The Bachelor of Design program is broadly focused on user experience design (UX design), meeting an increasing demand for designers who are prepared to design and to innovate for the ways people use technology every day. Blending design thinking and practical UX process and deliverables, the program develops designers who can critically engage with our rapidly changing technological world.
The program emphasizes a “people-first” approach, applying principles of human-centered design and research to solve problems. With an emphasis on social responsibility, students are encouraged to demonstrate curiosity, resilience and empathy for end-users as a means to find creative solutions to the many challenges faced in modern technology culture.
This innovative program of interdisciplinary, collaborative, and project-based learning prepares students to join the challenging world of design for the experience economy. Courses are developed in collaboration with industry partners to develop advanced capabilities in design tools and methods, communications, visual literacy, digital technology, qualitative research, creativity and innovation, interaction and service design. The program applies evidence-based design and research methods to services and digital projects, including websites, apps, VR/AR/MR, Voice UI and other emerging interfaces. Projects extend across corporate, not-for-profit and civic environments.
Courses Learning OutcomesSelect 1 from the following courses
Select 1 from the following courses
Select 1 from the following courses
Upon successful completion of the program, a graduate will:
You will participate in a supervised work placement, spread over four semesters. Students will be able to select from a wide variety of opportunities in a range of organizations such as design agencies, financial services, health-care settings or service environments. They acquire hands-on experience in defining and implementing design projects and developing client relationships.
Broadly, UX is the practice of designing digital products, including websites, software, apps, smart devices, voice interfaces and other technology interfaces.
UX Design focuses not only on how things look, but also on how things work. UX Design is a human-centered discipline, based on meeting the needs of the end users of a product. Some of the goals of UX are to remove frustrations and barriers to technology, and simplify our interactions with systems. UX Designers create technology products that are user-friendly, enjoyable, and meaningful; and ultimately develop solutions that drive social change.
Beyond UX Design, students also develop strong skills in UI (user interface) design, design strategy, graphic design, design research, and emerging design disciplines such as service design.
Design is a practice that appeals to the head, heart and hand; blending critical thinking, empathy for end users, and hands-on design skills. The program offers a mix of theory and practice from these 3 key focus areas:
Ideation and Design Strategy
Students engage in a variety of high-level requirements gathering and ideation sessions early in the design process to help identify and find problems to be solved. Student develop the skills to prioritize, identify risk and critically assess the quality of product concepts, collaborating with peers and stakeholders to create strategic directions for products and services that benefit both clients and users.
Related activities and skills:
Design Research
In order to design a product that meets user needs, you need to understand who that user is. Research is an integral part of design process, helping you empathize with end-users.
Students will engage in both informal and formal research methods, both on campus and in the field. Students will have the opportunity to engage in usability testing of their design work, iterating their designs and fine-tuning their work to improve the quality and impact of their designs.
Related activities and skills:
Design Practice
Students will be immersed in design practice, transforming their analysis of the research and design strategy into wireframes, prototypes and design specifications for digital products and services.
Our focus is on prototyping and iterating design work based on user research. Students are encouraged to be creative and explore multiple options for design solutions, adopting the “fail forward” model used within the design industry.
The program encourages collaboration with peers both within the program and from other Humber programs, encouraging students to build soft skills that are essential to modern design careers.
Related activities and skills:
Students can create meaningful and rewarding user-experiences across a diverse range of technologies, industries and products. Good design is about finding the problems people have, and creating innovative ways to solve those problems. At Humber, our project ideas are only limited by the number of problems we can find in the world.
What if you could...
Design a website that helps connect music lovers and artists.
Create a tool to help people with depression reach out and communicate to friends and family.
Design a smart fridge system that lets you see what you need to buy at the grocery store.
Develop a game that builds reading skills for students dealing with dyslexia.
Develop an interface to an insulin pump that helps kids better manage their diabetes.
Create a VR app that helps you imagine what a piece of furniture would look like in your own home.
Humber’s Faculty of Media & Creative Arts encourages students to expand their academic experience through a variety of study abroad opportunities, including semester exchanges, summer programs, and international work placements.
