Academic Pathway - College Diploma - UI Designer (Co-op) Transfer to College Diploma - Communication Design at North Island College

Tamwood Careers students who want to further their international education at a Canadian public college or university have the option to apply to one of their academic pathway partners for admission with advanced standing. Tamwood has entered into articulation agreements with several institutions in Canada that allow for a block transfer of courses from Tamwood Careers to the college/university.

By joining a Tamwood Careers program, students will save on tuition fees and enjoy more free time while studying at one of their partner institutions.

Reasons to take the Academic Pathway program:

• Become Eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit
  Students who graduate from Tamwood Careers into a public college or university and complete their studies on a full-time basis are eligible for a post-graduate work permit which allows them to stay and work in Canada for up to three years post-graduation
• Obtain Two Credentials
  By starting their program at Tamwood Careers and then transferring into a public college or university students will finish with two credentials – a certificate or diploma from Tamwood Careers and a diploma or degree from one of Tamwood's pathway partner institutions.
• Gain Admission with a Lower English Level
  Tamwood Careers has a lower admission requirement with respect to English language skills than its pathway partners so students can start studying in their preferred program at Tamwood Careers and upgrade theirr English skills while studying through an English program at Tamwood Language Centres.

UI design professionals are in high demand everywhere in the world. Students who take this program will set themselves up for a successful career. In this program, students will learn the practical skills, tools, and techniques used in the field of User Interface & Visual Communication Design, including creative software, layout and composition, colour and typographic theory, visual brand identity, conceptual and strategic thinking, and designing for digital interfaces.

Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:

• • Follow the steps of the creative process: research, ideation, execution, and revision
• • Assemble effective colour palettes
• • Select appropriate typefaces considering their quality, legal requirements, availability, and visual language while composing elegant typesetting in view of visual hierarchy, alignment, and spacing
• • Design balanced layouts with clear focal points, balance, and alignment
• • Build designs in Photoshop with the ability to create masks, apply filters, and other relevant tools
• • Draw vector elements in Illustrator using the pen tool, pathfinder, strokes, and other relevant tools
• • Build user interface layouts in Sketch using vector tools, grids, symbols, and other relevant tools
• • Design a visual brand identity such as a logo, colour palette, typefaces, photography, and iconography
• • Lead productive ideation sessions
• • Practice a user-centric approach to problem-solving
• • Recognize the best practices of user experience design
• • Identify limitations and possibilities when working with programming languages such as CSS, HTML, Javascript, Swift, and Java
• • Build a creative brief
• • Confidently and eloquently present creative work
• • Distinguish art and design eras, movements, and trends
• • Constructively critique peers’ work

This program prepares students to work in any of the following roles: User Interface Designer, Graphic Designer, Web Designer, Communication Designer, Production Designer, Interactive Designer, Art Director, or Creative Director.