Bachelor of Digital Communications (Honours)

at Humber College - Lakeshore Campus Canada

Humber’s Bachelor of International Development degree program is an interdisciplinary program that provides you with a solid theoretical foundation in sustainable international development studies and its related disciplines, as well as professional and technical skills in development management. The program is designed specifically to bridge the gap between theory and practice by building hands-on project management skills and capabilities. The program fosters a comparative understanding of developed and developing countries - countries of the global North and South - through directed study, analytical research and opportunities to travel that provide cross-cultural learning experiences.

Your core courses, in which you’ll develop professional competencies, include four streams: international development studies, supplementary disciplines, management skills and research skills.

Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the program, a graduate will:

• Describe and critically evaluate the values, key theoretical approaches and concepts in international development.
• Demonstrate critical thinking in relation to international development policy and practice.
• Analyze international development through a variety of disciplinary lenses.
• Examine the roles and responsibilities of various actors within the field of international development.
• Design, plan, implement and evaluate international development projects using a variety of methodologies.
• Examine and apply various qualitative and quantitative research methods and assess the appropriateness of their use.
• Implement effective management of key financial, information and other resources associated with international development projects.
• Exercise initiative, personal responsibility and accountability in personal, professional and group contexts related to international development.
• Analyze cross-cutting themes of gender and environmental sustainability and their effects on international development projects.
• Communicate and work effectively in diverse environments.
• Critically analyze the practical and ethical implications of doing international development work across borders and cultures.
• Critically examine political, social and economic behaviours of various societies and their impact on sustainable international development.

Work Placement

• The 14-week/420-hour work placement is from May to August following Semester 6. A placement advisor will support your efforts to find a position that fits your academic and career goals. Your placement will give you the opportunity to explore the field of international development, as well as gain the hands-on, real-world experience that employers value.  We will work with employers and our partners to help you identify the best opportunities to pursue.

Humber’s Introduction to Commercial Jazz Music certificate is a performance-based program designed to help you assess and strengthen your skills. It solidifies your knowledge of the fundamentals of western music and develops your current performance skills through the jazz-specific areas of improvisation, repertoire development and small group ensemble performance. You will emerge from the program with a clearer understanding of the field and your own career potential within it, and as a stronger candidate for entry into postsecondary music degree and diploma programs. All courses have a particular focus on the commercial jazz field.

Learning Outcomes

• Upon successful completion of the program, a graduate will:
  • Recognize & identify common styles of music.
  • Describe the commercial/jazz field in terms of tradition, artists, & styles.
  • Explain the contribution of various artists to the development of particular styles & idioms.
  • Analyze the components & performance differences of recorded selections.
  • Play a repertoire of memorized materials that are considered standards in the commercial/jazz field & reflect the various styles inherent in this music.
  • Write diatonic melodies in various styles demonstrating knowledge of relevant harmonic & melodic concepts & structures of form.
  • Perform in an ensemble demonstrating basic ensemble skills such as intonation, tuning, time, feel, balance & dynamics.
  • Identify their own musical strengths & weaknesses in terms of a performance career in the commercial/jazz field.
  • Implement strategies & plans for on-going personal & professional growth & development.
  • Establish a practice of critical self-assessment & professional goal setting.

Humber’s Introduction to Commercial Jazz Music certificate is a performance-based program designed to help you assess and strengthen your skills. It solidifies your knowledge of the fundamentals of western music and develops your current performance skills through the jazz-specific areas of improvisation, repertoire development and small group ensemble performance. You will emerge from the program with a clearer understanding of the field and your own career potential within it, and as a stronger candidate for entry into postsecondary music degree and diploma programs. All courses have a particular focus on the commercial jazz field.

Learning Outcomes

• Upon successful completion of the program, a graduate will:
  • Recognize & identify common styles of music.
  • Describe the commercial/jazz field in terms of tradition, artists, & styles.
  • Explain the contribution of various artists to the development of particular styles & idioms.
  • Analyze the components & performance differences of recorded selections.
  • Play a repertoire of memorized materials that are considered standards in the commercial/jazz field & reflect the various styles inherent in this music.
  • Write diatonic melodies in various styles demonstrating knowledge of relevant harmonic & melodic concepts & structures of form.
  • Perform in an ensemble demonstrating basic ensemble skills such as intonation, tuning, time, feel, balance & dynamics.
  • Identify their own musical strengths & weaknesses in terms of a performance career in the commercial/jazz field.
  • Implement strategies & plans for on-going personal & professional growth & development.
  • Establish a practice of critical self-assessment & professional goal setting.

