Is there any high school courses/ GED on graphic design in Canada?

Student Forum
#1

I live in a developing country where there is no course on graphic design available in high school, college or university?

Initially after passing my O’ Levels last year I planned to pass my A-Levels (a degree roughly equivalent to a high school diploma) in 2019 and go to a country with a high HDI to study graphic design at a college and settle there. However, after I got exposed to principles like the 80/20 and opportunity costs I realized I had to be all in at this point of time. Moreover, the subjects I took, English Language, Mathematics and Physics begun to appear not to be worth it. These do not involve anything which is going to help me in the future unless I intend to study IT, ICT, etc.
When it comes to A Level English Language there is no such thing as emotional intelligence, rhetoric,etc in the syllabus content. When it comes to A Level Mathematics there nothing about handling taxes, setting daily income goals and other financial matters. Physics is totally irrelevant.

Hence, I’ve stopped studying these subjects and have began to dedicate most of time studying graphic design on my own (by watching videos, reading books and analyzing designs,etc…), reading books on finance, emotional intelligence, business and self-development. I intend to get a E or a U in my A Level exams in this May/June session and sort drop out from high school(temporarily).

I want to dedicate the next 3 years studying graphic design on my own, growing sources of passive income and save money(I really do not want to work part time at a restaurant, shopping mall… in order to support myself when I immigrate to Canada. I also have diabetes since the age of 13 so medical bill per month might be as high as $150 ). Then I intend to go to Ottawa, Canada with a student visa and get a GED/high-school degree/university foundation course on graphic design. After that I want to get a Bachelors Degree in graphic design at a college with a scholarship. I also intend to settle there.

Therefore, I was wondering whether there is any GED/high-school degree/university foundation course on graphic design in Ottawa, Canada. Got any advice? What would be the best approach to and the best way to do so? How can I settle there as a graphic designer?

In case somebody wants to figure out whether I could be a good student to study graphic design here’s a link to my a few of my displayed works: https://goo.gl/8fvpk1

Thanks to everyone in advance.

#2

I wish I had the time at the moment to address this misdirected notion of yours, but I have looming deadlines this week. I will however say that I use the English language, Mathematics and physics almost daily in my work as a graphic designer. To “decide” at your age and stage of development, what is and is not relevant in your high school level studies, is a typically shortsighted and immature evaluation by a teenager.

You need to learn the basics before you are ready to tackle more advances nuances of the various subjects you listed.

Additionally, I am not based in Canada, so I hope some of our Canadian based friends will chime in, but here in the US, if you have no 4-year bachelors degree in design, you have little chance gaining full time employment in the field.

Maybe some of our other member will have the bandwidth to elaborate on my post. I will try to cycle back when I have more time to address your … “plan”.

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#3

Yep.

I can appreciate that you’re planning ahead how to get where you want to go.

I suggest you research your end goal of being a paid graphic designer in Canada. Then work backward by learning what will get you there, and doing those steps.

Here’s a link to graphic design jobs in Canada. See what they are looking for, then research how and where to learn those skills.

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#4

Thug-D, even though Canadians sometimes bristle at the thought, Canada is much like the United States, where I live — just a bit colder and with more moose and hockey players. :wink: (I love Canada, by the way.)

So speaking as an American (and assuming things are mostly similar in Canada), there are some things to consider before digging too deeply into your plan.

High school in North America isn’t really about preparing for a career as much as it is about mastering the basics of a well-rounded education.

When moving past high school, to a post-secondary education at a university, general education still plays a huge role at all liberal arts universities. Depending on the school, about half the courses will still be in subjects not directly pertinent to one’s major. Courses in history, civics, science, language, literature, mathematics, etc., are still required for graduation.

These courses are by no means a waste of time. They’re the subjects that help produce a well-rounded, educated human being who is capable of critical thinking, participating in society’s bigger picture and navigating one’s way through it.

There’s nothing wrong with focusing on graphic design if that’s your passion, but cutting yourself off from the bigger picture and confining yourself to a silo of myopic thinking is a serious mistake at any age — especially so for someone still in high school.

Another thing to consider about the GED you’re thinking about getting is that it’s not really the equivalent of a high school diploma. Universities and scholarship programs, when making decisions on which applicants to accept, depend heavily on high school grades, experiences and extra-curricular activities.

I don’t know what it’s like in Dhaka, so do what you have to do to succeed and reach your goals. But be very careful in the decisions you make at this point in your life. You’re still young and any missteps you make, can have big repercussions going forward.

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#5

I know these subjects are important. A good understanding of these are not valued as fairly as the way grades are valued. I’ve studied English, Math, Geography, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Bangla, History at my liberal arts school sort of from nursery to the first semester of 10th grade and took my O’ Level exams last year on Physics, Math, English, Bangla and Chemistry. I ended up with 4As and a B(in Bangla).

I’ve never felt any kind of serious enthusiasm for these subjects. A philosophy of our society roughly states that one can only be happy in life if they attain high academic achievements and get a PhD… I used believe in these kind of misconceptions until I turned 16.

Even though A-Level is considered to be roughly equal to a high school degree, it requires a lot of time and dedication to pass it; it is pretty expensive (I would’ve saved that money for a new pc if my parents did not force me into this ordeal) . It was created to help students specialize in a field unlike GED or a high school program. So do you think I should invest time into A-Levels when I have the opportunity to specialize in graphic design?

#6

Yes. I am familiar with the O-level/A-level system of education and would recommend taking English, Mathematics and History A-levels.

Have you looked into Canadian university admission requirements at all?

47%20AM

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#7

My response was mostly prompted by your plan to emigrate to Canada in a few years to continue your education and career. If you don’t do this, and if you stay where you are, I’m not sure what you should do since I’m unfamiliar with education and career expectations in Bangladesh.

If you do move to Canada, though, you’ll be dealing with an entirely different set of cultural, educational and career expectations.

I totally agree with what PanToshi just wrote. If you’re serious about Canada, it’s important to do the research on everything from immigration to university admission requirements, then make your plans now based on what will be important in Canada.

There’s a big warning here, however. Don’t box yourself into a corner. You’re what, 16 or 17 years old? Keep in mind that, despite what you’re planning now, you might change your mind or circumstances might prevent it. Moving to a foreign country is a huge leap — especially when moving to a country so totally different from the one in which you grew up.

I’m just saying that pursuing dreams is fantastic, but it’s also important to do the research on how best to make those dreams into reality. It’s also important to have a well-researched and realistic back-up plan — just in case.

#8

Have you checked into the immigration requirements and what it takes to become a citizen of Canada? While you might get a student visa, staying beyond that will require a whole lot more.