Graduate Certificate in Financial Planning

at George Brown College - St. James Campus Canada

The four-semester Business diploma program prepares students to carry out a variety of business functions within local, national and global settings. Graduates will have demonstrated a practical understanding of key principles and practices necessary for success in the field of business.

Students who graduate from this program are prepared to work in diverse team settings and contribute to projects with practical presentation and research skills. They can use their functional knowledge in many areas of an organization (including accounting, finance, human resources and marketing), to achieve strategies within cross-functional teams.

This learning experience will enable you to:

• Use current concepts/systems and technologies to support an organization's business initiatives.
• Perform work in compliance with relevant statutes, regulations and business practices.
• Develop strategies for ongoing personal and professional development to enhance work performance in the business field.
• Apply principles of corporate sustainability, corporate social responsibility and ethics to support an organization's business initiatives.
• This Centre for Business program is part of our School of Management.

Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate demonstrates the ability to:

• Identify and discuss the impact of global issues on an organization’s business opportunities by using an environmental scan.
• Apply principles of corporate sustainability, corporate social responsibility and ethics to support an organization’s business initiatives.
• Use current concepts/systems and technologies to support an organization's business initiatives.
• Apply basic research skills to support business decision-making.
• Support the planning, implementation and monitoring of projects.
• Perform work in compliance with relevant statutes, regulations and business practices.
• Explain the role of the human resource function and its impact on an organization.
• Use accounting and financial principles to support the operations of an organization.
• Describe and apply marketing and sales concepts used to support the operations of an organization.
• Outline principles of supply chain management and operations management.
• Outline and assess the components of a business plan.
• Develop strategies for ongoing personal and professional development to enhance work performance in the business field.

The American Sign Language and Deaf Studies program is open to both Deaf and non-deaf students and provides intensive preparation in:

• American Sign Language (ASL) and English
• an orientation to Deaf culture
• current social issues affecting Deaf people
• The curriculum combines:

Opportunities to learn and practice ASL

• Classroom teaching about the structure and features of ASL
• Students will have the opportunity to:

Learn, understand and participate in basic conversations in ASL

• Develop stronger skills in spoken and written English
• Develop a basic understanding of the role of the ASL-English Interpreter

PROGRAM STANDARDS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Communicate effectively in oral and written English.
• Express and receive messages accurately in routine conversations using American Sign Language.
• Apply basic knowledge of Deaf culture, the Deaf community, and the interpreter profession.

The Concept Art for Entertainment program will train students to meet industry demand for concept artists and fine artists with a focus in entertainment fields. Strategically designed to provide specialized skills for graduates of Game - Art, Interaction Design and Graphic Design, the intensive curriculum emphasizes the development of artistic and direction techniques relevant to the industry, namely concept art production and visual conceptualization, in real-world scenarios.

Students will become proficient with production processes, defining art styles and drawing techniques by interpreting stories, character profiles and design documentation. Throughout their time in the program, students will assemble a personal portfolio, while designing and directing the art production for games and film. This experience will provide graduates with the necessary professional practices to enter the workforce or become entrepreneurs.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Propose artistic solutions to abstract design challenges according to project requirements and constraints.
  • Produce conceptualized art in a format that meets the needs of identified audiences and clients.
  • Select appropriate tools and software for the creation of conceptualized artwork.
  • Produce a portfolio showcasing a combination of diverse artistic styles that reflect conceptualized art standards.
  • Plan and create conceptualized artwork for digital media.
  • Apply effective entrepreneurial and business practices and project management skills to the profession of independent and/or company conceptual artist.
  • Contribute to and lead multi-disciplinary project teams to complete complex projects.
  • Select appropriate marketable concept art for public release.

The Consulting postgraduate program prepares students for a career in consulting that could include working for a consulting firm, independently creating their own employment, or securing a business development role within an organization. Digital Transformation and the theories behind Digital Transformation are core frameworks for the first academic semester of the program. The second semester is a mix of client consulting project work and workshops further exploring consulting in a world continuously undergoing digital transformation. Students develop knowledge and skills by working individually and/or in teams, doing research, analyzing client problems and providing recommendations to real clients through our Consulting Hub.

