Diploma in Comedy Writing and Performance

at Humber College - Lakeshore Campus Canada

Humber’s Bachelor of Commerce – Digital Business Management degree program provides the essential components of a traditional business degree plus a broad selection of cutting-edge technology and advanced digital business management and marketing tools. It will help prepare you to succeed in a highly competitive business environment. By graduation, your digital business skills will include:

• developing digital business sales and marketing plans (product analysis, pricing strategies, distribution channels, promotional programs)
• employing project management and change management tools
• analyzing financial issues and how they affect pricing, cost and profit
• integrating effective and efficient supply chain management operations/tactics/strategies
• redesigning and streamlining business processes using information and communication technology (ICT).

Courses include accounting, micro/macroeconomics, business law, marketing, information systems, ethics, e-commerce, web development, database systems, supply chain management, mobile development, data science for business analytics and more.

You’ll be able to put classroom learning into practice and get real-world experience by attending industry events, participating in competitions and learning first-hand from guest speakers and other industry events.

Our program starts with a foundation of business studies in areas such as organizational behaviour, law, economics, finance and accounting, marketing, and operations management. Specialization courses will focus on digital business management.

Work Placement
The program requires that you complete 14 weeks/420 hours of paid work in the summer between your sixth and seventh semesters. This gives you the hands-on, real-world experience that employers value. Your placement will give you the opportunity to explore the field you’d like to work in when you graduate. We will work with employers and our industry partners to help you identify opportunities to pursue.
 

Humber’s Police Foundations diploma program, offered on a full-time and online part-time basis, enjoys an excellent reputation within the criminal justice community. Our program’s current and relevant curriculum, developed with the insights and expertise of members of the college’s Police Foundations Advisory Committee, ensures you’ll learn the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in a justice related career. Practical courses allow you to learn about psychology, sociology, criminology, the criminal code, contemporary social and community problems, policing protocols and strategies, investigating and evidence, and conflict management. As well, instruction in fitness and lifestyle management will teach you about the importance of health and wellness and about the Constable Selection Process. Your professors, who have real-life work experience in public and private policing, will help you graduate with a range of security, problem-solving and administrative skills, and with a commitment to justice and to your community.

Graduates of the program will be subject to all requirements of the Ontario Constable Selection Process and local police requirements when applying for a position as a police constable in Ontario.

Work Placement
While the program does not offer a work placement, self-initiated community service opportunities will be made available to help broaden your understanding of the role of justice services within the community at large.

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.

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.
• Apply computer applications/music technology skills in composition, arranging and production.
• Critically analyze and evaluate sound recordings and describe their production characteristics.
• 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.

Humber’s Advertising - Account Management graduate certificate program will prepare you to effectively manage the creative process for the benefit of clients at an advertising agency or within a client’s marketing department. You will develop a greater understanding of the world of creative advertising, media buying and client-agency relationships, and prepare to be part of a team driving strong communication to their target audiences. This program is primarily directed at advertising agency account manager roles but is adaptable to other communication or design-based companies in need of skilful client management.

This unique, writing-intensive program prepares account managers for the advertising industry by exploring a balance of skills from the advertising and creative side of the communication process. An underpinning of the course work investigates how digital marketing and social media impact advertising today. Speakers from the industry, combined with current case studies, enable you to confidently present effective and efficient solutions. Building on your strong writing skills, you will develop other presentation and communication skills in order to better liaise with creative and commercial forces. By incorporating people skills and critical thinking skills, you will acquire the essential knowledge required to thrive in the fast-paced, creative world of advertising.

Graduates will be an asset in three key areas - client relationships, creativity and process management.
You will learn about the link between successful creative and client success criteria including return on investment (ROI) and revenue goals, and how to develop briefs that inspire grounded, effective and exciting work. Digital storytelling and new media are integrated throughout the program. An in-depth understanding of integrated marketing communications and its relationship to other aspects of the business will help you succeed in a complex and challenging field.

Work Placement
Students will gain practical, hands-on experience in the industry by completing a mandatory work placement following their final semester of study.

Humber’s Bachelor of Commerce – Finance degree program offers comprehensive knowledge of both business and finance. Our program starts with a foundation of business studies in areas such as organizational behaviour, law, economics, finance, accounting, marketing and operations management. Specialization courses will focus on theories, methods and techniques in various aspects of finance including analysis, planning and risk management. Our project-based curriculum, designed by industry experts, helps you develop the skills to move from idea to execution, all while learning core business concepts and financial strategies. A senior-level project in your final year will give you experience in problem solving, evaluating strengths and limitations, and making appropriate decisions in a real-world, team-based environment.
The program requires that you complete 14 weeks/420 hours of paid work in the summer between your sixth and seventh semesters. This gives you the hands-on, real-world experience that employers value. Your work placement will give you the opportunity to explore the field you’d like to work in when you graduate. We will work with employers and our industry partners to help you identify opportunities to pursue.
Both the private and public sectors are looking for financial analysts, managers and advisors, and the demand will only grow in the future. Our degree will help you work towards a career that will see you build, shape and support financial organizations. Our program provides the knowledge, hands-on experience and skills necessary for you to become an analyst or consultant in:

• Finance
• Financial services
• Planning
• Investments
• Risk management
• Insurance

You’ll also be positioned to pursue graduate studies or take on a more specialized role as a financial analyst, financial advisor/planner, banker, money manager or claims adjuster. As a highly qualified financial expert, you’ll have the potential to be promoted to mid- or senior-management positions as your career progresses. And if working for yourself appeals to you, you’ll have the know-how and experience to channel that entrepreneurial spirit and start your own business.

