Algonquin College School of Media and Design in Ottawa, Ontario, delivers cutting-edge, industry-aligned programs spanning interactive multimedia, journalism, graphic design, film production, animation, photography, game development, broadcasting, and architectural studies, fostering innovation through hands-on learning within state-of-the-art facilities and robust industry partnerships that propel graduates into successful careers across evolving creative sectors.  Renowned as a premier Canadian institution for creative education, the AC School of Media and Design is an innovative and forward-thinking learning environment that fosters independent decision-making, self-expression, technology, and teamwork.

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Algonquin College School of Media and Design

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Academic Programs and Specialized Disciplines

The School delivers over 20 accredited programs across diploma, advanced diploma, graduate certificate, and bachelor’s degree levels. Each curriculum integrates theoretical foundations with intensive practical application, tailored to address current industry demands:

• Interactive Media & Development: Interactive Media Design (IMD), Web Development, Mobile Application Design, User Experience (UX) Design
• Visual & Graphic Arts: Graphic Design, Illustration, Photography, Environmental Design (Interior Decor)
• Moving Image & Animation: Animation (2D/3D), Videography, Documentary Production, Broadcasting-Television
• Journalism & Communications: Journalism (print, broadcast, digital), Public Relations, Advertising & Marketing Communications
• Entertainment Technologies: Game Development (Programming/Design), Music Industry Arts
• Specialized Degrees: Bachelor of Design (BDes) in Interaction Design, Bachelor of Interior Design (BID)

Programs feature mandatory project-based coursework, portfolio development, and often include capstone projects simulating real-world client briefs. The curriculum undergoes continuous review by industry advisory boards ensuring alignment with technological advancements like AR/VR integration, motion capture, and AI-driven design tools.

Industry Integration & Experiential Learning

The School prioritizes deep industry connectivity through multifaceted work-integrated learning (WIL) frameworks:

• Co-operative Education: Paid co-op placements embedded in programs like Game Development, IMD, and Graphic Design, with students placed at organizations including Shopify, CBC, Adobe, and independent studios.
• Field Placements: Mandatory placements in Journalism, PR, and Broadcasting programs at media outlets, agencies, and corporate communications departments.
• Live Industry Projects: Clients commission student work through courses, such as branding projects for non-profits or documentary production for community initiatives.
• Industry Partnerships: Formal collaborations with Autodesk, Adobe, Canon, Ottawa International Animation Festival, and the Canadian Screen Awards, providing software access, guest lectures, and judging opportunities.

Annual events like the “Design & Media Showcase” attract recruiters from national media conglomerates, tech firms, and design agencies to scout emerging talent.

Advanced Facilities & Technical Resources

Students access over 75,000 sq ft of specialized labs and studios at the college’s Ottawa Campus:

• Digital Media Production Labs: Equipped with industry-standard workstations loaded with Adobe Creative Cloud, Autodesk Maya, Cinema 4D, Unity, and Unreal Engine.
• Broadcasting Infrastructure: Fully operational HD TV studio with control rooms, green screens, and remote broadcasting kits used by Broadcasting-Television students.
• Creative Studios: Professional photography studios with cycloramas, lighting grids; dedicated drawing/illustration studios; soundproof audio post-production suites.
• Immersive Technology Labs: VR development stations, motion capture studios, and 360° video production tools.
• Equipment Rentals: Extensive lending library including DSLRs, cinema cameras, lighting kits, audio recorders, and VR headsets available 24/7.

Facilities operate on extended hours during project-intensive periods, supported by dedicated technical staff.

Faculty Expertise & Student Development

Instruction is led by 100+ faculty members who maintain active industry practices alongside teaching:

• Industry-Active Professors: Include Emmy-winning filmmakers, published photojournalists, UX designers with app patents, and animators with major studio credits.
• Student Support Ecosystem: Dedicated academic advisors, portfolio review clinics, mental health counselors, and accessibility services. The “MakerSpace” offers peer tutoring in software and technical skills.
• Competitions & Awards: Students regularly win national awards like Applied Arts Student Awards, BEA Festival of Media Arts, and RGD Student Awards.

Student Experience & Creative Community

Beyond academics, students engage in dynamic campus activities:

• Clubs & Societies: Active groups include the Photography Club, Animation Guild, and independent game development collectives.
• Events & Exhibitions: Annual “Sight & Sound” festival screens student films; “Glitch Gaming Expo” showcases game projects; gallery exhibitions feature design/photo work.
• Industry Networking Nights: Quarterly mixers connect students with Ottawa-Gatineau’s tech startups, media outlets, and design studios.

The program fosters collaboration across disciplines—e.g., game developers partner with animation students, journalists work with designers on multimedia packages.

Career Pathways & Graduate Outcomes

Graduates benefit from an 87% employment rate within six months (college data), securing roles such as:

• Creative Industries: UX/UI Designers, Motion Graphics Artists, Art Directors, Multimedia Journalists
• Technical Fields: Gameplay Programmers, VR Developers, Broadcast Technicians
• Strategic Communications: Social Media Managers, PR Consultants, Content Strategists

Notable alumni include CBC producers, Ubisoft Montreal game designers, and founders of award-winning agencies like Stitch Media. The college’s dedicated “Work-Integrated Learning” department provides lifetime career support, including resume workshops and job boards exclusive to media/design sectors.

The School actively cultivates partnerships with Ottawa’s innovation economy—recognized as Canada’s “Silicon Valley North”—providing graduates with pathways into tech giants, government agencies, and cultural institutions alongside entrepreneurial support for freelance careers through its “Hatch” incubator for creative startups.