Your Field Education Options

• Students will engage in various consulting projects in their second semester to gain experience and demonstrate:
  • Development of parameters of a consulting project and building a client/consultant relationship
  • Creation and implementation of a project plan for the term of a consulting engagement
  • Preparation and implementation of the terms of reference and contracts for the term of the consulting engagement, including billing and payment schedules
  • Performing an environmental audit (external and internal) and conducting market research to diagnose the client problem(s)
  • Use of a range of consulting tools and techniques including: interviewing, research, and collaborative problem solving during the consulting process
  • Development and modelling of soft skills such as teamwork, customer service, communications and problem solving during the consulting process
  • Assessing the change readiness of the client’s organization through the use of change management skills and processes
  • Completing a client consulting project including contracting, data collection and analysis, recommendations and, as appropriate, implementation to the satisfaction of the client

George Brown College endeavours to provide field education opportunities with real-world challenges and clients. Find out more about field education at the Centre for Business.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Establish the parameters of a consulting project and build a client/consultant relationship.
  • Create and implement a project plan for the term of a consulting engagement.
  • Prepare and implement terms of reference and contracts for the term of the consulting engagement, including billing and payment schedules.
  • Perform an environmental audit (internal and external) and conduct market research to diagnose the client problem(s)
  • Use a range of consulting tools and techniques including: interviewing, research, collaborative problem solving during the consulting process.
  • Develop and model soft skills such as teamwork, customer service, communications and problem solving during the consulting process.
  • Assess the change readiness of the client’s organization through the use of change management skills and processes.
  • Complete a client consulting project including contracting, data collection and analysis and recommendations and as appropriate implementation to the satisfaction of the client.

Career Development Practitioner is a three-semester (one-year) graduate certificate program that prepares graduates to enter the career development sector. The program may also appeal to practitioners working in the field who want to gain additional formal training and job coaching experience. The career development sector includes non-profit/community-based, government, post-secondary and private/corporate organizations.

The key objective of the field is to assist clients to be self-sufficient in career exploration, skill acquisition, job search and maintenance. Career Development Practitioners coach and counsel others on:

• Job search
• Career planning
• Career choice and change
• Academic and training advising
• Identifying and meeting staffing needs

Practitioners may work with specialized and diverse groups such as:

• Youth
• Women
• People with disabilities
• Immigrants and refugees

This program has been designed to meet the changing needs of the sector and will help meet demand for trained Career Development Practitioners in the GTA and beyond.

What key skills and knowledge will you gain?

• Emerging trends and techniques in job search and career exploration
• Individual and group facilitation/counselling
• Job development and employer engagement
• Ethics and professional practice
• Career development theory
• Diversity, accessibility, equity and inclusion
• Use of technology and social media
• Career and employment information resources
• Employment legislation and programs

Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Apply evidence-­based career development practices in advising diverse client groups.
• Utilize self­-reflective and critical thinking skills to enhance counselling, teaching and learning strategies with groups and individuals.
• Develop a commitment to ongoing professional development to actively respond to changing labour market and professional requirements.
• Integrate appropriate career information resources and tools with career and employment strategies to enable clients to meet their employment goals.
• Perform needs assessments and develop subsequent interventions using techniques and skills that enable diverse ranges of clients to meet employment goals.
• Design consulting, advising and teaching strategies that incorporate trends and issues of the changing labour market to assist clients in job search and career transitions.
• Integrate emergent technologies into the full spectrum of Career Development processes and applications to maximize service delivery to clients navigating changing labour market requirements.
• Adhere to relevant legislation and social policy to plan programs, interventions and referrals for client groups.
• Use current work search tools and strategies to facilitate successful client job search.

The Honours Bachelor of Commerce (Financial Services) is a four-year business degree that was developed with employers to create graduates who can thrive in today's financial services industry. After the first year of studies, students can choose from either the Accounting or Financial Planning specialization.
Whether you are seeking a career as a professional accountant or a financial planner, this program provides the skills, knowledge and real-world experience to help you succeed.

The program includes:

• Work integrated learning experiences that amount to no less than 14 weeks of full-time equivalent work (420 hours), either in one block or in multiple cumulative blocks appropriate to achieving the program learning outcomes
• Accounting, banking management, administration and financial planning theory, as well as the practice of applying concepts in the real word
• A state-of-the-art facility that includes network-ready wireless classrooms and study areas
• Curriculum that is current and has been developed with input from our industry partners, the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario and the Financial Planners Standards Council.

PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Communicate information and concepts clearly and concisely using the most appropriate methods for the message, its purpose and its audience.
• Work effectively in teams to achieve desired goals and outcomes by managing projects, resolving conflicts, addressing differing points of view and demonstrating self-awareness, self-confidence and self-management.
• Solve business problems by interpreting data from primary and secondary sources in qualitative and quantitative analyses.
• Evaluate risk, economics, environmental, ethical, legal, political, sociological and technical factors to support strategic decisions.
• Formulate and communicate sound arguments using critical evaluation of research, personal and societal contexts.
• Develop solutions to financial problems using relevant business and statistical models.
• Assess the overall financial performance of an individual or organization and prepare appropriate financial reports.
• Adhere to appropriate professional, legal and ethical codes of conduct and comply with government and industry regulations.
• Use appropriate business software to manage data, analyze financial information, and create business reports.
• Demonstrate awareness of uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge and how these might influence analysis and decisions.
• Gather and evaluate data, formulate arguments and solve problems using appropriate methods of research and enquiry.