By combining the latest recording technologies and entrepreneurial business strategies with performance, production, songwriting and composition in jazz, pop, R&B, Latin and world music, you will be well equipped with the knowledge and skills needed for success in today’s music world.

Founded in 1972, the program has consistently produced many of the most successful commercial and jazz musicians in Canada and the world. With more than 350 students and a faculty of 18 full-time and 80 part-time teachers, our program is one of the largest, most diverse and highly regarded programs of its kind in the country. Long known for the strength of its professors, Humber offers you the opportunity to study privately, in classroom situations, and in several of the more than 50 ensembles directed by a who’s who of Canadian music. As Toronto is the centre of Canada’s entertainment industry, Humber attracts the top professionals in jazz, musical theatre, television, film, commercials and pop.

After two years of core music courses, you will continue with lessons on your major instrument, as well as take classes in music production and music business while also choosing from electives in arranging, composition, advanced improvisation, film scoring, music production techniques, songwriting, ethnomusicology or pedagogy.

You’ll develop musicianship and artistry by presenting your own recital, arranging and composing original material, and recording and marketing your own music.
In addition, you will take courses in music history, theory, aural training and improvisation, and have the opportunity to participate in a variety of ensembles.

All students complete a major recording project/portfolio in their fourth year. The assembled portfolio, which includes a complete press kit and professional-quality recording, as well as other promotional materials, functions as your calling card for entrance into the music industry upon graduation.

Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the program, a graduate will:

• Perform, compose, produce music at a professional level for entry to the competitive, global music industry.
• Demonstrate a knowledge of diverse musical styles and contextualize themselves within contemporary music history: specifically defined as the idioms of African American musical genres, mainstream pop music, country/folk music, Latin music, music for musicals and film, art music and jazz.
• Demonstrate, through performance and composition, a technical and musical mastery of harmonic, melodic and rhythmic structures.
• Demonstrate, through performance, an extensive knowledge of contemporary musical repertoire and apply appropriate performance skills in diverse music contexts.
• Compose and arrange in a broad range of contemporary music styles.
• Prepare and present a portfolio of recorded material reflecting a broad range of styles.
• Record, edit and produce a broad range of contemporary music.
• Critically analyze and evaluate sound recordings and describe their production characteristics.
• Apply computer applications/music technology skills in composition, arranging and production.
• Demonstrate, through production and performance, organizational, project management, and implementation skills.
• Demonstrate leadership, teamwork, communication, critical thinking, research and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of contract law, copyright law, intellectual property rights, royalties, and rules of public domain.
• Make use of entrepreneurial music business skills to engage in the competitive contemporary music industry.
• Demonstrate professional “freelance” etiquette relating to job seeking and keeping skills.
• Demonstrate an ability to research and present findings from primary and secondary sources.
• Formulate, articulate and present their own ideas about music, art and society through discussion and writings.
• Demonstrate an artistic awareness and understanding of musical aesthetics.
• Assess personal strengths, musical and business skills, knowledge, artistic vision, interests, and abilities.

Work Placement

• You will participate in a work placement designed to mirror the professional music world, which is largely characterized by contract, freelance and part-time employment. You are responsible for accumulating the equivalent of 420 hours of experience which will allow you to establish contacts and relationships with key companies and industry professionals.

The Fundraising Management graduate certificate program prepares you for a career that makes an immediate, positive contribution to the world. You will be a part of an innovative and industry recognized program that gives you hands-on experience in methods the growing nonprofit sector uses to create and maintain relationships with their communities of support. Humber has been a leader in the post-secondary education of fundraisers for 20 years with an exceptional reputation and hiring rate. Fundraising Management alumni work from coast-to-coast in leadership roles throughout the sector.

Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the program, a graduate will:

• Articulate the roles of the volunteer and staff in charitable organizations.
• Manage staff and volunteer resources including the recruitment and selection of personnel, and their subsequent orientation, training and evaluation.
• Conceptualize, plan and execute fundraising projects and programs, including defining goals and objectives, outputs, outcomes, and project budgets. Such activities may include major gifts, planned giving, annual giving, corporate giving or capital campaigns.
• Prepare proposals and administer grants.
• Manage computer application and databases in order to input, compile and report data, and analyze new markets for development opportunities.
• Develop basic financial management skills relevant to the charitable sector.
• Conduct research and analysis associated with the management of fundraising programs (For example, sector research, prospect research).
• Develop, implement and administer marketing and direct marketing strategies and activities.
• Evaluate the environmental forces affecting Canadian business, not-for-profit and charitable Organizations and the state of philanthropy.
• Demonstrate the attitudes, values and behaviours of the effective manager/administrator in relationship to ethics and public/community service, legal issues and leadership in organizational fundraising.
• Demonstrate effective interpersonal and communications skills, both orally and in writing.
• Use critical thinking and problem-solving skills and techniques.

