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Minor in Communication Design

The Communication Design Minor takes an interdisciplinary approach to introduce students to the elements and principles of design to better understand the creative process and key technologies applied to the design of visual, video, print and online mediums. The Communication Design Minor combines hands-on learning with an understanding of historical, cultural and professional contexts.  

Administered by: The Faculty of Communication and Design

Exclusions: This Minor is not available to students in the following programs:

  • Interior Design
  • Fashion Communication
  • Fashion students admitted Fall 2020 and after 

A maximum of two courses from a student’s major area of study can be applied to the Minor.

Fashion Design students may apply a maximum of two required courses to the Minor.

Professional Communication (opens in new window)  students may apply a maximum of two CMN courses to the Minor.

Graphic Communications Management (opens in new window)  students may apply a maximum of two GCM courses to the Minor.

Creative Industries (opens in new window)  students may apply a maximum of two Required courses, or Table I Professional courses, or Table II Professional courses to the Minor.

Revised curriculum begins 2021-2022 for students admitted Fall 2021 and after. Students admitted Fall 2020 and before may follow the revised curriculum or the previous curriculum as published in the 2020-2021 Undergraduate Calendar.

To receive this Minor, students must complete six (6) courses from the following curriculum:

REQUIRED COURSES:

One (1) of the following:

CMN 448 Introduction to Visual Communication
CMN 601 Visual Communications: A Critical Approach

Plus the following two (2) courses:

GCM 130 Design and Layout
CRI 300 Digital Design Studio

ELECTIVE COURSES:

Plus three (3) electives from the following elective lists:

Minimum of one (1) to a maximum of two (2) of the following:

Elective Group 1 Theory and History Contexts

FSN 503 Design, Text and Ideas
RTA 938 Digital Popular Cultures
CRI 750 Emerging Technologies in Cyberspace
FCD 240 History of Art and Design: Global Survey
FSN 203 History of Design
IRL 100 Introduction to World Art I: Pictorial Art
NPF 562 Media and Communication
IRL 500 Modern and Contemporary Art (or IDF 250 Contemporary Art and Design)
ENG 705 Studies in Visual Cultures
ENG 590
Studies in Word and Image
FCD 558 Intro to Design Thinking
GCM 710 The Art of the Book
NPF 558 Intro to Design Thinking
SEM 102 Introduction to Visual Semiotics
RMG 905 Design, Commerce and Culture

Minimum of one (1) to a maximum of two (2) of the following:

Elective Group 2 Professional and Practice-based Contexts

CMN 310 Communication with Colour
CRI 520 Design Management
RTA 102 Creative Processes
FCD 815 FCAD's Design Solutions Supercourse I
FCD 825 FCAD's Design Solutions Supercourse II
MKT 535 Integrated Marketing Communication
CMN 279 Introduction to Professional Communication
GCM 738 Photoshopped! The Art of Image Retouching
GCM 230 Typography
NNS 102 Understanding Multimedia Journalism
JRN 106 Visualizing Facts
MPC 101 Visual Studies I

Please see Senate  (PDF file) Policy 2 (opens in new window) , Section 7.4 for further information about Minors.