Honours Bachelor of Brand Design Program (G304)
- Program Name: Honours Bachelor of Brand Design
- Code: G304
- Credential: Honours Bachelor's Degree
- Method of Study: Full-time
- Duration: 4 years (8 semesters) plus 1 Co-op Work Term
- Centre:
- School: Design
- Location: Waterfront Campus
- Starting Months: September
- Domestic Tuition: $7,758.00 * †
- International Tuition: $20,612.00 ** †
Compare up to 3 programs
Overview
Program Overview
The Honours Bachelor of Brand Design is a four-year degree that produces designers with strengths in collaboration, research, critical and strategic thinking, technical design execution and brand storytelling.
Full Description
The Honours Bachelor of Brand Design is a four-year degree program that responds to the rapidly changing world of graphic design by preparing you to be forward-looking brand designers with strengths in collaboration, research, critical and strategic thinking, technical design execution and brand storytelling. It is built on multidisciplinary pillars of research, critical thinking, strategic brand development, technical design execution and brand storytelling.
Brands are more than logos or sales tactics, they are carefully developed relationships between the brand makers and audiences – a brand is a promise to follow through on a purpose and a set of values that taken together express how someone perceives an organization or product. The Honours Bachelor of Brand Design degree is an opportunity to build a knowledgeable creative community of collaborators and strategic designers who are able to bridge business strategy, technology and the design world in order to produce innovative brand experiences.
As a student of the Honours Bachelor of Brand Design degree program, you will develop the analytical and technical skills to:
- Communicate and evolve the brand through the design of visual and physical, online and offline identities and experiences.
- Research to create and tailor designs that work across different touchpoints, generating dynamic, responsive, multisensory and personalized brand experiences for customers.
- Write, visualize and translate the brand story across these touchpoints and engage long-term with the emotions of audiences.
- Collaborate toward creative innovation with multidisciplinary teams.
This program responds to the dynamic and growing field of design, training you to:
- Create streamlined brand messaging across numerous mediums and touchpoints that engages audiences.
- Understand new technology and be able to work across the old and new channels.
- Have strong writing skills and adapt to different situations, audiences and genres.
- Be flexible in that they are able to adapt to changing work and work environments (multiple sectors, services and products).
- Work collaboratively and bridge business and creative roles by understanding the culture, processes and language of the branding business.
- Utilize diverse and quantifiable research methodologies in the design process.
- Offer a diverse and customizable range of services to clients, particularly niche services (e.g., video and animation).
- Have the ability to compete on tender: put together a professional sales pitch while offering a competitive price.
Why study Brand Design at George Brown College?
The School of Design at George Brown has an established reputation for design education that focuses on imagination, hones critical thinking skills and engages with the latest technologies. Our faculty bring a combination of professional experience and advanced education to offer course content that is always evolving and reflective of trends in industry and academia.
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
Our facilities and computer labs include the latest hardware and software and are complemented by a curriculum that reflects changing industry demands.
Your Field Education Options
Students must complete a 420-hour paid co-op work term in the spring/summer period between the third and fourth year.
Students have the opportunity to complete this co-op domestically and/or internationally, as opportunities arise. The majority of co-op work terms are completed in the Greater Toronto Area, where the design sector is robust and the majority of interaction jobs are located.
The School of Design Field Placement team works with many notable training partners, including agencies such as Publicis, K9 Strategy + Design, Trevor/Peter and Relish Interactive; larger, well-known brands such as Nelvana (Corus Entertainment), Rogers Media, Mozilla, Crayola and PUR Gum; and a variety of industry-relevant arts and design institutions, including the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) and Applied Arts.
The work term allows students to apply the skills, abilities and knowledge they've acquired in the program in a workplace environment or through an appropriate interaction design research project or initiative. Students gain valuable experience and the opportunity to reflect on the application of previous learning. A faculty member evaluates the student based on feedback provided by the employer.
Students will develop a digital portfolio demonstrating artifacts completed during the co-op work term.
Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate demonstrates the ability to:
- Use ideation techniques to generate innovative design solutions that respond to a creative brief.
- Participate in a collaborative brand-building project to produce an outcome that meets the needs of the client.
