Graduate Certificate in Arts Administration and Cultural Management

at Humber College - Lakeshore Campus Canada

Humber’s Bachelor of Community Development degree program offers a unique blend of theory and practice-based experience. Students learn how to work effectively in communities, how to build capacity for change, lead projects and advocate for people who face barriers to living a full and productive life. 

The first year of the program is comprised of a common platform of courses that includes psychology, sociology, human rights, interpersonal communication, counselling and ethics. The second year of study immerses students in the field of community development including foundational courses which explore leadership and advocacy. The final two years of the program provide in-depth study of program development and evaluation, advanced issues in community development, social movements, community participatory research, and senior thesis work. Project work is linked to applied and academic fields.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the program, a graduate will:

• Compare and contrast different historical and contemporary approaches, theory, values and methods of community work.
• Investigate psycho/social, economic and political theory underpinning community work.
• Analyze social structures that marginalize people by race, gender, class, sexual orientation and ability.
• Analyze community strengths, assets, complexities and resources from an empowerment perspective.
• Analyze root causes of community problems and select appropriate intervention strategies for change.
• Evaluate gaps in services and resources within communities applying participatory research methods that involve community members.
• Compose, present and evaluate action plans with measurable outcomes tied to empowerment evaluation methodology.
• Critique legislation and social policies and create alternative viewpoints that support communities in positive ways.
• Advocate on behalf of communities arguing for change that focuses on identified community needs.
• Devise organizational structures that support and enable community action plans to be implemented successfully.
• Formulate, implement and evaluate plans to access sustainable resources and concrete benefits for communities.
• Critique community development literature and cases to determine best practices in the field.
• Network with community members and organizations to mobilize citizens and develop allies for the change process.
• Facilitate communities through training, education and social learning to build capacity, create leaders and engage human resources.
• Apply interpersonal and group skills to plan and facilitate discussions that build collaborative relationships and community partnerships.
• Acknowledge the limits of knowledge in the field of community development through academic writing and professional practices in working with others from diverse disciplines to provide holistic services to communities.
• Practice leadership and adult education principles to contribute to approaches to community development that result in social justice.
• Deliver professional services based on ethical guidelines and empowerment centred values within the scope of practice.
• Manage own self-care and ongoing professional development plan using self-reflection and community feedback to target areas for skills, knowledge and attitude growth.

Work Placement
Students will engage in field placements (which are typically unpaid). They will complete 420 hours of field placement across two semesters or 420 hours in one summer semester with one of Humber's community partners. Students will be supported by a field placement co-ordinator.

The field placement may be in a social service, community, educational or non-profit organization where students will have an opportunity to work in the community development field. During this experience, students may have a variety of responsibilities including assessment, research-based work, working directly with community groups and individuals, as well as supporting community workers, educators and/or social science professionals.

Students have the option to gain cross-cultural knowledge and experience by completing this field placement abroad. Students can put theory into practice and directly engage with communities across the globe that will benefit from community development work.

The Content Strategy graduate certificate program is designed to prepare students for the emerging and expanding field of content strategy. Content strategists help organizations and agencies establish and maintain credible, viable and trustworthy content - content that has value, content that is inherently inclusive and content that is purposeful. Content strategies are unified visions of digital and analog interactive systems and communications in a platform-agnostic system.

Content strategists oversee the publishing of content by providing advice and direction to improve brand awareness, internal communications, public relations and user experience. Strategists engage with all aspects of the content development lifecycle, from ideating and curating content to creating artifacts and deliverables that allow organizations to analyze content and make holistic, strategic recommendations for the development of content based on thorough analysis.

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

• Develop carefully considered, holistic strategies and tactics for the establishment of a credible, viable and trustworthy online presence for an organization or agency in order to optimize web-based business assets.
• Conduct a qualitative and quantitative audit of existing content inventory in order to assess it for accuracy, currency, usefulness, usability and findability.
• Analyze internal and external factors and trends that impact the creation, delivery and governance of an organizations’ content in order to maintain relevancy, currency and alignment with business goals.
• Present clear recommendations for content creation, delivery and governance that meet business goals and user needs for current and relevant information, advice and direction, procedures to follow, and relationship building.
• Design and manage a workflow that defines the people, processes and timelines required for effective content creation, delivery and governance.
• Help online readers to find information, solve problems and complete tasks by publishing effectively written original content and sourcing relevant curated material.
• Deliver quality accessible, branded content consistently across selected digital channels that is appropriate for the target audience.
• Develop policies, standards and guidelines for the maintenance of content accuracy, consistent brand messaging and user engagement that complies with relevant law, industry standards and business best practices.
• Conduct a retrospective review using qualitative data and evidence from web analytics to measure the impact of a content strategy on business outcomes.
• Identify and address the implicit and explicit biases of self, team members and audience in order to curate socially, culturally and environmentally sensitive content that strengthens brand equity.

Work Placement - Students will participate in a mandatory work placement in their final semester of study.

Employers in Canada, and around the world, recognize the value of Humber's Public Relations advanced diploma program. Our program provides hands-on training and develops skills in professional media writing, strategic communication planning, presentation, social and digital media content development, social media analytics, media relations, and marketing communications to name a few. Over the course of your studies, you will compile an impressive portfolio of work. Learn from the pros. Humber’s PR faculty has significant work experience and subject matter expertise. At Humber, you are more than a number. Your instructors get to know you by name and offer personalized instruction. To keep the program content current, relevant and leading edge, external industry experts regularly review the curriculum.  

