When I first enrolled into the EMD program, I already had some background experience with designing websites, and the fundamental graphic design skill set needed to become a freelance designer. After many years of saving up a good chunk of money for this program, I searched program after program, to seek the most suitable one that best met my needs.
I was going in circles with the duration of the programs and the tuition costs. Both were very huge factors.
The Choice
It was a long process going through the different schools and finally deciding what I thought was best for myself. I was going in circles with the duration of the programs and the tuition costs. Both were very huge factors. I’ve always thought about Emily Carr and VFS, but I always had the idea wrapped around my finger that one was very fine art-like, and the other was very digital motion graphics. I finally decided on Langara because the program touched based on the majority of design principles, in both web and print, and added a bit of video editing and sound into the mix, which I thought could really spice up the resume. As well, the cost of the one year program seemed doable.
The Interview
The website introduction of the program made it seem very prestigious and intense. I was worried about the interview, because I had to build my best entrance portfolio to show them I was serious, and that I had some good knowledge of what I was doing. I spent about a bit over a month building my ‘ideal’ portfolio, before calling the Program Co-ordinator to set up an interview. The interview felt very brief. There weren’t a lot of questions. There were a lot of positive comments about my portfolio, which makes me question now, was it all real?
There were only 13 applicants accepted each semester, so I was very eager to land a spot. As luck would have it, I did. I found out later that our group had 17 people accepted, but in the end, only 11 survived.
The Prep Work
Before starting the program, we were suppose to have all our fees for the first term paid for (tuition + computer). We were designated to purchase our Macbook Pros and software through a specific vendor, whom caused a lot of trouble for a lot of us. Needless to say, the Apple Store hadn’t been brought to Vancouver at that time, so there weren’t many options. Some laptops were delivered in error; some had Tiger OS installed, others had Leopard OS, and some paid for a higher model, but got a lower-end model. It was all just a mess and this affected the program because there was no pause button. The show had to go on.
The school decided to move locations half-way through the program, which didn’t really make things all that much better either.
The Environment
The teaching environments were not very ideal to begin with. Stuffy rooms, with no open windows. The school decided to move locations half-way through the program, which didn’t really make things all that much better either. As it was located on Broadway, parking was extremely expensive and traffic couldn’t get any worse. For a design school, it was rather funny how wi-fi wasn’t offered, but instead we hooked up our laptops through the ethernet cables, and sometimes, even the network went down.
The Lesson
Every instructor had their own way of getting their messages across. Some instructors were very strict and ripped you apart along with your work, some just constantly threw information at you to the point you couldn’t follow along anymore, and some just didn’t care whether you were there or not.
The reality is, instructors are going to be strict when they need to be. I understand that. And if an instructor was going to rip you apart about your design, you have to take it, because the design industry is all about criticism. Learn to accept it and learn from it. Sometimes criticism can even motivate you to better yourself and your work. I have definitely learned that.
All instructors have a very strong knowledge of what they are teaching. Most are industry professionals who are either working in their own company, for a company, or have worked in the industry in the past.
The Courses
Intense. The workload definitely started to creep onto everyone’s plate by the 2nd and 3rd week. The best lesson learned from this program is by far time management. During the year, I was able to maintain my part-time evening job, and although it was stressful and time crunching at times, I needed the financial support to pay for unexpected computer upgrades, textbooks and of course the unlimited cups of coffee.
Term 1
- Colour Theory
- Design Communications
- Flash 1
- History of Design
- Illustrator
- InDesign
- Photoshop
- Web 1
Term 1 was definitely overwhelming, especially for students with no background knowledge of any design or programming concepts. All instructors had a well planned outline for the term, but they also allowed for unexpected events for ‘catch-up’ day. Instructors were always available for help whether it was in-class, or after class. Because it was the first term, and sort of an introduction to design, everything seemed either really easy, pointless, or not applicable. Everyone had mixed feelings about the courses. Basically, term 1 was a taste test of a bit of everything in a fast pace mode.
