Design Management Program (Postgraduate) (G401)
Program Description
Program Overview
The one-year postgraduate Design Management certificate program gets you ready for a successful career in strategic design management. You'll gain the skills needed to lead a multidisciplinary design team that can develop products and services based on strategic business objectives. We'll also give you the required business skills to manage a consultancy or corporate design division.
Full Description
This exciting one-year postgraduate certificate program in Design Management builds the skills needed to lead a multidisciplinary design team. Learn all about how to create design strategies for products and services based on business objectives. You'll complete this program equipped with practical tools and interpersonal skills, plus the expertise needed to manage a consultancy or corporate design division.
This program is for:
- Design professionals with a global perspective who want to become active partners in helping firms develop and grow through expanded participation in strategic management.
- Designers looking to enhance your career opportunities in supervisory or management positions.
- Designers seeking to integrate strategic design into the workplace.
- Designers with an entrepreneurial spirit wanting to start your own company.
Your courses will include lessons in design process and strategy, project management, finance, team management, design research, contracts, business planning, communications, and intellectual property protection. You'll also participate in a major studio course featuring real-world design projects.
Your Field Education Options
A mandatory Design Management Internship (DESN1031) course is taken in semester 2. An external field placement role is not guaranteed in this course; students who are not placed externally will engage in a Work Integrated Project. The work term is a total of 120 hours, part-time, over an 8-week period. The Design Management Internship provides students with exposure to a Design Manager in a Canadian workplace environment.
Learn more about Experiential Learning at the School of Design including how to apply, important dates, workflow, and PLAR eligibility.
Career & Postgraduate Study Opportunities
Educational Pathways
Alumni Impact
We are immensely proud of the contributions of our alumni in Toronto and around the globe.
From Michelin-starred restaurants to major construction, entertainment, community and financial organizations, our graduates are truly making an impact across a range of industries.
Latest alumni stories
Courses
Required Courses
SEMESTER 1
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| DESN 1022 | Design Strategy |
| DESN 1023 | Managing Innovation and Creativity |
| DESN 1024 | Managing Design Projects |
| DESN 1027 | Business Design |
| DESN 1028 | Strategic Design Research and Development |
| COMM 1152 | Design Business Communications |
SEMESTER 2
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| DESN 1021 | Design Team Leadership |
| DESN 1025 | Case Studies and Applications |
| DESN 1029 | Major Design Project |
| DESN 1031 | Design Management Internship |
Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate demonstrates the ability to:
- Manage multidisciplinary design groups using practical working models of management systems.
- Analyze evolving market needs to identify design strategies required for the development of new products and services.
- Plan, implement and control project plans that are flexible and reflect the evolutionary environment of the design process.
- Enhance leadership skills, management skills and design expertise through the development of personal professional development strategies and plans.
- Establish working relationships with clients, customers and designers which maintain and strengthen their loyalty to their organization, as well as recognize design discipline protocols.
- Develop and implement business strategies to recruit clients and new business opportunities.
- Design and deliver sales presentations persuasively and accurately in oral, written, graphic and digital form.
- Formulate and present comprehensive business plans for design projects.
- Develop design strategies based on perceived value, competitive pressures and corporate objectives.
- Evaluate results of design activities using criteria relating to application of best practices, costs and profits.
Tuition & Fees
Domestic Tuition
International Tuition
Additional Costs
* Amounts listed are the estimated total of tuition, materials (non-refundable), student service and ancillary fees for the first two semesters of programs starting in Fall 2023. Fees are subject to change for programs starting in Fall 2024 and at later dates. This fee does not include books, which are to be purchased by the student separately.
** Amounts listed are the estimated total of tuition, materials, student service and ancillary fees for the first two semesters of programs starting in Fall 2024. Tuition fees are subject to board approval. Material, student service and ancillary fees are estimated based on prior years. All fees are subject to change without notice. This fee does not include books, which are to be purchased by the student separately.
International Students
Visit the International Fees and Related Costs page for more information.
Financial Assistance
Each year we award over $2 million dollars in scholarships, awards and bursaries to first-year students. Check out our financial aid webpages for ways to pay for college and the full list of available scholarships, awards and bursaries.
