At Dawson College in Westmount, Canada, Diploma in Graphic Design is offered as a diploma in Applied Design programme. The programme runs for 3 years. Tuition for international students is CAD 9,805 per semester.
Graphic Design is a three-year Diploma of Collegial Studies (DEC) technical program at Dawson College focused on visual communication across branding, print, web, multimedia and motion graphics. Students work with industry-standard software, including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, Figma and Webflow, developing ideas from initial concept through to finished, professional-quality output. Access to advanced computer labs, multipurpose studios and printing facilities supports the studio-based coursework, and students take part in workshops led by industry practitioners and in design competitions. In the third year, students are given dedicated workstations while preparing a final portfolio. The program suits students who want to develop both the creative and technical sides of visual design and build a professional portfolio for entry into the design field or further study. Admission requires a Secondary V diploma and a portfolio submission, with Secondary V art considered an asset. Graduates typically move into roles such as visual designer, UX/UI designer or creative director within design studios, advertising agencies, digital media firms or publishing houses, or continue into university programs in design, arts, marketing or communication.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Requires a Quebec Diploma of Secondary Studies (DES), or an academic background judged equivalent; Secondary V Art is noted as an asset but is not mandatory. Admission also requires a portfolio of 15 to 20 original creative works (e.g. painting, pastels, colored pencils, collage, printmaking, sculpture or photography), compiled into a single PDF and submitted electronically through the Application Centre from February 8, evaluated on quality, originality and motivation; any reference images used must be declared. English-language proficiency is not addressed on the programme's own pages and defaults to Dawson College's general policy: TOEFL iBT (minimum 4), IELTS Academic (minimum 6.0), PTE Academic (minimum 50), or Duolingo (minimum 95-100) for applicants not schooled in English. The application deadline is March 1.
Application Details
Application Deadline:Domestic and international applicants apply directly through the Dawson College Application System rather than SRAM. Applications for Winter 2027 opened 22 September 2026 with a deadline of 1 November 2026; however, international students are not eligible to apply for the Winter semester unless they already hold a valid CAQ/CSQ and Study Permit naming Dawson College, given Quebec's study-authorization processing times. Fall admission's standing deadline is 1 March, though Fall 2027 application dates were not yet posted as of September 2026 (Fall 2026 closed on 1 March 2026 with no late applications accepted). Admission is not described as rolling; these are firm deadlines. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