- Incorporate interdisciplinary theoretical approaches in the planning, production, and critique of design and strategy work.
- Plan, conduct and apply research in order to contextualize and make informed design.
- Assess the social, environmental and economic impact of the design solution in order to prioritize sustainability issues in design practice.
- Use the fundamental principles of branding to address the needs of the brand design and strategy for clients of various scale.
- Design solutions in support of a brand strategy.
- Communicate information, arguments, creative ideas and brand stories persuasively, to a range of audiences, using a variety of verbal, visual and written communication techniques.
- Utilize professional practices and knowledge of the business of branding in all design and strategy work.
Courses
Required Courses
SEMESTER 1
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES 1005 | History and Cultures of Branding | NONE |
| BDES 1006 | Introduction to Design Thinking | NONE |
| BDES 1007 | Design Studio 1: Design Foundations | NONE |
| BDES 1008 | Production 1: Print & Digital Applications | NONE |
| BDES 1009 | Type 1: Foundations | NONE |
| BDES 1004 | Communicating for Design | NONE |
SEMESTER 2
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES 1204 | Research for Design 1: Qualitative & Quantitative Foundations | None |
| BDES 1205 | Design Studio 2: Design as Communication | BDES 1007 |
| BDES 1206 | Production 2: Digital Applications | BDES 1008 |
| BDES 1207 | Type 2: Typesetting and Layout | BDES 1009 |
| BDES 1208 | Writing Studio 1: Brand Copywriting | BDES 1010 |
| LOWER Liberal Studies Elective |
SEMESTER 3
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDE S2304 | Brand Strategy 1: A to Z of the Brand | BDES 1005 BDES 1204 |
| BDES 2305 | Design Studio 3: Intro to 2D & 3D Design | BDES 1205 |
| BDES2306 | Production 3: Motion & Video | BDES 1206 |
| BDES2307 | Type 3: Typographic System | BDES 1207 |
| LOWER Liberal Studies Elective |
SEMESTER 4
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES 2404 | Critical Perspectives in Communications and Cultural Theory | BDES 1005 |
| BDES 2405 | Research for Design 2: Qualitative Approaches and Tools | BDES 1204 |
| BDES 2406 | Design Studio 4: Product & Packaging | BDES 2305 |
| BDES 2407 | Production 4: Introduction to Web Design | BDES 2306 |
| BDES 2408 | Writing Studio 2: Brand Story | BDES 1208 |
| LOWER Liberal Studies Elective |
SEMESTER 5
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES 3506 | Brand Strategy 2: Brand Resilience | BDES 2304 BDES 2405 |
| BDES 3507 | Research for Design 3: Data Collection and Analysis | BDES 2405 BDES 2304 |
| BDES 3508 | Design Studio 5: UX/UI Branded Experiences | BDES 2406 |
| BDES 3509 | Design Studio 6: 3D Branded Environments | BDES 2305 |
| LOWER Liberal Studies Elective |
SEMESTER 6
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES 3606 | Brand Consumption in a Global Economy | BDES 2404 BDES 3507 BDES 3506 |
| BDES 3607 | Research for Design 4: Systems and Services | BDES 3507 BDES 3508 BDES 3509 |
| BDES 3608 | Design Studio 7: Identity Design | BDES 3508 BDES 3509 |
| BDES 3609 | The Business of Design: Professional Practice | |
| UPPER Liberal Studies Elective |
SUMMER
| Code | Course name |
|---|---|
| GCOP 1001 | Work-Integrated Learning Co-op |
SEMESTER 7
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES 4703 | Brand Strategy 3: Future Brand | BDES 3506 |
| BDES 4705 | Special Topics: Design for Social Good | BDES 3607 BDES 3606 |
| BDES 4706 | Senior Project I: Thesis Preparation | BDES 4703 BDES 3608 |
| UPPER Liberal Studies Elective |
SEMESTER 8
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES 4802 | Intellectual Property | BDES 3507 BDES 4703 BDES 3606 |
| BDES 4803 | Senior Project II: Thesis Development and Production | BDES 4706 |
| BDES 4805 | Cross Platform Brand Narrative | BDES 2408 |
| UPPER Liberal Studies Elective |
Career & Postgraduate Study Opportunities
Educational Pathways
If you are a George Brown College student who has completed the second or third year of the Graphic Design Advanced Diploma (G102) with a grade point average of 3.2 (75 per cent) or higher, you may be eligible to enter a degree completion pathway to this program. For more information, contact your program coordinator.
