At Georgian College in Barrie, Canada, HD in Graphic Design is offered as a higher diploma in Applied Design programme. The programme runs for 3 years, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 7,619 per semester (CAD 1,387 per semester for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Higher Diploma
Field:Applied Design
Duration: 3 years
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 1,387 / semester
International tuition: CAD 7,619 / semester
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
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.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: This Higher Diploma (three-year advanced diploma) requires an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or mature student status, plus Grade 12 English at the C or U level. Mature applicants aged 19 or older, non-secondary-school applicants, and home-schooled applicants may also qualify through upgrading, GED, or equivalency testing, and prior post-secondary coursework or relevant experience can earn credit toward entry. No portfolio or interview requirement, nor any programme-specific English-test table, appears on the page; applicants whose first language is not English fall under Georgian's general diploma-level requirement instead: IELTS Academic 6.0 overall or TOEFL iBT 79 overall. Delivery moves from the Barrie campus to the new Barrie Downtown location beginning with the winter 2027 intake.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply through ontariocolleges.ca: 1 February 2027 is the equal-consideration date for Georgian's highly competitive programs, which now covers Fall 2027, Winter 2028 and Summer 2028 entry, and later applications are assessed first-come, first-served while seats last; offers of admission for this 2026-2027 cycle must be accepted by 1 May 2027. Programs outside the highly competitive list carry no equal-consideration date and are assessed on a rolling basis year-round. International applicants apply directly through Georgian's own portal with no published closing date and are assessed on a rolling basis while seats remain, though Georgian warns a program open when applied to may close before assessment. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
