Advertising - Creative and Digital Strategy
How To Apply
Program Details
- Program Code6425
- Credential NameAdvertising - Creative and Digital Strategy
- Credential TypeOntario College Graduate Certificate
- SchoolSchool of Communications, Media, Arts and Design
- Program TypeGraduate Certificate program
- Program Length1 year/ 2 semesters
- LocationStory Arts Centre
- Emailtcleave@centennialcollege.ca
- Technology Requirements
Program Availability
- Program Overview
- Courses
- Career Options and Education Pathways
- Admission Requirements
- How to Apply
- Tuition and Fees
- Technology Requirements
- Program Vocational Learning Outcomes
- Advising
- Entrepreneurism
The Advertising - Creative and Digital Strategy program addresses the high demand for creators in the digital field of advertising and marketing, which is growing faster than all other areas in the advertising industry.
This Advertising graduate certificate program is facilitated from the Story Arts Centre in Toronto and blends Centennial College's experience in digital media with its strengths in business and marketing. The program will focus on helping you create engaging digital experiences built on solid creative strategy. You'll become immersed in the digital field and learn how to develop breakthrough creative advertising campaigns.
You will acquire the necessary skills in creative strategy, writing, developing creative concepts, art direction, collaboration, presentation, and entrepreneurialism through your courses. You'll also learn new technologies and platforms that will keep you informed about recent innovations in the digital creative field.
The program will focus on five key areas:
- Creative strategy, to ensure advertising meets clients' business objectives;
- Digital storytelling, to build on the power of storytelling in developing impactful creative advertising;
- Brand engagement, to create strong connections with consumers;
- Entrepreneurship, to foster essential business skills that encourage innovation and risk-taking;
- Emerging platforms to ensure you're up-to-date on the latest digital technology impacting the advertising industry.
During a second-semester field placement, you'll participate in team assignments, working in a collaborative environment in the real world.
In this program, you'll:
- Gain an understanding of the digital creation process from a creative director's point of view;
- Learn how to craft a creative digital strategy that delivers results;
- Develop a strong portfolio and case studies for prospective employers;
- Enhance presentation skills to help sell ideas;
- Understand the impact of technology on creative development;
- Foster digital storytelling skills to bring brands to life online;
- Analyze and solve business and marketing challenges for clients by applying innovative, creative and digital techniques;
- Complement in-class education with a field placement that will provide the opportunity to work in the industry and hone your skills.
Program Overview
The Advertising - Creative and Digital Strategy program addresses the high demand for creators in the digital field of advertising and marketing, which is growing faster than all other areas in the advertising industry.
This Advertising graduate certificate program is facilitated from the Story Arts Centre in Toronto and blends Centennial College's experience in digital media with its strengths in business and marketing. The program will focus on helping you create engaging digital experiences built on solid creative strategy. You'll become immersed in the digital field and learn how to develop breakthrough creative advertising campaigns.
You will acquire the necessary skills in creative strategy, writing, developing creative concepts, art direction, collaboration, presentation, and entrepreneurialism through your courses. You'll also learn new technologies and platforms that will keep you informed about recent innovations in the digital creative field.
The program will focus on five key areas:
- Creative strategy, to ensure advertising meets clients' business objectives;
- Digital storytelling, to build on the power of storytelling in developing impactful creative advertising;
- Brand engagement, to create strong connections with consumers;
- Entrepreneurship, to foster essential business skills that encourage innovation and risk-taking;
- Emerging platforms to ensure you're up-to-date on the latest digital technology impacting the advertising industry.
During a second-semester field placement, you'll participate in team assignments, working in a collaborative environment in the real world.
In this program, you'll:
- Gain an understanding of the digital creation process from a creative director's point of view;
- Learn how to craft a creative digital strategy that delivers results;
- Develop a strong portfolio and case studies for prospective employers;
- Enhance presentation skills to help sell ideas;
- Understand the impact of technology on creative development;
- Foster digital storytelling skills to bring brands to life online;
- Analyze and solve business and marketing challenges for clients by applying innovative, creative and digital techniques;
- Complement in-class education with a field placement that will provide the opportunity to work in the industry and hone your skills.
Courses
Career Options and Education Pathways
Program Highlights
- This Creative and Digital Strategy program will allow you to turn a degree or diploma into an exciting career in a growing field of the advertising industry.
- You'll learn to create digitally-centric creative portfolio pieces using current industry design and writing standards.
- Faculty members have extensive industry experience and can help you connect to the industry by tapping into their networks.
- The program is offered at the Story Arts Centre, about 15 minutes from most advertising and digital marketing agencies in Toronto. To enhance the learning experience, there will be numerous opportunities to collaborate with your peers in a range of other marketing and communications-focused programs.
Career Outlook
- Digital art director
- Digital designer
- Digital writer
- Information architect
- Digital strategist
- Content strategist
Education Pathways
Graduates of this Advertising - Creative and Digital Strategy graduate certificate program may be able to apply learning achieved at Centennial for credits toward further study.
Please note that each receiving institution has minimum admission requirements in order to qualify for credits, which are assessed by the receiving institution. Use the following Education Pathways Checklist as a guide as you explore your options.
For pathways to other Ontario post-secondary institutions, please visit ONTransfer.
Admission Requirements
Academic Requirements
- Degree or a three-year college diploma in any discipline
- We will consider applicants who have successfully completed partial post-secondary education (minimum two years) and have relevant work experience.