Work Placement
Placements are typically abundant and secured with charities and non-profit groups although can be completed with consulting firms, corporate donation offices, foundations or government granting agencies across the philanthropic sector. Work placements normally take place in the spring and are often paid.

Humber’s Business Administration Co-op advanced diploma program allows you to develop extensive knowledge on how businesses work and become competent in the full range of skills needed to facilitate business operations. Courses in operations management, accounting, human resources management, marketing research and much more will give you the opportunity to cultivate key business skills such as communication, teamwork, project management and strategic business analysis. This program allows you to develop your leadership skills. You’ll learn to strategize, negotiate, set priorities, manage time and solve problems effectively. This program is built on a common platform of a solid business education – principles of management, marketing, business law, finance mathematics and microeconomics. The platform is shared with other business diploma programs in year one and is expanded on in year two. Students will then shift their focus and begin working towards their specialization in the third year.

Work placement

With support from an employment placement advisor, you are responsible for finding suitable paid co-op placements. Co-op work placements take place after Semesters 2 and 4. Each placement is 15 weeks (12 weeks mandatory).

Our graduates have the benefit of a high quality, broad-based business education with a strong foundation in accounting, finance, human resources administration, management, operations, business systems and marketing. Upon graduation, you’ll be well equipped to take on a wide variety of positions in areas including customer service, marketing, marketing research and sales, purchasing, HR administration, product and account management, event planning, accounting and financial planning, and budget analysis.

Humber’s Business Management – Entrepreneurial Enterprise graduate certificate program provides the practical skills and knowledge you’ll need to take on a wide variety of leadership roles in innovative entrepreneurial enterprises.

This program covers every area of entrepreneurship from the fundamentals of developing and refining ideas to launching, growing and managing the enterprise. You will be prepared to take on key management roles in entrepreneurial enterprises including operations, marketing and sales, finance, human resources and strategic planning. Plus, you will learn all you need to start and manage your own new enterprise.

Students in this program can participate in Humber’s Business funding competitions for a chance to obtain seed funding for their new enterprise and other contests and progams sponsored by Humber's Centre for Entrepreneurship. Students in this program automatically become members of Humber’s Centre for Entrepreneurship which gives them access to mentorship, coaching, networking events, seminars, workshops, and entrepreneurial facilities and workspaces.

Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the program, a graduate will:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive business plan for a new business enterprise.
• Present an executive summary of a comprehensive business plan to potential financial backers.
• Set up and operate a basic bookkeeping and accounting system for a new enterprise that will enable effective financial management.
• Construct, interpret and analyze key financial statements.
• Devise marketing plans encompassing development, implementation, performance monitoring and adjustment using appropriate tools, techniques and applications.
• Execute leadership strategies by modelling ethical practices and corporate social responsibility to enhance a firm’s competitive position and sustainability.
• Comply with legal and regulatory requirements, tax and other financial requirements, and non-financial compliance requirements and controls systems.
• Apply various selling structures, methods and techniques to generate revenue and effectively manage client relationships.
• Develop and implement an effective human resource management plan to support new ventures and ongoing business operations.
• Build and manage relationships using communication, networking, teamwork and leadership skills.
• Use evidence-based analysis and decision-making in all functional business areas.
• Analyze and realign business strategies to contribute to the operational sustainability of new or ongoing small or medium size enterprise.

The only program of its kind in Ontario, the Forensic Identification graduate certificate provides you with leading-edge forensic knowledge and skills for public and private policing. As the only graduates of this program in the province, it is designed for students who are interested in becoming frontline investigators. The program’s unique hands-on approach provides expert instruction utilizing the most modern criminal forensic technology within a specialized curriculum. You will study advanced fingerprint development and analysis, physical matching of footwear and tool marks, digital photography, DNA and blood profiling, forensic interviewing, fraudulent document examination, rules of evidence, and trial procedure.

