Bachelor of Creative Industries

​This orientation seminar is designed to provide incoming students with a comprehensive introduction to the Bachelor of Creative Industries program. Students will be introduced to the expectations and requirements of the BCI program and provided with the tools needed for success. Through a series of class activities and lectures students will explore the program structure, understand elective options, examine the application of an indigenizing perspective to outcome-based learning, connect with fellow classmates and create a customized academic roadmap that aligns with their long-term goals in the creative industries. The seminar will bring awareness to students about other BCIT supporting services: Student Life, Student Association, Respect Diversity and Inclusion (RDI) office, giving the students tools to promote self care practices, stress management and mental health awareness. The seminar aims to set a strong foundation for a successful academic journey in the creative industries.​
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​​​This foundation course defines the subject of creative industries as an area of entrepreneurial study and introduces students to the commercial and cultural significance of the creative industries and how they work in practice. The course also examines the various creative disciplines, operational frameworks, creative clusters, technologies relevant to those clusters, and the outlook for creative industries in the context of the emerging circular economy and innovation sustainability practices. Students will develop an understanding of the business of creativity by exploring the dynamic environments within which creative industries operate and the impact they have on society. Students will explore the advantages and challenges creative organizations face in this industry by reviewing a specific creative operation or a creative cluster of their choice. Students will meet periodically to compare readings and notes that contextualize the creative industries and their own projects. The research synergies discovered will give students the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of integration, practices, and real-world applications of the creative industries to begin to map out their own path into a creative industry sector and develop strategies to commence their portfolio and capstone projects in this program.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​This course introduces students to project management in the creative industries. It enables students to gain a comprehensive understanding of the various aspects of project management in a creative industries context, such as initiation, planning, budgeting, financing, implementation/execution, cost monitoring/controlling, and closing, as well as scheduling, purchasing, contracting, and reporting. Students will learn how to manage a creative project effectively through all phases, develop a project strategy, and report results to inform investors and stakeholders.​
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​The digitization of our world has fundamentally changed the ways that businesses are creating value and connecting with consumers—particularly within the creative industries. This course will introduce students to the principles and practices of entrepreneurship within creative industries including the preparation of a business plan. Students in this course will study concepts and techniques, including individual creativity, innovation in the workplace, design thinking, entrepreneurship, leadership, problem identification, implementation of ideas and other practical methods that they can apply to their studies, work, and personal lives. Taking on the role of an entrepreneur with a new creative business concept, students will learn how to build the idea into a viable business venture. As part of the course, students are introduced to creative ways to solve problems in addition to traditional decision-making methods and formal critical-thinking models.​
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​This course is an introduction to the dynamic forces that enhance effective communication between people from various cultural backgrounds. Students will learn how to facilitate intercultural and interdisciplinary communication effectively and mindfully in the creative industries workplace. Through the application of specific interpersonal techniques and theoretical perspectives, communication in the creative industries will be examined through the lenses of different cultural value systems. Power imbalances and their impact on intercultural communications will also be examined. Students will develop a critical perspective and analyze how to adjust and apply strategies and techniques for communicating more effectively regardless of cultural differences and perceived barriers. By helping students develop a truly global perspective, this course encourages intercultural communication competency (ICC). Due to rapid globalization, ICC is not an option, but a necessity.​
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​Design Thinking is a powerful framework that drives creative industries to solve complex problems and push the boundaries of conventional approaches. It empowers individuals to tackle seemingly unsolvable challenges with creativity, curiosity, and strategic vision. In this course, students will dive deep into "blue sky" thinking, where unbounded ideas and radical experimentation are encouraged. Students will approach wicked hard global issues with an abstract, unconventional mindset. Through hands-on projects and collaborative exercises, students will gain the skills to bring ambitious ideas down to earth, creating real-world solutions that are actionable and impactful.​
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