Graduates of the Honours Bachelor of Brand Design program may qualify to pursue further graduate studies in relevant program areas. Students should contact universities directly to explore graduate school opportunities.
Graduates of the degree will be prepared for graduate studies in branding, design and communication fields.
Tuition and Fees
Domestic Tuition
International Tuition
Additional Costs
* Amounts listed are the total of tuition, materials, 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.
† Fees for this program do not include the $500 cost of the work-integrated learning or co-op work term.
** Amounts listed are the estimated total of tuition, materials, student service and ancillary fees for the first two semesters of programs starting in Fall 2023. 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.
International Students
Visit the International Fees and Related Costs page for more information.
Financial Assistance
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.
How to Qualify and Apply
Admission Requirements
Applicants are selected on the basis of their academic achievement, including the required courses, and any other selection criteria outlined below.
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent**
- six (6) grade 12 University (U) or University/College (M) courses or equivalent with a combined average of 65 per cent or above (including English)
- English, grade 12 (U) with a grade or 65 per cent or higher
- application questionnaire*
- portfolio*
*Qualified applicants will be invited to complete the application questionnaire and submit a portfolio electronically. Details on the application questionnaire and portfolio requirements will be communicated at a later date to qualified applicants, as part of the review process.
OR
**Mature Student Status (19 years of age or older and no OSSD)
- English, grade 12 (U) with a grade of 65 per cent or higher
- post-secondary credits may be considered (certain credits only)
- application Questionnaire*
- portfolio*
*Qualified applicants will be invited to complete the application questionnaire and submit a portfolio electronically. Details on the application questionnaire and portfolio requirements will be communicated at a later date to qualified applicants, as part of the review process.
**There is no mature student testing in the required credits for degree programs. Mature applicants must have the English credit required. Additional information on where and how to upgrade can be found on the English upgrading page.
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.
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.
George Brown has been granted a consent by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities to offer this applied degree for a seven-year term starting March 6, 2020. George Brown will ensure that all students admitted to this program during the period of consent will have the opportunity to complete the program within a reasonable time frame.
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. 3129
Email: design@georgebrown.ca
For more information about George Brown College, you may also call the Contact Centre at 416-415-2000 (TTY 1-877-515-5559) or long distance 1-800-265-2002.
International Students
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.
Sign up and learn more about your options, our programs, and life at George Brown.
Honours Bachelor of Brand Design Program (G304)
- Program Name: Honours Bachelor of Brand Design
- Code: G304
- Credential: Honours Bachelor's Degree
- Method of Study: Full-time
- Duration: 4 years (8 semesters) plus 1 Co-op Work Term
- Centre:
- School: Design
- Location: Waterfront Campus
- Starting Months: September
- Domestic Tuition: $7,716.00 * †
- International Tuition: $20,062.00 ** †
- Winter 2023 Delivery: Semester 2, 4: Hybrid
- Spring 2023 Delivery: Not Available
Compare up to 3 programs
Overview
Program Overview
The Honours Bachelor of Brand Design is a four-year degree that produces designers with strengths in collaboration, research, critical and strategic thinking, technical design execution and brand storytelling.
Full Description
The Honours Bachelor of Brand Design is a four-year degree program that responds to the rapidly changing world of graphic design by preparing you to be forward-looking brand designers with strengths in collaboration, research, critical and strategic thinking, technical design execution and brand storytelling. It is built on multidisciplinary pillars of research, critical thinking, strategic brand development, technical design execution and brand storytelling.
Brands are more than logos or sales tactics, they are carefully developed relationships between the brand makers and audiences – a brand is a promise to follow through on a purpose and a set of values that taken together express how someone perceives an organization or product. The Honours Bachelor of Brand Design degree is an opportunity to build a knowledgeable creative community of collaborators and strategic designers who are able to bridge business strategy, technology and the design world in order to produce innovative brand experiences.
