The practical courses in the COMMUNICATION section enable students to understand and integrate into the vast and ever-changing world of DIGITAL DESIGN.

The practical courses in the COMMUNICATION section enable students to understand and integrate into the vast and ever-changing world of DIGITAL DESIGN.

During Cycle 1 in Digital Design and Communication at the CAD in Brussels, students have the opportunity to discover all aspects of digital communication. From graphic design to video and photography, the world of communication will no longer hold any secrets for our students.

The world of communication and advertising has changed a lot. Internet, social media and now connected objects, have changed the ways in which we communicate. The relationships between the clients of advertising agencies (advertisers) and their own customers (consumers) have also evolved.

Indeed, in the digital world, a new discipline called UX (User Experience) design aims to increase user satisfaction of a product or service by improving the usability, accessibility and pleasure provided by the interaction with this product/service.

At the CAD, we offer a multidisciplinary approach to our students so that they can be operational in all areas related to digital communication. Together with our professors – true experts in their respective fields – we are committed to offering a curriculum that makes this Cycle in Design a point of reference in Brussels.

Our teaching is based on the practice of many tools and technologies that meet the needs of today’s companies and startups. The CAD’s cycle in communication and digital design will open many opportunities in the professional world.

WHY IS TRAINING IN DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AND GRAPHIC DESIGN MORE INTERESTING THAN EVER?

Today’s advertising agencies and their creatives must be able to offer global communication, create advertising concepts and then adapt them to all new media. The creative plays the role of art director to create a new brand identity, imagine a new logo, develop new packaging, create interfaces of websites and connected objects, mobile applications and more, in line with the real needs of consumers.

Finally, there is a growing demand for motion design specialists. This new communication tool consists of animating graphic elements (like images, photos, illustrations, typography and video) with sound. These animations are used for advertising films, interfaces for web and mobile, video productions (music clips, movie credits) or to create graphic realms in various fields (such as visual identities and video games).

CHOOSE CAD FOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES

The CAD is an international institution. Courses are taught in English, offering our students the opportunity to do internships abroad. They can take part in international workshops and become familiar with other cultures thanks to visits and cultural trips organized each year.

Our students, as part of the double degree programme with the Ecole de Design de Nantes, can spend a semester in a design studio in France, Brazil, India or China. After this experience, they will be all the more prepared to pursue international careers all over the world (across Europe, the USA, Brazil, Australia, Thailand, China and beyond).

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES

The CAD is an international institution. Courses are taught in English, giving our students the opportunity to obtain internships abroad, to take part in international workshops and to familiarise themselves with other cultures thanks to the visits and cultural trips organised each year. Our students, as part of the double degree with the Nantes School of Design, can spend a semester in one of the studios in France, Brazil, India or China. After this experience, they will be all the more encouraged to pursue international careers throughout the world (USA, Brazil, Australia, Thailand, China… and in various European countries).

DIGITAL DESIGN AND COMMUNICATION : PROGRAMME

The following is a non-exhaustive list of course modules that CAD students have the opportunity to take for design studies :

MAIN CLASSES

  • Advertising conception
  • Graphic design
  • Digital design
  • Art direction
  • Motion design
  • UX/UI design
  • Layout & storyboard
  • Packaging
  • Digital strategy
  • Digital illustration
  • Photography
  • Multidisciplinary workshops

COURSES SCHEDULE

BEGINNING OF CLASSES

Classes begin on October 3rd for first year students. A Summer School is organized from September 12th (a 3-week course in both drawing and English classes) for those whose levels in drawing and/or English need to improve. The decision to participate in these courses or not is made by the school directors during the interview process.

YEARLY SCHEDULE

The 3 years are divided in 9 quarters of 3 months each:

  • Year 1 – Q1: October – November – December
  • Year 1 – Q2: January – February – March
  • Year 1 – Q3: April – May – June
  • Year 2 – Q4: October – November – December
  • Year 2 – Q5: January – February – March
  • Year 2 – Q6: April – May – June
  • Year 3 – Q7: October – November – December
  • Year 3 – Q8: January – February – March
  • Year 3 – Q9: April – May – June

Year 1

  • Summer school: 2nd, 3rd and 4th weeks of September
  • Start of Academic Year: the last Monday of September
  • During the first quarter: every Friday there are cultural visits in Belgium and also to France, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Germany
  • 2-week internship in the Sales or Marketing department of a big company during the Easter break
  • 1-week study trip during the Easter break: one year it’s in the USA (New York or Chicago), one year it’s in a European city like Berlin, Barcelona or Madrid

Year 2

  • Start of Academic Year: the last Monday of September
  • 3-week internship in a Communications Agency during the Easter break
  • Study trip during the Easter break: one year it’s in a European city like Berlin, Barcelona or Madrid, one year it’s in the USA (New York or Chicago)
  • One international multidisciplinary workshop with guest students coming from the UK, France and/or Italy.

Year 3

  • 4-week internship in an agency during the summer holidays
  • Start of Academic Year: the last Monday of September
  • 2-week multicultural and multidisciplinary workshop in Shanghai during the Easter break
  • Two international multidisciplinary workshops with guest students coming from the UK, France and/or Italy during Q2

HOW CAN I APPLY TO THE CAD?

TUITION

The tuition fees for the Undergraduates B1/B2/B3 programs and the double degrees M1/M2 are 9,000 EUR per year (8,700 EUR + 300 EUR registration fee*) and are to be paid as follows:
  • 300 EUR + 2,900 EUR i.e. 3,200 EUR (1st third of costs) upon registration
  • 2,900 EUR (2nd third of costs) paid by June 30th
  • 2,900 EUR (Final third of costs) paid by September 15th

For international transfers, bank fees are payable by the sender.

A staggered payment plan is possible for some residents (upon acceptance and subject to a surcharge of 300 EUR).

Tuition fees do not include cultural visits and study trips.

*Registration fee: this amount covers general administrative costs as well as individual insurance (taken out by the CAD) in case of any accident on the school premises.

Bank details of the CAD
– BNP Paribas Fortis : IBAN BE93 0017 2185 3767 – BIC GEBABEBB
– ING : IBAN BE45 3631 3208 9889 – BIC BBRUBEBB
– Belfius : IBAN BE85 0689 3121 7306 – BIC GKCCBEBB

Remarks

– The CAD does not accept bank cheques. Tuition fees must be paid into one of the school’s bank accounts. For international transfers, bank charges are at the expense of the originator.
– Tuition fees remain as announced at the time of registration for the entire programme (except for students repeating the first year, if the price increases) unless inflation exceeds 5% per year, in which case the fees will be indexed.
– Since the number of students admitted each year is limited, the full tuition fee is due even in case of withdrawal or exclusion from the course.

Online registration

CERTIFICATES AND DIPLOMAS

In Belgium, private schools can’t deliver state diplomas.

The awarded degrees are certificates which correspond to a Bachelor’s degrees and are credited with 60 ECTS per year.

CAD graduates who choose the MDes receive a double certificate: one from the CAD and one from the Ecole de Design de Nantes (“Diplôme visé contrôlé par l’Etat”).