This course will explore ethical, legal, and professional issues in relation to practice in creative industries. Students will discuss ethical dilemmas in the creative industries, the impact of government and society on these dilemmas and the legal implications of ethical decisions. Through case studies relevant to creative industries and professional practice, students will be introduced to key ethical and legal frameworks and subsequently apply this knowledge to a variety of scenarios relevant to their own practice. Students will analyze a specific business model for ethical implications, establishing a code of ethics and strategies to achieve them. ​
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​The course focuses on the role of team managers and leaders in creative organizations. Comprehensive development of personal leadership potential is provided through guided reflection, networking, executive coaching, interaction with peers, learning from seminars, guest speakers, academic literature, and case studies, all based on current leadership theories. You will examine the role of leadership and organizational culture in developing, nurturing, and managing effective teams in a creative industry setting. Among the topics addressed are theories of leadership, values, ethics, vision, conviction, and courage; leadership principles and styles; building relationships with stakeholders and shareholders; team building, group dynamics, and creative collaboration; delegation; conflict resolution; stress and change management; communication; character and power; and leadership techniques, tools, and strategies.​
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​Strong financial management is critical to the success of all enterprises, including those in creative industries. Regardless of whether you are preparing a business plan to launch a new venture or preparing a budget in a well-established firm, you will need a solid foundation in practices and principles of financial management. This course will provide an overview of core financial concepts such as forecasting, budgeting, financing, cash flow management and understanding financial statements which contribute to the sustainability and the growth of the creative enterprise.​
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​In this course, students will explore emerging trends in the creative industries and receive individual guidance and support on how to plan, strategize, execute, and promote a digital portfolio to start a business or to find employment. Students will choose one or more specializations in a creative cluster and assess their interests, attitudes and values in relation to these corporate cultures, identifying the best approaches to target their portfolio to sponsors, clients, and prospective employers. Targeted portfolios can be used for a variety of purposes and be classified into different categories, giving the students the option to choose between corporate training, teaching curricula, process/product development, and industry showcase. Students will have the opportunity to create, choose, curate, and integrate individual and collaborative projects in the form of digital artifacts. At the end of the course, students will participate in a creative industries networking event, where they’ll get feedback from faculty and industry. The experience will enable students to gain valuable connections within the creative industries and refine their portfolios as they prepare for their major capstone project and potential internship opportunities.​
Prerequisite(s):

• All Term 1 courses are required to be successfully completed prior.

​This course explores the cutting-edge technologies and emerging trends that redefine the creative industries. With a focus on the future of work and society, students will gain insights into transformational innovations across rapidly evolving frontiers, equipping them with the foresight to lead in a tech-driven world. Rather than delving into specific tools or current trends, this course encourages design thinking, critical thinking, adaptability, and a deep curiosity about what’s next​
Prerequisite(s):

• Student must successfully complete all courses in Term before starting this course.

​The course prepares students for interactions in the rapidly growing fields of interactive and traditional media industries by identifying, analyzing, and implementing the trends, concepts, and technical knowledge needed to thrive. By studying how media technologies develop, operate, converge/diverge, and impact society in our community and in the world, this course equips students with the tools to think critically about media, sustainability innovation and its effects on culture and the future of the creative marketplace. Aside from tools and best practices, students examine the challenges and opportunities of designing projects that take advantage of new and emerging technologies to increase the creative economy's potential.​
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​This capstone course provides students with the opportunity to integrate and synthesize their learning from previous terms. Working in groups or individually, students will create a business plan for their own creative business, which can be initiated during the course or executed directly after graduation. Students will analyze their own business model, management system, strategic direction, and strengths and weaknesses in relation to the creative industry cluster in which they plan to operate. A student's project may include industry initiatives in collaboration with a local or international organization. As part of this capstone project, the students may specialize in a single discipline or bridge between technical specializations to develop original products and/or services.​
Prerequisite(s):

• All courses in Terms 2 & 3 must be successfully completed prior to starting this course.

​In an era where artificial intelligence is increasingly capable, can machines truly take over human roles, or is there a new frontier of partnership awaiting us? This course invites students to explore the evolving relationship between human creativity and machine intelligence, experimenting with real-world applications for industry. Students will design digital products without traditional coding skills, using a variety of tools to direct AI toward practical, innovative results. Through hands-on projects, students will gain insights into how machine learning operates, critically evaluating AI's potential impact on industry: Does AI serve to complement human ingenuity, or might it eventually replace it?​
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​How do creative products and services create, capture, and scale value in rapidly evolving markets? This course examines the unique economic principles governing creative industries, from traditional media to emerging digital platforms. Students will explore how creative works are valued, monetized, and distributed in global markets, while analyzing innovative business models that are reshaping creative commerce. Through market analysis and practical explorations, students will learn to identify opportunities, assess market viability, and develop strategies for launching and scaling creative ventures in an increasingly complex digital economy.​​
Prerequisite(s):