YOUR FIELD STUDY OPTIONS

• Work experience is required as part of this program.

Work Experience
The Honours Bachelor of Commerce (Financial Services) degree includes Co-op experience(s) that amounts to no less than 14 weeks of full-time equivalent work (420 hours), either in one block or in multiple cumulative blocks appropriate to achieving the learning outcomes.

The Co-op experience usually occurs between your sixth and seventh semesters if taken in one block and all 420 hours must be completed before the seventh semester. This work experience provides you with the practical experience employers value. Organizations in the following categories are engaged as field education partners for the Financial Services degree:

• Financial institutions
• Accounting and accounting-related organizations
• Small businesses
• Not-for-profit organizations
• Government offices
• Major corporations

For over 25 years, the Sport and Event Marketing graduate certificate program at George Brown College in Toronto has been equipping students with the core skills to succeed in the integrated work of sport, arts and entertainment, and not for profit enterprises.

Hands-on from the first day, this 12-month program provides students with a foundation in consumer marketing. It focuses on the examination and application of Sport and Event Marketing best practices, strategies, tactics, tools and techniques. Students develop and learn to apply creativity and critical thinking skills that will take them from the classroom to the boardroom. Assignments and projects can involve industry partners, especially in the final semester when students plan and execute a charitable event.

Key disciplines covered include sport, arts and entertainment marketing, sponsorship activation, event planning and management, integrated marketing communications (IMC), digital media, not for profit and cause-related marketing and financial metrics.

This learning experience will enable you to:

• Develop integrated marketing and media plans for arts, entertainment, cause-related marketing, and the sports industry
• Plan, execute and evaluate comprehensive events utilizing project management and team-building skills
• Develop and evaluate sponsorship activation opportunities from the value perspective of the consumer, property, and buyer

Extracurricular opportunities may include:

• Speed Mentoring
• 5 to Watch Canada’s Sports Business Awards
• Primetime Sports Case Competition

This Centre for Business program is part of our School of Marketing.

Your Field Education Options
Work Experience (Co-op or Internship Work Term)

This program requires the successful completion of one semester of work experience to graduate. This work experience is either co-op (paid) or internship (unpaid). Either one will give you the practical experience employers value. The work term occurs after the end of the second academic semester.

George Brown works with employers and industry partners to identify potential work experience opportunities. Students then apply for these opportunities and go through a competitive interview process. Students are also strongly encouraged to pursue self-directed industry work experience opportunities they believe would provide the learning experiences they value and meet the learning outcomes of the program. This valuable work experience can in turn be added to your resume.

In addition to on-the-job work experience, George Brown College endeavours to provide field education opportunities with real world challenges and clients. Find out more about field education at the Centre for Business.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Apply marketing concepts to industries directly associated with sports, arts, entertainment or causes.
  • Develop integrated marketing and media plans featuring consumer-oriented objectives, strategies, tactics, budgetary considerations and return on investment (ROI) metrics.
  • Plan, execute and evaluate comprehensive events utilizing project management and team building skills as required.
  • Develop and evaluate sponsorship activation opportunities from the value perspective of the consumer, property and buyer.
  • Create professional and persuasive written, digital and other presentation formats using industry standard software.
  • Analyze and interpret marketing activities using criteria related to sales forecasting, budgeting, financial health and performance metrics.

If you want to work as a baker or pastry chef, this is where you start. This one-year certificate program will help you launch a career in baking and pastry arts. You’ll learn all the basics of pastry, cakes and decorating through hands-on training and classroom learning. You’ll also gain specialized knowledge in areas such as artisanal breads, chocolate techniques and fermentation, as well as menu management and nutrition.

PROGRAM STANDARDS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Identify the workings and the effects of ingredients on one another and predict how the end product will be affected.
• Perform problem-solving and troubleshoot recipes.
• Perform basic techniques involved in the daily production of a bakery or pastry shop.
• Recognize and produce both classical and modern baked goods.
• Apply food safety principles and practices as identified by the local health unit.
• Apply basic mathematical principles and recipe conversions, bakery formulations and percentages.
• Practice skills used in the daily operation of a bakery, including cost controls, food cost, percentages, labour cost and inventory controls.

Do you want to learn French patisserie? Join this specialized French pastry and culture program, learn from the experts here in Canada and then live, learn and get work experience in France!

