy and information architecture. Students will learn to use design research to inform the creation of a content strategy that fits users' needs and achieves project goals. Coursework will introduce students to various principles of information architecture – the logical and thoughtful organization of information. Students will explore various approaches to information structure, organization schemes, and navigation and will practice communicating content strategy using standard industry approaches.

Wordpress is currently the most widely used content management system (CMS) in the graphic design industry. It is used to power online presences on a variety of scales, from small entrepreneurial businesses to large scale enterprises. In this course, students will be introduced to the basic functionalities included in a default Wordpress installation and will also be guided through the process of selecting and installing themes and plugins to change the look, layout, and functionality of the website. The course will also teach students to customize existing Wordpress templates using hand-coded CSS, page-builder plugins, and customizable theme settings. Domain names, web hosting, and FTP software will be reviewed.

Students in this course will develop analytical, strategic, and creative thinking skills in the analysis and design of corporate brand identities. Students will develop a deeper understanding of the different components of a brand identity by conceptualizing an overarching message, designing an accompanying visual identity, and then developing visual materials that effectively communicate the brand's message across a variety of different media. Students will create several different types of collateral material, which may include multi-page documents, digital graphics, social media content, or print designs.

Students in this exciting course will extend their creativity to create a professionally structured magazine from concept to print-ready files. Through research and case studies, students will inspect magazine design elements and learn how context and message differentiate varying genres. Students will create covers, logos, table of contents pages, feature pages, and department sections. Typography, layout, illustration, photography, infographics, grids, white space, headlines, and body copy will all become familiar elements in students’ editorial design vocabulary. How to package editorial material into a cohesive on-brand style will be emphasized.

Students will review the basics of installing and configuring Wordpress websites and then use live Wordpress websites to practice solving complex web design challenges. Projects will require excellent thinking with web content strategy and user experience design principles. Students will be expected to customize Wordpress websites using child themes and hand-coded CSS and will also be expected to use Wordpress plugins to install advanced functionality. This course will also guide students in turning a simple Wordpress website into an online store, covering both the technical systems required for eCommerce functionality as well as the UI/UX principles involved in creating an intuitive and enjoyable online shopping experience.

Designers are increasingly asked to prepare content for a variety of digital media platforms, from eCommerce product videos to animated GIFs for social media. In this course, students will use industry-standard tools to create dynamic video- or animation-based content that can be used across various platforms. An emphasis will be placed on creating on-brand videos or animations that can be used for online marketing campaigns or websites. By learning more advanced technical skills for video and animation, as well as more conceptual thinking skills in how video can be used online, students in this course will expand their ability to create campaign-oriented content across all media.

In this studio course, students will work collaboratively on various graphic design projects for real-world clients. Under the mentorship of an instructor, students will meet with a client to determine project scope and will then create a project plan to coordinate the roles of each team member and define milestones and deadlines. Students will then work together to research, design, and complete their projects, including presenting their work to their clients. Alongside this client work, students will also work on diverse instructor-led projects at the cutting edge of new design trends and techniques. Topics will be selected based on the current design landscape and the needs of the design industry and may include new technologies, digital illustration, animation, web design and development, video, social media, advertising, and more.

In this course, students will participate in technical workshops that expand their skill in hand-coding HTML5 and CSS3, with a focus on creating a complete multi-page responsive website and uploading it to a live web server via FTP. In addition to reviewing best practices for responsive web development, students will be introduced to advanced interactive and animation techniques, including JavaScript. Because web designers and developers must constantly update their skills as technology evolves, students will be encouraged to take on coding challenges that require independent learning above and beyond the topics covered by the instructor. Additionally, students will learn how designers and developers work together on larger web development projects.

In this studio course, students will explore independent learning and entrepreneurial thinking through self-directed projects. Students will explore entrepreneurial thinking by either completing independent paid projects for their own freelance clients under the mentorship of an instructor or by planning and pitching unique business ideas they could realistically pursue after graduation. Alongside this work, students will also engage in self-directed learning by selecting a personal area of specialization and completing a core independent project that requires new learning. Students will be encouraged to use their work in this course to develop their personal identities as designers, building strength and confidence that will help them build careers after graduation.

Students in this course will journey through the inner workings of the entire packaging design process from creative brief and conceptual ideation to the development of a print-ready design file. Through a series of case studies and practical experiences, students will explore the boundaries of designing for packaging and will learn the foundational concepts, principles and strategies. Projects include the creation of a final assembled package design that can be understood in the context of a merchandized retail space. Students learn how to design for three dimensions, make a product stand out on a shelf, and setup final print-ready packaging design files. They also develop an understanding of the hierarchy of information in a packaging context.

In this unique studio course, design and development students with different specialties will work together in small groups to design and build a UI/UX project for a real-world client. Under the mentorship of an instructor, students will meet with a client to determine project scope and will then create a project plan to coordinate the roles of each team member and define milestones and deadlines. Students will then work collaboratively to research, design, build, test, and launch their UI/UX project.

In this course, students will learn different marketing approaches used to promote products and services online. The course will introduce students to basic general marketing principles and then focus on training students in skills and knowledge related specifically to online marketing, including email campaigns, social media marketing, search engine optimization, marketing analytics, and website content strategy. Students will practice strategic thinking while analyzing market research, creating a marketing plan, and designing content for an online campaign. The course will also cover web design principles that can boost the effectiveness of websites that aim to sell products and services online.

This course will prepare students to look for work in the competitive design industry. Students will select and refine past design projects and then create a professional design portfolio for both online and print formats. The course will also cover job search strategies that are important for graphic designers, including networking and self-promotion, and each student will create a personal job-search or self-promotion plan that will help them find the design work that suits them best.

In this course, students will draw on everything they’ve learned previously in their programs to brand and market the department's annual graduating event, which aims to connect VCC with the design industry while promoting students graduating from our programs. Students must start with ideation and the creation of a brand concept. Once the brand is established, students will work out the details of their event and create a marketing plan that strategically targets the right audiences and expresses the brand well. Finally, students will be responsible for producing all design elements required to complete the project. All work will be collaborative and organized by the students, building skill in communication, collaboration, problem solving, and project management.

A practicum bridges the gap between education and industry and affords students the opportunity to explore career options through research and informational interviews. Students will gain industry experience through a mentorship placement in a professional environment. These opportunities can include working with a freelancer, working in in-house corporate environments or working in advertising, marketing and interactive agencies. Upon completion, students will deliver a final presentation to report on their work experience.