Graduate Certificate in Financial Planning

at Humber College - Lakeshore Campus Canada

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 Social Science - Addictions and Mental Health program provides you with degree level education, knowledge and skills required to work in this field. The program is firmly grounded in the theory and application of counselling, policy, governance, social science and research while exploring psychological and sociological influences. In addition, the program focuses on the analysis of social, historical, economic and political issues while exploring the effects these systems have on mental health and opportunities for prevention and harm reduction. The program encourages students to analyze broad issues and develop and apply skills in case management, counselling and grant writing.   

Courses in the first year are part of the common platform with other degrees at Humber offered in the field of social science. In the second year of study, students immerse themselves in the field of addictions and mental health in courses including equity and inclusion, assessment, and counselling. This solid foundation of theory and application is followed by two years of further in-depth study in ethics, advanced counselling, contemporary issues, inter-professional collaboration and research. Overall, the program emphasizes critical thinking, analytical skills, leadership/management and professional practice. 

Learning Outcomes

• Upon successful completion of the program, a graduate will:
  • Analyze historical and contemporary approaches, theories, values and methods in addictions and mental health studies.  
  • Situate theories, practices and policies in mental health and addictions within the broad context and traditions of the social sciences.  
  • Determine appropriate practices based on critical reading of published research and traditional indigenous knowledge in mental health literature and case studies.  
  • Conduct secondary research in order to write scholarly articles, which summarize the current issues in the field of addiction and mental health. 
  • Advocate for community supports and services for individuals, families and the community with respect to addictions and mental health. 
  • Provide non-biased and culturally competent guidance/assistance to a range of clients with issues relating to addictions and mental health, from diverse populations and backgrounds, and their supports as they are identified by the primary client.
  • Develop, implement and evaluate treatment plans with clients and families with respect to addictions and mental health. 
  • Provide professional services within inter-professional teams providing ethical, legal, effective, timely, and coordinated services within the scope of practice.  
  • Counsel clients and groups effectively in order to empower the individual’s and/or the group’s capacity for self-efficacy. 
  • Describe the limits of the explanatory power of theoretical constructs in order to retain appropriate measures of flexibility and responsiveness in working with clients. 
  • Plan for longevity and wellness in a demanding field, including considerations for self-care, reflective practice, use of constructive feedback, and ongoing professional development. 

Work Placement
In the third year, students will enhance their theoretical and applied studies with a work- integrated learning placement totalling 420 hours in a community setting. Students will have the option of completing placement hours on a full-time (summer) or part-time basis (over the fall and winter semesters) based on their individual situations. During this time, they will be able to practise the skills and apply the knowledge that they have acquired before embarking on their senior course work.

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.

The Advertising - Art Direction Graduate Certificate is designed to arm you with a comprehensive understanding of advertising art direction, design and copywriting combined with marketing, branding and strategy development. This combination of skills enables students to create effective communication and advertising solutions across a wide range of media – both emerging and traditional

Learning Outcomes

• Upon successful completion of the program, a graduate will:
  • Conduct secondary research to derive insights for proposed advertising and marketing solutions.
  • Create a campaign that influences the attitudes and behaviours of a described target audience evidenced by identified metrics of campaign success.
  • Analyze the social, cultural, political, economic, psychological, technological, and historical influences on current practices and emerging trends in art direction to design creative advertising campaigns.
  • Complete all work in a professional, ethical and timely manner.
  • Express concepts, ideas, information, brand stories and research insights presented through verbal and visual techniques appropriate to the audience.
  • Collaborate in professional team environments to produce and present creative solutions to client challenges.
  • Self-assess to identify the lessons available in failure and the place of critique in the improvement process.
  • Develop a showcase portfolio to represent industry ready competency in art direction.
  • Generate visual content for use in various media channels that aligns with the creative brief and is in compliance with legislation, industry standards and accepted business practices.
  • Question assumptions and biases through listening, reading and observing critically to validate the intentions of a proposed advertising solution prior to presentation

Humber’s Developmental Services Worker (DSW) – Accelerated diploma program teaches you skills to effectively promote the physical, mental and emotional health of individuals with special needs.
You’ll be taught by developmental services experts who are active in the field, in classes with comparatively low student to teacher ratios. Our curriculum is designed with input from the developmental services field ensuring courses are current and relevant.

You’ll begin your studies 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.

Work Placement
We offer a wide range of innovative and traditional work-integrated learning opportunities. The field placement co-ordinator will consult with you regarding your interests and preferences in order to connect you to specific agencies. During your third semester, you will complete a 400 hour internship. Your third semester takes place from May through mid-August.

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.

The truth-telling role of journalism has never been more important than it is today. Humber’s Bachelor of Journalism degree program helps you develop all of the skills you will need to report on the biggest and most compelling stories in your community and around the world. Journalism is the perfect field for students with a desire to inform and engage the public. In addition to traditional skills like critical thinking, researching, reporting and interviewing, you will also learn how to use audio, text, video, and photos to create compelling online stories for a wide range of digital platforms.

You will study both the theoretical and practical aspects of journalism, and you’ll do it using the latest industry-standard hardware and software in Humber’s Newsroom. You will have access to and learn from instructors with deep and varied journalism experience. You will have the chance to pursue your interests with journalism classes that will teach you to cover sports, arts, politics, lifestyle and more. Breadth education electives will help you expand your knowledge in a variety of areas.

Our program has been designed with input from journalists and media professionals ensuring that it provides the skills required for a wide variety of journalism careers.

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

• Write and edit content for a variety of story forms and web-based applications.
• Interview contacts and sources for a variety of media applications.
• Examine and apply various journalistic and academic research methods assessing the credibility of international sources.
• Analyze media theory and the role of the media in society.
• Adhere to professional and ethical codes of conduct, guidelines and legal requirements.
• Produce images and content for web-based applications.
• Demonstrate critical and creative thinking skills.
• Analyze society’s fundamental systems (political, legal, social diversity) and their connections to the journalistic world.
• Analyze media law and journalistic responsibility.
• Critique and analyze media practices and products.
• Develop entrepreneurial skills related to the business of journalism.
• Develop a portfolio of journalistic projects for work search purposes.
• Establish a professional media identity based on an analysis of personal interests, opportunities, benefits, risks, marketing, strategies and audience.
• Demonstrate conflict management strategies and negotiation skills required in journalistic work.
• Work effectively and assertively in teams to achieve desired goals and resolve differing or opposing ideas and points of view.

Work Placement

• You will complete a 14-week work placement in the summer between years three and four. This placement provides an opportunity to gain experience in your chosen field and to meet professionals in journalism and digital communications settings. Many of the placements are offered in the Greater Toronto Area, a hub for Canada’s media industry. The work settings and the work itself support your professional development and will provide you with both the knowledge and skills required to enter the profession, as well as the confidence to perform the work required.

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.