Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Honours)

at Durham College - Oshawa Campus Canada

For those who are passionate about the environment and want to dedicate their work to preserving and protecting our earth, air and water, this program provides a diverse and rewarding career path. As an environmental technologist, you will spend your days outdoors conducting critical monitoring, sampling and surveying before returning to the lab to perform your analyses and the office to record and tabulate data. Whether advising organizations on best practices or holding them accountable for poor ones, your work will be vital to ensuring the health of our communities and planet.

If you are a domestic or internationally educated student with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree, you may be eligible for a compressed, fast-track opportunity to complete your advanced diploma requirements in two semesters.

The Environmental Technology program focuses on the chemical and biological sciences as they relate to environmental pollution. An emphasis is placed on ground and surface water quality, soil and waste management and recycling in urban and industrial settings. You will also examine environmental regulations and review their social and economic impacts on communities.

Training and experience in the handling, analysis and monitoring of a wide variety of biological and chemical parameters linked to pollution are at the heart of the program. First-hand field and laboratory experience is emphasized in areas such as:

• Analytical chemistry
• Data collection
• Environmental stewardship management
• Instrumental analysis
• Microbiology

Environmental problems and concerns are constantly changing and at Durham College we aim to adapt in order to stay at the leading edge of these changes. Statistics Canada has identified environmental technology as one of the top emerging employment sectors.

This fast-track option is designed for students with existing academic credentials and will provide you with the advanced skills necessary for employment in the environmental field. The program provides technical practice with many opportunities for hands-on experience and project-based learning.

The Music Business Administration/Management programs prepare students to enter any field of the music industry equipped with a solid foundation of relevant knowledge and business practices, and plenty of hands-on experience. Students learn to manage revenue streams, book tours, draft and negotiate contracts, manage artists and venues, plan and execute events, design websites, market and promote artists and merchandise, build a network, and much more. Graduates enter the industry ready and eager to become astute music industry executives, well-informed musicians/songwriters, or both!

This unique business-based program provides plenty of experiential learning opportunities and in-depth knowledge of all areas of the music business, preparing you for a wide variety of music industry careers spanning:

• Major and independent record labels in roles including marketing, publicity, promotion, merchandising and sales, artists and repertoire, and brand partnerships
• Live music including tour management and booking, concert promotion and production, and venue management
• Music publishing and administration including positions in copyright collection societies, industry trade organizations, copyright administration, music licensing, and music supervision
• Artist management (e.g. managing a musician or managing one’s own musical career)
• Digital music management including streaming services, social networks and online music retail
• Event production including planning or managing live music events, conferences, workshops and more
• Performing/recording artist, or songwriter
• Music production including live and recording services

You will develop skills in management, marketing, promotion, and small business operations, while learning and practicing the essentials of copyright law and music publishing, event production, live sound reinforcement, and media and business communications. Challenging careers are available for skilled administrators and managers, as well as aspiring musicians and songwriters, who can market and manage entertainment events and revenues; harness social media; manage tours; work directly with performers as booking agents or managers; prepare promotional materials; plan and organize itineraries; and negotiate, interpret and enforce contracts.

An education in journalism provides excellent training in critical thinking, writing and presenting ideas while preparing students for one of the most interesting careers imaginable. Armed with very transferable knowledge, skills and experience, journalism graduates go on to write and deliver stories on all written and broadcast platforms. Students also develop an array of social media skills and undergo experiential learning through the program’s ‘working newsroom’, before moving on to a seven-week field placement, applying their skills in a professional environment. Students taking the Journalism advanced diploma program will have an additional four-week field placement at the end of the sixth semester.

This program embraces the broad changes occurring in the media landscape and offers a progressive curriculum that will allow you to focus on development of journalism, social media skills and content creation on all platforms – online, print and broadcast. Students in the Journalism – Mass Media program will develop the essential skills, knowledge, and behaviours required to work in this progressive, critical profession. In their first year, students are introduced to the core journalism skills and learn how society functions both locally and globally. In their second year, students focus on creating content for all media platforms and undergoing experiential learning through our ‘working newsroom’'.

Due to the constant evolution of technology and the increasing development of new platforms of communication, traditional media professions such as journalism are facing new opportunities, as well as new challenges. Changes in the delivery methods of traditional news have forced journalists and others within the journalism industry to change how they do their jobs. For instance, journalists can now collect information with their phones and deliver stories directly to multiple platforms.

Graduates will have developed skills in: broadcasting, reporting, interviewing, editing, writing, content creation and media production, teamwork and critical thinking. You will have knowledge of applicable legislation, standards and professional ethics, and recognize the importance of continuous learning. More specifically, you will gain a clear understanding of the impact of digital technology on journalism and will be able to respond and adapt effectively and efficiently to technological changes.

