Certificate in Design Foundations

at Algonquin College - Ottawa Campus Canada

Interactive Media Design is a two year Ontario College Diploma program designed to prepare you for a variety of careers in the digital media industry. Web-design and programming, as well as video and motion graphic skills, are in demand in all employment sectors. You explore the primary elements of media project planning and development with equal importance given to the creative and the technical aspects. This balanced learning experience prepares graduates to be generalists in the media industry, meaning you can jump into a wide variety of roles as you begin your careers.

Strong emphasis is placed on hands-on media production through courses in computer-based web design and programming, as well as video and motion graphics. Through a number of program-specific elective courses, you can focus your path towards specializing as a video producer or a web developer, or you can choose to remain as a generalist, depending on your interests. You plan and execute individual and team-based projects under the guidance of a faculty, industry experts in the media field. You gain practical experience working with live clients through applied projects. You navigate these learning opportunities with the operating system of your choice, such as Apple OS X, Windows or other platforms.

This industry-driven program provides you with the diverse skillset that makes you adaptable in today`s dynamic job market across all sectors. Graduates may find employment in a wide variety of fields utilizing their skills in dynamic media development, web design and programming, photography, videography, motion graphics, project management, UX design, graphic design and content management. Other opportunities involve start-up businesses and a wide variety of alternate professional fields.

Students also have the option to gain real-world experience through a paid co-operative education (co-op) work term (see Additional Information for more details). Please note that places in the co-op version of the program are subject to availability. Students who elect to apply to the non co-op version of the program may not have the opportunity to transfer to the co-op version at a later date.

The two-year Architectural Technician Ontario College Diploma program teaches you the skills and techniques to enter a career in the architecture and construction fields.

Your professors are industry professionals who provide you with a learning experience from the construction industry and the architectural profession, enabling you to be successful in your academic and professional ventures.

Begin the program with a focus on residential construction, and progress to studying commercial construction. Develop skills related to all facets of building construction, including design and technical resolution with the integration of building and material detailing.

As a student in this program, you have the opportunity to study a variety of practical topics, using both applied and theoretical learning, and a project-based, integrated studies approach. Courses include:

• Working Drawings
• Methods and Materials of Construction
• Codes and Standards
• AutoCAD
• Revit
• Visual Communications
• Design
• Environmental Systems

In the one-year Marketing Research and Analysis Ontario College Graduate Certificate program you master the current and emerging techniques in marketing research. This program prepares you for a data-driven career in the marketing research discipline.

You learn to investigate how and why people purchase products and services. In this program, you develop the employable skills to conduct marketing and opinion research in the public, not-for-profit and private sectors. The curriculum emphasizes the marketing research process including:

• Research design
• Questionnaire construction
• Moderator`s guide construction
• Data collection
• Basic and intermediate statistical analysis and interpretation, and
• Report writing and presentation skills

In addition, you become familiar with the scientific method of hypotheses testing and reaching conclusions to solve business problems.

Graduates may have opportunities to work in a wide variety of research settings in government, not-for-profit organizations, research providers and private businesses that use marketing research.

Culinary Management is a two- year Ontario Diploma program that is curated to train the students to become professional chefs by putting a great emphasis on the advanced culinary skills, hands-on experience and managerial training. The curriculum includes courses on sanitation and safety procedures, food preparation, computer applications, the control of food costs, baking techniques, and nutrition and menu planning and the students are required to complete all the industry- related certifications to graduate. 

The students get multiple chances to participate in various activities, event s and competitions at the different hotels, restaurants and event facilities to develop their skills and knowledge. Students are required to complete a mandatory 40-hour field placement per term in order to graduate from the program.

The graduates of the program can seek employment in food preparation and service establishments like cafeterias, restaurants, senior care facilities, hotels, cruise ships or catering companies.

The one-year Brand Management Ontario College Graduate Certificate program allows you to explore the many facets of brand strategy and management. Leading industry experts share their insights to teach you about the tools and strategies to be more business and brand savvy. Learn to navigate the global, digital and socially-conscious marketplace so that you can build and maintain a company`s most valuable asset - brand equity.

Analyze and plan how a brand will be perceived in the marketplace. Identify the right combination of brand attributes to reflect and deliver on the experience that the consumer has come to expect from the brand. Learn how to use and measure social media brand channels while building brand equity through the management of strategic promotional campaigns. Measure the success of a campaign using brand metrics and tracking tools.

The program has a strong focus on leadership and strategic thinking skills. It considers how to manage a brand in this world`s emerging economies and how to build a socially responsible brand. It also uses a variety of learning opportunities to expand your knowledge, including case studies, classroom and online study, group work and practical industry-related experience.

Employment opportunities in brand management continue to grow both nationally and internationally. Graduates may find employment in the private, public and non-profit sectors in the industry. Specific areas include:

• Advertising
• Retail
• Services
• Information technology
• Telecommunications
• Manufacturing

You may find positions such as:

• Assistant brand manager
• Brand manager
• Brand strategist
• Brand marketing manager
• Key account manager

The three-year Computer Engineering Technology - Computing Science Ontario College Advanced Diploma program prepares you for an information technology (IT) career in the private or public sectors. You gain the knowledge and skills to use a broad range of IT-based analytical thinking and problem-solving skills in support of the day-to-day operation of an enterprise`s software systems or in the development of new systems.

Learn a variety of programming languages (Java, C#, C++, C, and others) and operating systems (Windows, Unix/Linux, and QNX). In addition, you study the development tools and debugging techniques used to design, code and test integrated and/or embedded applications and software systems.

In your final year, you work in teams on sponsored real-world projects to develop a comprehensive application as part of the software engineering portion of the program. You also have the opportunity to select an elective course from an approved list, in areas that include graphics/multimedia, advanced database programming, android, business programming (Cobol), security and advanced web programming.