Term 2
- Colour & Concept
- Creative Process
- Final Cut Studio
- Interface Design
- Typography
- Web2
With Term 1 under your belt, there were higher expectations for Term 2. In Term 2, the focus was diving deeper, with some courses being more hands-on and training your hand to draw, and not solely depend on your computer. During the course of term 2, I found myself motivated a lot more, and just being excited about designing. I really focused on what I loved, and realized that my passion was to become a graphic designer for print. My typography course really opened doors for me. As I became more aware of printing formats, and became more intrigued, I found myself hanging out at the bookstore for hours, flipping through type books.
With courses like Final Cut and Web, a lot of times, classes were wasted on installing programs together, to make sure everyone was on the same boat. And as we know, technology doesn’t always turn out the way you want it to.
Term 3
- Creative Process 2
- Final Cut Studio 2
- Portfolio Development
- Project Management
- Typography 2
- Web 3
Term 3 was by far the most stressful, because of 2 main reasons. The first was, most of the time spent was focused on developing and creating your portfolio. The second was planning a grad show as a group. It was a huge project because throughout the entire program, the group was never put in a scenario where we all had to work together. On top of this, they try to prepare you for real life after the program. You learn about how to communicate with your clients, how to market yourself, how not to cut short yourself, and how to make others value your work. Before the end of the program, most of the class had chosen their area of focus, whether they defined themselves as a programmer, a videographer, a photographer, or a designer/illustrator.
Ups and Downs
Like I said earlier, the program is a taste test for design. It doesn’t jump into any core foundations, but the program gives you an opportunity to continue in their extended program that dives into more specific areas of interest. Going through a one-year intense full-time program has really taught me how to handle stress, how to creative the best working environment, how to keep me motivated, and how to prioritize, which are all very beneficial lessons regardless of where your end up. An intense program like this doesn’t complete itself unless there is hard work, dedication, and passion put into it.
Unfortunately, there were a couple of students who didn’t take this program seriously which affected the rest of the class. In fact, it was rather annoying. Some students were constantly late/absent for classes, didn’t pay attention altogether (ichat or facebook), or didn’t do their homework. The program states that missing classes and being tardy on a consistent level would lead to serious consequences, however, that was never a threat for those students. It only became a problem when punctual students started to complain about the lack of respect for the program and instructors.
The Aftermath
After graduating this past 2008, the economy took a turn for the worse. Some designers I knew were being laid off, and work was just not being offered. The drought continues. Freelance work is always there, but I personally don’t enjoy it as much. I want to be able to collaborate with other designers in a firm-like environment.
Completing this program gave me a sense of satisfaction at first, but when I really thought about it, I don’t think I’ve learned enough to succeed in the real world.
Completing this program gave me a sense of satisfaction at first, but when I really thought about it, I don’t think I’ve learned enough to succeed in the real world. Don’t get me wrong. I learned a lot, but not enough to really specialize in a specific area, and not in-depth enough to really make it on my own. There were a lot of valuable lessons, which I may or may not use in the future. At the same time, I am grateful I was given the opportunity to explore all the different types of programs such as Motion, Processing, WordPress, Drupal, and even Papervision.
Overall
Langara’s EMD program has definitely grown in size in the past couple of years. With their new CID (Communication and Ideation) program running alongside, it has allowed more students to enroll and learn from instructors who are in the business. I think if CID was a full-time program, like EMD, I would enjoy it a lot more because of the courses offered. Do I regret taking the program? No. I think it all comes down to what you make of it and of course timing. Programs like these, you should never just jump into without doing some research. Everything comes with a price tag, and you have to figure out what price you feel comfortable paying, in hopes that it will give you back a higher return.
(2 votes, average: 2.50 out of 5)
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zee
rowch
andyweak
Dr Shelley Gruendler
EMDr
Sophia
Was the program the full year (12 months) or a regular 2 semester (8 months)?