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Education Partners

RGD works with post-secondary institutions across Canada to offer automatic Student Membership and other programs and services to students enrolled in graphic design and related programs. Below is a list of institutions currently working with RGD.

Questions?

Email Heidi@rgd.ca

Algonquin College in Ottawa, ON

3 Year Graphic Design Diploma

2nd & 3rd years have Student RGD Memberships

The three-year Graphic Design Ontario College Advanced Diploma program is your launchpad to a career in visual communication. Prepare to ignite your artistic passion and develop your art of conveying ideas through captivating visuals across print and digital media.

In this program, you will embark on an educational experience that blends theoretical knowledge with practical, hands-on learning. Develop expert skills in design, typography, image manipulation, colour theory, coding, motion graphics, interaction design, and production processes. Become a creative problem-solver who can manage and execute visually effective projects from concept to completion.

Cambrian College in Sudbury, ON

3 Year Graphic Design Diploma

2nd & 3rd years have Student RGD Memberships

Cambrian challenges you to ramp up your creative talents with real-world projects and gain the graphic design skills to go pro. Our curriculum covers all aspects of a compelling career as a professional visual designer, delivered by experienced faculty who are practicing graphic designers. Take your work from concept sketch to strategic design by learning to manipulate space, type, images, motion, code, production equipment, and colour. 
 
Career-focused, with attention to both traditional methods and new technology, you’ll sharpen your concept development skills with strategic and critical thinking. You’ll refine ideas in branding, advertising, environmental design, print and page production, website development, and more, all with your personal flair. You’ll graduate with a professional-grade portfolio prized by potential employers and freelance clients. 

Canadore College in North Bay, ON

3 Year Graphic Design Diploma

All three years have Student RGD Memberships

Prepare for a creative and dynamic career. You can’t launch a new business, product or service without a visual element. As a graphic designer you could be creating logos, advertisements, animations, branding, ad images, online content and websites. In the program you will learn and develop design specific skills and techniques, learn commercial photography trends including product styling, compile an extensive portfolio, and gain invaluable work-related experience working with real clients.

Capilano University in North Vancouver, BC

4 Year Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication

All four years have Student RGD Memberships

Want to be part of the next generation of creative professionals? Develop your skill in branding, illustration and interactive design in the 4-year Bachelor of Design at CapU.

In the Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication degree program, we make it our business to keep up with industry trends and technological innovations and stay responsive to cultural change.

You’ll be prepared for a career doing what you love, whether that’s illustration, branding, graphic design, visual design, art direction, character design, typography and storyboarding, interactive design, UI (user interface) and UX (user experience), editorial design, publishing, digital media, environmental design and more.

2 year Interaction Design Diploma

All two years have Student RGD Memberships

The two-year Interaction Design diploma at CapU connects design and technology to prepare you for an exciting career in tech.

As an interaction designer, your combination of creativity, problem-solving, and human-centred design skills helps you thrive in the AI-augmented world of digital product design.

Your training will focus on areas such as user experience (UX) design and user interface (UI) design, user research, visual design, motion design, coding, branding, web/app design, and how to manage digital environments and workflows.

You will explore emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and learn how AI can be an amplifier rather than a substitute. We also cover the importance of maintaining critical thinking skills while integrating AI tools.

Centennial College in Toronto, ON

3 Year Graphic Design Diploma

All three years have Student RGD Memberships

Centennial College's Graphic Design programs will prepare you for a multidisciplinary design career whether you choose to learn online or in-person, full-time or part-time. Our programs will help you master the essential skills and critical software to become a successful graphic designer. All students learn in a hands-on environment, combining design theory, technical skills, and professional practices, preparing them for a successful creative future.

All full-time students participate in an eight-week field placement in their final semester, providing them with a real-world learning experience.

Conestoga College, Kitchener, ON

3 Year Graphic Design Diploma

All three years have Student RGD Memberships

The Graphic Design advanced diploma program has an exceptional reputation for graduating talented designers and is recognized as one of the top design programs in the province. Industry professionals consistently acknowledge the excellence of Conestoga's graphic design students for their creative and practical design skills. Many students win regional, national, and international awards for their design work including RGD regional awards and category awards, ADCC, Applied Arts, Print, HOW and many others.

Conestoga's graphic design students are prepared to assume junior-level positions and related responsibilities in the graphic design industry. They will use their knowledge of design industry trends to plan and create purposeful visual communications, in collaboration with colleagues, supervisors, art or creative directors, project managers, and clients.

4 Year Bachelor of Design

All four years have Student RGD Memberships

The Bachelor of Design is a four-year degree in graphic design with a complement of courses in entrepreneurship, marketing and management. The program will ensure graduates have both the creative and visual acuity and the knowledge of business strategy, that are necessary to create design solutions for current market needs.

