Skip to main content
Man sitting while wearing a virtual reality headset
Make. Play. Connect.

In this program, you’ll create the technologies that shape the way we live, work, and play. You’ll develop games, wearable technology, mobile apps, VR, interactive installations, and augmented reality. You will learn how these new technologies can solve problems, deal with contemporary issues, and create future possibilities.

Develop core digital skills, while learning the value of working together in a creative environment. This program blends art and design so you have the opportunity to explore your own interests. You’ll take a diverse range of art, design, and liberal arts classes to create a customized course of study.

You will also work directly with our industry and community partners through real-world testing and internships. The broad range of skills covered in Digital Futures are made possible by our internationally renowned faculty whose expertise span art, design, science, and business. 

Program Highlights

At the End of this Program...

At the end of this four-year program, you will earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts or a Bachelor of Design degree. Learn more about the program.

Admissions Requirements

 

Jobs You Can Get

Graduates of this program have in-demand jobs that blend technical ability, art and design. This includes:

  • Game design and development
  • UI / UX
  • VR / AR development
  • Creative technologist
  • Communications and data visualization
  • Interaction design

Internships & Experiential learning

OCAD U offers so much more than co-ops because creative careers take many forms. Our career services help you build a professional community, valuable experience and skills you need for a meaningful career. Get access to:

  • Short experiential learning placements from among hundreds of organizations
  • Creative in-class projects with real-world industry partners
  • Exclusive summer internships
  • Gallery exhibitions of your work
  • Freelance creative opportunities
  • Jobs after graduation

What Will You Do in the Program?

In first year, you’ll take courses in Digital Futures that introduce a wide range of skills of digital and physical design skills. In first year, you’ll also choose from a wide range of electives based on your interests such as:

  • Computer coding
  • Art and design history
  • Physical computing
  • Game design
  • Drawing
  • Art and code
  • Time-based media

Second year and third year are organized around the Atelier courses. Ateliers courses take place in hands-on studio and research lab spaces for you to create and test projects driven by new technologies. You’ll work in teams with your fellow students and faculty to create work in areas such as:

  • Computer software and coding
  • Smart phone app development
  • Game design
  • Digital art
  • Social media trend forecasting
  • Computer science history
  • Digital business
  • Wearable computing

In fourth year, you’ll develop an individual or group thesis project. This project gives you the opportunity to spend two semesters developing a project that you are passionate about. At the end of this year, you will showcase this work at OCAD U’s GradEx, the biggest free art and design exhibition in Toronto with over 40,000 visitors. You’ll also take classes in entrepreneurship and leadership in the digital economy.

Minors

In all undergraduate programs you can choose to take a minor alongside your major to explore and expand your practice. Minors give you the opportunity to pursue a focused secondary field of study in addition to or sometimes instead of taking electives in your program and can help you look better for employers or in grants or grad school applications.  You don’t need to choose a minor on your application – rather once you start at OCAD U, you’ll be able to choose from over 90 electives that can build towards one of our 25 focused minors. Learn more about Minor Programs here.

Program
Digital Futures
Degree earned
Bachelor of Design (Honours) (BDes) or Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) (BFA)
Faculty
Faculty of Arts & Science
Duration
4 years
Portfolio required
Yes