As a student of the Honours Bachelor of Brand Design degree program, you will develop the analytical and technical skills to:
- Communicate and evolve the brand through the design of visual and physical, online and offline identities and experiences.
- Research to create and tailor designs that work across different touchpoints, generating dynamic, responsive, multi-sensory and personalized brand experiences for customers.
- Write, visualize and translate the brand story across these touchpoints and engage long-term with the emotions of audiences.
- Collaborate toward creative innovation with multidisciplinary teams.
This program responds to the dynamic and growing field of design, training you to:
- Create streamlined brand messaging across numerous mediums and touchpoints that engages audiences.
- Understand new technology and be able to work across the old and new channels.
- Have strong writing skills and adapt to different situations, audiences and genres.
- Be flexible in that they are able to adapt to changing work and work environments (multiple sectors, services and products).
- Work collaboratively and bridge business and creative roles by understanding the culture, processes and language of the branding business.
- Utilize diverse and quantifiable research methodologies in the design process.
- Offer a diverse and customizable range of services to clients, particularly niche services (e.g., video and animation).
- Have the ability to compete on tender: put together a professional sales pitch while offering a competitive price.
Why study Brand Design at George Brown College?
The School of Design at George Brown has an established reputation for design education that focuses on imagination, hones critical thinking skills and engages with the latest technologies. Our faculty bring a combination of professional experience and advanced education to offer course content that is always evolving and reflective of trends in industry and academia.
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
Our facilities and computer labs include the latest hardware and software and are complemented by a curriculum that reflects changing industry demands.
Computer Recommendation
All School of Design students are able to utilize the computers within the School of Design to complete their assignments. If a student within this program would like to purchase a personal computer to complete their work from home, we recommend the following specifications:
Apple
- A Macbook Pro, iMac, Mac Studio, or Mac Pro that was released within the last 3 years or better.
Your Field Education Options
Students must complete a 420-hour paid co-op work term in the spring/summer period between the third and fourth year.
Students have the opportunity to complete this co-op domestically and/or internationally, as opportunities arise. The majority of co-op work terms are completed in the Greater Toronto Area, where the design sector is robust and the majority of interaction jobs are located.
The School of Design Field Placement team works with many notable training partners, including agencies such as Publicis, K9 Strategy + Design, Trevor/Peter and Relish Interactive; larger, well-known brands such as Nelvana (Corus Entertainment), Rogers Media, Mozilla, Crayola and PUR Gum; and a variety of industry-relevant arts and design institutions, including the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) and Applied Arts.
The work term allows students to apply the skills, abilities and knowledge they've acquired in the program in a workplace environment or through an appropriate interaction design research project or initiative. Students gain valuable experience and the opportunity to reflect on the application of previous learning. A faculty member evaluates the student based on feedback provided by the employer.
Students will develop a digital portfolio demonstrating artifacts completed during the co-op work term.
Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate demonstrates the ability to:
- Use ideation techniques to generate innovative design solutions that respond to a creative brief.
- Participate in a collaborative brand-building project to produce an outcome that meets the needs of the client.
- Incorporate interdisciplinary theoretical approaches in the planning, production, and critique of design and strategy work.
- Plan, conduct and apply research in order to contextualize and make informed design.
- Assess the social, environmental and economic impact of the design solution in order to prioritize sustainability issues in design practice.
- Use the fundamental principles of branding to address the needs of the brand design and strategy for clients of various scale.
- Design solutions in support of a brand strategy.
- Communicate information, arguments, creative ideas and brand stories persuasively, to a range of audiences, using a variety of verbal, visual and written communication techniques.
- Utilize professional practices and knowledge of the business of branding in all design and strategy work.
