Department Handbook: Design
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Design Department Specific Info: Mission | Program Requirements | 1st Year | 2nd Year | 3rd Year | 4th Year | Supplementary Year Program | Certificates | Course Descriptions | Timetable Planner | Worksheets | Fees | Program Policies | Computing | Campus Locations |
2nd Year
Required Courses for Design Majors
New Design History Requirements
Optional Practicum Courses
Optional Studies Courses
Required Course for All Faculty of Fine Arts Students
Overloading
Your General Education Requirements: A Tip
Additional Certification
Interactivity/New Media Focus
Academic Advising Before Dropping Courses
NOTE: Not all courses in the Design curriculum may be offered each year.
Required Courses for Design Majors:
- FA/YSDN 2003 3.0 Typography 2 - Fall
- FA/YSDN 2004 3.0 Communication Design 1 - Fall
- FA/YSDN 2103 3.0 Research in Design - Fall
- FA/YSDN 2005 3.0 Interactivity Design 2 - Winter
- FA/YSDN 2007 3.0 Typography 3 - Winter
- FA/YSDN 2008 3.0 Information Design 1* (formerly 3007) - Winter
*For 08/09, a few extra sections of Information Design 1 will be offered for students in 2nd or 3rd year in 07/08
New Design History Requirements for 2008/2009:
- FA/YSDN 2102 3.0 History of Design - Fall
This courseis required of all Design majors.
To fulfill the remaining three credits in the six credit History requirement, select one of the courses below. These courses may alternate from one year to the next, but will be offered in the Winter term only.
- FA/YSDN 2105 3.0 History of Media in Graphic Design
- FA/YSDN 2106 3.0 Graphic Design in Canada
- FA/YSDN 2107 3.0 History & Development of Typography (formerly 3101A)
- FA/YSDN 2108 3.0 Evolution of Information Design
Optional Practicum Courses Available to 2nd year majors:
- FA/YSDN 2010 3.0 3D Design (formerly 1003)
- FA/YSDN 1004 3.0 Design & Colour
- FA/YSDN 2011 3.0 Visualization Methods (formerly 2001A)
- FA/YSDN 2006 3.0 Design & Perception
- FA/YSDN 2012 3.0 Drawing for Design
- FA/YSDN 2013 3.0 Materials & Methods
Optional Studies Courses Available to 2nd year Majors:
- FA/YSDN 1110 3.0 Communications in the Urban Environment*
- FA/YSDN 2104 3.0 Design Thinking*
*can be credited only as Free Electives for Design majors
Required Course for All Faculty of Fine Arts Majors:
- FA/FACS 1900 6.0 Arts and Ideas - Year
Complete this course if not taken in your first year.
You are advised to take a maximum of three practicum courses in each of the Fall or Winter terms. Overloading of practicum courses does not allow you to produce your best work. As a Design Major, you may take up to 36 credits per year. Many students utilize the Spring and Summer Sessions to spread coursework over the full year.
Your General Education Requirements: A Tip
It is recommended that you complete your three General Education Requirements (one each of Humanities, Social Sciences and Natural Sciences) within your first two years of study. Complete any outstanding General Education requirements by the end of your second year. You are advised to tentatively plot out your preferred course selection for your final years in the York/Sheridan Program in Design at this time to ensure that you will have the proper prerequisites prior to your next year of study.
Additional Certification for Design Majors:
- Professional Certificate in Digital Design
- Cross-Disciplinary Certificate in Digital Media
- Certificate in Community Arts Practice
Concurrent with the completion of your BDes degree requirements and with careful planning of your course selection, you may meet the requirements of one of these certificates.
Full information and application forms are available from the Office of Student & Academic Services in 201 GCFA.
Interactivity/New Media Focus
If you are intending to focus your practicum coursework in Interactivity/New Media, please consider enrolling in
- FA/FACS 2930 6.0 The Electronic Landscape (advanced html/JavaScript) and/or
- FA/FACS 3930 3.0 Screen-based Fluid Interfaces.
These courses also fulfill some of the requirements for the Certificates mentioned above and are credited as Fine Arts electives.
Always Seek Academic Advising Before Dropping Courses!
Never drop a required course without consultation and academic advising from the Department of Design. There may be serious academic penalties in terms of not having the required course(s) necessary to continue to the next level of study.


