School of Media & Design

Our Program

This two-year Ontario College Diploma program prepares students for careers in the expanding and evolving fields of mobile web and application development. Students learn the design of user interfaces, user experience and usability of mobile solutions. They engage in cross-platform, mobile web and native application development.

Students effectively design mobile website interfaces that work across multiple platforms and devices. They also learn to build native applications for mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. Emphasis is placed on a hands-on approach to developing sites and applications. Real-world applications and solutions are created with a variety of technologies and programming languages. Diverse topics, such as user experience design, web security, online mobile marketing, user interface design and native smartphone application development with the latest standard web technologies are examined.

The rapid proliferation of mobile devices combined with the demand for continuous information access by consumers is creating exciting employment opportunities. Graduates may find employment in all levels of government, including health care and education, as well as business, marketing and communications.

This program is part of Algonquin's mobile learning initiative. All students entering into the program are expected to have and use a laptop or mobile computing device that meets or exceeds the recommended hardware requirements as designated by the program. Students in mobile learning programs will use their devices to enhance their learning experience, obtain and work with course materials, participate in collaborative and mlearning environments and become skilled, confident users of the technologies used within an educational environment and workplace. Hardware and software specifications are outlined at http://mlearning.algonquincollege.com. Computers and supplies can be purchased directly from Algonquin's New Technology Store at educational rates.

SUCCESS FACTORS

This program is well-suited for students who:

• Are interested in working with computers and mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets.
• Enjoy the challenge of working with evolving mobile technology. .
• Have good problem-solving skills and enjoy solving logic problems. .
• Enjoy non-repetitive tasks and the challenge of developing new and creative solutions for mobile applications. .
• Can work independently and as a productive member of a team.
• Are organized in their work and pay attention to detail.
• Are committed and dedicated to their studies.

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Your Career

There are many opportunities for graduates of this program in both the public and private sector. They may be employed in a wide variety of positions which include ecommerce developer, interactive designer, interface designer, web designer, web developer, user experience designer, new media designer, production assistant, project manager, business analyst, mobile application usability tester, mobile application marketer, video and web production designer, technical project lead, programmer, online marketer, online advertising production worker, Internet search specialist, online entrepreneur, production coordinator, Actionscript developer, Flash animation designer, Flash developer, mobile application interaction designer or mobile application developer.

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Courses

Programs at Algonquin College are delivered using a variety of instruction modes. Courses may be offered in the classroom or lab, entirely online, or in a hybrid mode which combines classroom sessions with online learning activities. Upon registration, each full-time student is provided an Algonquin email account which is used to communicate important information about program or course events.

Level: 01		Hours
CST8300	Achieving Success in Changing Environments Rapid changes in technology have created personal and employment choices that challenge each of us to find our place as contributing citizens in the emerging society. Life in the 21st century presents significant opportunities, but it also creates potential hazards and ethical problems that demand responsible solutions. Students explore the possibilities ahead, assess their own aptitudes and strengths, and apply critical thinking and decision-making tools to help resolve some of the important issues in our complex society with its competing interests.	45.0
MAD9012	Introduction to User Interface Design Students learn how to create functional and aesthetically pleasing interfaces. They gain an appreciation for the challenges of building websites and applications that remain functional across different hardware platforms. Topics are approached using software, such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Usability that allows people to complete tasks online without having to print documents is emphasized.	60.0
MAD9013	Cross-Platform Web Development Technologies on the web evolve quickly. Every year brings new devices and with them new capabilities. These devices present many challenges and opportunities to web developers. This course covers the fundamentals of web development using hypertext markup language (HTML), cascading style sheet (CSS) and Javascript with a focus on developing mobile websites. Software, such as Adobe Dreamweaver is used to complete hands-on projects. Design for usability is emphasized in this course. Co-requisites: MAD9014	60.0
MAD9014	Cross-Platform Application I While developing native applications for mobile devices holds many advantages, not every application requires direct access to native capabilities and there are many ways web developers can build applications using the programming skills they already possess. Students use HTML, CSS and Javascript to build applications which can quickly be deployed to multiple mobile platforms, such as iPhone and Android. Designing to conserve battery life is introduced as a concept in this course. Using mobile marketplaces to publish and market applications is introduced. Co-requisites: MAD9013	60.0
MAD9111	Fundamentals of Computer Hardware and Networking Students learn how network-enabled devices communicate with each other, what protocols are and why they are important. Differences in desktop, laptop and mobile device hardware, as well as some of the practical differences between the Windows, Linux and Mac operating systems are also exposed. Students work individually, as well as with other students to complete tasks.	60.0

