Diploma in Fitness and Health Promotion

at Durham College - Oshawa Campus Canada

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. 

The Fitness and Health Promotion program will prepare you for a meaningful career that goes beyond the walls of a gym, with a focus on supporting a diverse range of populations, including clients of all ages and abilities. Fitness and health promotion professionals are invested in providing clients with a full-range of services – from research and design to implementation and execution of programs, facilities and activities. Offering a program of study that both balances and connects theory with practice, graduates enter the workforce with a broad skill set that includes supporting motivation, behaviour change as well as an introduction to entrepreneurship for those interested in pursuing their own business.

You will participate in hands-on learning experiences in state-of-the-art lab facilities practising the skills that you will apply during your work-integrated learning opportunities. Curriculum focuses on wellness, behaviour change, business practices, and exercise science. Courses include exercise physiology, nutrition, functional anatomy, injury management and exercise prescription. The Fitness and Health Promotion program will prepare you for an exciting and engaging career in a dynamic field that will positively influence the lives of your clients.

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.

Chemical Engineering Technology is at the core of our ever-evolving world - innovative products, processes and materials are a constant in our time. To support these changes, this program puts a focus on material science, nuclear physics and instrumentation. Renewable fuels, process simulation and analysis and development of chemical products all have one thing in common - the chemical engineering technologist.

Chemical engineering technology is about creating value through chemical conversions, all the way from lab-scale processes to optimizing full plant operations, and this program provides training to enable graduates to do this. Applications include manufacturing of high-tech polymers, water treatment operations, catalytic conversions, nuclear power and sustainable fuel sources. . Chemical engineering technologists play a role in each of these areas.

This program will provide you with hands-on experience and a solid background in analytical chemistry, organic chemistry, nuclear physics and instrumental analysis including chromatography and spectroscopy, as well as process control and sustainability. Working alone and in teams, first-hand experience is emphasized through our fully equipped Analytical Instrumentation laboratory. The core of the program will give you training and experience in the handling, analyzing, monitoring, processing and properties of a wide variety of chemicals.

Safety and environmental compliance are both emphasized in the program as chemical engineering technologists take processes from “cradle to cradle”. The field placement component of the program provides valuable contacts and experience.

Human resources (HR) professionals work in partnership with business managers to take care of the company’s largest asset – its employees. To help a business run, HR staff provide advice to department supervisors on a range of employee relations issues, design and deliver a range of programs and services focused on individual and team needs, and create company policies that support and promote a workplace culture based on fairness, equity and personal growth.

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

You will acquire skills in the effective use of industry-standard software and learn from professors who are connected to the industry. As a student, you will have the opportunity to interact directly with industry professionals and to participate in hands-on learning opportunities such as case competitions and either a field placement or co-operative education (co-op) experience.

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

Human resources (HR) professionals serve as strategic partners in today’s business environment. They work closely with management colleagues at all levels of a company on a variety of project-based and proactive initiatives. Many roles are performed by HR professionals including the following:

• Advocating on a variety of staff issues
• Developing and implementing company policies, procedures, programs and services
• Giving advice and counsel to corporate executives, line managers and employees

This program will develop your skills, knowledge and abilities in the following areas:

• Compensation management and performance appraisals
• Employee and labour relations
• HR planning and training and development
• Managerial accounting
• Occupational health and safety
• Recruitment and selection

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 Business Administration – Human Resources Management Advanced Diploma program will be invited to apply to the co-op option during their first year of study. 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 a four-month, paid work term between the second and third years of their 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. Upon completing the work term, co-op students return to campus to complete their final two academic semesters of the program before graduating.

If you see yourself in a career that involves the design, testing, installation and maintenance of computer hardware and software systems, the Computer Systems Technology program is for you. This program is built on partnerships with some of the most influential names in networking today, including Cisco, IBM and Microsoft. With additional education in systems analysis, database administration and system and network security, this program creates multi-skilled graduates who can respond flexibly to the complex hardware, software and application needs and problems in today’s information technology environment. You will learn in new state-of-the-art labs and work with professors who are connected to industry.