Courses
Required Courses
SEMESTER 1
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES1005 | History and Cultures of Branding | NONE |
| BDES1006 | Introduction to Design Thinking | NONE |
| BDES1007 | Design Studio 1: Design Foundations | NONE |
| BDES1008 | Production 1: Print & Digital Applications | NONE |
| BDES1009 | Type 1: Foundations | NONE |
| BDES1004 | Communicating for Design | NONE |
SEMESTER 2
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES1204 | Research for Design 1: Qualitative & Quantitative Foundations | None |
| BDES1205 | Design Studio 2: Design as Communication | BDES1007 |
| BDES1206 | Production 2: Digital Applications | BDES1008 |
| BDES1207 | Type 2: Typesetting and Layout | BDES1009 |
| BDES1208 | Writing Studio 1: Brand Copywriting | BDES1010 |
| LOWER Liberal Studies Elective |
SEMESTER 3
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES2304 | Brand Strategy 1: A to Z of the Brand | BDES1005 BDES1204 |
| BDES2305 | Design Studio 3: Intro to 2D & 3D Design | BDES1205 |
| BDES2306 | Production 3: Motion & Video | BDES1206 |
| BDES2307 | Type 3: Typographic System | BDES1207 |
| LOWER Liberal Studies Elective |
SEMESTER 4
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES2404 | Critical Perspectives in Communications and Cultural Theory | BDES1005 |
| BDES2405 | Research for Design 2: Qualitative Approaches and Tools | BDES1204 |
| BDES2406 | Design Studio 4: Product & Packaging | BDES2305 |
| BDES2407 | Production 4: Introduction to Web Design | BDES2306 |
| BDES2408 | Writing Studio 2: Brand Story | BDES1208 |
| LOWER Liberal Studies Elective |
SEMESTER 5
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES3506 | Brand Strategy 2: Brand Resilience | BDES2304 BDES2405 |
| BDES3507 | Research for Design 3: Data Collection and Analysis | BDES2405 BDES2304 |
| BDES3508 | Design Studio 5: UX/UI Branded Experiences | BDES2406 |
| BDES3509 | Design Studio 6: 3D Branded Environments | BDES2305 |
| LOWER Liberal Studies Elective |
SEMESTER 6
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES3606 | Brand Consumption in a Global Economy | BDES2404 BDES3507 BDES3506 |
| BDES3607 | Research for Design 4: Systems and Services | BDES3507 BDES3508 BDES3509 |
| BDES3608 | Design Studio 7: Identity Design | BDES3508 BDES3509 |
| BDES3609 | The Business of Design: Professional Practice | |
| UPPER Liberal Studies Elective |
SUMMER
| Code | Course name |
|---|---|
| GCOP1001 | Work Integrated Learning Co-Op |
SEMESTER 7
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES4703 | Brand Strategy 3: Future Brand | BDES3506 |
| BDES4705 | Special Topics: Design for Social Good | BDES3607 BDES3606 |
| BDES4706 | Senior Project I: Thesis Preparation | BDES4703 BDES3608 |
| UPPER Liberal Studies Elective |
SEMESTER 8
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES4802 | Intellectual Property | BDES3507 BDES4703 BDES3606 |
| BDES4803 | Senior Project II: Thesis Development and Production | BDES4706 |
| BDES4805 | Cross Platform Brand Narrative | BDES2408 |
| UPPER Liberal Studies Elective |
Career & Postgraduate Study Opportunities
Educational Pathways
If you are a George Brown College student who has completed the second or third year of the Graphic Design Advanced Diploma (G102) with a grade point average of 3.2 (75%) or higher, you may be eligible to enter a degree completion pathway to this program. For more information, contact your program coordinator.
Graduates of the Honours Bachelor of Brand Design program may qualify to pursue further graduate studies in relevant program areas. Students should contact universities directly to explore graduate school opportunities.
Graduates of the degree will be prepared for graduate studies in branding, design and communication fields.
Tuition and Fees
Domestic Tuition
International Tuition
Additional Costs
* Amounts listed are the total of tuition, materials, student service and ancillary fees for the first two semesters of programs starting in Fall 2021. Fees are subject to change for programs starting in Fall 2022 and at later dates.
† Fees for this program do not include the $500 cost of the work-integrated learning or co-op work term.
** Amounts listed are the total of tuition, materials, 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.
International Students
Visit the International Fees and Related Costs page for more information.
Financial Assistance
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.
How to Qualify and Apply
Admission Requirements
Applicants are selected on the basis of their academic achievement, including the required courses, and any other selection criteria outlined below.
