Diploma in Occupational Therapist Assistant / Physiotherapist Assistant

at Algonquin College - Ottawa Campus Canada

The General Arts and Science - English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Ontario College Certificate program is an academically-oriented English as a Second Language (ESL) program designed for International and Canadian students whose first language is not English.

Improve your academic English language skills for college and job success in a dynamic multicultural setting. Upon successful completion of the program, you obtain an Ontario College Certificate, which provides a pathway into post-secondary studies by satisfying the language requirements for entry into most programs offered at Algonquin College.

The EAP Placement Test determines your starting point in the program, ranging from low-intermediate to low-advanced language skills. As you move through the program, you actively participate in a variety of large and small group activities that provide engaging opportunities to practice the four language skills of:

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening
• Speaking

Smaller class sizes allow for ample feedback from your instructors on all in-class and online assignments. Additional features include regular visits to our well-equipped language lab and elective courses that provide opportunities to develop areas of personal interest. Your classmates from countries all over the world bring with them a wealth of cultural perspectives and life experiences to share. The opportunities to grow your language skills are not limited to the classroom. As an International student or a newcomer to Canada, you can benefit from the many opportunities to apply your developing language skills in the nation`s capital city.

Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Analyze a variety of authentic readings from a range of subjects.
• Critically read and analyze academic texts using effective reading and note-taking strategies.
• Develop and apply fundamental skills and strategies to ensure academic success in post-secondary studies.
• Conduct research and write essays and/or reports to ensure success in post-secondary studies.
• Communicate competently at the level required for postsecondary studies, showing flexibility and clarity of thought and expression.
• Examine and evaluate various aspects of our changing society to assist in developing a sense of personal and social responsibility as a citizen in society.
• Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.

The one-year Accounting and Financial Practice Ontario College Graduate Certificate provides you with the required knowledge and skills essential to begin and advance in the field of accounting. With a wide range of accounting and financial responsibilities present in the financial sector, there is a continuous demand for junior and intermediate accounting personnel.

In this program, you focus on accounting practices that incorporate technology used in a variety of business environments. With the use of financial accounting software and spreadsheet applications, you gather and analyze financial information and prepare financial reports.

Through financial scenarios and practical exercises, you develop in-depth knowledge of financial accounting, managerial accounting, taxation, audit and finance, and acquire the skills, terminology, concepts and tools required in the field of accounting. The program concludes with a capstone business case that gives you the opportunity to consolidate the knowledge and skills applied and practiced throughout the program.

Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Integrate ethical decision-making processes into accounting practices to establish and maintain transparency and fairness.
• Apply recognized accounting principles to the systematic recording of transactions to provide consistency in the reporting of financial information.
• Prepare accurate, relevant and timely financial statements for users of financial information that meet respective needs.
• Analyze financial and managerial accounting information to support decision-making.
• Use accounting software and relevant technology to produce accurate and timely financial information.
• Prepare effective budgets to support business operations.
• Research and discuss statistical techniques that safeguard data integrity and facilitate data interpretation.
• Select and recommend information systems that support effective business planning.
• Recognize legal implications arising in business situations to mitigate risks.
• Produce effective business communications to convey pertinent information.
• Examine and monitor current financial operations and provide suggestions to increase operational effectiveness.
• Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.

Accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC), Dental Assisting (Levels I and II) is a one- year certificate program that allows the students to enhance their skills and knowledge and practice in ethical and professional dental settings. The students have a provision of client care in Algonquin College’s onsite dental clinic and participate in a two- week (60 hours) placement in a dental office and thus develop expertise in intra-oral care, oral health education and promotion, radiography, clinical chair side and laboratory skills. 

The graduates of this college are eligible to give the National Dental Assisting Examination Board (NDAEB) examination which is a requirement to practice as a Level II Dental Assistant in Ontario and are also eligible to apply for certification with the Ontario Denal Assistants Association (ODAA).

The Regulatory Affairs - Sciences Ontario College Graduate Certificate program provides you with the skills and knowledge to pursue an entry-level career in industry and government regulatory agencies in Canada.