Conestoga's graphic design students are prepared to assume junior-level positions and related responsibilities in the graphic design industry. They will use their knowledge of design industry trends to plan and create purposeful visual communications, in collaboration with colleagues, supervisors, art or creative directors, project managers and clients.

Fanshawe College of Applied Arts & Technology in London, ON

3 Year Graphic Design Diploma

2nd & 3rd years have Student RGD Memberships

Fanshawe's three-year advanced diploma program in Graphic Design prepares students to become versatile designers with the technical expertise, creative problem-solving skills, and strategic thinking needed to excel in today’s evolving design industry.

Taught by industry professionals, this program combines design theory, hands-on training, and real-world applications to prepare students for diverse careers. It covers key disciplines such as branding, publication design, print and production, digital and interactive media, motion graphics, web and mobile design, packaging, and information design. Students develop expertise in design fundamentals, typography, illustration, photography, user interface (UI) and experience (UX) design, and marketing-driven storytelling while also exploring emerging fields like AI-driven design.

With a strong focus on equitable and inclusive design, students develop skills in accessibility, sustainability, and ethical design practices. Courses in design thinking, usability, and human-centered design teach them to create impactful and responsible design solutions across platforms.

George Brown College in Toronto, ON

3 Year Graphic Design Diploma

All three years have Student RGD Memberships

Elevate your design prowess with our dynamic three-year Graphic Design advanced diploma program. This immersive journey allows you to master core design principles while choosing to specialize in either Communication or Advertising Design. With a wide array of engaging electives, you'll have the chance to explore illustration, motion graphics, interaction design, web design, editorial design and environmental design. This program is your gateway to a well-rounded and innovative education, designed to ignite your creativity and prepare you for a vibrant career in the design industry. Join us and transform your passion into professional excellence.

3 Year Interaction Design and Development Diploma

All three years have Student RGD Memberships

Join our cutting-edge three-year Interaction Design advanced diploma program and enter the dynamic world of experiential and interactive design. This interdisciplinary field blends design expertise in user experience, interface development, essential coding and artificial intelligence skills. You'll master the art of creating meaningful and engaging experiences across digital platforms such as mobile devices, websites, wearables and social media. Embark on a journey that combines creativity and technology to shape the future of digital and immersive interaction.

4 Year Honours Bachelor of Digital Experience Design

All four years have Student RGD Memberships

Embark on a transformative journey with our Honours Bachelor of Digital Experience Design, a four-year degree program that equips you with the skills to create human-centred, socially conscious and economically viable digital solutions. This program covers diverse fields, including service design, user experience design, experiential and interactive design, and artificial intelligence. You'll gain hands-on experience through a co-op and engage with cutting-edge technologies in state-of-the-art facilities on campus. Graduates are prepared to lead in various sectors, ready to tackle future challenges and pursue advanced studies. Join us and shape the future of digital experiences.

4 Year Honours Bachelor of Brand Design

Unlock your potential with our Honours Bachelor of Brand Design, a four-year degree program that equips you with the skills to thrive as a brand designer. Immerse yourself in a dynamic curriculum that emphasizes technical design execution, collaboration, research, strategic thinking and compelling brand storytelling. This program is designed for creative minds eager to shape impactful and innovative brand experiences. Join us to master the art of brand design and set yourself apart in the competitive world of branding.

Georgian College in Barrie, ON

3 Year Graphic Design Diploma

All three years have Student RGD Memberships

This program is designed provide students with an education in the principles and practices of visual communication design. Students learn the skills and knowledge necessary to create effective designs for a wide range of both traditional and digital applications, including branding, editorial, advertising, information design, user interfaces, web and social media, and motion graphics. Throughout the program, students explore a variety of design topics, including layout, typography, composition, colour theory, and production. They develop skills in industry-standard software and tools while working in a hands-on, project-based learning environment. The depth and breadth of instruction in design and technology is reflected in the portfolio developed in this three-year program, preparing students to take on more creative and independent roles once they enter the workplace.

2 Year Graphic Design Production Diploma

This program is designed to provide students with an education in the principles and practices of visual communication design. Students learn the skills and knowledge necessary to create effective designs for a wide range of both traditional and digital applications, including branding, editorial, advertising, information design, user interfaces, web and social media, and motion graphics. Throughout the program, students explore a variety of design topics, including layout, typography, composition, colour theory, and production. They develop skills in industry-standard software and tools while working in a hands-on, project-based learning environment.

Holland College in Charlottetown, PE

2 Year Graphic Design Diploma

2nd year has Student RGD Membership

The Graphic Design program prepares you for the many creative opportunities a career in design can bring. Through exposure to various ideas, projects, and client work, you will be guided and encouraged as you work to build your creative point of view and style.