Training takes place in a state-of-the-art crime scene studio and forensic lab located at the Humber Centre for Justice Leadership. This innovative facility features a simulation lab for processing forensic evidence from staged crime scenes including photography, fingerprint development, advanced evidence collection techniques, and digital crime scene mapping. The centre also features four interviewing labs for practising interviewing techniques and assessing credibility. Finally, your forensic investigation skills and knowledge are put to the test in our mock courtroom.

Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the program, a graduate will:

• Mitigate personal, public and legal risk during crime scene investigations by adhering to industry established ethical and technical standards
• Document crime scenes using various methods including scale diagrams, models and charts to present forensic evidence in judicial proceedings
• Preserve evidence using established forensic techniques and standards to aid investigations
• Employ a range of fingerprint collection and analysis techniques to contribute to investigations
• Evaluate the legality, reliability and limitations of forensic interviewing techniques to inform professional practices
• Analyze bloodstain pattern evidence to establish its value, meaning and limitations
• Articulate justification for arrest, search and seizure to aid in judicial proceedings
• Assess the authenticity of documents to support and validate evidence in civil and criminal investigations
• Communicate with colleagues and the public in high-stress environments to contribute to investigative goals and to maintain the human rights of everyone involved

What Makes This Program Different?

• While there are several universities that offer forensic programs with a theoretical science-based curriculum, Humber is the only public college in Canada that provides a comprehensive hands-on approach to forensic identification.
• From day one, we'll have you in our state-of-the-art labs, such as our crime scene lab, forensic studio, interview rooms, and our realistic mock courtroom, working on a variety of engaging forensic-based projects. In two semesters, you’ll develop career-ready skills in forensics, making you a highly desirable candidate to employers in the Criminal Justice field.

Humber’s Community and Justice Services diploma program focuses on both the community and the institutional sectors of the justice system. Our curriculum combines theory and applied skills, giving you the breadth of knowledge and experience needed to meet the demands of an entry-level position in this field. You’ll be prepared for occupations where you will work with offenders and other high-risk client groups and will explore the development of community programs, restorative justice initiatives and preventative measures. In addition, we practise inclusivity from a broad anti-oppressive perspective and place a strong emphasis on the practice of interpersonal, problem-solving and assessment skills.

Our faculty are skilled, committed, and have direct work experience within community and institutional correctional services. As a result, our program boasts strong community links. Additionally, experts also deliver further specialized community justice training. Our advisory committee regularly reviews our curriculum, ensuring our program is always on the cutting edge of developments in the field. 

You will have an opportunity to practise your skills during a supervised, comprehensive work placement in an institutional or community setting in Semesters 3 and 4, two days per week.

Our program allows you to help contribute towards creating safe and healthy communities. You may be involved in a variety of roles within the community such as:

• Community justice worker
• Provincial or federal adult correctional officer
• Provincial youth service officer
• Open custody youth worker
• Community crime prevention worker
• Victim services worker
• Residential worker
• Law enforcement officer

Gain the competitive edge that will qualify you for positions in a variety of settings such as:

• Community-based advocacy agencies
• Institutional or community correctional settings
• Law enforcement departments
• Courts

Humber’s Introduction to Commercial Jazz Music certificate is a performance-based program designed to help you assess and strengthen your skills. It solidifies your knowledge of the fundamentals of western music and develops your current performance skills through the jazz-specific areas of improvisation, repertoire development and small group ensemble performance. You will emerge from the program with a clearer understanding of the field and your own career potential within it, and as a stronger candidate for entry into postsecondary music degree and diploma programs. All courses have a particular focus on the commercial jazz field.

Learning Outcomes

• Upon successful completion of the program, a graduate will:
  • Recognize & identify common styles of music.
  • Describe the commercial/jazz field in terms of tradition, artists, & styles.
  • Explain the contribution of various artists to the development of particular styles & idioms.
  • Analyze the components & performance differences of recorded selections.
  • Play a repertoire of memorized materials that are considered standards in the commercial/jazz field & reflect the various styles inherent in this music.
  • Write diatonic melodies in various styles demonstrating knowledge of relevant harmonic & melodic concepts & structures of form.
  • Perform in an ensemble demonstrating basic ensemble skills such as intonation, tuning, time, feel, balance & dynamics.
  • Identify their own musical strengths & weaknesses in terms of a performance career in the commercial/jazz field.
  • Implement strategies & plans for on-going personal & professional growth & development.
  • Establish a practice of critical self-assessment & professional goal setting.