Centennial College's Graphic Design program, which has a graduate employment rate that exceeds 80 per cent, will prepare you for a multidisciplinary design career. Facilitated at the Story Arts Centre, the courses in this advanced diploma program will take a hands-on approach in an intimate studio environment, rather than having you sit passively in large lecture halls. With small class sizes, you'll have lots of opportunities to work one-on-one with your professors.
In this college graphic design program, you'll:
Master industry-standard Adobe software including Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign;
Learn creative problem solving and design thinking;
Design for print, including advertisements, magazines, books and packaging;
Design responsive websites, mobile apps and create exciting motion graphics
Explore drawing, photography, illustration and type design;
Learn professional practice skills to land a great job or start your own design business;
Contribute something unique and innovative to the design community in a thesis course;
Learn on the job and get course credits through an industry field placement in your final semester;
Interact with industry professionals;
Become a student member of the Association of Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario (RGD Ontario);
Learn from professors who are up-to-date and professionally active in the design industry.
Program Highlights
RGD, which represents more than 3,000 graphic designers, managers, educators and students across Ontario, formally recognizes the Graphic Design program.
A combination of multidisciplinary design skills and practical experience will set you apart from the competition.
You'll be more flexible in your design solutions and more desirable in the marketplace.
The Graphic Design program will develop your abilities to:
Think creatively and design effectively for print, motion and interactive media;
Professionally execute your ideas in any medium;
Effectively communicate with employers and clients;
Start your career in any facet of the design industry;
Market yourself as a freelancer or start your own business;
Effect social change through your design problem-solving skills;
Understand all aspects of industry standard workflow, from initial creative, through to print production or interactive prototyping.
To support your learning, this program requires you to have access to a mobile computing device that meets minimum hardware requirements.
Centennial College Graphic Design graduates have found a range of jobs with companies including, but not limited to, HJC New Media, RockHippo, Gamebridger, G4Box, Formative innovations, 4front Media Group, CX Interactive and Bash! Interactive.
Articulation Agreements
Successful graduates of this Graphic Design program have the opportunity to apply their credits towards further study at the degree level. Listed below are the degrees from partnering institutions that are available for this program.
Please note that each partnership has a specific minimum grade requirement in order to qualify for transferring credits, which are assessed by the partner institution.
Partner Institution
Degree
Davenport University
Bachelor of Business Administration - General Business
Griffith University
Bachelor of Design
Bachelor of Digital Media - 3-Dimensional Design
Bachelor of Digital Media - Digital Design
Bachelor of Digital Media - Fashion Design
Bachelor of Digital Media - Graphic Design
Bachelor of Digital Media - Interior Design
Bachelor of Digital Media - Photo Media
Bachelor of Digital Media - Studio Art
Guelph-Humber, University of
Honours Bachelor of Applied Arts - Media Studies
Lakehead University
Honours Bachelor of Arts and Science - Media Studies
Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or mature student status (19 years or older)
English Grade 12 C or U, or equivalent (minimum grade required) or take the Centennial College English Skills Assessment for Admission (score of 170 or 171 required)
Attend a mandatory Graphic Design program admission session, where you will submit a portfolio of work.
Portfolio requirements
Select up to 15 pieces of your original work in art and design (your sketchbook should demonstrate your problem-solving and creative process as well as present work in variety of media, materials and techniques)
Show work that demonstrates your ability and interest in graphic design
Include colour integrated designs created in digital illustration and digital imaging applications
Include a short letter of interest about your design philosophy and aspirations
Notes:
If work is too large to transport, you may present photographs. To arrange a digital submission of your portfolio, please contact program coordinator Lisa Rebnord at lrebnord@centennialcollege.ca.
After applying, you will receive a letter with instructions on how to book the mandatory Graphic Design program admission session.
If you are applying through the Second Career Strategy, please apply at the Employment Training Centre for Second Career (Progress Campus). Second Career Strategy is a funding initiative for those who have been laid-off and are in need of training. For more information go to Second Career Strategy.
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 $95 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.
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.
International Students
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).
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.
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.