We will introduce you to creative problem solving, illustration, digital painting, expressive typography, history of graphic design, prepress, UI/UX, print production, web design, and project management. You will study the latest software applications that will help bring your ideas to life. We emphasize the establishment of strong visual problem-solving skills.

Humber College in Toronto, ON

4 Year Bachelor of Design

2nd, 3rd and 4th years have Student RGD Memberships

The Bachelor of Design - User Experience degree program focuses on UX design, meeting an increasing demand for designers who are prepared to design for the ways people use technology every day. Blending design thinking with practical UX process and deliverables, the program develops designers who can critically engage with our rapidly changing technological world.

The program emphasizes a people-first approach, applying principles of human-centered design and research to solve problems. With an emphasis on social responsibility, students are encouraged to demonstrate curiosity, resilience and empathy for end-users as a means to find creative solutions to the many challenges faced in modern technology culture.

This innovative program of interdisciplinary, collaborative and project-based learning prepares students to join the challenging world of design for the experience economy. Courses are developed in collaboration with industry partners to develop advanced capabilities in design tools and methods, communications, user interface design (UI), visual literacy, digital technology, qualitative research, creativity and innovation, interaction design and service design.

The program applies evidence-based design and research methods to services and digital projects, including websites, apps, VR/AR/MR, Voice UI and other emerging interfaces. Projects extend across corporate, not-for-profit and civic environments.

3 Year Graphic Design Diploma

3rd year has Student RGD Membership

Humber’s Graphic Design advanced diploma program develops creative and strategic designers who wish to execute a wide range of visual communication strategies through interactive media such as web and screen, user interaction, motion design, and traditional print-based media.

Through a mix of theory and hands-on practical training, you will combine art and design to produce unique visual communication solutions. Our program will allow you to explore creative strategy and design process, typography, editorial and publication design, package design, user experience (UX), user interface (UI), web design, information design, and motion design. Additionally, our program will prepare you for your career through professional practice and entrepreneurship to round-out a comprehensive skillset to attain employment or freelance work.

As part of the interaction and design common platform cluster, you will be trained on industry-based skills, technology, and current design software techniques. Your first semester is shared with the Multimedia Design and Development program. Your exposure to different types of design work and common programming elements will enable you to investigate your options and choose a focus prior to your second year of study.

2 Year Multimedia Design & Development Diploma

2nd year has Student RGD Membership

Humber’s award-winning Multimedia Design and Development diploma program offers the opportunity to participate in an extensive multimedia design education where students build a range of interactive digital media production skills including web design, mobile interface design, experience design, motion graphics, 2D animation, web coding, streaming, user testing, video and sound editing, user interface prototyping, digital storytelling, and interactive design. Through this hands-on learning process, students will develop the fundamental creative and technical multimedia design and development capabilities needed to pursue a career in user experience (UX) design, user interface (UI) design, product design, videography, motion graphics and front-end development.

Multimedia Design and Development is one of two programs within Humber’s interaction and design common platform cluster. The first semester of this program is shared with the three-year Graphic Design program. This offers students exposure to the different areas of programming, common elements of design and creative thinking, and collaborative work with students studying to work in complementary career fields. Greater exposure to the ever-evolving and exciting world of design and development will allow students to investigate the edges of this area of study, and then students will confirm their focus prior to the second semester of study.

2 Year Advertising & Graphic Design Diploma

All two years have Student RGD Memberships

This program will guide you through the many facets of visual communication including colour theory, conceptual process, typography, design, marketing strategies, interactive media and digital technology through the use of industry standard tools. You will also have the unique opportunity to apply these skills on briefs for real clients through NEXT (formerly known as BuildingF), our in-house advertising and communications agency. As you learn fundamental advertising and marketing concepts, hands-on projects will connect you with students in related programs. These projects will help you hone collaborative and teamwork skills, preparing you for the workplace. Your first semester is shared with the Public Relations advanced diploma, Journalism advanced diploma, Advertising and Marketing Communications diploma, and Media Communications diploma programs, giving you the freedom to change your area of study in the second semester. Students enrolling in the program in January will experience four semesters consecutively with a shortened summer break. The common first semesters are with Media Communications and Advertising and Marketing Communications, and students may transfer between these two programs for the second semester should they choose.

1 Year Interaction Design Media Management - Creative Technologies

Has Student RGD Membership

Are you curious? Are you interested in how technology shapes the ways we live, create and work? Interactive Media Management – Creative Technologies brings together students from diverse academic disciplines to leverage technology for creative outcomes. In this one-year graduate certificate program, you’ll study emerging human-centred technology through multi-disciplinary projects and rapid proof-of-concept prototypes. You’ll develop a solid foundation in innovation theory and ethics, and explore and critique all aspects of experiential technology, including spatial, visual, sound, haptic, intelligence and reason, empathy and simulated features.

