Full-time Diploma of Technology 6175diplt

BCIT Graphic Communications Technology

Graphics communication technology includes all aspects of the professional print industry - from prepress to production to finishing. Students completing this program are career-ready and entrepreneurial. Students will learn about quality, sustainability and innovation in the business of imaging.

The aim of the program is to prepare talented individuals with a solid foundation of education and technical training so that they have the vision and knowledge to lead the printing and publishing industry in Canada into the future. The program will prepare learners for a variety of careers in the print industry in such areas as pre-press, press, bindery, finishing, management, sales, marketing, and customer service.

See individual part-time courses available in print and graphic communications technology.

The Program

The program is a two-year, four-term diploma program with a two-week job placement at the end of the first year and a six-week job placement at the end of the second year.

BCIT GRAPHIC COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
BCIT Credential: BCIT Diploma of Technology
Program Length: 2 years, Full-time
Program Start: September
Number of Courses: 36 courses, 119 credits
Total Tuition/Cost: Learn about Tuition & Fees
Internship/Practicum: 2 weeks, 5 days a week
6 weeks, 5 days a week
1st Year Entry: View Requirements

Program Entry

Entrance requirements

Check for acceptable equivalents or upgrading courses taught at BCIT.

It is strongly recommended that you assess your fundamental mathematical skills. The Mathematics Self-Diagnostic Test below is voluntary. If you find these problems difficult, we strongly recommend that you attend OPMT  0199. You should be able to do this exercise in about an hour, after which you should compare your answers with the correct ones supplied. If you scored less than 20 out of 26 correct, you should seriously consider upgrading your mathematical skills.

Note: The following full-time business programs are accepting applications from students with a (C) in Math 11:

BC provincial exams

Provincial exam marks are required for English 12, Communications 12, and Technical and Professional Communications 12. BCIT does not require applicants to write provincial exams for Grade 12 Math and Science courses.

Apply to program

Submit an application: online or by mail [PDF].

You can check the status of your application online at any time using the Student Information System.

Scheduled intakes

September each year.

Application processing

October 1* of the previous year until the program fills.

Applications are considered for a specific intake.

*Or next business day

myCommunication

Within 2 to 3 weeks of applying to a program, you will be sent a letter in the mail confirming receipt of your application. The letter will identify your student number, BCIT e-mail address and instructions on how to login to your myBCIT account.

All official BCIT correspondence will be sent to your myBCIT account. Check myCommunication often during the application process and throughout your studies at BCIT.

You can expect to receive communication concerning the status of your application within 2 to 8 weeks.

Costs & Supplies

Tuition fees

Please see the Fees, Payments and Refunds section of the website for more information on full-time tuition fees.

Books and supplies

Approximate cost for books and supplies is $1,200 (general estimated cost, subject to change).

Steel-toed boots are required.

Financial assistance

Financial assistance may be available for this program. For more information, please contact Student Financial Aid and Awards.

Courses

Courses are delivered once a week in four fourteen week terms over two years. Classes average three hours in duration and instructors usually assign another three hours of homework each week. At the end of term two and term four, BCIT will find you a work placement to gain effective industry experience.

Business classes are delivered in lecture/lab classroom environments. Computer software is taught on MAC and Windows operating systems and you will have 24/7 access to computer labs with the latest hardware and software. Manufacturing classes are delivered on state-of-the-art presses and bindery equipment.

Class hours

Up to six hours a day, courses may be scheduled on some Saturdays and some may be scheduled in the evenings.

Program delivery

Approximate infrastructure facilities include a 16,000 sq. ft. fully networked facility with classroom and warehouse space that will provide a hands-on experience using industry standard equipment. The program will be located primarily at 3460 Gardner Court Way (one block east of the BCIT Burnaby Campus).

Program matrix

Level 1 Credits
  BUSA 1005 Introduction to Business 3.0
  COMM 1100 Business Communication 1 3.0
  FMGT 1152 Accounting for the Manager 3.0
  GTEC 1000 Industry Operations 2.0
  GTEC 1364 Press Operations 1 3.0
  GTEC 2150 File Construction and Page Layout 5.0
  GTEC 2180 Image Manipulation and Color Correction 3.0
  MDIA 2325 System Administration PC and MAC 4.0

Note: During the first week of Level 1, a math skills assessment test will be administered to all students. Based on the outcome, students may be required to attend a weekly Business Math Success workshop.

 
Level 2 Credits
  COMM 2200 Business Communication 2 4.0
  GTEC 2005 Electronic Prepress 1 3.0
  GTEC 2010 Term 2 Final Project 2.5
  GTEC 2160 Creating and Editing Graphics 3.0
  GTEC 2363 Digital Printing 1 3.5
  GTEC 2364 Press Operations 2 3.0
  GTEC 2365 Bindery and Finishing 1 5.0
  GTEC 2400 Term 2 Job Placement 3.5
  GTEC 3110 Estimating 3.5
  MDIA 2140 Color Management Systems 3.0
 
Level 3 Credits
  ECON 1150 Economic Issues 3.0
  GTEC 3005 Electronic Prepress 2 3.0
  GTEC 3200 Professional Practice in the Workplace 2.0
  GTEC 3360 E-commerce for Printers 2.0
  GTEC 3364 Press Operations 3 3.0
  GTEC 3367 Large Format Digital Signage 2.5
  MDIA 3049 Advanced Page Design and Construction 2.0
  MKTG 1102 Essentials of Marketing 3.0
  OPMT 1198 Operations Management Fundamentals 3.0
 
