Media Techniques and Marketing Communications

Engage with one of the most powerful applications used in graphic design today. Students will explore the basics of the InDesign interface and its most used features in order to create an array of printed and digital layouts. Students will learn how to manipulate and position layout elements such as text, illustrations and photographs by applying design and typographic principles and terminology. You will work through a variety of print and digital media projects using the versatile InDesign tools and techniques to discover the possibilities for creative expression that come with mastering this application.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

In this hands-on course, you will create and design content with Adobe InDesign using creative and typographic tools. You will create your document for single and multiple pages using tools, drop-down menus, and panels, set up columns, use select and direct selection tools, create layers, create colours from different libraries, create paragraph and character styles, create picture frames, apply text wraps around pictures, and check links. You will create a series of projects using all of the above tools and techniques.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

This hands-on course expands on the skills and knowledge that you gained in Adobe InDesign 1 by using different tools, drop-down menus, and panels to create a more complex series of projects. You will create multiple master pages with different columns and grids, create a digital imposition, add video with sound controls, precisely position pictures, text, and graphics, and transform digital graphics. As well, you will use step and repeat to create a background pattern, span text columns, and smart link InDesign with Photoshop. You will use a pen tool to create advanced computer graphics with compound paths.
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in MDIA 1049

​Visual composition and layout focuses on the process of creating ideas and learning how to effectively prepare balanced, creative, design solutions. Students will apply the principles and elements of composition and layout in order to produce balanced creative design solutions for print, web, mobile, and interface applications. Through analysis, group critiques, presentations, teamwork, and verbal deconstruction of design, students will learn how to present their work in a manner that resonates with the target audience—enhances overall communication, human interaction and usability. This course provides a solid foundation for delivering interactive and engaging content for web and mobile.​
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

Visual composition and layout focuses on the process of creating ideas and learning how to effectively place elements in a design to produce balanced, creative, design solutions. You will develop design ideas through applying the principles of composition and layout (the organization of visual elements). This course emphasizes the development and application of skills through research, analysis, hands-on projects, and exercises. In-class presentations will introduce creative and psychology principles and their application in the design process. Conceptual skills will be developed through projects and exercises, which will be done both in-class and as homework. You will analyze and evaluate design work through group critiques and individual written and verbal deconstruction of designs. Instructor feedback will be given during group and/or individual critiques.
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in MDIA 1049

​Colour is a powerful design principle-affecting mood, identifying brands and carrying cultural symbolism. Explore the various aspects of colour and identify many ways of integrating colour for effective communication in design layouts. Explore the significance of colour application through numerous research and design samples. This will enable students to apply their understanding of various colour modes, colour functions, colour attributes, colour psychology, and colour physiology in design work. Analyze how others solve visual colour challenges in compelling and inspiring ways while generating unique compositions with colour as a dominant design attribute.​
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

In this course you will explore the various aspects of colour and identify many ways of integrating colour for effective communication in design layouts. You will see the significance of colour application through numerous research and design samples. This will enable you to apply your understanding of various colour modes, colour functions, colour attributes, colour psychology, and colour physiology in your own work. The classes will also let you analyze how others solve visual colour challenges in an effective manner so you can be inspired to be creative in generating designs that have a unique and outstanding use of colour.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​Effective graphic design is essential to daily life as it informs, instructs, warns, and entertains us. Discover that design is a complex process involving research and analysis, concept development, critical evaluation, refinement, and execution. Students will focus on brainstorming and the creative process stage of design process and its relationship to visual problem solving. Hone critical thinking strategies for effective graphic design by practicing what is learned in relation to print- and web-based communications. Execute simple, thumbnail sketches to create and record concepts—a skill paramount for advancing into creating digital content.​
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

This course will show you how effective graphic design is essential to daily life as it informs, instructs, warns, and entertains us. You will also discover that design is a complex process involving research and analysis, concept development, critical evaluation, refinement, and execution. Hone your critical thinking strategies for effective graphic design by practicing what you learn in relation to print- and web-based communications. This is accomplished by creating a compelling concept for an ad, assessing a brand, building a visual identity around the persona, and producing a memorable promotional piece for an event campaign. You will draw and sketch concepts by hand as this skill development is paramount for advancing into creating digital content.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​Vector Graphics are widely used to create logos and business charts or graphs, greeting cards, posters, web or app. interface elements, graphics for brochures or manuals, patterns, clothing, and in fine art. Producing high quality vector graphics is a must-have skillset for any graphic designer. Students will be introduced to the foundations of vector graphics, including understanding anchor point types, creating paths and geometrical shapes, object's properties such as Fill and Stroke, working with gradients, and how to organize objects in groups and layers. Students will also learn advanced techniques such as working with Brushes, Symbols, Type objects, Masking, Graphic Styles, Artboards, and exporting the results for variant purposes. Students will apply this knowledge in individual and team projects. Using the professional design process, students are tasked with researching each project topic, producing design sketches, executing a final polished design, and then critiquing each other.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