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 Professional Writing and Communications graduate certificate program supports you as you learn and practise the craft of writing while building a professional portfolio. This unique program provides you with the core transferrable skills you need to build a successful career in a variety of communications roles. Building on foundational skills such as storytelling, drafting, editing, pitching, interviewing and research, you will build proficiency in areas such as media writing, social media management, project management and design.

With a focus on writing for different audiences and purposes, as well as using current technologies to maximize the impact of your message, you will be well-positioned to enter the workplace with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed as a professional writer/communications specialist across a variety of sectors. You will also learn how to think strategically in preparation for taking on leadership positions within communications departments or starting your own freelance writing business.

The program will create a community of writers and support collaboration, networking, professional development and publication.

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

• Analyze the elements of storytelling in texts and choose appropriate narrative techniques and forms for a variety of writing projects.
• Create documents suitable for a diversity of audiences and purposes using advanced linguistic and rhetorical skills.
• Create documents that adhere to standards of structure/formatting for standard print and electronic forms such as informational articles, reports, blog posts, and web site copy, and strategically repurpose content across these forms.
• Integrate new communications technologies into an existing media toolkit.
• Manage a multifaceted editorial project or communications campaign from the planning stages through completion, using a team-oriented, collaborative leadership style.
• Adapt a consistent, unique writing voice to different platforms and genres.
• Assess the needs of complex communications campaigns and then select and deploy appropriate strategies to meet those needs, using knowledge of communications theory and audience analysis.
• Produce and/or edit error-free publications for both print and on-line environments, through the use of grammar and mechanical rules, correct and relevant editorial terminology, and copy-writing and style guides.
• Analyze the structure and mechanics of a variety of document forms, both electronic and print, and apply substantive, line-level, and copyediting revisions as appropriate.
• Analyze the media landscape and the range of communications fields to plan ways to navigate the industry and market oneself.
• Create an online portfolio and social media profile to market writing skills to potential employers and freelance clients.
• Select suitable and credible research sources for strategic applications to a range of advanced communication challenges.

Humber’s Developmental Services Worker (DSW) diploma program teaches you skills to effectively promote the physical, mental and emotional health of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Our faculty team consists of developmental services professionals who are active in the field, and our small class sizes allow for individualized attention. Our curriculum is designed with input from developmental services field experts, ensuring courses are current and relevant.

Your studies begin by learning the stages of human development, the types of developmental disabilities and the range of available community support services for this population. Next, you’ll learn intervention techniques, person-centered planning, abnormal psychology/dual diagnosis, basic pharmacology, supporting people with autism and other complex needs, augmentative forms of communication, and effective responses to people who have been abused. Finally, you’ll develop skills in building interpersonal relationships and counselling. 

You’ll also build your expertise in our counselling labs which provide an ideal setting to develop competencies for working with individuals with limited verbal skills.

Work Placement
Our program offers a rich diversity of innovative and traditional work-integrated learning opportunities. You will complete 568 hours of experiential education with three separate community partners over the duration of the program.

After consulting with you regarding your interests and preferences, your field placement co-ordinator will refer you to specific agencies for these unpaid work experiences.

Field placements run for 14 weeks in Semester 2 of the first year. Students are required to complete 168 hours in this time. Placements are two days per week. Internships take place during fourth semester of second year. Students are required to complete 400 hours with two different employers, four days per week for 14 weeks.

Humber’s Comedy: Writing and Performance diploma program helps you develop your craft while gaining an understanding of the commercial side of the industry. Our faculty is comprised of seasoned, award-winning professionals who are active in the comedy industry. You’ll learn stand-up, improvisation, scriptwriting, sketch comedy and all other aspects of the craft. In addition, the program’s strong alumni network supports you through reunion shows, business opportunities and continued coaching. The program features many mainstage class shows, weekly Humber student shows at Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club and Comedy Bar, and an organized showcase at Second City Toronto for scouts, directors and agents with students included on the basis of merit. Upon graduation, you will have the tools you need to embark on an exciting career in one of North America’s fastest growing industries: comedy.

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

• Produce a variety of comedic materials including sketches, screenplays, sitcoms and variety shows.
• Prepare and perform stand-up comedy routines.
• Discover their comedic voices and create materials that stem from these voices.
• Study both dramatic and comedic performance techniques, and apply those techniques to their own work.
• Prepare written humorous materials for magazines and newspapers as well as for radio broadcasts.
• Practice individual and ensemble comedic performances both in the classroom and in comedy centres.
• Apply the technical requirements of all genres of comedic writing.
• Respond to improvisation demands and create characters quickly on stage.
• Evaluate the business of comedy and develop career strategies and contacts.
• Learn from well-known North American comedic writers and performers and network with those individuals.