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent**
- six (6) grade 12 University (U) or University/College (M) courses or equivalent with a combined average of 65% or above (including English)
- English, grade 12 (U) with a grade or 65% or higher
- application questionnaire*
- portfolio*
*Qualified applicants will be invited to complete the application questionnaire and submit a portfolio electronically. Details on the application questionnaire and portfolio requirements will be communicated at a later date to qualified applicants, as part of the review process.
OR
**Mature Student Status (19 years of age or older and no OSSD)
- English, grade 12 (U) with a grade of 65% or higher
- post-secondary credits may be considered (certain credits only)
- application Questionnaire*
- portfolio*
*Qualified applicants will be invited to complete the application questionnaire and submit a portfolio electronically. Details on the application questionnaire and portfolio requirements will be communicated at a later date to qualified applicants, as part of the review process.
**There is no mature student testing in the required credits for degree programs. Additional information on where and how to upgrade can be found on the English upgrading page.
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.
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.
George Brown has been granted a consent by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities to offer this applied degree for a seven-year term starting March 6, 2020. George Brown will ensure that all students admitted to this program during the period of consent will have the opportunity to complete the program within a reasonable time frame.
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. 3129
Email: design@georgebrown.ca
For more information about George Brown College, you may also call the Contact Centre at 416-415-2000 (TTY 1-877-515-5559) or long distance 1-800-265-2002.
International Students
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.
Sign up and learn more about your options, our programs, and life at George Brown.
Honours Bachelor of Brand Design Program (G304)
- Program Name: Honours Bachelor of Brand Design
- Code: G304
- Credential: Honours Bachelor's Degree
- Method of Study: Full-time
- Duration: 4 years (8 semesters) plus 1 Co-op Work Term
- Centre:
- School: Design
- Location: Waterfront Campus
- Starting Months: September
- Domestic Tuition: $7,700.00* †
- Winter 2022 Delivery: Semester 2: Online
- Spring 2022 Delivery: Not Running
Compare up to 3 programs
Overview
Program Overview
The Honours Bachelor of Brand Design is a four-year degree that produces designers with strengths in collaboration, research, critical and strategic thinking, technical design execution and brand storytelling.
Full Description
The Honours Bachelor of Brand Design is a four-year degree program that responds to the rapidly changing world of graphic design by preparing students to be forward-looking brand designers with strengths in collaboration, research, critical and strategic thinking, technical design execution and brand storytelling. It is built on multidisciplinary pillars of research, critical thinking, strategic brand development, technical design execution and brand storytelling.
Brands are more than logos or sales tactics, they are carefully developed relationships between the brand makers and audiences – a brand is a promise to follow through on a purpose and a set of values that taken together express how someone perceives an organization or product. The Honours Bachelor of Brand Design degree is an opportunity to build a knowledgeable creative community of collaborators and strategic designers who are able to bridge business strategy, technology and the design world in order to produce innovative brand experiences.
Graduates of the Honours Bachelor of Brand Design degree program will have the analytical and technical skills to:
- Communicate and evolve the brand through the design of visual and physical, online and offline identities and experiences.
- Research to create and tailor designs that work across different touchpoints, generating dynamic, responsive, multi-sensory and personalized brand experiences for customers.
- Write, visualize and translate the brand story across these touchpoints and engage long-term with the emotions of audiences.
- Collaborate towards creative innovation with multidisciplinary teams.
This program responds to the dynamic and growing field of design, training learners to:
- Create streamlined brand messaging across numerous mediums and touchpoints that engages audiences.
- Understand new technology and be able to work across the old and new channels.
- Have strong writing skills and adapt to different situations, audiences and genres.
- Be flexible in that they are able to adapt to changing work and work environments (multiple sectors, services and products).
- Work collaboratively and bridge business and creative roles, by understanding the culture, processes, and language of the branding business.
- Utilize diverse and quantifiable research methodologies in the design process.
- Offer a diverse and customizable range of services to clients, particularly niche services (e.g. video and animation).
- Have the ability to compete on tender: put together a professional sales pitch while offering a competitive price.
Why study Brand Design at George Brown College?
