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Academic Resources

Curriculum

GCM requires four years of full-time study, two terms per year: Fall (September – December) and Winter (January – April). An internship placement takes place between third and fourth years.

Students complete a range of courses to help prepare them for their future careers. These courses are split into the following areas:

These required courses give you the standard skills needed in the graphic communications world.

Courses include:

  • Introduction to Graphic Communications
  • Layout and Typography
  • Consumer Packaging
  • Graphic Communication Technologies and Processes
  • Binding and Finishing
  • Premedia Workflows
  • Color Management
  • Introduction to UX/UI Design
  • Workflow Automation

These required courses help you develop skills needed to work within companies, manage teams and lead people.

Courses include:

  • Professional Communication
  • Global Management
  • Marketing
  • Accounting
  • Management Studies
  • Project Management
  • Operations Management
  • Estimating for Graphic Communications


Electives are degree level courses that provide choice in the core studies of the GCM program.
 
  • Core Electives are directly related to GCM and can help you specialize your degree. Learn more about GCM Core Electives.
  • Open Electives allow you to study other subjects of interest outside your core area of study at GCM, to earn an optional minor, or to gain greater depth or breadth within your GCM core studies if you take additional core program electives. Learn more about Open Electives.
  • Liberal Studies Electives allow you to study subjects outside your field of professional specialization that help you to understand the social and cultural contexts in which you will work as a professional and live as an educated citizen. Learn more about Lower Level Liberal Studies Electives and Upper Level Liberal Studies Electives.
  • In addition to the Major in GCM, students may choose from a wide variety of Minors. Scroll down to learn more about what Minors are offered and how you can declare one.

To see a complete overview of your degree requirements at GCM, view the Undergraduate Calendar (full curriculum guide) or click the image below.

If you have any questions about your degree requirements, Academic Coordinator Stephanie Law (stephanie.law@torontomu.ca) will be happy to help you.

If you are looking for information about the part time Certificate in Graphic Communications, please visit the Chang School of Continuing Education (opens in new window) .

 

Academic Advisor and Resources

At GCM, Stephanie Law is your dedicated Academic Advisor to help guide you through your time here. You can look to Stephanie for advice on the program, course selection, petitioning, academic probation and more. Please contact Stephanie at stephanie.law@torontomu.ca to get in touch.

Toronto Metropolitan University also provides many handy guides for academic and administrative processes. Before you contact the office, see if any of the links below can help you:


Academic Planning and Course Selection


Student Guides

If none of the links above address your question, book an appointment with the office by emailing, calling or visiting the GCM office:

GCM Office
gcmadmin@torontomu.ca (opens in new window) 
(416) 979-5050
 

Video Resources

GCM Concentrations

Run your Advisement Report

Winter Course Intentions


Internship

Internships are a great way to gain industry experience, make valuable connections, and maybe even earn some money! You can find all relevant information in the official GCM Internship Handbook below!

Are you an employer seeking a GCM intern? The best way to connect with students is through our Career Fair (opens in new window)  (held in April for a summer intern)! You can also find out more information through our internship handbook below, or contact us at gcminternship@torontomu.ca (opens in new window) .

View the  (PDF file) GCM Internship Handbook.

 

Minors

Optional Minors give you the opportunity to hone skills outside of those gained at GCM and explore your personal interests. Toronto Metropolitan University currently offers over 50 Minors today, and you can obtain one by completing six elective courses in a specific subject or discipline. Learn more about what Minors are offered and how you can declare one.

 

Concentrations

Completion of a Concentration is optional. Doing so will help you to achieve a level of expertise beyond the core curriculum and set yourself apart from others when entering the workforce. Learn more about GCM Concentrations. If you’re interested in pursuing a concentration, connect with the GCM Office at stephanie.law@torontomu.ca.

Design and create the graphics, structural and sustainability aspects of product packaging to engage consumers, convey the product’s essence and value, protect the contents, and meet logistical requirements.
  • Perfect fit if you: appreciate the 3D structure of printed form and enjoy working with recognizable brands.
  • Areas of focus: flexo printing; package prototyping; accessibility; sustainability; 3D printing; non-traditional printing; distribution; plastic in packaging; material science; and colour theory.
Julius Rodrigo
Julius Rodrigo (Class of 2022)

"I had an amazing time pursuing the Packaging Concentration! When I started working, I had a solid idea of what packaging dielines and structures looked like. I also used colour management and I saw printer proofs daily. Having knowledge of packaging terminology boosted my confidence in being part of the industry.