Level: 02		Hours
ENL1813T	Communications I Communication remains an essential skill sought by employers, regardless of discipline or field of study. Using a practical, vocation-oriented approach, students focus on meeting the requirements of effective communication. Through a combination of lectures, exercises, and independent learning, students practise writing, speaking, reading, listening, locating and documenting information, and using technology to communicate professionally. Students develop and strengthen communication skills that contribute to success in both educational and workplace environments.	45.0
MAD9021	Introduction to Object Oriented Programming Using Actionscript, students learn the fundamentals of object-oriented programming. These concepts are taught using software, such as Adobe Flash Professional and Adobe Flash Builder, which allow students to build mobile websites or rich Internet applications. Prerequisites: MAD9014	60.0
MAD9022	Cross-Platform Application Development II While continuing to apply HTML-based technologies for mobile projects, students begin to examine the functionality of the Flash platform as an alternative cross-platform mobile development solution. Students extend their mobile application development skill set and reach more native functionality on a variety of devices. The implementation of audio and video in mobile applications is also covered. Designing to conserve battery life on mobile devices continues to be emphasized. Prerequisites: MAD9014 Co-requisites: MAD9021	60.0
MAD9024	Server-Side Programming for Mobile Applications Students learn how to create server-side web services that can deliver data in different formats to a variety of applications by building on their previous experience with websites and applications. They also gain an understanding of how to detect different devices over the Internet and generate specific targeted content. Additionally, students are exposed to server-side components, multi-protocol communication and different types of servers. Use of pre-existing components and frameworks to improve development efficiency is also explored. Methods for efficient data-transfer, to increase battery life, are a key topic in this course. Students work individually, as well as with other students to complete tasks. Co-requisites: MAD9123	60.0
MAD9123	Data Management Systems Most mobile applications require data to be useful. Students learn how to use the structured query language (SQL) to interact with databases, the fundamentals of information architecture and introductory database design. The differences and similarities among some relational database management systems (RDMS) are outlined. The course focuses on how data can and why it should be shared by multiple devices and applications. Examining the data requirements of mobile applications is also covered. Prerequisites: MAD9111	45.0
MAD9125	Business for It The design and development of mobile web sites and applications eventually needs to move beyond the classroom. This course discusses the mobile landscape from a business point of view. Mobile application marketplaces, online marketing, locating funding and becoming an entrepreneur are just a few of the topics this course covers. Students work together to explore how all these topics impact mobile development projects.	45.0

Level: 03		Hours
MAD9034	User Experience Design Going beyond the basics of creating graphics and user interfaces, students focus on how interfaces need to react to user expectations. Students apply best practices for navigation, interaction, use of colour and typography, designing for gesture-based interfaces, as well as a thorough study of effective user feedback. Designing effective interfaces that allow improved work flow is applied. Prerequisites: MAD9012	60.0
MAD9131	Blackberry Application Development After students have learned the fundamentals of programming and been introduced to the concepts of mobile application development the next step is developing native applications for specific devices. Students learn to develop mobile applications for the BlackBerry platform using Java. Hands-on development of deployable applications is the goal of this course. Designing to conserve battery life on mobile devices is stressed. Prerequisites: MAD9021 and MAD9123	60.0
MAD9132	Android Application Development Using Java, students learn to develop mobile applications for the Android mobile platform. Students use the Android application programming interface (API) and Android software development kit (SDK) for hands-on development of deployable mobile applications. Designing to conserve battery life on mobile devices is emphasized. Prerequisites: MAD9021 and MAD9123 or MAD9021	60.0
MAD9133	Windows Phone Development Windows Phone development can be accomplished through a variety of languages. Leveraging prior skills in creating mobile applications with Actionscript, students develop mobile applications for Windows using Silverlight and C#. Designing to conserve battery life on mobile devices is stressed. Prerequisites: MAD9021 and MAD9123	60.0

Choose one from equivalencies:		Hours
GED1515	General Education Elective For this course, you have the opportunity to choose one from a group of general education electives. Your options will include courses which cover the following broad topics: Arts in Society, Civic Life, Social and Cultural Understanding, and Science and Technology. Equivalencies: ARC9001 or DSN2001 or ENL7643 or ENV0002 or FAM1218 or GED1896 or GED5002 or GED5004 or GED5005 or GED5006 or GED5300 or GED6022 or GEN1957 or GEN2000 or GEN2009 or HIS0001 or HIS2000 or HOS2228 or LIB1982 or MGT7330 or MVM8800 or PSI0003 or PSI1702 or RAD2001	45.0

