Best Design Schools in Canada

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Are you a creative and innovative person? Do you have an artistic mind that loves to be challenged? Do you wish to use arts to make society easier, safer and more enjoyable? 

If you answered yes to the questions above, a degree in Design would most definitely favour you! Let’s dig a little deeper into the various design fields and find out exactly what it is and if the career path is right for you.

What is Design?

Design involves forming a concept to create physical and non-physical to improve or add value to society. Design is a broad field which consists of many individual fields: technical ones or intuitive in nature ones. 

Design is incredibly crucial in our daily lives and can be seen in almost everything we do. From highly interactive websites you online shop from to the functional cabinet in your kitchen, a good design can improve your experience and how you interact with various products and services. 

Different Types of Design Disciplines

Type of Design

What It Means

Interior Design

Designing of the interior of a building to achieve a healthier and aesthetically pleasing environment for those living in the space. 


As an interior designer, your job description includes planning, researching, coordinating and managing interior design projects.

Interaction Design

Designing a wide range of web interfaces, such as blog templates, landing pages, responsive websites or mobile phone apps. 

Industrial Design

Designing of physical products that are mass produced to be used by the public, typically focusing on the physical appearance, functionality and manufacturability of a product.

Fashion Design

Designing of clothing and accessories by applying design, aesthetics, clothing construction and natural beauty. Fashion design is highly influenced by the ever-changing trends and culture. 


As a fashion designer you will create clothing, including dresses, suits, pants, and skirts, and accessories like shoes and handbags, for consumers. 

Graphic Design

Designing of visual content to communicate messages using visual hierarchy and page layout techniques. Graphic designers work to meet users’ specific needs by displaying elements in interactive designs, to optimize the user experience.

Skills Needed To Study Design

So, what skills do you need to thrive in the Design industry. Here are some of the most crucial ones: 

i) Attention to detail 

Paying attention to the details of a design allows you to provide the best output in any project. Consciously examining and polishing the elements of your design shows precision and accuracy – which is highly valued in the creative industry. An attention to detail also enables designers to give directions, edit, identify errors and proofread. 

ii) Adaptive to changes

With the creative industry constantly changing, it’s important for you to be incredibly adaptive to these changes. A creative mind with an experimentive attitude will get you far in this field. Remember to always keep an eye out for inspiration as you will never know when you’ll find it. Successful designers must think outside the box to develop innovative ideas and design concepts to stand out.

iii) Ability to work under pressure 

In the field of Design, you will be faced with redos after re-dos to fulfil the needs of your client. You will need the ability to work under pressure with short deadlines, impractical demands and countless number of amendments to finish a single project. Be sure to mentally prepare yourself to face challenges throughout your course. 

Tip: Keep the final product in mind during your struggles and it will definitely be rewarding! 

Worried that a Design course might be too challenging as you have not mastered these skills yet? Don’t worry – enrolling into a Design course will fully equip you with the necessary skills needed for a successful career! Contact us now for more information. 

Career Pathways Of A Design Graduate in Canada

Upon completion of a Design course, students generally are required to build a comprehensive portfolio of past projects (university mandate projects & freelance projects) to show employer’s their abilities. 

Here are some of the career opportunities that you have as a Design graduate, depending on which area of Design that you choose to focus on: 

  1. Interior Designer
  2. Set Designer
  3. Fashion Designer 
  4. Graphic Designer
  5. Illustrator
  6. Event Designer 
  7. Games Designer 
  8. Animator 
  9. 2D/3D Designer 
  10. Product Designer

General Entry Requirement to Study Design in Canada

For entry into most Design programs, individuals are required to acquire: 

  • GPA Score: Min. 70%
  • TOEFL IBT Score: Min. 84
  • IELTS Score: Min. 6.5
  • PTE Score: Min. 58

*NOTE : Different universities have different entry requirements. Contact us for more information, specific to your home country qualification.

Top 5 Universities to Study Design in Canada

#1 OCAD University

Program Offered

Bachelor of Design 

Major in: 

  • Advertising 
  • Digital Futures 
  • Environmental Design 
  • Graphic Design
  • Illustrations
  • Industrial Design 
  • Material Art & Design 

Intake

September

Duration

4 years

Indicative Fees (2022)

$24,630 CAD/year

For more information on course-specific entry requirements, fees, and application process, contact Excel Education.

#2 Ryerson University

Program Offered

Bachelor of Interior Design 

Bachelor of Design -Fashion

Intake

September

Duration

4 years

Indicative Fees (2022)

$29,417 CAD/year

$29,114 CAD/year

For more information on course-specific entry requirements, fees, and application process, contact Excel Education.

#3 Vancouver Island University

Program Offered

Bachelor of Graphic Design

Bachelor of Graphic Design (Management)

Bachelor of Interior Design

Intake

September

Duration

4 years

Indicative Fees (2022)

$16,680 CAD/year

For more information on course-specific entry requirements, fees, and application process, contact Excel Education.

#4 Emily Carr University of Art + Design

Program Offered

Bachelor of Fine Arts

Major in: 

  • 2D + Experimental Animation
  • 3D Computer Animation
  • Visual Arts
  • Communication Design
  • Critical + Cultural Practices
  • Illustration
  • Industrial Design
  • Interaction Design
  • Visual Arts

Intake

4 years

Duration

September

Indicative Fees (2022)

$18,299 CAD/year

For more information on course-specific entry requirements, fees, and application process, contact Excel Education.

#5 Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD)

Program Offered

Bachelor of Design 

Major in: 

  • Interdisciplinary Design 

Bachelor of Fine Arts

Major in: 

  • Jewellery Design and Metalsmithing
  • Textiles/Fashion
  • Fine Art
  • Interdisciplinary Arts

Intake

January and September

Duration

4 years

Indicative Fees (2022)

Contact us

For more information on course-specific entry requirements, fees, and application process, contact Excel Education.

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About The Author

Raveena Rakni Suresh Raj

Leo baby & psych major

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