Level 4 Credits
  GTEC 3365 Bindery and Finishing 2 4.5
  GTEC 4010 Term 4 Final Project 2.0
  GTEC 4100 Account Management and Production Fundamentals 2.5
  GTEC 4363 Digital Printing 2 4.5
  GTEC 4364 Press Troubleshooting 3.0
  GTEC 4366 Print Process 3.0
  GTEC 4367 Process Control for Digital Workflows 2.5
  GTEC 4400 Term 4 Job Placement 10.5
  MKTG 1219 Professional Sales 1 3.0
 
Total Credits: 119.0

Transfer credit

Do you have credits from another BC/Yukon post-secondary school? Do you want to know if they transfer to courses here at BCIT? Check out BCIT's Transfer Equivalency Database to find out.

Program Details

The Graphic Communications Technology Program focuses on three core areas.
  • Business practices: including accounting, operations management and marketing.
  • Computer software: starting with the Adobe Creative Suite, leading to PDF production, imposition and color management.
  • Manufacturing: with hands on experience on (lithographic, digital and ink jet print processes and bindery operations.
Application Software includes Adobe Photoshop CS3, Adobe Illustrator CS3, Adobe InDesign CS3, Adobe Acrobat CS3, Quark XPress 7.0, Kodak Preps (Imposition) Kodak Prinergy (Workflow), Kodak CPS (Proofing), EFI PrintFlow (Print Management), Heidelberg CPC32 (Integrates with Prinergy), and Xinet Fullpress (Spooling).

Pre-press


The program will give students a foundation in the latest in prepress software including the Adobe Creative Suite 2, PDF x creation, Preps imposition software and Prinergy electronic Prepress workflow.

Students will have an opportunity to process a project from input right through to plate ready status.

Press


Students will begin the press course by learning how to setup and adjust a commercial offset printing press. Students will operate the press, under supervision, to produce a variety of printed materials.

By the end of these courses students will have had experience adjusting functioning parts of the press based on the thickness of paper and observe good safety practices.

Post Production / Bindery


Students will gain a thorough orientation to bindery and finishing procedures. During the finishing courses students will get hands-on bindery and finishing experience by using a Cutter, Folder and Stitcher as well as learning the basic setup and running of a Perfect Binder machine.

Students will also learn how to read job dockets, plan work processes, run machines to production standards and consistently monitor work quality.

Sales and Marketing


Sales skills are vital to a successful business. Students will be provided with an extensive overview of the marketing concept and its place within today’s printers. The emphasis throughout the course will be upon the practical application of sales concepts to real-life situations.

Program length

Two years, full-time

Grading

Minimum passing grade is 50 per cent.

Program location

Gardner Court
3460 Gardner Court
Burnaby, BC

Graduating & Jobs

Job Opportunities


The Graphics Communication Industry is currently demanding more jobs each year than BCIT can supply. You can expect to choose employment opportunities in the areas of pre-press, press operations, and post-production in the print industry.  Positions include:
  • System operator
  • Mac prepress operator
  • Preflight operator
  • Page production operator
  • Image manipulation operator
  • Electronic imposition operator
  • Scanner operator
  • Proofing specialist Platemaking operator
  • Entry level Pressperson
  • Feeder operator
  • General Bindery worker
  • Large machine operator
  • Stitcher, Perfect Binder, Cutter, Folder
  • Estimator
  • Production Planner
  • Sales Professionals

Graduate employment outcomes

The following link takes you to graduate outcome survey results containing mostly labour market results from the 2009-2011 BCIT Outcomes Surveys of 2008-2010 Graduates.
Note: The survey results will be displayed in a separate browser window. To view these results, you need to have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed in your Web browser.

Faculty, Advisors & Staff

Instructors are industry professionals, usually in senior management or supervisory roles in Vancouver’s top Graphic Communications firms.

Advisory committee

  • Jeff Taylor (General Manager and COO, Hemlock Printers) - Chair
  • Nikos Kallas (Business Development Manager, Metropolitan Fine Printers)
  • Marilynn Knoch (Executive Director, BCPIA)
  • Alan Martin (Remote Product Specialist, KODAK GCG CA)
  • Troy Naber (Sales Representative, Heidelberg Canada Graphic Equipment Ltd)
  • David Allan (President & CEO, Rhino Print Solutions)
  • Kris Bovay (General Manager Pacific Bindery Services Ltd.)
  • J. Murray Todd (General Manager Total Graphics)
  • Tom Blockberger (President Broadway Printers Ltd.)
  • Kathy Forrest (VP Sales & Operations Thunderbird Press Ltd.)
  • Rob Varnel (Owner R & M Trade Laminating)
  • Cyndie Crysler (Sales Representative Muller Martini)
  • Frank Ammirati (Regional Manager Konica Minolta Business Solutions(Canada) Ltd.)

Contact Us

Judy Mills,
Administrative Assistant,
778-928-2341

Wayne Collins,
Program Head,
778-928-2340

Randy Singer,
Associate Dean,
604-432-8934

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