John Abbott College

3 Year Graphic & Web Design

3rd year has Student RGD Membership

Our Graphic & Web Design (GWD) program offers students the opportunity to develop skills in website interface design and integration, graphic design and publication production – skills needed by today’s businesses. In their final semester, students apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired by entering the workplace for a three-week fieldwork placement.

Although there are no prerequisites, the ideal candidate for the program is interested in creating digital art and designing with the latest Adobe software while bringing ideas to life online using CSS and HTML.

Candidates are also interested in understanding more about graphic design, photography, branding, social media marketing, video editing, and animation.

LaSalle College Vancouver

3 Year Bachelor of Applied Design in Graphic Design

2nd and 3rd years have Student RGD Memberships

Get expert mentorship on industry-current tech and tools. Create a market-ready portfolio. Kickstart your career as a visual storyteller with LaSalle College Vancouver's Bachelor of Applied Design in Graphic Design.

Mount Royal University in Calgary, AB

4 Year Bachelor of Communication

Mount Royal's four-year Bachelor of Communication program will launch your career in high-demand areas within an evolving industry.

This leading-edge program has been developed with strong support from employers in the field and features innovative courses that will prepare you for the fast-paced world of communications.

Niagara College in Welland, ON

3 Year Graphic Design Diploma

All three years have Student RGD Memberships

Do you enjoy working with the latest technology to create eye-catching, original designs? As a Graphic Designer, you are an integral part of the communications team who thrives on transforming a concept or idea into an organization’s identity, brand or visual language.

Sault College in Sault Ste. Marie, ON

3 Year Graphic Design Diploma (accelerated 2-year timeframe)

1st and 2nd years have Student RGD Memberships

The real you thinks outside of the box. That means you’ll fit right in. As part of the Graphic Design – Digital Media program, you’ll discover the outer edge of your creativity while you explore the creative process alongside professional designers - many who are currently working in the field.

Yep, we’re talking about connecting you with the creatives who are in the industry, setting the latest trends in brand development, user experience and design while gaining real-world experience and getting a head start on your epic portfolio.

Through your program, you will work with a non-profit agency as a design consultant. You`ll create logos, brand strategies, and design creative assets for local organizations to better the community.

St. Lawrence College in Kingston, ON

3 Year Graphic Design Diploma

All three years have Student RGD Memberships

For over forty years, our acclaimed program has trained highly-skilled, creative individuals for the growing profession of Graphic Design. This three-year advanced diploma program prepares graduates for direct entry into dynamic and rewarding work environments including design studios, ad agencies, interactive web and game design studios, publishing houses, marketing firms, and film & television production studios, to name a few.

Our program of study develops the creative potential of each student in three specific ways:

  1. The creation of a personal portfolio that demonstrates an understanding of design fundamentals using advanced software skills.
  2. The process and application of design thinking to solve complex communication problems.

  3. Direct, hands-on experience with professional clients representing a broad range of industries.

     

University of the Fraser Valley, Mission, BC

2 Year Graphic & Digital Design Diploma

All two years have Student RGD Memberships

To prepare you for today's multi-disciplinary creative industry, UFV's Graphic and Digital Design diploma program (GDD) provides you with a solid foundation in four fields of professional practice:  brand identity, graphic/communication design, dynamic media, and interactive design.

As a student, you are immersed in design practice through project-based learning in collaborative Mac studio spaces. You’ll build a strong foundation in design process, resourcefulness, and conceptual development, as well as skills in critical thinking, typography, image making, content creation, and industry standard Adobe software.

The Graphic and Digital Design diploma (GDD) is a full-time 60-credit cohort program offered on the Abbotsford campus.

Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, BC

4 Year Bachelor of Design in Graphic Design

All four years have Student RGD Memberships

The Graphic Design Program at VIU is a 4-year program leading to a Bachelor’s of Design degree. We start with the fundamentals and advance to the bleeding edge of visual communication and design thinking. We create stuff.

Because thats what designers do. You should, too.

York University in Toronto, ON

4 Year Bachelor of Design

3rd and 4th years have Student RGD Memberships

Ready to shape the future of design? York’s Bachelor of Design Honours degree gives you hands-on experience in everything from UX/UI to visual communication and information design. Learn in small classes with access to cutting-edge facilities, like our Fabrication Lab and 24/7 studio spaces. With personalized course options and real-world placements at top companies in Canada and around the world, you’ll build a strong portfolio and connect with industry leaders. Start your journey in a creative, supportive environment where you can explore your passions and build a career in the ever-evolving design world.