Design Foundations Fanshawe College

Overview

This Design Foundations Graduate Certificate offered at Fanshawe College helps students identify career goals and lays a foundation for students in a variety of settings exploring a number of design disciplines.

Experience a year of goal-setting, learning new skills and refining existing skills with the guidance from industry experts through a variety of hands-on projects. The program centres on designing a sustainable future, and elements of this core value are integrated throughout the year. 

Discover a range of design fields guided by our expert faculty, and build a design portfolio that stands out. This foundational study year introduces students to the fundamentals of 2D and 3D design principles, drawing and colour theory, idea development, research, presentation skills, portfolio development, design technologies, and communication skills.

Design certificate graduates can use their portfolio and refined skills to move towards a career or pursue further studies in:

• Interior Decorating

• Fashion Design

• Fashion Marketing and Management

• Graphic Design

• GIS and Urban Planning

• Landscape Design

• Horticulture Technician

Career opportunities:

Fanshawe’s Design Foundations program will help creative students find their fit and choose a specialty to further their academic studies. Graduates may find employment in retail stores selling paint, apparel or art supplies.

Did you know Fanshawe consistently ranks high in graduation employment rates among large colleges in Ontario? 

Here are some examples of career opportunities for graduates of Fanshawe’s Design Foundations program:

• Paint Store Sales Associate

Responsible for stocking inventory, answering questions about different products, tinting paint and helping customers select paint colours and wallpaper.

• Showroom Consultant

Listen to customer needs and determine the best solution for their home and budget.

• Sales Representative

Manage customer inquiries in regards to quoting, colour consulting and customer service.