Course Curriculum

The Global Business and Digital Arts (GBDA) program at the University of Waterloo offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary curriculum that equips students with both creative and business acumen. Core programming courses such as CS105 and CS106 introduce foundational computer programming skills, while CS330 explores management information systems. Business essentials are covered through ECON101, GBDA102, GBDA205, GBDA206, and GBDA405, offering insights into microeconomics, financials, quantitative methods, and strategic management. The program’s digital media and design components are explored through GBDA101, GBDA203, GBDA228, and a series of user experience courses including GBDA210 and GBDA310. Hands-on learning is a key feature of GBDA, emphasized through progressive project-based courses—GBDA201, GBDA202, GBDA301, GBDA302—and culminates in the GBDA402 capstone project. Courses like GBDA204 and GBDA307 focus on teamwork and organizational behaviour, while GBDA207 and GBDA303 provide a global and data-driven context. Students also gain valuable perspectives in marketing, ethics, entrepreneurship, and design thinking through GBDA304, GBDA306, GBDA308, and advanced seminar and special topics courses such as GBDA410, GBDA412, GBDA413, and GBDA414. This blend of technical, business, and design education prepares graduates for dynamic careers in UX design, digital strategy, marketing, and interactive media in a global digital landscape.