Print and packaging are constantly evolving, which was interesting to learn about in class. My favourite project has to be redesigning Turtles packaging in GCM 808: Package Prototyping. I loved the freedom of bringing our ideas together with my peers and thinking of ways to make packaging more innovative. We had industry professionals that guided and critiqued our pieces, which was exciting since I have never felt so seen by experts."

Julius Rodrigo

Concentration in Packaging
Project Manager

Focusing on the digital premedia files and data that are essential to many forms of graphic output, including signage, ebooks and designs of all types.
  • Perfect fit if you: are passionate about designing and preparing files for different media.
  • Areas of focus: signage; ebooks; typography; workflows; variable data printing; material science; and non-traditional printing.
Lara Capistrano (Class of 2022)

"Achieving the Digital Graphic Output Concentration was an overall great experience. Many of the courses included active, in-depth conversations around relevant topics. Here are a few courses that stood out:

  • GCM 810: Creativity, Clients, and Design – understanding the importance of innovative, creative thinking to solve a problem while retaining an EDI (equity, diversity, inclusion) lens;
  • GCM 806: Advanced Typography – an in-depth analysis of different typefaces, being intentional with type when considering the audience and the end-use, and creating your own typeface;
  • GCM 850*: Directed Studies I: Issues and Trends – the topic for the term revolved around digital signage, its implementation into different sectors, and its prevalence in everyday life. [*Please note the topic for this course changes every semester]"

Lara Denise Capistrano

Concentration in Graphic Output
Graphic Designer and Production Artist

Learn how to guide and manage a team, oversee projects, make strategic decisions, and foster a creative and collaborative environment to achieve business goals and deliver high-quality solutions.
  • Perfect fit if you: like to focus on the strategic vision of a project and planning what needs to be done to achieve it.
  • Areas of focus: business; entrepreneurship; management; accounting and finance; sustainability; and client/customer management.
Allison MacKenzie (Class of 2022)

"I produce a variety of creative work across photography, design, web, print, and video. I really enjoy the business development components of my role, be it strategy, branding, our website, marketing, or continuous improvement for our organization.

My Leadership Concentration offered opportunities to further develop critical and entrepreneurial thinking, which comes into play every single day in my job. The Concentration taught me to be capable of strategizing for the big picture while also managing the operations and other daily details of production. I feel confident in my current position and capable of collaborating in the growth and development of a business, even as I am only one year out of school."

Allison MacKenzie

Concentration in Leadership
Multimedia Design Lead

Design and layout of publications, such as books and ebooks, magazines, and brochures. Focus on presenting content in an aesthetically pleasing and readable manner.
  • Perfect fit if you: enjoy seeing your work come to life in a printed form. 
  • Areas of focus: magazine production; book publishing; ebook production; letterpress; Photoshop; accessibility; sustainability; typography; and binding.
Sarah Zahavi (Class of 2022)

"The Concentration involved the use of Adobe design software, giving me a foundation in graphic design that I use in developing my course materials and graphic design projects.

I enjoyed all of the project-based courses in the Concentration, like GCM 720: Magazine Production and Publishing, GCM 722: Book Production and Publishing and GCM 738: Photoshopped! The Art of Image Retouching. Projects involved creating a book layout, a magazine, and album art were fun and great training in software. The course instructors were fantastic, and I greatly improved my skills and abilities through these classes."

Sarah Zahavi

Concentration in Publishing
Media Arts & Communications Teacher

Completion of a Concentration is optional. Doing so will help you to achieve a level of expertise beyond the core curriculum and set yourself apart from others when entering the workforce. If you’re interested in pursuing a concentration, connect with the GCM Office at stephanie.law@torontomu.ca (opens in new window) .

FAQ for First-Year Students

Before applying for residence please ensure you have received a full or conditional undergraduate offer to Toronto Metropolitan. You will receive frequent emails with reminders and information.

Please visit the Toronto Metropolitan Housing & Residence website for important dates.