• Successful completion of Terms 1 & 2

​Design Thinking is a powerful framework that drives creative industries to solve complex problems and push the boundaries of conventional approaches. It empowers individuals to tackle seemingly unsolvable challenges with creativity, curiosity, and strategic vision. In this course, students will dive deep into "blue sky" thinking, where unbounded ideas and radical experimentation are encouraged. Students will approach wicked hard global issues with an abstract, unconventional mindset. Through hands-on projects and collaborative exercises, students will gain the skills to bring ambitious ideas down to earth, creating real-world solutions that are actionable and impactful.​
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​This course explores the cutting-edge technologies and emerging trends that redefine the creative industries. With a focus on the future of work and society, students will gain insights into transformational innovations across rapidly evolving frontiers, equipping them with the foresight to lead in a tech-driven world. Rather than delving into specific tools or current trends, this course encourages design thinking, critical thinking, adaptability, and a deep curiosity about what’s next​
Prerequisite(s):

• Student must successfully complete all courses in Term before starting this course.

​In an era where artificial intelligence is increasingly capable, can machines truly take over human roles, or is there a new frontier of partnership awaiting us? This course invites students to explore the evolving relationship between human creativity and machine intelligence, experimenting with real-world applications for industry. Students will design digital products without traditional coding skills, using a variety of tools to direct AI toward practical, innovative results. Through hands-on projects, students will gain insights into how machine learning operates, critically evaluating AI's potential impact on industry: Does AI serve to complement human ingenuity, or might it eventually replace it?​
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​How do creative products and services create, capture, and scale value in rapidly evolving markets? This course examines the unique economic principles governing creative industries, from traditional media to emerging digital platforms. Students will explore how creative works are valued, monetized, and distributed in global markets, while analyzing innovative business models that are reshaping creative commerce. Through market analysis and practical explorations, students will learn to identify opportunities, assess market viability, and develop strategies for launching and scaling creative ventures in an increasingly complex digital economy.​​
Prerequisite(s):

• Successful completion of Terms 1 & 2

This course will examine the identity of Indigenous people and their strong connection to the land and natural resources. Over their history after first contact, Indigenous societies have endured significant changes due to the legacy of colonization. This legacy will be discussed with the aims of understanding this history, and examining available avenues towards reconciliation. Students will explore a variety of issues concerning the relation of Indigenous peoples with government, the judicial system, the private sector, and media which represent their identity to mainstream Canada. One of the guiding aims of the course is to provide a historical basis for better understanding new opportunities and challenges among Indigenous communities and individuals arising from involvement in areas of Canadian society in which they have previously played a minor role.
Prerequisite(s):

• C+ in Grade 12 English

This course will explore the interrelationship between technology and society. The course will focus on how societal forces shape and are shaped by the meanings, development, spread, and uses of technology. Concepts, perspectives, and arguments from the social sciences and humanities will be studied and applied to analyze connections between society and technology.
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in BCIT ENGL 1177, or 6 credits BCIT Communication at 1100-level or above, or 3 credits of a university/college first-year social science or humanities course.

This course emphasizes that people are responsible for the rationality of their opinions, in all areas of their lives. To that end, the course teaches methods for analysing and evaluating both ordinary and famous arguments, as found in everyday life, politics, religion, science, technology, and (even) philosophy.
Prerequisite(s):

• BCIT ENGL 1177, or 6 credits BCIT Communication at 1100-level or above, or 3 credits of a university/college first-year social science or humanities course.

