General Certificate in General Arts and Science

at Durham College - Oshawa Campus Canada

Web developers act as a vital bridge between the design of a website and back-end coding to create a seamless user interface by applying traditional design methods to emerging technologies while being flexible, creative and quick to respond to the design challenges of the ever-changing digital landscape.

Building on the fundamentals of interactive media design, this program prepares students for an exciting career in the field of web design and web development. Delivered by the School of Media, Art & Design, students will have access to the latest software and web technologies in studios built specifically for interaction and web design. Unlike other web development programs, students will approach interactive elements through a creative lens to develop the graphic and technical skills to become highly competent designers and deliver dynamic, cross-media content in a complex and competitive business environment. With the knowledge, skills and experience necessary to design and develop web content for all digital platforms, graduates will be familiar with the latest trends and techniques when entering the workforce.

From touchscreen applications and websites to motion design and video, interactive media designers create the User Experience (UX). In this cutting-edge program, students learn to design and produce illustrations, photography, infographics and animations for anything interactive. Graduates of this program become skilled compositors, able to create motion graphics, virtual environments and integrated media content.

Become an integral part of assuring the safety and integrity of our infrastructure, components and structures that are built or are in service in our society. Learn about materials and specific testing methods in order to examine cars, trains, airplanes, spacecraft, towers, bridges, ships, power plants and amusement park rides to identify and analyze possible defects. With education, training, and practical experience under your belt, you will be prepared to begin your training in industry as an inspector to test and evaluate components for internal or external flaws, using advanced technology including visual inspection and radiology/radiographic techniques, allowing people to live and work in a safe environment.

This program will provide you with the education, training and practical experience necessary to begin a career in non-destructive evaluation/testing (NDT).

You will learn how to examine cars, trains, airplanes, spacecraft, towers, bridges, ships, power plants and amusement park rides without causing damage or impairment to their future use, hence the term non-destructive. The purpose of testing in this fashion is to detect possible internal or external defects and examine the properties of an object.

This program is regulated by the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) and provides eligibility to write certification exams upon graduation. A minimum 70 per cent is required in Introduction to Non-Destructive Testing, Mathematics for Technology II and Ultrasonic Testing I in order to obtain a course credit. Other Non-Destructive Testing courses will require a 70 per cent grade to be eligible for a training certificate.

As a graduate, you will also be eligible for membership in the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists.

Please note: Candidates should not have a fear of confined spaces or heights. Prior to certification exams, tests of visual acuity  are required. Some organizations also require a police check prior to employment.

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.

As more organizations rely on data to drive corporate planning and decision-making, increasingly sophisticated business intelligence and data tools are being used to meet the need for extensive data collection and manipulation. This allows industry to quickly respond to organizational and market opportunities. The Data Analytics for Business Decision Making graduate certificate will prepare you for a career in this high-demand area by teaching you the knowledge and skills that you need to support real-world business decision-making and planning through data insights, data management and data science.

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.

This joint Durham College (DC) and Ontario Tech University (Ontario Tech) diploma-to-degree program will enable you to earn your college diploma and university degree in only four years. Experience the best of both learning environments while on the journey to a rewarding career in business. Build a solid foundation in business theory as well as experience hands-on learning in various areas of entrepreneurship such as business plan writing, digital marketing, mentorship, and starting a new business venture on campus at DC.

Please note that while the Entrepreneurship major has been suspended at Ontario Tech University, students in this university transfer program are able to complete a Bachelor of Commerce and choose from other major options.

This program will provide you with the ability and confidence to seek opportunities and provide support within the dynamic world of engineering, including the automotive, energy generation, construction and manufacturing sectors. Your future role may steer you towards a career in industrial design, metal and non-metal fabrication including machining or technical support. Students train and explore in our premier advanced automation facility through an experiential learning path that engages them with real-world controllers, operator touch screens, industrial networks, robotics and more.

This program will appeal to you if you prefer hands-on experience and like technology. You will learn to create computer-aided drawing (CAD) models of machine parts and assemblies, program computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software and manufacture designs using computer numerical control (CNC) code. The program is taught in up to date laboratories, utilizing the latest design software and manufacturing and testing equipment.

From the manufacturing and production to power generation and oil and gas industries, employment opportunities exist in:

• Engineering design and drafting
• Installation
• Manufacturing
• Product/system testing
• Operating
• Quality management and evaluation
• Technical sales
• Servicing of mechanical systems

Whether it’s a small business or a large publicly traded corporation, accounting professionals are needed in all areas of the economy, in both the public and private sectors. Our program is taught by industry-connected professors who will give you the skills and knowledge to excel in the field. You will learn how to apply the latest tools and technologies – making you instantly valuable to an employer.

You will have the opportunity to hone your skills and gain valuable work experience through a co-operative education (co-op) option or field placement. This program gives you a powerful combination of knowledge, skills and real-life work experience. 

For students who want the best of both worlds, this joint Durham College and Ontario Tech University diploma-to-degree program will enable you to earn a human resources (HR) diploma and an honours degree in only four years. The opportunity to study in both learning environments provides a solid foundation for a successful career in HR where you will help to develop balanced workplaces so both the business and the employee can achieve their goals. You will acquire skills in the effective use of industry-standard software and learn from professors who are connected to 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.