Upon successful completion of this program you will have opportunities at an entry-level in a wide variety of news organizations and as content creators for a variety of private companies and public organizations, such as school boards, hospitals and governments. Graduates will have the skills to perform a range of tasks, including:
Writing local, national and international news through interviews and research

• Writing news stories for publication and/or broadcast
• Editing, analyzing and verifying information for accuracy
• Researching and conducting interviews for broadcast, online and print
• Applying production skills and using equipment to create content for a range of platforms
• Using social media platforms to engage audiences
• Planning and designing editorial content to meet a mass communications strategy for a client

Durham’s Journalism – Mass Media program has successfully covered the campus and community since 1974. It has an ongoing history of excellence, winning Ontario Community Newspaper Association honours on a regular basis. Our graduates have a track record of producing quality work across Canada – for news organizations such as CBC, CTV and TSN and in communities from British Columbia to Nova Scotia. Grads have also earned careers as content creators and social media coordinators for companies, agencies and institutions.

NOTE: Students enrolling in this program are required to purchase their own laptop. 

With access to a national historic site and a one-of-a-kind living lab that provides students with legacy opportunities to complete campus projects, this program will help you graduate with the creative, entrepreneurial, and professional skills needed to be an industry leader. The art, science and business of horticulture are the focus of this program, ensuring students learn the skills required to create landscapes, renew historical gardens, enhance communities and express their creativity while learning the complexities involved in a broad range of professional environments. In addition, the dynamic, hands-on opportunities to experience the many aspects of the industry will make a difference as you work towards becoming a professional horticulturist. 

The Computer Systems Technician program is the perfect vehicle to launch a rewarding career in computer assembly, installation, configuration and troubleshooting. You will learn from industry-connected professors in new, state-of-the-art labs. This program is built on partnerships with some of the most influential names in networking today, including Cisco, IBM and Microsoft. Graduates will be able to help support computer users throughout an entire organization by deploying desktop and laptop systems, assisting users with day-to-day tasks, supporting help desk environments, troubleshooting networking issues and rolling out emerging technologies that will give their organization a competitive advantage.

NOTE: Students enrolling in this program are required to purchase their own laptop.

This program will provide you with the technical skills and expertise required to work in the high-demand world of personal computers, networking and application support to meet the information technology (IT) needs of modern organizations.

The program curriculum addresses the technical aspects of commonly used components and troubleshooting techniques for:

• Computer hardware
• Networking technologies
• Operating systems
• Security
• System administration

You will also learn how to develop your communication and administrative skills and be trained in critical-thinking skills designed to help you respond to many technical challenges. As a graduate, you will be able to:

• Challenge for industry-recognized certifications (e.g. Cisco CCNA, Microsoft MCP, CompTIA, A+, Net+)
• Install and configure system software and network devices
• Troubleshoot computer system and network issues.

Note: To ensure you make an informed decision about your IT career path, a common first semester is offered for the Computer Systems Technician, Computer Systems Technology, Computer Programmer and Computer Programmer Analyst programs. This approach will give you an opportunity to explore the systems/programming applications and networking/hardware applications of the IT sector.

The Music Business Administration/Management programs prepare students to enter any field of the music industry equipped with a solid foundation of relevant knowledge and business practices, and plenty of hands-on experience. Students learn to manage revenue streams, book tours, draft and negotiate contracts, manage artists and venues, plan and execute events, design websites, market and promote artists and merchandise, build a network, and much more. Graduates enter the industry ready and eager to become astute music industry executives, well-informed musicians/songwriters, or both

This unique business-based program provides plenty of experiential learning opportunities and in-depth knowledge of all areas of the music business, preparing you for a wide variety of music industry careers spanning:

• Major and independent record labels in roles including marketing, publicity, promotion, merchandising and sales, artists and repertoire, and brand partnerships
• Live music including tour management and booking, concert promotion and production, and venue management
• Music publishing and administration including positions in copyright collection societies, industry trade organizations, copyright administration, music licensing, and music supervision
• Artist management (e.g. managing a musician or band, or managing one’s own musical career)
• Digital music management including streaming services, social networks and online music retail
• Event production including planning or managing live music events, conferences, workshops, networking events, and more
• Performing/recording artist, or songwriter
• Music production including live and recording services

You will develop skills in management, marketing, promotion, and small business operations, while learning and practicing the essentials of copyright law and music publishing, event production, live sound reinforcement, and media and business communications. Challenging careers are available for skilled administrators and managers, as well as aspiring musicians and songwriters, who can market and manage entertainment events and revenues; maximize social media; manage tours; work directly with performers as booking agents or managers; prepare promotional materials; plan and organize itineraries; and negotiate, interpret and enforce contracts.

Modern policing requires officers to possess highly developed social and communication skills, practical law enforcement knowledge, technical skills, and the ability to connect with the communities they serve and protect. In this program you will build these skill sets while gaining vital community outreach experience through a unique program that sees students work with youth from at-risk schools. Training also focuses on mental health strategies in policing related to community members and officers; students will earn their Mental Health First Aid certificate in their course of study.