In this hands-on course, you will create and design scalable computer graphics with Adobe Illustrator that require creativity and imagination. You will use multiple art boards, layers, and sub-layers to organize your artwork. As well, you will use drawing tools, drop down menus, and floating panels to create a series of projects. You will use the pen tool to draw precise, offset paths, and different path widths. We will emphasize both linear and radial gradients, gradient meshes and blends for visual effects, and the effective use of colour. You will use both horizontal and vertical alignment tools and distribute your artwork evenly. You will create canisters using 3D revolve, symbols, and mapping tools.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

This hands-on course expands on the skills and knowledge that gained in Adobe Illustrator 1 by using different tools, drop-down menus, and panels to create a more complex series of projects. To complete the projects, you will use a perspective grid for creating 3D artwork that fades to a vanishing point. You will create a clipping mask, rotate objects around a fixed point, create patterns, use different drawing modes, use the scissors tool to cut and join paths, use pathfinder tools to divide graphics, and transform and move objects precisely on both a horizontal and vertical axis point. You will work with live corners, use key objects for aligning graphics, create colour groups, and use brushes to paint and spray graphics for visual effects.
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in MDIA 1160

Photoshop mastery is essential to managing and producing a highly professional product. Students will create stunning images and composites for visual communication projects by exploring the Photoshop interface and an array of photo-editing techniques. The course focuses on fine image editing, retouching, and developing high-quality online and print image compositions. Students will learn how to create complex graphics that can be built in multiple layers for organization and independent manipulation. Students will come to understand the purpose of the application tools, work with layers, channels, paths, make selections, image manipulation/alteration, understand image size, canvas size and resolution, create masks, work with filters and layer styles, the pen, colourize, and create interesting type.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

This course introduces students to the creative world of photo editing using Adobe Photoshop. The course starts with an overview of raster based applications, including image resolution and the co-relation between pixel dimensions, color depth, and image quality. Students will customize the Photoshop workspace, use the quick selection tool, use the quick mask selection tool, manipulate selections, save selections to channels, and perform tonal corrections with the spot healing brush tool and the content-aware fill. Students will create point type, create a clipping mask from type, create vector paths, use layers and adjustment layers, and paint with the mixer brush tool.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

This course covers advanced compositing techniques, including painting with the mixer brush, adding a background, matching colour schemes across images, and blending multiple pictures to create a panorama. Students will select different brush settings and create a custom brush preset. The course also covers applying layer styles, adding adjustment layers, using layer effects and blending modes. Students will manipulate an image with Puppet Warp, create type on a path, warp point type, design with paragraphs of type and work with type styles. Other topics covered in the course include straightening and cropping images, using the spot healing and brush tools, repairing areas of an image using the clone stamp tool, applying gradients to layers, and working with masks and channels. Students will also prepare files for the web by creating slices and export HTML and images.
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in MDIA 1180

In today’s changing creative environment, designers must do more than simply ‘design things.’ Designers apply visual communication principles to express their client's message, but they must also work within the context of a business strategy and goals to be fully successful. This course examines how design supports and reinforces a client’s business goals by applying critical components of the design process: research, analysis, concept development and evaluation. You will also explore standard business practices and how to work effectively with clients. Principles, concepts, and techniques will be applied through the comprehensive development of a large and major campaign project. You will analyze and evaluate course work through discussion, critiques, and verbal and written presentations.
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in GDES 1235 and 50% in GDES 1105 and 50% in GDES 1069 and 50% in GDES 1270 and 50% in GDES 1275

In today’s changing creative environment designers must do more than simply ‘design things’. Graphic designers apply principles of visual communication to express their client's message, but must also work within the context of a business strategy and goals to be fully successful. This course examines how design supports and reinforces the business goals of a client through application of critical components of the design process: research, analysis, concept development and evaluation. You will also explore standard business practices and working effectively with clients. Principles, concepts, and techniques will be applied through the comprehensive development of a large and major campaign project. You will also analyze and evaluate work through discussion, critiques, and verbal and written presentations.
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in MDIA 1040 and 50% in MDIA 1105 and 50% in MDIA 1160 and 50% in MDIA 1180