The regulation of products in industries such as healthcare, biotechnology, food, industrial chemical and agrochemical is of international concern. The resulting increase in regulation has driven the demand for qualified individuals in regulatory affairs.

With a focus on protecting the safety of people and the environment, professionals in this field have a positive impact on the public good.

Understand the regulatory environment in Canada, including the socioeconomic aspects of:

• Regulations across industries
• How to interpret and apply regulations
• How to develop and manage regulatory submissions

Begin your path to a career as a paralegal.

The Paralegal Ontario College Graduate Certificate program prepares you to apply to the Law Society of Ontario (LSO) to become a licensed paralegal. This program is offered in three consecutive semesters followed by a mandatory 120-hour field placement.

This program is accredited by the LSO. It prepares you for a career in which you provide legal services to the public in specified areas of practice. Learn in a hands-on environment, acquiring practical skills from experienced and dedicated faculty.

Study areas of law that are relevant to the type of work a licensed paralegal can perform, as governed by the LSO. You learn about case management and trial preparation in areas such as:

• Small claims court proceedings
• Provincial offences and summary conviction matters
• Proceedings before administrative tribunals
• Complete hands-on activities, including participating in mock trials. Learn about ethics, Professional responsibility and the requirements of running a legal services firm.

Benefit from completing a field placement lasting 120 hours. This gives you the opportunity to practise your skills and apply your knowledge to a real work environment.

In the one-year Marketing Research and Analysis Ontario College Graduate Certificate program you master the current and emerging techniques in marketing research. This program prepares you for a data-driven career in the marketing research discipline.

You learn to investigate how and why people purchase products and services. In this program, you develop the employable skills to conduct marketing and opinion research in the public, not-for-profit and private sectors. The curriculum emphasizes the marketing research process including:

• Research design
• Questionnaire construction
• Moderator`s guide construction
• Data collection
• Basic and intermediate statistical analysis and interpretation, and
• Report writing and presentation skills

In addition, you become familiar with the scientific method of hypotheses testing and reaching conclusions to solve business problems.

Graduates may have opportunities to work in a wide variety of research settings in government, not-for-profit organizations, research providers and private businesses that use marketing research.

This one-year Ontario College General Arts and Science - Design Studies Certificate helps you develop your creativity, learn design principles, and enhance your drawing skills. You will learn about layout, typography, mixed media, photography, drawing, 3D modelling, and industry standard design software. These skills will assist you in creating a competitive portfolio, which you may use to pursue further studies in the design field.

You receive an Ontario College Certificate in General Arts and Science - One Year, with a concentration in Design Studies. This program helps you to expand your knowledge in design and choose your career path. This certificate prepares you to be successful in other programs such as:

• Graphic Design
• Interior Design
• Interior Decorating
• Illustration
• Architectural Studies
• Industrial Design
• Advertising
• Mobile App Design
• Web Development
• Multi-media and more

Completion of this certificate confirms to potential employers that you have the ability to learn at a post-secondary level. With this certificate, you may also choose to continue your education in Year II of the General Arts and Science Ontario College Diploma program.

Approved by the College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario and accredited by the Council on Accreditation for Respiratory Therapy Education, Respiratory Therapy is a three-year Ontario College Advanced Diploma program offered by Algonquin College. The program is well suited for all the students who have strong observational and analytical skills, possess an applied technical aptitude, are able to work effectively under stressful situations and have excellent communication and interpersonal skills while interacting with patients, their families and other members of the healthcare team. 

During the course, the students participate in multiple clinical simulations, learning to apply their theoretical knowledge to clinical practice and promoting critical thinking. Besides, the students also learn how to adapt themselves to situations and concepts to meet the needs of the patients and work in a professional tea, structure in a private or a public setting. 

The graduates of the course of the program can find jobs as staff therapists in hospitals in the pediatric and neonatal intensive care units, emergency departments and cardiopulmonary diagnostic units, etc., or in medical sales, dental offices, research, physicians’ offices and community care. The graduates may also pursue post-graduate studies in areas like cardiopulmonary perfusion, polysomnography and anesthesia assistant. 