This program is approved for OSAP funding, provided the applicant meets OSAP eligibility criteria.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this website is subject to change without notice. It should not be viewed as a representation, offer or warranty. Students are responsible for verifying George Brown College fee requirements.
Admission Requirements
- Diploma or Bachelor's Degree, or demonstrated competence through related work experience (resume required)
English Language Proficiency
Applicants with international transcripts who do not provide English proficiency test results must test at the college level in the George Brown College English assessment to be considered for admission. In addition, applicants who are accepted based solely on their work experience will be required to provide proof of English proficiency at the college level, and may be required to write the George Brown College English admission assessment.
Please visit the English Proficiency page for more details.
Course Exemptions
College or university credits may qualify you for course exemptions. Please visit the Transfer Guide for more information.
International Students
Visit the International Admissions page for more information regarding country specific admission requirements.
How to Apply
Domestic students should apply through Ontario Colleges.
International Students
Visit the How to Apply page for more information on how and when to apply.
International students should apply through the George Brown College Online Application System.
Contact Us
School of Design
Phone: 416-415-5000, ext. 2137
Email: design@georgebrown.ca
Design Management program co-ordinator: Toni Allen Toni.Allen@georgebrown.ca
For more information about George Brown College, you may also call the Contact Centre at 416-415-2000 or long distance 1-800-265-2002.
Contact one of our international recruitment representatives specializing by country of origin by either booking a virtual meeting or submitting an inquiry. For more information visit the International Contact Us page
Visit Our Campus
This program is part of our School of Design, located at our Waterfront Campus, at 3 Lower Jarvis St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
School of Design Building
The School of Design resides in a new 103,000-square-foot facility in the Daniels Waterfront – City of the Arts development. This state-of-the-art building supports academic programs and industry projects with features such as:
- virtual and augmented reality lab
- usability and testing lab
- Future Ways of Living lab
- peer tutor lab
- digital sandbox
- incubators
- prototyping and workshop spaces
- design and innovation showcase spaces
Come and have your questions answered, learn about the program content and career options, meet your friendly professors and staff and experience what it is like to be in a George Brown College classroom at one of our information sessions. You can also book a campus tour.
Design Management Program (Postgraduate) (G401)
Program Description
Program Overview
The postgraduate Design Management program prepares you for a career managing design strategically. This program builds the skills needed to lead a multidisciplinary design team to develop products and services based on strategic business objectives. The program also teaches the business skills necessary to manage a consultancy or corporate design division.
Full Description
This postgraduate program in Design Management builds the skills needed to lead a multidisciplinary design team. You will learn how to develop design strategies for products and services based on business objectives. This program teaches practical tools and interpersonal facilitative skills, as well as the business knowledge required to manage a consultancy or corporate design division.
Who should take this program:
- Design professionals with a global perspective who want to become active partners in helping firms develop and grow through expanded participation in strategic management.
- Designers looking to enhance their career opportunities in supervisory or management positions.
- Designers seeking to integrate strategic design into the workplace.
- Designers with an entrepreneurial spirit looking to start their own company.
Courses in design process and strategy, project management, finance, team management, design research, contracts, business planning, communications and intellectual property protection complement a major studio course featuring real-world design projects. The courses cover the essential elements of a business strategy and how design contributes to the definition and realization of the strategy.
Your Field Education Options
A mandatory Design Management Internship (DESN1031) course is taken in semester 2. An external field placement role is not guaranteed in this course; students who are not placed externally will engage in a Work Integrated Project. The work term is a total of 120 hours, part-time, over an 8-week period. The Design Management Internship provides students with exposure to a Design Manager in a Canadian workplace environment.
Learn more about Experiential Learning at the School of Design including how to apply, important dates, workflow, and PLAR eligibility.
Career & Postgraduate Study Opportunities
Educational Pathways
Alumni Impact
We are immensely proud of the contributions of our alumni in Toronto and around the globe.
From Michelin-starred restaurants to major construction, entertainment, community and financial organizations, our graduates are truly making an impact across a range of industries.