The majority of the program consists of courses in systems programming, software development, testing and maintenance. The balance of the curriculum consists of courses in technical communications skills (both oral and written), mathematics and general education electives.

Students also have the option to gain real-world experience through a paid co-operative education (co-op) work term (see Additional Information for more details). Please note that places in the co-op version of the program are subject to availability. Students who elect to apply to the non co-op version of the program may not have the opportunity to transfer to the co-op version at a later date.

Graduates may find employment as systems, integration, and applications programmers and/or testers, and as customer service representatives providing training and product support to clients of high technology corporations.

• Graduates may also pursue careers in such diverse areas as:
• Game and multimedia development
• GUI (graphical user interface) development
• IT communications, IT security, real-time and database systems
• Web-based applications
• Technical roles in all levels of government (federal, provincial, and municipal)

Offering a broad range of social science courses, this two-year General Arts and Science Ontario College Diploma program gives you the chance to begin your studies and build up your academic level of knowledge. Explore your skills and interests and discover what educational path is the best for you.

This program lets you develop and explore interpersonal and communication skills as well as skills in critical thinking and research. These are essential universal skills for a world where change is rapid and adaptability is critical.

The program gives you the opportunity to discover new pathways for your future and find your potential. With the diversity of the courses, you explore many new ideas. The program presents the opportunity to learn in a post-secondary setting. This program shows future employers, colleges and universities that you can learn at the post-secondary level.

The one-year Business Intelligence System Infrastructure (BISI) Ontario College Graduate Certificate provides you with specialized knowledge and skills to support the corporate use of Business Intelligence (BI), Data Visualization, Data Science, Cloud Services, and Agile Project Management. Research and evaluate current BI trends and theory as you specialize your career.

A technical program, BISI is ideal for students who have existing degrees or advanced diplomas in Computing Science, Engineering, Business, Mathematics or a similar relevant business-science- technology field.

BISI provides you with hands-on experience in:

• Database design, implementation and SQL
• Data warehouse design and development
• Data modelling and rendering
• Operating systems and programming fundamentals
• Data science essentials
• Cloud fundamentals
• Agile project management
• Selected current topics

As a student in this program, you collect, analyze, design, build, integrate and manage systems in order to facilitate data-driven decision-making. Use current versions of in-demand, enterprise grade software to access multiple data sources, including complex databases and data warehouses, for application and/or enterprise Cloud/Hybrid/on-premises solution delivery.

Undertake a project, as part of a small team, to use and build upon your acquired knowledge and skills while addressing client requirements. An optional paid cooperative (co-op) work term opportunity exists at program end for qualified students that meet employer requirements.

BISI graduates may work in the public or private sector. They have the knowledge and skills to become Business Intelligence Systems specialists liaising with IT technical support and subject matter experts, as well as Technical Business Analysts designing, developing, and implementing responsive data models. In some situations, the graduate`s previous field of study opens specialized opportunities in emerging markets.

Based on the foundational knowledge and skills acquired throughout the program, BISI graduates may choose to pursue various certifications, in areas like:

• IBM Cognos CA and related disciplines
• Tableau data visualization
• Cloud foundations
• Python programming

Define your interest in music, media and film production in the one-year Music, Media and Film Foundation Ontario College Certificate program. As a student, you explore career opportunities in the music, media and film industry, and develop foundational skills to prepare you for further post-secondary study in film, radio, television or music industry arts.

In this program, you build fundamental techniques in audio and video production, and apply them within a studio environment. You develop storytelling skills, allowing your message to reach audiences in an influential way. You plan and prepare for further education and the industry, focusing on the academic and professional skills that will help you get there. In this program, you work collaboratively to create media assets, learning the many roles that function together in the music, media and film industry.

This foundational program allows you to build a portfolio that demonstrates your readiness for several related programs, acting as a starting point for further education. These foundations provide students with an introduction to more advanced music-, media- and film-related programs including but not limited to:

• Music Industry Arts
• Broadcasting - Television
• Broadcasting - Radio
• Film and Media Production

In the Electrical Engineering Technology Ontario College Advanced Diploma program, you use state-of-the-art facilities to gain the knowledge and experience necessary to enter the electrical engineering field. This program is the continuation of the Electrical Engineering Technician program, and is open to students who already have an Algonquin College Electrical Engineering Technician Ontario College Diploma and meet the admission requirements.

Through a series of theory courses and extensive practical labs, you learn skills specific to becoming an Electrical Engineering Technologist. You expand your knowledge base of the following:

• Electrical principles
• Codes
• Circuitry
• Industrial control systems
• Computer applications
• Machinery
• AutoCAD
• telecommunications
• Electronics
• Instrumentation and robotics

Take on a complex project, either in partnership with an industry client or based on your own research interest, and use project management skills learned in the program to analyze and solve it. Complete your project by creating deliverables, monitoring and controlling project resources, and presenting results both orally and through written presentations.

Students also have the option to gain real-world experience through a paid co-operative education (co-op) work term (see Additional Information for more details). Please note that places in the co-op version of the program are subject to availability.

Electives during this program help you specialize in either automation or utilities.

OACETT (Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists) recognizes this program as meeting the academic requirements for certification in the Certified Technician (C.Tech) category. While a student, you are encouraged to register as an Associate member of OACETT.

Upon graduation, you may find employment in many different areas of the Electrical Engineering Technology field. You may have titles such as:

• Electrical designer
• Electrical technologist
• Electrical engineering technologist
• AutoCAD draftsperson
• Project estimator
• control system designer
• Instrumentation and controls (I&C) technologist
• Building automation engineering technologist
• Telecommunication quality assurance technologist