This university-transferable course focuses on the psychologist's approach to theories, problems and issues in contemporary psychology. This survey course introduces the student to the following areas of psychology: perspectives in psychology and current research findings on biological aspects, sensory processes, perception, consciousness, learning and memory.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

This university-transferable course focuses on the psychologist's approach to theories, problems and issues in contemporary psychology. This survey course introduces the student to the following areas of psychology: theories of personality, psychological disorder and its treatment, health psychology, emotion and motivation, social psychology and cultural influences, developmental changes over the life span, thought and intelligence.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

This course is an introduction to the dynamic forces which enhance effective communication between persons from various cultural backgrounds, primarily in a professional setting. By helping students to develop a truly international perspective, COMM 7100 encourages intercultural communication competency, otherwise known as ICC. Due to rapid globalization, ICC is not an option, but a necessity.
Prerequisite(s):

• 6 credits of COMM 1100 level or above, or 3 credits of university/college writing course.

This is a course in advanced composition and rhetoric, in which students will develop skills in complex critical analysis and interpretation by analyzing and evaluating materials from a variety of discourses or genres, including visual, online, and print; developing and writing essays, including critiques and research papers; applying and discussing principles of rhetoric and critical theory; examining and using methods of interpretation and analysis from the humanities and social sciences; evaluating the credibility of primary and secondary sources, including as it applies to media literacy, and for the purposes of academic research; situating discourses within their historical context and relevant to rhetorical theories of different periods (for example, Aristotle in the ancient world and Bakhtin in the twentieth century). The course format will include lecture, discussion, and both individual and group activities.
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in BCIT ENGL 1177 or equivalent, or 6 credits BCIT Communication at 1100-level or above, or 3 credits of a university/college first-year social science or humanities course.

​This communication course teaches practical business communication techniques for planning, organizing, selecting, writing, and presenting information in business or industry. It covers routine memos, letters, request and reply letters, and oral presentations. NOTE: COMM 1103 is equivalent to COMM 1106. Although COMM 1106 may not be included on the program course list or program matrix, students may choose either COMM 1106 or COMM 1103 for their program. Students do not need to take COMM 1103 if they take COMM 1106. Students do not need to submit transcripts for entrance to this course. BUT, in the case of formal or informal grade appeals or reviews they will be asked to show proof of their English requirements. Students who wish to confirm their English level are strongly advised to take COMM 0015.​ Students scoring below "C+" in English Studies 12 are encouraged to take COMM 1106 instead of COMM 1103.​
Prerequisite(s):

• English Studies 12 "67%" (C+) or equivalent (ie: COMM 0015 "70+" or IELTS Academic 6.5, etc.)

​This communication course teaches business writing skills needed to write many types of business correspondence. It covers claim, bad-news and sales letters, job applications, and the writing of procedures and instructions. NOTE: COMM 2202 is equivalent to COMM 2002. Although COMM 2002 may not be included on the program course list or program matrix, students may choose either COMM 2002 or COMM 2202 for their program. Students do not need to take COMM 2202 if they take COMM 2002. To make up for a full-time diploma program level 2 COMM course, students must take both COMM 2202 (or COMM 2002) and COMM 2203 (or COMM 2003). Students do not need to submit transcripts for entrance to this course. BUT, in the case of formal or informal grade appeals or reviews they will be asked to show proof of their English requirements. Students scoring below "C+" in level 1 COMM are encouraged to take COMM 2002​ instead of COMM 2202.
Prerequisite(s):

• A final grade of 70%+ in COMM 1100 or COMM 1103 or COMM 1106 or equivalent.

​The creative industries internship gives students access to a hands-on work experience (300 hours) with an on or off-campus client or creative enterprise while expanding their professional network. Internships can be paid, unpaid, or honoraria based. It is the student's responsibility to find their own placement under the guidance of the Program Head and faculty advisers. Students may also apply for internship opportunities provided by the BCIT center for workplace education. Students are expected to earn genuine real-world experience in a creative enterprise environment while refining the skills and knowledge learned throughout the program and getting a better sense of the expectations they will face in their careers in the creative industries. It is possible for students to work in small, medium, and large organizations across a wide range of creative industries fields, including new media, product development, storytelling, social media, film, animation, gaming, advertising, journalism, television, music, fashion, interior design, graphic design, visual arts, fine arts, and museums, among many others. Students will be assessed by their internship securement, documentation and workplace performance provided by the client or host organization. In addition, students are required to submit an internship weekly journal entry, communicate periodically with the adviser, and meet after the internship is completed to present a reflection on their work experience and career plans.​
Prerequisite(s):

• All 60 credits from the BCI are required