Additional Requirements
Note:
Students who are accepted into the program will be invited to:
- Submit a resume and/or complete an intake questionnaire after receiving their offer
- Attend a mandatory Program Welcome Session* online, prior to program start up
- Complete an English language assessment upon registration. Students who test below the required COMM 170/171 English proficiency level will take the ENGL-700 Professional English Communications course or the pre-requisite English COMM course for ENGL-700 in the first semester.
*All new students must attend a session prior to their program start date.
How to Apply
1. Apply Online
Domestic Students
If you are applying through the Better Jobs Ontario Program, please work with an Employment Ontario service provider. For more information go to Better Jobs Ontario Program.
If you have previously attended a full-time program at Centennial College, you may be eligible for a Program Transfer. Visit Enrolment Services at any Campus for information.
All other applicants must apply online at Ontariocolleges.ca. A non-refundable application fee of $150 must accompany applications. The fee is payable online, by telephone, online banking, by mail, or in-person to Ontariocolleges.ca. For more information go to Ontariocolleges.ca Application Fees.
International Students
Apply directly to Centennial College here.
2. Submit Documents
Domestic Applicants
Current Ontario high school students and graduates from Ontario high schools: Notify your guidance counsellor that you have applied to college and your school will forward transcripts to Centennial College via Ontariocolleges.ca.
Graduates of college/university, or high school outside Ontario but within Canada: You are responsible for requesting that your educational institute sends any required documents and transcripts to Ontariocolleges.ca.
Domestic applicants who attended school outside of Canada: If you are submitting transcripts to meet admission requirements, you must have the transcripts assessed by an independent credential assessment agency such as World Education Services (WES) or International Credential Assessment Service (ICAS). For more information go to Submitting your Transcripts.
International Applicants
Please refer to the International Education Application Guide.
3. Confirm Your Offer of Admission
Offers of Admission are sent by mail to eligible applicants. When you receive your offer, you must login to your account at Ontariocolleges.ca and confirm before the Deadline to Confirm noted in your offer letter.
You may confirm only one college and one program offer at a time.
You must confirm your offer by the Deadline to Confirm noted in your Offer of Admission letter or your seat may be given to another applicant.
When you confirm your Offer of Admission at Centennial College you are given access to your personal myCentennial account where you can check your email, grades, register for courses, pay tuition fees, and see your class timetable.
4. Pay Fees
Centennial fees statements are sent by email to your personal email account and to your myCentennial email account. Fees statements are not mailed.
You must make a minimum payment by the Fees Deadline noted in your Fees Statement or your seat may be given to another applicant.
5. Build Your Timetable (Register for Courses)
Build your timetable (web-register for courses) at my.centennialcollege.ca.
Fall registration begins mid-July
January registration begins mid-December
May registration begins mid-April
Your web-registration will not open if:
You have not submitted your minimum fee payment by the deadline
You received a Conditional Offer of Admission and you have not met the conditions of your offer.
Once you have paid your fees or have made appropriate arrangements, register for your courses online through myCentennial.
Tuition and Fees
Fees noted below are estimates only. The program's individual incidental fees have not been included. Tuition is based on two semesters, beginning Fall 2025.
| Student | Tuition (2 Semesters) | Ancillary Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian | $4,464.50 | $1,335.33 | $5,799.83 |
| International | $17,148.00 | $1,833.28 | $18,981.28 |
Technology Requirements
Technology Requirements
Bring IT programs will require students to own and use a mobile computing device that meets or exceeds the recommended hardware requirements.
Note: If you require accommodation for a documented disability, please consider your adaptive technology needs when you select a device for your BringIT programs (click for recommendations). If you wish to access disability services, please make an appointment with the Centre for Accessible Learning and Counselling Services, by calling 437-568-4799, or by email at calcs@centennialcollege.ca.
Have questions? Check out Frequently Asked Questions for our Bring IT Program.
Students from this program will require to own/purchase a device and software relevant to the program:
Minimum Recommended Hardware Specifications
- MacBook Pro 13-inch
OR - MacBook Pro 15-inch (optimal)
Minimum Required Software
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) 2010 or higher version
- Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Creative Cloud
You will need regular access to a computer with an internet connection. High speed broadband access (LAN, Cable or DSL) with minimum 10mbps download speed is highly recommended. Some courses have more advanced system requirements.
Program Vocational Learning Outcomes
Program Vocational Learning Outcomes
Program Vocational Learning Outcomes describe what graduates of the program have demonstrated they can do with the knowledge and skills they have achieved during their studies. The outcomes are closely tied to the needs of the workplace. Through assessment (e.g., assignments and tests), students verify their ability to reliably perform these outcomes before graduating.
- Develop digitally-centric creative portfolio case studies using current industry - standard writing and design skills.
- Justify, analyze and critique multi-media advertising creative campaigns that support business and marketing objectives and goals
- Develop and write creative advertising strategies using current and relevant industry tools and best practices.
- Apply constructive criticism to enhance and innovate creative thinking.
- Develop action plans that build strategic creative advertising campaigns using collaborative techniques.
- Analyze and solve business and marketing challenges for clients by applying innovative creative and digital techniques.
- Develop, communicate and present creative advertising campaign strategies that meet or exceed business and marketing goals or objectives.
- Address, evaluate and respond positively to a creative critique.
- Apply research and investigative skills to the creative development process.
Student Work and Experience
Tamar-Melissa Huggins, Advertising, GraduateThe classes that really stuck out for me were the ones where we learned what a potential consumer would look like. That’s really important when you’re starting a business.
What really helped was a class that we had on career portfolios in our final year. It allowed us to showcase the work we had done in school to an employer, so they understood what we are capable of doing. When I went on interviews, a lot of employers were impressed with that, because no other student or intern was coming in with that level of work.
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