Latest alumni stories
Courses
Required Courses
SEMESTER 1
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| DESN 1022 | Design Strategy |
| DESN 1023 | Managing Innovation and Creativity |
| DESN 1024 | Managing Design Projects |
| DESN 1027 | Business Design |
| DESN 1028 | Strategic Design Research and Development |
| COMM 1152 | Design Business Communications |
SEMESTER 2
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| DESN 1021 | Design Team Leadership |
| DESN 1025 | Case Studies and Applications |
| DESN 1029 | Major Design Project |
| DESN 1031 | Design Management Internship |
Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate demonstrates the ability to:
- Manage multidisciplinary design groups using practical working models of management systems.
- Analyze evolving market needs to identify design strategies required for the development of new products and services.
- Plan, implement and control project plans that are flexible and reflect the evolutionary environment of the design process.
- Enhance leadership skills, management skills and design expertise through the development of personal professional development strategies and plans.
- Establish working relationships with clients, customers and designers which maintain and strengthen their loyalty to their organization, as well as recognize design discipline protocols.
- Develop and implement business strategies to recruit clients and new business opportunities.
- Design and deliver sales presentations persuasively and accurately in oral, written, graphic and digital form.
- Formulate and present comprehensive business plans for design projects.
- Develop design strategies based on perceived value, competitive pressures and corporate objectives.
- Evaluate results of design activities using criteria relating to application of best practices, costs and profits.
Tuition & Fees
Domestic Tuition
International Tuition
Additional Costs
* Amounts listed are the total of tuition, materials (non-refundable), student service and ancillary fees for the first two semesters of programs starting in Fall 2022. Fees are subject to change for programs starting in Fall 2023 and at later dates.
**Amounts listed are the total of tuition, materials, student service and ancillary fees for the first two semesters of programs starting in Fall 2023. Fees are subject to change for programs starting in Fall 2024 and at later dates.
International Students
Visit the International Fees and Related Costs page for more information.
Financial Assistance
Each year we award over $2 million dollars in scholarships, awards and bursaries to first-year students. Check out our financial aid webpages for ways to pay for college and the full list of available scholarships, awards and bursaries.
This program is approved for OSAP funding, provided the applicant meets OSAP eligibility criteria.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this website is subject to change without notice. It should not be viewed as a representation, offer or warranty. Students are responsible for verifying George Brown College fee requirements.
Admission Requirements
- Diploma or Bachelor's Degree, or demonstrated competence through related work experience (resume required)
- Online Interview
- Questionnaire & Portfolio (Link for Questionnaire and Portfolio will be provided when you reach that part of the application process)
English Language Proficiency
Applicants with international transcripts who do not provide English proficiency test results must test at the college level in the George Brown College English assessment to be considered for admission. In addition, applicants who are accepted based solely on their work experience will be required to provide proof of English proficiency at the college level, and may be required to write the George Brown College English admission assessment.
Please visit the English Proficiency page for more details.
Course Exemptions
College or university credits may qualify you for course exemptions. Please visit the Transfer Guide for more information.
Apply to
Domestic students should apply through Ontario Colleges.
International Students
Visit the International Admissions page for more information regarding country specific admission requirements.
How to Apply
Domestic students should apply through Ontario Colleges.
International Students
Visit the How to Apply page for more information on how and when to apply.
International students should apply through the George Brown College Online Application System.
Contact Us
Phone: 416-415-5000, ext. 2137
Email: design@georgebrown.ca
Design Management program co-ordinator: Toni Allen Toni.Allen@georgebrown.ca
For more information about George Brown College, you may also call the Contact Centre at 416-415-2000 or long distance 1-800-265-2002.
Contact one of our international recruitment representatives specializing by country of origin by either booking a virtual meeting or submitting an inquiry. For more information visit the International Contact Us page
Visit Our Campus
This program is part of our School of Design, located at our Waterfront Campus, at 3 Lower Jarvis St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The School of Design resides in a new 103,000-square-foot facility in the Daniels Waterfront – City of the Arts development. This state-of-the-art building supports academic programs and industry projects with features such as:
- virtual and augmented reality lab
- usability and testing lab
- Future Ways of Living lab
- peer tutor lab
- digital sandbox
- incubators
- prototyping and workshop spaces
- design and innovation showcase spaces
Come and have your questions answered, learn about the program content and career options, meet your friendly professors and staff and experience what it is like to be in a George Brown College classroom at one of our information sessions. You can also book a campus tour.