These are all characteristics of great designers. Maybe this is you now…or who you want to be!
Humber participates at the Strive UXR Conference 2019 where researchers from around the world gather to learn more about design research.
The Usability Lab is a new facility for students in the Faculty of Media & Creative Arts at Humber College. This “Live Lab” is a full-fledged usability lab where content creators can capture & assess the interaction between user and design.
This Usability Lab is specialized, in that it was purposefully built for usability studies to ensure that the environment does not interfere with the testing. Designed with flexibility at its core, it has been equipped with a broad variety of technology, supporting usability testing at many different levels of sophistication.
What makes this lab unique is the fact that it is mobile. This one-of-a-kind usability lab can be delivered to those who wish to use and evaluate our designs, as well as their own. For our students, they can participate in, and lead experiments that will truly test the designs they have developed, to make sure they work in the manner they have been designed to work.
You'll learn from professors with real-world experience and are active in the industry. Our professors are committed to providing you with practical, hands-on training to help you achieve the career you want.
View CredentialsB.Des., (Communication Design) - National College of Arts, Pakistan
MDM - Ryerson University
Professor
MFA IxD - Umea Institute of Design
Professor
MA (Media Studies) - Western University
B.Sc. (Radio-Television) - The University of Texas at Austin
B.Sc. (Communication Studies) - The University of Texas at Austin
Professor
MA - Bard Graduate Centre
BFA - Concordia University
Professor
MArch – University of Toronto
BFA – Queen's University
Professor
M.Ed. (Learning & Technology) - Royal Roads University
MA (Science, Technology and Society) - York University
BA (Sociology) - Queens University
B.Ed. - University of Ottawa
B.Sc. (Biology/Psychology) - Queens University
Professor
M.Eng. - University of Toronto
B.Eng. - University of Toronto
Professor
Graduates of this program will find work as design thinkers, information architects, researchers and user experience designers in fields including retail service, brand experience, social service interactions, health-care provision, travel and hospitality, financial services, safety and security, entertainment, and leisure.
User Experience (UX) Design
Credential: Ontario Graduate Certificate
Length: 2 semesters
START DATE | LOCATION | STATUS | INTERNATIONAL STATUS |
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September 2020 | North | Open | Open |
Watch our faculty explain Humber’s commitment to UX Design within the Bachelor of Design program.
Humber
Humber Lakeshore Wins at Adobe Creative Jam
Tue, November 26, 2019
Four students in Humber’s Advertising & Graphic Design program won first place in the 2019 Adobe Creative Jam.
Competing in a field of 72 teams from six college, Team “A-Block” -- comprised of Nicolas Diaz, Emily Little, Julia Laing, and Chelsea Speck – created an app to address academic integrity. Check out some images of the app here.
The Adobe Creative Jam is a design challenge that asks students to create a visual or motion design concept based on a theme revealed at the event. After three hours and no rules, the teams present their work to the jury in front of a rapt audience. The 2019 Jam drew over 300 students from Sheridan, George Brown, Seneca, OCADU, Algonquin College, and Humber.
Congratulations to all the students who competed, and especially to Team “A-Block”!
Students design data for future airport installation
Thu, October 17, 2019
Students in the Graphic Design and Web Design and Interactive Media programs had one day to design a physical installation for airports across Canada.
The project is part of the Global Affairs Canada division of the Federal Government and aims to highlight the support Consular Services offer to Canadian travellers.
The hackathon event took place in the Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation and started with an introduction to the design challenge and a briefing call with the client where students were provided the information, materials and inspiration they needed to start their projects.
“When a client is involved, the experience is holistic and involves every aspect of working in the field,” says Bianca DiPietro, program coordinator of the Graphic Design program. “The dynamic between client and student is much more professional and holds a certain level of recognition.”
DiPietro and David Neumann, program coordinator of the Web Design and Interactive Media program say the opportunity for their students to work with real-life clients is great exposure—allowing students to communicate effectively, problem solve and work collaboratively with others.