Through this program, you will:

• Experience hands-on learning in both Canada and France with the pre-eminent French chef professors in the country.
• Build your knowledge of French pastry and culinary traditions and embrace emerging trends in French pastry.
• Benefit from our partnership with Ecole National Superieure de la Patisserie (ENSP), the world-famous Ducasse school, one of France’s finest pastry chef schools.
• Experience the vineyards, cheese producers and local markets of France as your open-air classroom.
• Study in some of the best patisseries, bakeries, restaurants and hotels, where you will get attention, training and an inspiring experience.
• After your experiences in France, demonstrate what you’ve learned through events, placements and showcasing your newly acquired skills back at George Brown College. Our faculty already have a reputation for excellence among French patisseries in Toronto and globally and this program and its unique opportunities will make you a sought-after employee when you graduate. "A bientot!"

Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Apply techniques such as reconstituting, revising, laminating and assembling to traditional French pastry and baking, using emerging trends in the French patisserie.
• Converse in basic French and use correct terminology within a food service operation.
• Identify the holistic practices in French gastronomy through field education and/or gastronomic theory.
• Prepare French pastries and baked goods within Canadian and EU Health, Safety and Nutrition regulations, standards, guidelines, and processes.
• Develop unique baking, pastry or confectionary product and manage the commercialization and marketing of that product.
• Manage the production, sales and business aspects of a personally created line of French pastries and baked goods.
• Work collaboratively as part of a culinary team, and conduct oneself in a professional manner.

This advanced diploma Business Administration – Marketing program will open doors to opportunities in the exciting and fast-moving field of marketing. Marketing at George Brown in Toronto is more than textbooks and lectures. Our learning is hands-on and project-based, and this program provides opportunities for case studies as well as real-world projects that can involve industry partners.

What differentiates the three-year advanced diploma from the two-year diploma is the additional opportunities for hands-on learning as well as digital marketing courses, international marketing courses, marketing research courses, and marketing strategy courses. You can also expand your horizons with additional business electives.

This learning experience will enable you to:

• Develop an integrated marketing communication strategy for marketing products, concepts, goods, or services based on an identified target market
• Conduct primary and secondary market research to provide information needed to make marketing decisions
• Develop strategies to establish effective working relationships with clients, customers, consumers, co-workers, supervisors, and others
• Evaluate the viability of marketing products, concepts, goods, or services in an international market or markets
• Formulate and prepare a marketing plan including marketing objectives, marketing mix, marketing strategies, budgetary considerations, and evaluation criteria
• Integrate digital marketing and social media into a marketing plan with an understanding of various platforms and technologies

Embedded in all of the above will be the development of soft skills including communication, presentation and team-building skills, as well as the analytical skills required by marketers today.

George Brown College actively works with industry partners in order to:-

• Align the curriculum to industry needs
• Provide students with hands-on learning through class projects
• Offer students field education opportunities
• Participation in extracurricular activities allows students to build on their knowledge and skills while networking. This is one of many ways that our School of Marketing helps 

Participation in extracurricular activities allows students to build on their knowledge and skills while networking. This is one of many ways that our School of Marketing helps students get a great return on all that they invest in their business education. Activities may include:

• Ontario Colleges Marketing Competition
• Vanier BDC Case Challenge
• Enactus George Brown
• Speed Mentoring event
• Great Canadian Sales Competition
• Ad Week

Your Field Education Options
Students have the option of earning a business elective credit with the Field Education Course (BUS 1067).

This program (B108) is also offered with work experience. Students who wish to apply for Business Administration – Marketing with Work Experience should apply to B158.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Develop a marketing plan that will meet the needs or goals of a business or organization.
  • Develop an integrated marketing communication plan for marketing of a product, concept, good, or service based on an identified market need or target.
  • Determine strategies for the development of new and/or modified marketing concepts, products, goods, and/or services that respond to evolving market needs.
  • Determine strategies for the efficient and effective placement/distribution of a product, good, and/or service that respond to an evolving market.
  • Determine the impact of using different marketing strategies for a product, concept, good and/or service, on the finances, return on investment (ROI), and business goals of an organization.
  • Analyze the viability of a concept, product, good, and/or service in local, national or global markets.
  • Conduct market research to provide information needed to make marketing decisions.
  • Communicate marketing information persuasively and accurately in oral, written, graphic and interactive media formats.
  • Plan, prepare and deliver an effective sales presentation or pitch to address the needs of the client.
  • Develop strategies with clients, customers, consumers, co-workers, supervisors, and others to maintain and grow working relationships
  • Develop learning and development strategies to enhance professional growth in the field.
  • Apply entrepreneurial strategies to identify and respond to new career opportunities that might include contract employment, and self-employment initiatives.
  • Apply and contribute to a framework of organizational policies and practices, when conducting business of the organization.
  • Apply the principles of business ethics and corporate social responsibility to business decisions.