This program will provide you with the skills and knowledge needed to pursue an entry-level policing position including a broad education in human relation skills and the interpretation of social interaction including the study of:

• Community policing
• Communication
• Investigation processes
• Police powers and procedures
• Professional ethics
• Race relations

You will be subject to all requirements of the Ontario constable selection process and local police requirements when applying for a position as a constable in Ontario. Please be aware that specific, minimum criteria such as vision and hearing standards will apply as will a clear Criminal Background Check (CBC).

An education in journalism provides excellent training in critical thinking, writing and presenting ideas while preparing students for one of the most interesting careers imaginable. Armed with very transferable knowledge, skills and experience, journalism graduates go on to write and deliver stories on all written and broadcast platforms. Students also develop an array of social media skills and undergo experiential learning through the program’s ‘working newsroom’, before moving on to a seven-week field placement, applying their skills in a professional environment. Students taking the Journalism advanced diploma program will have an additional four-week field placement at the end of the sixth semester.

This program embraces the broad changes occurring in the media landscape and offers a progressive curriculum that will allow you to focus on development of journalism, social media skills and content creation on all platforms – online, print and broadcast. Students in the Journalism – Mass Media program will develop the essential skills, knowledge, and behaviours required to work in this progressive, critical profession. In their first year, students are introduced to the core journalism skills and learn how society functions both locally and globally. In their second year, students focus on creating content for all media platforms and undergoing experiential learning through our ‘working newsroom’'.

Due to the constant evolution of technology and the increasing development of new platforms of communication, traditional media professions such as journalism are facing new opportunities, as well as new challenges. Changes in the delivery methods of traditional news have forced journalists and others within the journalism industry to change how they do their jobs. For instance, journalists can now collect information with their phones and deliver stories directly to multiple platforms.

Graduates will have developed skills in: broadcasting, reporting, interviewing, editing, writing, content creation and media production, teamwork and critical thinking. You will have knowledge of applicable legislation, standards and professional ethics, and recognize the importance of continuous learning. More specifically, you will gain a clear understanding of the impact of digital technology on journalism and will be able to respond and adapt effectively and efficiently to technological changes.

Upon successful completion of this program you will have opportunities at an entry-level in a wide variety of news organizations and as content creators for a variety of private companies and public organizations, such as school boards, hospitals and governments. Graduates will have the skills to perform a range of tasks, including:
Writing local, national and international news through interviews and research

• Writing news stories for publication and/or broadcast
• Editing, analyzing and verifying information for accuracy
• Researching and conducting interviews for broadcast, online and print
• Applying production skills and using equipment to create content for a range of platforms
• Using social media platforms to engage audiences
• Planning and designing editorial content to meet a mass communications strategy for a client

Durham’s Journalism – Mass Media program has successfully covered the campus and community since 1974. It has an ongoing history of excellence, winning Ontario Community Newspaper Association honours on a regular basis. Our graduates have a track record of producing quality work across Canada – for news organizations such as CBC, CTV and TSN and in communities from British Columbia to Nova Scotia. Grads have also earned careers as content creators and social media coordinators for companies, agencies and institutions.

Today’s businesses and essential services depend on complex information and data management systems. Designing, developing and keeping those systems up-to-date with the business processes they support is the domain of programmer analysts. In a digitized world, the ingenuity and technical know-how of programmer analysts are in demand. From transportation networks to critical hospital databases to social network-driven applications, analysts design and develop the systems that are key to the success of all businesses and services in today’s digital world.

Accounting is often referred to as the universal language of business. Durham College’s Accounting – Business program is the next step towards a career in the field of accounting. Learning from industry-connected professors, you will develop your knowledge of accounting using the latest tools and technology in order to gain the skills employers need. You will be exposed to QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Sage 50 and Profile. You will also have the opportunity to earn Microsoft Office specialist certifications

Used in a wide variety of organizations, accounting involves measuring business activities; processing information into financial reports and statements; and communicating information to the appropriate decision-makers. To meet the wide range of accounting employment opportunities, Durham College incorporates a variety of simulations into the courses to help prepare students for the workplace. Students will be exposed to QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Sage 50, Profile and will have the opportunity to receive Microsoft Office specialist certifications. Courses include:

• Business Mathematics
• Communication
• Computerized Accounting and Excel
• Managerial Accounting
• Financial Accounting
• Personal Taxation

PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Record financial transactions in compliance with Canadian Generally Accepted Accounting Principles for sole proprietorships, partnerships, private enterprises, publicly accountable enterprises, and non-profit organizations.
• Prepare and present financial statements, reports, and other documents in compliance with Canadian Generally Accepted Accounting Principles for sole proprietorships, partnerships, and private enterprises.
• Contribute to recurring decision-making by applying fundamental management accounting concepts.
• Prepare individuals’ income tax returns and basic tax planning in compliance with relevant legislation and regulations.
• Analyze organizational structures, the interdependence of functional areas, and the impact those relationships can have on financial performance.
• Analyze, within a Canadian content, the impact of economic variables, legislation, ethics, technological advances, and the environment on an organization’s operations.
• Outline the elements of an organization’s internal control system and risk management.
• Contribute to recurring decision-making by applying fundamental financial management concepts