Submit your transfer credit application as soon you have accepted your offer of admission. Please visit the Transfer Credits page for information on eligibility, application instructions and deadlines.

Yes, paying your Tuition Deposit is an essential step for confirming your spot at Toronto Metropolitan. Visit the Fee Payments page from the Registrar's Office for more information.

Incoming students are automatically enrolled into their Fall and Winter semester required courses. You are responsible for enrolling in your Liberal Studies elective courses (details in question below). If you have more questions, please don’t hesitate to contact GCM's Academic Coordinator via email (stephanie.law@torontomu.ca) and visit the First Year Course Enrolment page.

Incoming students who matriculate into the GCM program by late July, will receive their Fall timetable by early August.  Incoming students who matriculate in August must contact GCM's Academic Coordinator (stephanie.law@torontomu.ca) for assistance with required course enrolment. Please visit this page for a full list of Significant Dates at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Incoming students are responsible for enrolling into one Lower Level Liberal Table A elective course in the Fall term, and one Lower Level Liberal Table A elective course in the Winter term. Students may enrol into Fall courses starting on the First Year Priority Enrolment date until the end of the Fall Open Enrolment period. Students may add course intentions for their Winter term during the same time period. Please visit this page for a full list of Significant Dates at Toronto Metropolitan University. Please visit this page for a list of Liberal Table A courses.

You must apply and upload all supporting documents via Apply for Financial Assistance (OSAP) (external link)  (external link) . Please visit this page for important dates.

For inquiries related to tuition and student financial assistance, please contact the Service Hub.

A minimum internet speed of 150 Mbps is recommended for a stable connection for Zoom meetings.

GCM is has two (2x) Dell Optiplex labs.

Below you will find minimum (not the latest) specs for hardware that we recommend for students.
 

1. PC Laptop and Desktop Hardware

Minimum Requirements:

  • Operating System: Windows 11 Pro (Home is not recommended)
  • Processor: Intel 12th/13th generation minimum, 14th generation chipset preferred
  • RAM: Minimum 8GB, 16GB recommended for long-term use
  • Storage: Minimum 512GB SSD, 1TB recommended for long-term use

Dell computers: Toronto Metropolitan students are eligible for a discounted student rate on Dell computers at Dell Purchasing.
 

2. Apple Macintosh Hardware

Minimum Requirements:

  • Operating System: Latest macOS
  • Processor: Intel 12th/13th generation minimum, 14th generation chipset preferred
  • RAM: Minimum 8GB, 16GB recommended for long-term use
  • Storage: Minimum 512GB SSD, 1TB recommended for long-term use

Mac computers: Students can purchase a Mac computer online. Toronto Metropolitan students are eligible for a student discount on the Apple Educational Store (external link) .

FAQ for Returning Students

Returning students who participated in mandatory course intentions the prior year will receive their Fall timetable by late July and Winter timetable by late November. Returning students who did not participate in course intentions must wait to build their timetables during the Fall Open Enrolment and Winter Open Enrolment periods.

Please visit this page for a full list of Significant Dates at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Please visit this page for a full list of Significant Dates at Toronto Metropolitan University and visit this page for a list of important Enrolment Dates.

Returning students have an academic standing of Probationary when their CGPA (cumulative grade point average) falls between a 1.0 and 1.66.  Students on probation must meet with the GCM Academic Advisor (stephanie.law@torontomu.ca) to discuss their academic plan and sign a Probationary Contract. You are only allowed to take a maximum of four (4) courses while on Probation, although a lesser course load may be advisable.

You are only required to declare your Minor when you Apply to Graduate. If you have taken the required courses and the Minor is approved, it will appear on your student record (noted on the academic transcript, not on the award document).

Yes it is possible to complete both, but neither is mandatory.

Run your Advisement Report (self-service tool in MyServiceHub) to track your degree progress. For more academic resources, visit the Graphic Communications Management - Academics website.

You need to add a concentration in MyServiceHub in order to claim your Concentration.  You must do this before you graduate.  However, the advantage to adding your concentration early is that it makes it easy to track your concentration progress in your Advisement Report. If you want to add a second concentration, contact Curriculum Advising (gradinfo@torontomu.ca).