HD in Graphic Design - Creative Strategies at Sheridan College in Oakville, Canada is a higher diploma in Visual Arts programme. The programme runs for 3 years, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 18,756 per year (CAD 5,335 per year for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Higher Diploma
Field:Visual Arts
Duration: 3 years
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 5,335 / year
International tuition: CAD 18,756 / year
Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
Graphic Design - Creative Strategies is a three-year Ontario College Advanced Diploma offered at Sheridan College's Trafalgar Campus in Oakville. In place of a traditional capstone portfolio, students complete a self-directed, multi-platform communication project that draws on their full range of media skills and creative direction. The program includes a semester-long project with an industry partner, giving students exposure to real-world design problems alongside working professionals and access to industry-standard tools and processes. Third-year coursework covers advanced storytelling and strategic design, including courses in art direction, data-driven storytelling, and forward-looking design practice, aimed at developing students' conceptual thinking alongside technical execution. The program also incorporates equity-centred design, teaching students to create work that accounts for the needs of diverse audiences and communities. It is Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) aligned for eligible international students. The program suits students seeking a longer, more strategy- and leadership-oriented design credential than a two-year diploma, particularly those aiming for roles that combine creative direction with client- or partner-facing project work.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: This Ontario College Advanced Diploma requires an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent including English, Grade 12 at the C or U level, or mature-student status for applicants aged 19 or older who lack it, who may need to complete assessments in English, math and/or science, or preparatory coursework. Selection ranks the average of an applicant's six highest Grade 12 (U or M) credits, including the required course. No portfolio, interview, or minimum GPA beyond the selection method is stated. Sheridan's institution-wide English proficiency requirement for certificate and diploma programs applies to applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS Academic 6.0 overall with no band below 5.5, TOEFL iBT 80 with no section below 20 (a redesigned iBT scale applies from 2026), PTE Academic 58 with no section below 49, Duolingo English Test 105 with no subscore below 85, or CAEL 60 with no section below 50.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply through ontariocolleges.ca: for programmes starting in Fall 2027 the application opened 26 September 2026, the equal-consideration date is 1 February 2027, and offers can go out from 1 November 2026, with portfolio- and audition-based programmes deciding later in March; accepted offers must be confirmed by 1 May 2027. Winter and Spring/Summer 2027 entry use the same portal but Sheridan publishes no fixed equal-consideration date for them and reviews those on an ongoing basis. International applicants apply directly through Sheridan's own International Application Portal, not ontariocolleges.ca; the college publishes no fixed international deadline and admits on a rolling, space-permitting basis, so early application is advised for the 2027 entry cycle. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