Level: 04		Hours
ENL1819T	Reporting Technical Information In this technical communication course, students draw upon knowledge acquired through their studies and through research to improve their skills in communication, critical thinking, and the documentation, and evaluation of both primary and secondary sources. These combined skills are demonstrated in the production of workplace-oriented, vocationally-related documents and presentations. Emphasis is placed on technical communication goals which students are required to achieve for graduation. Prerequisites: ENL1813T	60.0
MAD9042	Best Practices for Mobile Development Having already studied the process of creating mobile applications and submitting them to the various marketplaces, students apply best practices for designing, developing and promoting mobile solutions. Topics include coding standards, unit testing, configuring network servers, configuring information architecture, sustainability and security for mobile websites and applications. Students experience case-studies and demonstrations of security issues when transmitting and storing information. Prerequisites: MAD9024 and MAD9123 or MAD9024	60.0
MAD9141	Ios Development Students use Objective-C, Xcode and Interface Builder on Mac OSX to create native applications for the iPhone and iPad. Working together in teams, students build, test and release a live application on the App Store by the end of the term. Designing to conserve battery life on mobile devices is stressed. Prerequisites: MAD9021 and MAD9123	75.0
MAD9145	Applied Project Working in teams, students experience the analysis, design, implementation, testing and deployment of a mobile solution for a real-world client. Important topics from throughout their program of study are applied in this course. Faculty advisors facilitate student teams to demonstrate their skills in the applied project. Student teams make a technical presentation to their faculty advisors and participate in a public showcase of projects. Prerequisites: MAD9034 and MAD9131 and MAD9132 and MAD9133 Co-requisites: MAD9141	90.0

Choose one from equivalencies:		Hours
GED1515	General Education Elective For this course, you have the opportunity to choose one from a group of general education electives. Your options will include courses which cover the following broad topics: Arts in Society, Civic Life, Social and Cultural Understanding, and Science and Technology. Equivalencies: ARC9001 or DSN2001 or ENL7643 or ENV0002 or FAM1218 or GED1896 or GED5002 or GED5004 or GED5005 or GED5006 or GED5300 or GED6022 or GEN1957 or GEN2000 or GEN2009 or HIS0001 or HIS2000 or HOS2228 or LIB1982 or MGT7330 or MVM8800 or PSI0003 or PSI1702 or RAD2001	45.0

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Fees & Expenses

As we have not yet received direction from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities regarding fees policy for the coming year, we regret that we are unable to provide the fees for the 2012 Fall Term, at this time. 2012 Fall Term fees will be posted as soon as they are available.

Books and supplies cost approximately $850 and can be purchased in the campus bookstore. Selected books are available for a reduced price through ebook initiatives at www.coursesmart.com.

This program is a mandatory laptop program.

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Admission Requirements  2012/20132011/2012

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Application Information

Applications to full-time day programs must be submitted with official transcripts showing completion of the academic admission requirements through:

ontariocolleges.ca
60 Corporate Court
Guelph, Ontario N1G 5J3
1-888-892-2228

Students currently enrolled in an Ontario secondary school should contact their Guidance Office to apply. For all other applicants, applications are available online at http://www.ontariocolleges.ca. A $95 fee applies.

Applications for Fall Term and Winter Term admission received by February 1 will be given equal consideration. Applications received after February 1 will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis as long as places are available.

International applicants applying from out-of-country can obtain the
International Student Application Form at https://xweb.algonquincollege.com/FormIE/index.aspx or by contacting the Registrar's Office.

For further information on the admissions process, contact:

Registrar's Office
Algonquin College
1385 Woodroffe Ave, Room C150
Ottawa, ON K2G 1V8
Telephone: 613-727-0002
Toll-free: 1-800-565-4723
TTY: 613-727-7766
Fax: 613-727-7632
Email: askus@algonquincollege.com

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Additional Information

It is recommended that applicants be proficient with basic computer skills, such as keyboarding and the use of an office software suite (word processing and spreadsheets, etc.) prior to the start of the program. Programming experience is not a requirement to enter the program. This program has an annual intake in the Fall. For more information, please contact the Program Co-Coordinators: Steve.Griffith@AlgonquinCollege.com or Gerald.Hurdle@AlgonquinCollege.com.

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