Graduate Certificate in Interactive Media Management

at George Brown College - St. James Campus Canada

The Honours Bachelor of Digital Experience Design Degree is a four-year program that produces designers who can solve problems using human-centred, socially conscious, and economically viable digital solutions.

Digital experience design includes related fields such as service design, user experience design and interaction design. It involves understanding human behaviour and human computer interaction, conducting research and usability studies, managing projects and working in teams, applying business skills, working with existing and emerging digital technologies, prototyping new ideas and anticipating future trends.

In this program, students will develop the ability to critically analyze and adapt to ever-changing conditions of technology and culture. Foundational courses build students’ analytical, technical and business skills. In upper-year courses and capstone projects, students collaborate on digital interfaces and applications, as well as interactive environments and objects.

This design degree curriculum focuses on three areas of learning based on the digital experience design process:

• Think: design thinking, theory, culture and research
• Make: designing, building and testing digital experiences
• Ship: entrepreneurship and the commercialization of digital products

Interactive Digital Media is a growing industry that is quickly changing, driven by shifts in consumer behaviour and technology. Graduates of this program will be able to contribute to and eventually lead interdisciplinary teams to solve problems across a variety of fields such as security, transportation, education and manufacturing. The degree also prepares students to pursue graduate studies in a wide range of academic disciplines.

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

• Integrate digital experience design theories and methodologies to solve real-life problems and address societal issues.
• Explain the relationships between digital interactive experiences and products and other fields of practice and study.
• Provide human-centred and research-based solutions and design opportunities across sectors.
• Determine the usability of interactive systems to optimize the performance of a product or service.
• Incorporate key theoretical concepts of design to inform the planning, production and critique of interactive digital experiences.
• Develop applications based on trends in digital experience design.
• Incorporate relevant technological systems in the process of developing digital experiences.
• Use human-centred design principles to develop and test digital products, systems and services to enhance the aesthetic and functional experience.
• Select the appropriate tools that allow for designing, building, visualizing and programming digital interactive experiences.
• Create interactive products, systems and services using appropriate technologies, materials and manufacturing methods.
• Collaborate with and lead interdisciplinary design teams and stakeholders in the process of designing a product or service.
• Manage a design project by applying business, legal and ethical principles.
• Conceive of economically viable projects with accompanying business models

The Business – Human Resources program at George Brown College in Toronto provides students with a practical approach to human resources management that prepares them for a variety of careers within this growing field. They will learn to:

• Design human resources policies and programs that adhere to employment legislation
• Attract, retain and develop a productive workforce
• Manage employee diversity
• Ensure health and safety at the workplace
• Advise on employee/labour relations

Our program enables you to work towards obtaining the professional designations offered through the Human Resources Professional Association of Ontario (HRPA). For information about obtaining professional designations in HR, please contact the Human Resources Professional Association of Ontario.

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

• Participate in the recruitment, selection, and retention of employees.
• Participate in performance management processes.
• Participate in the planning, delivery, and evaluation of employee orientation, training, and development programs.
• Contribute to an organization’s success through effective employee relations.
• Assist with the administration and communication of the organization’s total compensation plan.
• Participate in organizational health and safety policies and practices.
• Apply current and emerging information technologies to support the human resources function.
• Implement organizational development strategies aimed at promoting organizational effectiveness.
• Communicate human resources information accurately and credibly in oral, written, and graphic form.
• Plan and act on personal professional development plans to achieve ongoing competence in human resources professional practice.
• Identify the human resources component of a business plan.
• Assist in the collection and analysis of human resources data.

The Business Administration – Accounting (with work experience) three-year advanced diploma provides you with the knowledge and skills required to perform a range of complex accounting functions including financial analysis, planning and control as well as using analytical and evaluation skills to support management functions, and collaborating in the design of an organization's internal control systems. The program includes auditing, corporate taxation, law and strategic management.

This learning experience will enable you to build and demonstrate:

• Proficiency in spreadsheets, databases and accounting software programs
• Essential communication skills for advising business owners and managers on business decisions
• Ability to perform accounting transactions in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)

Note:-This program (B157) is offered with work experience. Students wishing to apply for Business Administration – Accounting without work experience should apply to B107.

PROGRAM STANDARDS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • 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 strategic decision-making by applying advanced management accounting concepts.
  • Prepare individuals' and Canadian-controlled private corporations’ income tax returns and individuals’ basic tax planning in compliance with relevant legislation and regulations.
  • Analyze and evaluate organizational structures and the interdependence of functional areas, and contribute to the development of strategies which positively impact financial performance.
  • Analyze and evaluate, within a Canadian context, the impact of economic variables, legislation, ethics, technological advances and the environment on an organization’s operations.
  • Analyze and evaluate an organization's internal control system, taking risk management into account.
  • Contribute to strategic decision-making by applying advanced financial management concepts.
  • Co-ordinate the planning, implementation, management and evaluation of team projects by applying project management principles.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

• Work Experience (Co-op or Internship) Required

WORK EXPERIENCE (CO-OP AND INTERNSHIP)

• This program requires the successful completion of two semesters 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.
• George Brown works with employers and industry partners to identify potential work experience opportunities. Students are also strongly encouraged to pursue self-directed industry work experience opportunities they believe will provide the learning experiences they value and meet the learning outcomes of the program.