Registered respiratory therapists and the graduates who are working in regulated provinces need to be members of their Regulatory College, the College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario (CRTO). The successful completion of the National Alliance of Respiratory Therapy Regulatory Bodies credential exam, conducted by the Canadian Board of Respiratory Care (CBRC), allows the graduates to work in Canada.

Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Practice in a professional manner.
• Practice competently, safely and effectively in diverse practice settings.
• Communicate effectively with clients and health care team members.
• Participate as a team member to support clients` achievement of their health outcomes.
• Assess clients in a comprehensive manner.
• Collect and interpret information to plan, implement and evaluate outcomes based practice.
• Select and use a variety of respiratory modalities to support clients’ achievement of their health outcomes.
• Collaborate with clients and health care team members to develop,
• Implement and evaluate clients` learning plans.
• Integrate theory principles and concepts into respiratory practice.
• Incorporate research theory into practice.
• Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.

The two-year Financial Services-Canadian Context Ontario College Graduate Certificate program is specifically designed to support students transitioning into the Canadian work environment in the customer sales and service areas of:

• Banking
• Insurance
• Financial planning
• Wealth management

In this program, you build knowledge and skills to evaluate and recommend financial products and services based on clients` individual needs. You develop techniques to collect and analyze client information to create and present customized financial plans. Sales strategies and relationship building techniques are applied while adhering to legal and ethical practices and industry standards. Throughout the program, you develop a professional competencies portfolio to document marketable skills. The fourth semester of the program focuses on experiential learning within a variety of real-world scenarios.

Through experiential and simulated workplace learning, you develop financial advising strategies to facilitate clients` short- and long-term financial goals. Topics include:

• Saving and borrowing for major purchases
• Postsecondary education and retirement planning
• Insurance for wealth protection
• Investing for diversification, growth and tax efficiency
• Estate planning for succession and wealth transfer

Graduates are eligible to write the Canadian Securities Course designation exams. Algonquin College collaborates with the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI) and the Canadian Institute of Financial Planning (CIFP) to offer the Financial Services Graduate Certificate Program, which meets FP Canada`s Core and Advanced Curriculum educational requirements. The program provides a pathway to the following designations upon completion of their additional requirements and exams:

• Canadian Securities Course (CSC designation)
• Qualified Associate Financial Planner (QAFP) designation (see FP Canada website for additional requirements)
• Certified Financial Planner(CFP) designation. (See FP Canada website for university degree and additional requirements)

This four-year honours degree program provides students with a foundation in digital storytelling and digital technology, allowing them to effectively craft a message for a target audience and to create a communications plan to disseminate this message. Graduates of advertising, public relations and marketing diploma and advanced diploma programs may be awarded advanced standing.

Students gain theoretical and practical knowledge regarding media channel selection, digital storytelling, marketing communications research, digital analytics and global communications. The program utilizes case studies and fieldwork to provide opportunities for students to practice the newly-acquired skills in a real-world context. Additionally, students conduct marketing research, utilize digital analytics and marketing research to make decisions and craft communications plans for clients within the classroom setting.

Graduates may seek employment in media and communications departments within:

• Government
• Non-profit organizations
• Associations
• Advertising and digital agencies
• Private corporations

They may work in areas such as journalism, advertising, public relations, marketing communications, professional writing and social media.

Co-op Information
The proposed Bachelor of Digital Media and Marketing Communications includes two co-op work terms, one optional and one mandatory. The mandatory co-op work term must be completed successfully to qualify for graduation. Both work terms are scheduled for the summer semester (May - August) when potential employers/supervisors are likely to have the greatest need for additional help. These work terms will be fourteen (14) weeks in length.

The first optional co-op work term follows the second year of study. It is expected that after four (4) semesters, students will have gained the foundational knowledge to make a reasonable contribution in the workplace with supervision. The first co-op work term will help students expand their understanding of potential areas of specialty within the industry.

The second mandatory co-op work term follows the third year of study. After six semesters, students will be able to function with a sense of autonomy and demonstrate a greater level of contribution than possible in the optional first co-op work term. This second mandatory co-op work term will help in building practical work experience and will act as an educational tool in subsequent semesters.