NOTE: Students enrolling in this program are required to purchase their own laptop. For specific hardware and software requirements for this program click here.

Graduates of the three-year Computer Systems Technology program are ready to meet the information technology (IT) needs of the business, industry, service and government sectors. You will be trained to plan, implement and analyze IT solutions based on various operating systems, networking technologies and computer programming languages.

The curriculum addresses:

• Advanced topics in network management
• Communication protocols
• CISCO switches and networks
• Microsoft Servers and applications.
• Mail servers
• Security
• Unified Communications enterprise-level management of server platforms

As a graduate, you will have the skills and expertise required to be an active participant in the planning and implementation of the information security programs and procedures required by modern organizations due to increasingly stringent reporting and privacy regulations. You will also be able to deploy Internet servers for the web, email and network services.

The multiple skills you will gain through this program will enable you to challenge for industry-recognized certifications including Cisco (e.g. CCNA, CCNP and CCNA Security); Microsoft (e.g. MCP and MCSE); and CompTIA (e.g. A+, Network+ and Linux+).

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.

Co-operative education (co-op):

For students starting the program as of September 2019, entrance into the co-op option is competitive. Students will be invited to apply to the co-op option during their first year of study. Students who qualify for co-op will be eligible to complete a four-month, paid work term between the second and third years of their program.

If you have an interest in helping others in an oral health care setting and becoming a valued member of a dental team in your community, this may be the profession for you. Students will acquire knowledge, skills and training in the professional behavior necessary to work as a Level II dental assistant, providing education and care in a variety of dental settings.

Dental office administrators play a vital role that enhances operations in the dental setting such as processing information, utilizing paper and electronic management systems, scheduling, financial records and proficient interpersonal skills. They create a connection between clients and dentists by coordinating requests from both parties. This program combines academic study and practical applications to provide a graduate with the skills, knowledge and professionalism to manage dental office business applications, software and communications for a client-centered practice. Graduates are eligible to write a certification examination through the Ontario Dental Assistants Association. Durham College’s Dental programs are highly regarded within dental communities.

Do you have a passion for the beauty industry and possess a creative, artistic spirit? The Cosmetic Techniques and Management program will prepare you to be a leader in the cosmetics, personal care and fragrance industries, giving you the competitive edge you need to launch a successful career.

Experience weekly hands-on instruction in state-of-the-art lab facilities, where students learn practical make-up application techniques using a comprehensive professional student kit. Working alongside experienced faculty, you will create a range of cosmetic applications, including make-up for special events, media, photography, as well as period, airbrushing, creative and special effects application techniques.

Foundational concepts are also at the core of the program to develop as an industry professional, where students experience training in areas ranging from colour theory and skincare analysis to communication and client consultations. Recognizing that cosmetics is an ever-growing billion-dollar industry, the program takes a holistic approach that emphasizes important business skills and entrepreneurial training. A strong focus is placed on meeting industry professional standards, including teaching best practices and protocols in infection control. Students also have the opportunity to collaborate with a professional photographer in their final semester and develop their portfolio of work to assist with obtaining future job opportunities.

Our expert faculty and program team have diverse training and industry experience, ranging from fashion, beauty, fine arts, fragrance, and creative special effects, as well as cosmetics retail and event management. Faculty have represented prominent luxury cosmetics brands and have also had their special effects work featured on Breakfast Television for Halloween Haunt at Canada’s Wonderland.

You will complete a field placement to complement your in-class learning as well as gain hands-on experience overseen by expert faculty and the Spa Manager, while working in the fully operational Durham College Spa.

With the rate of Ontarians living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) continuing to rise, so is the need for skilled professionals who are prepared to use evidence-based interventions to support individuals, as well as their families and caregivers. In this program, which focuses on children, older youth and adults in a variety of settings, students will develop expertise in the collaborative design, implementation and evaluation of effective behavioural intervention plans, according to the principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis. They will also gain valuable work experience through two supervised field placements.