Students collect their best work into a targeted interactive portfolio. During the duration of this course, students may start new projects or refine existing ones in specific disciplines to further develop their research, management, design and programming skills in a self-directed format. A personal brand and self-promotional materials will be defined by each student to reflect their qualities, values and professional accomplishments. Students present their portfolios at the end of the course. Students are be assessed by a combination of individual projects and a group peer critique.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

This class focusses on creating a digital portfolio to showcase your work. Your designs should highlight your creative abilities, concepts and ideas that you have developed, and your personality. You will design and create a series of tightly-defined webpage layouts, phone app mockups, landing pages, icons, info-graphics, and digital print layouts for presentation to prospective employers. The instructor will provide input and guidance for the portfolio content as well as the proper methodologies and techniques on how to achieve effective results. Your portfolio is your gateway to reaching out to potential employers. This course is required to be the last course in the Graphic Design Associate Certificate.
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in MDIA 1040 and 50% in MDIA 1105 and 50% in MDIA 1140 and 50% in MDIA 2012 and 50% in MDIA 2049 and 50% in MDIA 2180

​Master the effects that contribute to compelling images. Image Post Production explores the fundamentals of working with digital images acquired from capture, with a focus on the image optimization process within Adobe Photoshop. This course will demonstrate how to produce a high-quality image that can be reproduced for multiple purposes. Topics include colour theory as it relates to digital images, processing camera RAW files, non-destructive workflow within Adobe Photoshop, making selections, and working with layer masks. The course will be provided in a lecture/lab format with in-class exercises providing hands-on experience.​
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in GDES 1275 and 50% in GDES 1140

In this course, students will study camera tools and apply photographic techniques to their pictures. Topics explored include; aperture settings, ISO settings, shutter speeds, on and off camera flash, depth of field, lens choice and compositional concepts. Through lectures and lab time, students will also study lighting for portraiture, low light photography, how and when to use a tripod, and common camera settings including: histograms, self-timers, as well as camera sensor cleaning, and camera care.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

This course is an introduction to hands-on digital photography and the image optimization processes. The course is designed to provide an emphasis on effective composition, core principles of photography and meaningful photographic contents for web, print and mobile applications. Students will learn how to plan and shoot photos; use DSLR or their own cameras; and explore techniques on lighting, optics, and image management/storage. Other topics include, HDR images, panoramic photos and processing camera RAW files. Students will be assessed by a combination of group and individual projects and a final exam.
Prerequisite(s):

• MDIA 1099

Marketing 1102 is an introduction to the fundamentals of marketing. In addition to the "four Ps" of marketing—product, price, place, and promotion—students will be introduced to how marketers create customer-driven marketing strategies based on their research and understanding of the marketing environment and customers. Students will plan a strategy for and compete in an online marketing simulation. After the simulation, students will evaluate their performance and deliver a marketing plan for their simulation company, which will be assessed on students' application of marketing terminology and processes and in the professionalism of their work. Additionally, students will complete assignments, quizzes, and exams.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

The focus of this course will be to provide the student with e-Marketing techniques and strategies that can help any forward-thinking organization be competitive in today's business environment. Key areas that promise to leverage the power of Internet are: customer relationship management (CRM); 1:1 marketing; permission-based e-mail marketing; viral marketing; attributes of a good Website and Website marketing goals; Website promotion/search engine positioning/ranking, and key Internet technologies/terminologies/acronyms.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​This course provides the opportunity to develop a complete communications plan from the situation analysis to creative solutions. It reviews the role of strategic planning as it applies to media, creative, sales promotion and research, and examines those areas of promotion where each fit in the promotional mix and when would each best be applied.
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in MKTG 1102

In this course, you will look out how planning a strategy for design work helps build a strong and effective ad. You will learn the stages of design production, copywriting and how to design for print, out of home and interactive ads. While using Adobe InDesign, an industry-standard software, you will develop your own marketing materials and start building a portfolio. The course is ideal for aspiring graphic designers and 'ad creatives' as well as marketers who want to better manage their creative resources.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​This course will provide insight into the strategies behind successful brands. The focus will be on analyzing company, industry, consumer and competitive information to provide a sound foundation for developing a brand strategy. Additionally, students will learn the components of branding and how to use brand development tools. Students will learn how to position and brand products and services in order to prevent them from being turned into commodities and understand that all marketing campaigns serve the larger mission of developing a brand.​
Prerequisite(s):

• (50% in MKTG 1102 and 50% in MKTG 1352) or 50% in MKTG 2202