Advertising and Marketing Communications

Advertising and Marketing Communications Management

Duration: 3 years (6 semesters) | Credential: Ontario College Advanced Diploma

Program Overview: This intensive program prepares students for integrated marketing careers through hands-on experience in campaign development, consumer research, digital analytics, and strategic planning. Students work with real clients to create comprehensive marketing solutions across traditional and digital platforms, including social media, search marketing, and content strategy.

Key Components:

• Brand management and market analysis
• Digital advertising platforms (Google Ads, Meta Business Suite)
• Marketing automation tools (HubSpot, Marketo)
• Professional certification preparation (Google Analytics, Facebook Blueprint)

Career Outcomes: Media planner, account coordinator, SEO specialist, social media strategist, market researcher

Animation and Illustration

Animation

Duration: 3 years (6 semesters) | Credential: Ontario College Advanced Diploma

Program Overview: Comprehensive training in 2D/3D character animation, storyboarding, and visual storytelling using industry-standard tools like Maya, Toon Boom Harmony, and Adobe Creative Suite. Students produce professional demo reels through collaborative projects that simulate studio pipelines.

Specialized Streams:

• Character rigging and performance animation
• Environment modeling and texturing
• Lighting and rendering techniques

Illustration and Concept Art

Duration: 3 years (6 semesters) | Credential: Ontario College Advanced Diploma

Program Overview: Develops professional illustration skills for publishing, gaming, and film industries through traditional media and digital tools like Procreate and Photoshop. Focuses on visual narrative development, character design, and world-building.

Broadcasting, Journalism and Writing

Broadcasting – Television and Streaming Video

Duration: 2 years (4 semesters) | Credential: Ontario College Diploma

Program Overview: Hands-on training in HD studio production, field reporting, live streaming, and post-production using broadcast-grade equipment. Includes control room operations, scriptwriting, and multi-camera direction.

Facilities: Full-scale television studio with robotic cameras, production control room, and editing suites

Journalism

Duration: 2 years (4 semesters) | Credential: Ontario College Diploma

Program Overview: Develops multiplatform reporting skills for digital, broadcast, and print media. Includes court reporting, data journalism, podcast production, and investigative techniques through the program’s newsroom environment.

Design Studies

Graphic Design

Duration: 3 years (6 semesters) | Credential: Ontario College Advanced Diploma

Program Overview: Comprehensive design education covering typography, branding, packaging, editorial design, and user interface systems. Features professional portfolio development and real-world client projects.

Software Mastery: Adobe Creative Cloud, Figma, InVision

Environmental Design (Interior Decorating)

Duration: 2 years (4 semesters) | Credential: Ontario College Diploma

Program Overview: Focuses on residential/commercial space planning, sustainable materials, and design visualization using AutoCAD and SketchUp. Includes NKBA (National Kitchen & Bath Association) certification components.

Game Development

Game Development

Duration: 3 years (6 semesters) | Credential: Ontario College Advanced Diploma

Program Overview: Technical training in game programming with C#/C++, Unity, and Unreal Engine. Covers gameplay mechanics, AI programming, and multiplayer systems through team-based game production cycles.

Specializations:

• VR/AR development with Oculus/Meta Quest
• Procedural content generation
• Physics-based simulation

Game – Art

Duration: 3 years (6 semesters) | Credential: Ontario College Advanced Diploma

Program Overview: Creates 3D game assets, environments, and characters using ZBrush, Substance Painter, and Marvelous Designer. Focuses on optimized asset creation for real-time engines.

Interactive Multimedia

Interactive Media Design

Duration: 2 years (4 semesters) | Credential: Ontario College Diploma

Program Overview: Integrates front-end development (HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript) with UX/UI design principles. Students build responsive websites, progressive web apps, and interactive installations.

Capstone Project: Industry-sponsored digital product development

Interior Design

Bachelor of Interior Design

Duration: 4 years (8 semesters) | Credential: Honours Bachelor Degree

Program Overview: CIDA-accredited program covering building systems, building codes, commercial design, and BIM technologies (Revit, AutoCAD). Includes 420-hour internship and thesis project.

Professional Preparation: NCIDQ examination eligibility

Music and Performing Arts

Music Industry Arts

Duration: 2 years (4 semesters) | Credential: Ontario College Diploma

Program Overview: Comprehensive audio production training in professional studios featuring SSL consoles, Pro Tools HD systems, and analog outboard gear. Covers recording techniques, mixing, mastering, and live sound reinforcement.

Photography and Imaging

Photography

Duration: 2 years (4 semesters) | Credential: Ontario College Diploma

Program Overview: Technical training in commercial, editorial, and art photography using Phase One medium format systems, Profoto lighting, and advanced post-production techniques. Includes business development for working photographers.

Facilities: Professional cyclorama studio, darkroom, and digital printing lab

Specialized Programs

User Experience Design

Duration: 1 year (3 semesters) | Credential: Graduate Certificate

Program Overview: For design/tech graduates, focuses on research methodologies, interaction patterns, and prototyping for complex digital products. Includes usability testing labs and enterprise project experience.

Video Design and Production

Duration: 1 year (2 semesters) | Credential: Graduate Certificate

Program Overview: Advanced cinematography, directing, and post-production for corporate, documentary, and commercial applications using RED cinema cameras and DaVinci Resolve.

Interactive Media Management

Duration: 1 year (3 semesters) | Credential: Graduate Certificate

Program Overview: Project management training for digital products, covering agile methodologies, client management, and cross-functional team leadership.

Contact Algonquin College School of Media and Design:

Ottawa

Phone: 613-727-4723

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ACmadschool/