The first semester of the program could be described as a sampler program. You will get a taste of other media disciplines such as advertising and graphic design, journalism, media communications, advertising, and marketing communications. This allows you to keep your options open should you wish to head in a different direction in your second semester.

Students will participate in a mandatory work placement which takes place in the last semester of study. Upon graduation, you will have the knowledge to plan, develop and execute effective public relations plans using social and traditional media. Opportunities include employment in corporations, charities, government, PR firms and many others. Our graduates have landed jobs at high-profile companies in a huge variety of sectors ranging from Corus Entertainment, Molson and Bell to MLSE, RBC and Toronto International Film Festival.

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.

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 Bachelor of Child and Youth Care degree program provides you with the knowledge and skills required for in-depth work with children, youth and families. The program is based on the professional practice of child and youth care supported by the disciplines of psychology, sociology, community development, political science and education. The curriculum focuses on the theory and research of relational practice: building relationships to support children and youth in crisis or going through experiences of challenge and change.

You’ll learn from highly qualified professors, as well as from guest lecturers from the child and youth care practice field, youth in care and community representatives. You’ll have the unique opportunity to develop key skills under supervision in our state-of-the-art interview labs, therapeutic play laboratory setting, our family practice room and children’s activity room.

Your courses integrate the study of developmental, preventative and therapeutic approaches in child and youth care and will teach you direct methods such as interviewing and counselling, responding to abuse, therapeutic play, and other intervention modalities taught from a strength-based perspective and within a caring, anti-oppressive framework.

The first two years of the program provide you with a comprehensive understanding of child and youth development, as well as current methodologies in child and youth care professional practice. In the final two years, you will be able to engage in courses related to five areas of concentration in the program – youth justice and advocacy, social policy and research, approaches to care, community development and youth engagement, and international perspectives. The curriculum and work placement experiences throughout the program will support you to select a focus for your final thesis project in fourth year.

Learning outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the program, a graduate will:

• Describe, analyze and evaluate key concepts, ethics, values and theoretical approaches (historical and contemporary) in child and youth care and related community development.
• Analyze issues of social diversity and equality and their effects in relation to child and youth care and community development.
• Plan, implement, assess and evaluate child-centred & family-centred programs to meet the needs of clients, staff, families and community.
• Identify the challenges and rewards of working with children and youth especially those with physical, behavioural, social, and developmental issues in independent, organizational, institutional and community settings.
• Identify and evaluate alternatives to the current child and youth intervention strategies, with a view to anticipating future directions.
• Advocate for the holistic development of children and youth.
• Develop and maintain constructive relationships and partnerships with clients, professionals and the community demonstrating effective conflict management skills.
• Describe and evaluate the complex role of the community in child and youth development.
• Identify and implement the process of program management, measuring the cost and effectiveness of child and youth care and development.
• Examine & apply various research methods assessing the appropriateness of their use.
• Adhere to the laws, codes, regulations, standards and practices to protect the health, safety and welfare of clients, the public and other professionals involved in child and youth care community development initiatives with children and youth.
• Identify and implement community development processes measuring the cost and effectiveness of child and youth community development programs.
• Analyze contemporary issues in child and youth care including nutrition, literacy, poverty, homelessness, addictions, violence, substance use, crime, resilience and determinants of health.
• Evaluate social justice and political issues in regards to child and youth care and community development practices at local, national and global levels.
• Develop curriculum, programs and strategies for children, youth and the community which reflect current educational theory and pedagogy.
• Demonstrate self-awareness, self-confidence, self-direction, self-management, self-reflection and self-care in one’s professional development

Work Placement
Beginning in the first semester, you will have the opportunity to participate in an introductory field placement preparation course that will enable you to become familiar with the field of child and youth care. In your second semester, you will prepare for your field placement in Semester 3, by participating in the Preparing for Professional Practice course. The field placement in Semester 3 is 200 hours and will support you to develop your skills working in the community with children, youth and families.    

In addition, you will be required to complete a 14-week typically unpaid field placement between third and fourth year.

The combination of field placements will enable you to build therapeutic relationships, role model your professional skills and link academic theory to child and youth care practice.

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 Advertising and Marketing Communications diploma program will equip you with promotional writing, presentation and organizational skills, as well as introductory design, basic production and supplier management skills. Courses in advertising, marketing communications, public relations and project co-ordination will give you a keen awareness of the breadth of your employment opportunities.

This program focuses on providing you with skills that enable you to work with advertising creatives including copywriters, graphic and interactive designers, art directors, and suppliers with an emphasis on media planning. Opportunities to work with Humber’s in-house agency, BuildingF, will allow you to start building a professional network while working with peers on real-world briefs.

Your first semester is shared with the Advertising and Graphic Design, Journalism, Public Relations, and Media Communications diploma programs, giving you the freedom to change the direction of your studies in the second semester.

Work Placement
Gain hands-on experience with a work placement in the industry. Here, you will have the opportunity to apply what you’ve learned in the classroom to a real-world business environment. With our support, you’ll find your placement at any number of local, national or international advertising, marketing and /or media-related agencies, companies or brands in the Greater Toronto Area

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.

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.