The students gathered in small groups to design a concept while working with their faculty and advisors to complete their project proposals by the end of the day. Faculty will review the submissions and select up to eight concepts based on uniqueness, creativity and execution. The selected submissions will be shared with Global Affairs Canada to consider the concepts further.
For one group, their concept is a three-dimensional, hollow hemisphere that resembles a globe and features data and information within it. User-friendly to all ages, the globe can be tilted or spun around to allow users to see inside the globe and learn about Consular Services.
“Projects like this give validation to the program and show trust in us as working professionals by allowing us to have our work showcased and potentially have our work attached to the Government of Canada,” says Gizaham Jones, third-year Graphic Design student.
Using different skills and methods, a Web Design and Interactive Media group’s concept includes movable Plexiglass panels. With infographics and data printed or engraved onto the materials, the installation will allow natural light in airports like Toronto Pearson Airport to reflect onto it. The concept also features QR codes and Near-field communication (NFC) codes, which lead users to find more information on the government’s website using their smartphones.
“Being able to have clients give you an open-ended project to work with is a great way to get your creativity and development moving and apply what we’ve learned so far,” says Paul Cudmore, second-year Web Design and Interactive Media student.
The hackathon is part of Humber’s Data storyLAB, which is an innovative hub for data-driven storytelling. Based out of the North Campus, the storyLAB will produce year-round research and partnership opportunities for student learning and engagement.
“StoryLAB is an opportunity for students to pair with reporters, developers and coders to discuss the influence data can create in different journalistic settings. The lab demonstrates how data can transform and impact politics, social justice, and the day-to-day lives of Canadians,” says DiPietro.
Humber’s storyLAB and The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting recently created a storyLAB Data Journalism Grant to support independent data-driven journalism.
For the inaugural grant, Humber and The Pulitzer Center are accepting proposals for stories related to Indigenous lands and property rights. The grant will provide up to $10,000 for a freelance journalist or team of journalists to explore a related story from a data-driven perspective.
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This article, by Alysia Burdi, was first published by Humber Today on September 20, 2019. Read the article in it's original context.
Humber professors nominated for prestigious literary awards
School of Writers
Wed, October 02, 2019
Professors David Bezmozgis and Nicola Winstanley have been nominated for two of Canada's most prestigious literary awards.
David Bezmozgis, co-ordinator of Humber’s creative writing graduate certificate, has been shortlisted for the Giller Prize for Immigrant City, his sophmore short story collection. Bezmozgis is no stranger to Giller nominations; his novels, The Free World and The Betrayers, were shortlisted in 2011 and 2014 respectively. The $100,000 prize will be presented at a gala on November 18.
Nicola Winstanley, co-ordinator of Humber’s Media Foundation program, is a finalist for a 2019 Governor General’s Literary Award in the Young People's Literature – Illustrated Books category. How to Give Your Cat a Bath is the fourth book by the acclaimed children's author. She is a past recipient of both an Ezra Jack Keats Foundation New Writer Award and a Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award nomination. The winners of the Governor General's Literary Awards, valued at $25,000 in each category, will be announced on October 29.
Congratulations, David and Nicola!
No news at this time.
Faculty of Media & Creative Arts Events
Information Sessions
Humber
Tue, January 14, 2020 to Wed, January 15, 2020
Lakeshore, North
Join us on January 14th or 15th and speak with our professors and students. Find out which of these Humber programs is right for you.
Faculty of Media & Creative Arts News
Radio Humber and BRTV Collaborate to showcase Indie Canadian Artists
Thu, June 13, 2019
96.9 Radio Humber teamed up with the Broadcast Television/Videography Program to bring Canadian artists on campus for an interview and performance.
Faculty of Media and Creative Arts Students Win Big at this Year's Skills Ontario Competition
Mon, May 27, 2019
The Faculty of Media and Creative Arts would like to congratulate four of our students who won at Skills Ontario this spring.
Ten Good Things to Stream When the Weather is Bad
Wed, May 08, 2019
And they all just happen to feature Humber grads!
No news at this time.
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