The School of Design at George Brown has an established reputation for design education that focuses on imagination, hones critical thinking skills and engages with the latest technologies. Our faculty bring a combination of professional experience and advanced education to offer course content that is always evolving and reflective of trends in industry and academia.
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
Our facilities and computer labs include the latest hardware and software and are complemented by a curriculum that reflects changing industry demands.
Your Field Education Options
Students must complete a 420-hour paid co-op work term in the spring/summer period between the third and fourth year.
Students have the opportunity to complete this co-op domestically and/or internationally, as opportunities arise. The majority of co-op work terms are completed in the Greater Toronto Area, where the design sector is robust and the majority of interaction jobs are located.
The School of Design Field Placement team works with many notable training partners, including agencies such as Publicis, K9 Strategy + Design, Trevor/Peter and Relish Interactive; larger, well-known brands such as Nelvana (Corus Entertainment), Rogers Media, Mozilla, Crayola and PUR Gum; and a variety of industry-relevant arts and design institutions, including the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) and Applied Arts.
The work term allows students to apply the skills, abilities and knowledge they've acquired in the program in a workplace environment or through an appropriate interaction design research project or initiative. Students gain valuable experience and the opportunity to reflect on the application of previous learning. A faculty member evaluates the student based on feedback provided by the employer.
Students will develop a digital portfolio demonstrating artifacts completed during the co-op work term.
Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- Use ideation techniques to generate innovative design solutions that respond to a creative brief.
- Participate in a collaborative brand-building project to produce an outcome that meets the needs of the client.
- Incorporate interdisciplinary theoretical approaches in the planning, production, and critique of design and strategy work.
- Plan, conduct and apply research in order to contextualize and make informed design.
- Assess the social, environmental, and economic impact of the design solution in order to prioritize sustainability issues in design practice.
- Use the fundamental principles of branding to address the needs of the brand design and strategy for clients of various scale.
- Design solutions in support of a brand strategy.
- Communicate information, arguments, creative ideas, and brand stories persuasively, to a range of audiences, using a variety of verbal, visual, and written communication techniques.
- Utilize professional practices and knowledge of the business of branding in all design and strategy work.
Courses
Required Courses
SEMESTER 1
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES1005 | History and Cultures of Branding | NONE |
| BDES1006 | Introduction to Design Thinking | NONE |
| BDES1007 | Design Studio 1: Design Foundations | NONE |
| BDES1008 | Production 1: Print & Digital Applications | NONE |
| BDES1009 | Type 1: Foundations | NONE |
| BDES1010 | Communicating for Design | NONE |
SEMESTER 2
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES1204 | Research for Design 1: Qualitative & Quantitative Foundations | None |
| BDES1205 | Design Studio 2: Design as Communication | BDES1007 |
| BDES1206 | Production 2: Digital Applications | BDES1008 |
| BDES1207 | Type 2: Typesetting and Layout | BDES1009 |
| BDES1208 | Writing Studio 1: Brand Copywriting | BDES1010 |
| LOWER Liberal Studies Elective |
SEMESTER 3
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES2304 | Brand Strategy 1: A to Z of the Brand | BDES1005 BDES1204 |
| BDES2305 | Design Studio 3: Intro to 2D & 3D Design | BDES1205 |
| BDES2306 | Production 3: Motion & Video | BDES1206 |
| BDES2307 | Type 3: Typographic System | BDES1207 |
| LOWER Liberal Studies Elective |
SEMESTER 4
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES2404 | Critical Perspectives in Communications and Cultural Theory | BDES1005 |
| BDES2405 | Research for Design 2: Qualitative Approaches and Tools | BDES1204 |
| BDES2406 | Design Studio 4: Product & Packaging | BDES2305 |
| BDES2407 | Production 4: Introduction to Web Design | BDES2306 |
| BDES2408 | Writing Studio 2: Brand Story | BDES1208 |
| LOWER Liberal Studies Elective |
SEMESTER 5
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES3506 | Brand Strategy 2: Brand Resilience | BDES2304 BDES2405 |
| BDES3507 | Research for Design 3: Data Collection and Analysis | BDES2405 BDES2304 |
| BDES3508 | Design Studio 5: UX/UI Branded Experiences | BDES2406 |