This program was developed to enable integrated learning involving you, the college and our industry partners. It was created to meet the immediate industry need for highly skilled Culinary Management graduates with real-world kitchen experience and chef training.

In this program, you will work toward a Culinary Management diploma in four consecutive semesters. While this program is designed to deliver the same learning outcomes as Culinary Management (H100), you will also benefit from semesters 3 and 4, which are integrated directly with industry.

In the first semester, you will learn the fundamental culinary skills and theories required to work in a modern kitchen, as well as essential industry employability skills such as communications and mathematics for hospitality. In the second semester, you will develop more advanced culinary skills and broaden your food, wine, and culinary culture knowledge as you prepare to enter your field placements.

In the third semester, you will experience the culinary industry first-hand during your residency at our state-of-the-art learning facilities, The Chefs’ House and The Café, where you will work alongside emerging top talent while serving a public of discerning urban diners. This experience is concurrent with in-class and online theory-based Chef School courses to support your learning and development.

In the fourth semester, you will complete your studies with an integrated 14-week industry residency at one of our leading culinary and hospitality industry partners, concurrent with online theory-based courses. The online asynchronous learning forum affords the opportunity for either local or international placements.

This integrated program is ideal for self-motivated individuals who want to increase their culinary industry employability prospects upon graduation.

The Pre-Business program provides academic strengthening and exposure to a broad cross-section of business fields. This unique program offers a strong foundation in business, marketing, accounting, math and English. Many credits earned through this program can be used toward diploma-level programs at the college. Upon graduation, you are given advanced standing in the Centre for Business diploma programs. Graduates are well-prepared to continue on to further education in the Centre for Business or to pursue other career paths.

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.

In today’s rapidly changing business world, organizations are realizing that their greatest asset is their employees and that effective people management is a key factor in their overall success. The Business Administration – Human Resources program will provide you with a practical approach to human resources management, preparing you for a variety of careers within this exciting and growing field.

This learning experience will enable you to:

• Design human resources policies and programs that adhere to employment legislation
• Attract, retain and develop a productive workforce
• Manage employee diversity
• Ensure health and safety at the workplace
• Advise on employee/labour relations

Our program enables you to work towards obtaining the professional designations offered through the Human Resources Professional Association of Ontario (HRPA). For information about obtaining professional designations in HR, please contact the Human Resources Professional Association of Ontario.

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

• Contribute to the planning and implementation of employee recruitment, selection, and retention strategies.
• Administer and facilitate the performance management program.
• Coordinate and support the development, implementation, and evaluation of employee orientation, training, and development programs.
• Implement and support effective employee and labour relations strategies in both non-­union and union environments.
• Administer and communicate the organization’s total compensation plan.
• Collaborate with others in the implementation and monitoring of organizational health and safety policies and practices.
• Contribute to the identification of information needs and apply current and emerging information technologies to support the human resources function.
• Contribute to organizational development strategies aimed at promoting organizational effectiveness.
• Present and evaluate communication messages and processes related to the human resources function of the organization.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate personal professional development plans to achieve ongoing competence in human resources professional practice.
• Identify and communicate the human resources component of the organization’s business plan.
• Contribute to the collection, analysis, and utilization of human resources data.

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.

The Digital Design – Game Design program develops the production and design abilities of students in management scenarios through courses in design documentation, milestone and pipeline scheduling, game design theory and psychology. Taught by faculty with industry experience and mentored by local game industry leaders, students will learn how to design and develop games, not only for the entertainment market but also for serious gaming applications in health, education, construction, marketing and other sectors.

Students will have the unique opportunity to develop commercial quality games in a simulated video game studio environment, at times working with industry partners, game artists and programmers.

It is anticipated that graduates of this program will find employment in the game industry. Prior to graduation, each student will have assembled a portfolio/demo of their creative work demonstrating their ability in game design and highlighting their chosen area of specialization.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Design environment and characters using the principles of game design.
  • Read, analyze and create game design documents for effective game creation and management.
  • Create environments, objects and characters for integration within a video game.
  • Import game assets and levels into game engines to create appropriate high-end 3D game applications or engines.
  • Produce a 3D game using appropriate tools and game management techniques.
  • Create and produce digital components, games and documentation using a variety of computer platforms.
  • Prepare a variety of industry standard documents and prototypes in a skilled manner and demonstrate professional presentation and organizational skills.
  • Develop and present a working game design document for a marketable game.
  • Use an existing game engine to create a prototype game.
  • Evaluate different types of games and platforms and select the appropriate ones for a particular game strategy.
  • Present the game design prototype and document using innovative techniques as well as digital, verbal and written skills.
  • Manage the design and production process of a game prototype.

The advanced diploma Business Administration – Marketing program will open doors to opportunities in the exciting and fast-moving field of marketing. Marketing at George Brown 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 more advanced 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.

PROGRAM STANDARDS AND 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.

This program (B158) is offered with work experience. Students wishing to apply for Business Administration – Marketing without work experience should apply to B108.