Certificate in Pre-Health Sciences Pathway to Certificates and Diplomas

at Durham College - Oshawa Campus Canada

From magazine ads and interactive graphics to book covers and digital signage, graphic designers have the power to express emotions, influence decisions and bring ideas to life. Students learn to design and produce logos, brochures, magazine layouts and annual reports. Graduates of this program create advertising and branding campaigns, corporate identity systems, and packaging prototypes. They develop two and three-dimensional illustrations and produce integrated media content for the web.

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

This program prepares graduates for work as entry-level designers. Students learn skills required to solve specific visual problems through practical work that covers a broad spectrum of visual communication in corporate, editorial, advertising and package design. The program of studies in first year includes:

• Design concepts
• Digital technology
• Drawing
• Fundamentals of design
• Typography

Your second and third year will give you an opportunity to apply these principles to a variety of design problems.

Other areas of study include:

• Advertising
• Branding
• Editorial and corporate design
• History of art
• History of graphic design
• Packaging
• Photography

You will spend your sixth semester off campus as an intern at a design or in-house studio. As a graduating student, you will have the opportunity to display design projects from your Portfolio Studies course at an annual student spring exhibit in Toronto.

Career options:

• Art director
• Creative director
• Digital art director
• Digital production designer
• Freelance graphic designer
• Graphic designer
• Marketing co-ordinator
• Production artist
• Prepress technician
• Web designer

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. 

Do you want a career in law enforcement but are not sure whether that means being a Canada Border Services officer, special constable, correctional officer, by-law officer or police officer? Join our program to learn about each of these career paths through a diverse curriculum taught by industry professionals and discover which career best suits your interests.
This program will introduce you to a diverse range of career options in law enforcement, offering a blend of academic and practical experience. A general level of fitness is required to successfully complete all of the program requirements. As a graduate, you are eligible to achieve your security guard license number.
Along with a breadth of courses, our program has embedded into the curriculum course content based on the ministry-mandated requirements for eligibility to write the provincial licensing examination for security guards in the province of Ontario as per the training standards prescribed by the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services under the Private Security and Investigative Services Act.

Why our students succeed:

• Variety of courses allows for discovery and confirmation on career choice.
• Students will engage in an Experiential Learning opportunity.
• Courses include industry guest speakers who provide insight and tips for job applications.
• Annual career fair provides opportunity to meet future employers.

From recruitment and selection to training and development, a career in human resources (HR) requires a focus on both strategy and people. Skill, knowledge and ability in human resource planning, occupational health and safety, compensation, hiring, employee development, labour relations and managerial accounting enable HR professionals to contribute to business success in an increasingly competitive global marketplace while looking after the organization’s most important asset – its employees.

As a successful graduate of this program you will qualify for approved credit towards the academic component of the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation granted by the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA). Students who receive an average grade of 70 per cent in these courses and maintain a minimum grade of 65 per cent in each course meet the coursework requirements to write the Comprehensive Knowledge Exams – a significant step towards becoming a CHRP. Please visit www.hrpa.ca for full details.

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.

When a victim/survivor of a criminal offence decides to report what happened to them, they may need support. In this program you will receive the training and skills necessary to advocate for victims and help them access the services they need to rebuild their lives and regain their confidence.

With a unique combination of business skills and a solid understanding of the sport industry, sport managers oversee professional and amateur athletes and teams; co-ordinate sporting events; and work behind the scenes at some of the biggest sporting venues in the world.

As Canada’s longest-running college sport management program, our team will prepare you to excel in an administrative or management role in the business of sport. Our program focuses on developing skills related to all aspects of the Canadian sports scene. When you complete the program, you will be prepared to enter into specific sport-related fields by applying the knowledge, experiential learning and concepts gained inside and outside of the classroom.

The program begins with coursework in fundamental business skills and sport industry understanding, progressing to more advanced applications and hands-on learning experiences in the subsequent semesters. Concluding the third year, you will have the opportunity to complete a full-semester (500-hour) field placement available in collaboration with industry partners.

In addition to formal classroom work, this program offers numerous volunteer and networking opportunities, an overnight leadership camp in the third year and a variety of experiential learning options to prepare you for this chosen career.

Please note: After completing two years of sport study you may choose to graduate with a diploma in Sport Administration.

If you hold a three-year diploma or degree with an overall average of 65 per cent or higher, you may wish to explore the two-semester Sport Business Management graduate certificate program.

Are you a pro at managing money with an added interest in stocks, bonds, investing and financial planning? Have you considered getting paid to help others manage their financial portfolios? The three-year Finance – Business Administration program provides advanced education and training in business, financial planning, investments, and life and health insurance. This structure helps to ensure you complete the program with the skills to gain a competitive edge in the job market.

As the only one of its kind in Ontario, the Law Clerk Advanced program will help you gain experience in both foundational areas of law such as corporate, litigation, family and real estate, as well as specialized areas such as securities, intellectual property, employment and immigration law to prepare you for a rewarding and successful career. Whether you want to be a law clerk in a law office, a corporate legal department or a government agency, you’ll have the skills needed for a successful career.  The demand for graduates has never been greater with over 50% of students routinely securing full-time employment before classes even finish!

Co-operative education (co-op)
The best way to succeed in your field is to immerse yourself in it! Co-op is an excellent way to build your professional network, explore career paths and apply in-class teachings to real work situations. Co-op is a model of education that integrates academic learning with workplace learning in fields relevant to our students’ academic and personal goals. Similar to an academic course, work terms are a mandatory component to this form of experiential learning.

Students in the Law Clerk – Advanced Diploma program will be invited to apply to the co-op option during their first academic semester. Entrance to the co-op option is limited and the processes for securing a work term are competitive. Students who qualify for co-op will be eligible to complete two four-month, paid work terms totalling 840 hours. Work terms are scheduled between semesters two and three and four and five of the program.

Supports are available through the Co-op office to assist students with securing their work terms. In addition, the Co-op office is in contact with co-op students and their employers during the work terms to help with any questions.

Professionals with knowledge in international business can help organizations understand marketing, law, trade and finance as they apply to the global village we live in. As a professional in this field you may investigate, analyze, administer and manage human, physical and operational resources, as well as complex strategic and practical management issues. In particular, you will gain skills in strategic decision-making, and conducting operational and marketing analysis for business firms on a global scale. Graduates of this program often work on cross-functional and global project teams in order to serve their clients.

Durham College is a Platinum Accredited Partner of the Forum for International Trade Training (FITT – www.FITTforTrade.com). This partnership means that Durham College offers an international business program that has been validated by FITT as meeting their high standard of industry excellence. Students registered in our FITT-accredited program have a direct link to FITT and its full range of global trade credentials.