| BDES3509 | Design Studio 6: 3D Branded Environments | BDES2305 |
| LOWER Liberal Studies Elective |
SEMESTER 6
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| IBDES3606 | Brand Consumption in a Global Economy | BDES2404 BDES3507 BDES3506 |
| BDES3607 | Research for Design 4: Systems and Services | BDES3507 BDES3508 BDES3509 |
| BDES3608 | Design Studio 7: Identity Design | BDES3508 BDES3509 |
| BDES3609 | The Business of Design: Professional Practice | |
| UPPER Liberal Studies Elective |
SUMMER
| Code | Course name |
|---|---|
| GCOP1001 | Work Integrated Learning Co-Op |
SEMESTER 7
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES4703 | Brand Strategy 3: Future Brand | BDES3506 |
| BDES4705 | Special Topics: Design for Social Good | BDES3607 BDES3606 |
| BDES4706 | Senior Project I: Thesis Preparation | BDES4703 BDES3608 |
| UPPER Liberal Studies Elective |
SEMESTER 8
| Code | Course name | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
| BDES4802 | Intellectual Property | BDES3507 BDES4703 BDES3606 |
| BDES4803 | Senior Project II: Thesis Development and Production | BDES4706 |
| BDES4805 | Cross Platform Brand Narrative | BDES2408 |
| UPPER Liberal Studies Elective |
Career & Postgraduate Study Opportunities
Your Career
Graduates will be trained for work that spans several occupational areas in advertising, marketing and public relations, as graphic designers and illustrators, content writers and web producers, communications specialists, marketing researchers and business and strategy consultants.
Educational Pathways
If you are a George Brown College student who has completed the second or third year of the Graphic Design Advanced Diploma (G102) with a grade point average of 3.2 (75%) or higher, you may be eligible to enter a degree completion pathway to this program. For more information, contact your Program Coordinator.
Tuition and Fees
Domestic Tuition
Additional Costs
* Amounts listed are the total of tuition, materials, student service and ancillary fees for the first two semesters of programs starting in Fall 2020. Fees are subject to change for programs starting in Fall 2021 and at later dates.
† Fees for this program do not include the $500 cost of the Work Integrated Learning Co-op work term.
International Students
Visit the International Fees and Related Costs page for more information.
Financial Assistance
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.
How to Qualify and Apply
Admission Requirements
Applicants are selected on the basis of their academic achievement, including the required courses, and any other selection criteria outlined below.
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent**
- Six (6) Grade 12 University (U) or University/College (M) courses or equivalent with a combined average of 65% or above (including English)
- English, Grade 12 (U) with a grade or 65% or higher
- Application Questionnaire*
- Portfolio*
*Qualified applicants will be invited to complete the application questionnaire and submit a portfolio electronically. Details on the application questionnaire and portfolio requirements will be communicated at a later date to qualified applicants, as part of the review process.
OR
**Mature Student status (19 years of age or older and no OSSD)
- English, Grade 12 (U) with a grade of 65% or higher
- Post-secondary credits may be considered (certain credits only)
- Application Questionnaire*
- Portfolio*
*Qualified applicants will be invited to complete the application questionnaire and submit a portfolio electronically. Details on the application questionnaire and portfolio requirements will be communicated at a later date to qualified applicants, as part of the review process.
**There is no mature student testing in the required credits for degree programs. Mature applicants must have the English credit required. Mature student applicants, who require Grade 12 University (U) level credits for their application to a George Brown degree program, may consider completing our on-campus Degree Preparation (U-level) Courses at no extra cost. Additional information on where and how to upgrade can be found on the English upgrading page.
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.
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.
George Brown has been granted a consent by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities to offer this applied degree for a seven-year term starting March 6, 2020. George Brown will ensure that all students admitted to this program during the period of consent will have the opportunity to complete the program within a reasonable time frame.
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. 3129
Email: design@georgebrown.ca
For more information about George Brown College, you may also call the Contact Centre at 416-415-2000 (TTY 1-877-515-5559) or long distance 1-800-265-2002.
International Students
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.
