About VCC

Visual Culture and Communication (VCC) is an interdisciplinary undergraduate curriculum that provides students with a foundation in both visual cultural and communication studies (history, theory and criticism) and digital communication practices (with courses taught at Sheridan Institute). The Specialist Program offers grounding in both the analysis of visual culture, and the practices of visual communication. Students also take courses that are drawn from the Communication, Culture and Information Technology program.

Increasingly, global cultures are dominated by visual communication, from art to advertising, propaganda to documentary photography, and film to websites. People of all generations are becoming active producers and consumers of visual culture. As digital technology expands, expertise in visual communication and design becomes essential for meeting the challenges of the global culture. VCC will prepare students to take an active and informed role in shaping 21st-century visual culture by bringing historical and theoretical study from multidisciplinary perspectives to bear on contemporary practice and debate.

The degree requirements for the VCC specialist program are summarized below. For further information about the courses, see the "courses" link on this website, or click here to consult the UTM course calendar.

Limited Enrolment --Enrolment in this program is highly competitive and will be limited as follows (meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission):

  1. Minimum of 4.0 credits to include CCT100H5/CCT109H5, CCT101H5/CCT110H5.
  2. Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) determined annually. It is generally between 2.7 and 3.0 and never lower than 2.2
  3. Minimum 65% average among CCT100H5/CCT109H5, CCT101H5/CCT110H5, with at least 60% in each course.


Tuition fees for students enrolling in this Department of Visual Studies program will be higher than for other Arts and Science programs.

Recommended progression:

First Year

2.0 credits: CCT100H5/CCT109H5, CCT101H5/CCT110H5, FAH105H5/FAH202H5, VCC201H5
Second Year

1.0 credit: CCT210H5, WRI203H5
1.5 credits: CCT200H5, CCT204H5, CCT260H5
1.0 credit from CCT205H5, CCT206H5, VCC207H5, VCC209H5
Third Year

2.5 credits from CCT310H5, CCT410H5, FAH380H5; 460H5; any VCC courses at the 300/400 level; any 1.0 credit from ITA242Y5/ITA243Y5, ITA246Y5/ITA247Y5; ITA342Y5/ITA343Y5; FRC393H5; FRC397H5; GER353H5; GER354H5; RLG332H5; DRE350H5; or any other 0.5 credit in FAH at the 300/400 level offered at U of T Mississauga (or St. George, with permission)

3.5 credits from CCT300H5, 305H5, 351H5, 352H5, 353H5, 357H5, 453H5, with permission 1.0 credit from FAS246H5, 332Y5, 346Y5, 347Y5 (Note: there are prerequisites at the 100 level for most 200 level courses in FAS.)
Fourth Year

1.0 credit: VCC400H5 and one other 0.5 VCC credit at the 400 level

Within an Honours degree, 12.5 credits are required, including at least 1.0 credit at the 400 level in VCC.

If you have further questions about the courses or the program, contact the undergraduate counselor, Steph Sullivan, at s.sullivan@utoronto.ca or stop by her office Rm. 3051 in the CCIT building on the UTM campus.