Graduate Certificate in Therapeutic Recreation

at Algonquin College - Ottawa Campus Canada

The Retirement Communities Management Ontario College Graduate Certificate program provides the specialized skills and knowledge to help you meet the demand for skilled managers in the retirement communities field.

Learn from seasoned industry professionals. The program aligns curriculum with Ontario`s Retirement Homes Act, 2010 and prepares you for entry into this expanding field, or advancement within retirement communities.

Discover the organizational structures and day-to-day operations within the industry, including:

• Human resources
• Recruitment
• Fiscal management
• Resident care
• Food service operations
• Marketing
• Recreation activities
• Legislation and regulatory bodies

Apply management skills related to all of these areas through activities, case studies and industry work. Plan, implement and execute fiscal and operational strategies to optimize organizational efficiency. Focus also includes knowledge of resident care best practices.

A three-week field placement in the industry expands your real-world experience. During this time, you make valuable industry contacts.

The four-year Bachelor of Public Safety (Honours) degree program imparts the theory and hands-on instruction allowing you to develop a systematic approach to public safety to counter, coordinate and investigate man-made and natural threats to individuals, information systems security, critical infrastructure, organizations, companies, and governments.

You learn the proven and sound principles of public safety within the context of Canadian legislation. Theoretical and experiential courses, combined with applied research and two co-op work terms, provide you with work-integrated learning opportunities, as well as the opportunity to develop and build investigative and analytical problem-solving skills. You develop inter-professional capabilities using a collaborative approach to addressing public safety situations.

This program prepares you for positions in the field of public safety encompassing security, countering crime, and emergency management. Graduates may find public safety employment opportunities in policing and the military, as well as various public and private sector organizations, government and non-profit organizations.

Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Design, apply and validate security, emergency and business continuity measures conforming to current industry practices.
• Investigate, document and report security related incidents in accordance with accepted investigative practices.
• Comply with established national, provincial and local laws, legislation, policies, and professional and ethical standards pertaining to public safety.
• Analyze and interpret security related case scenarios using quantitative and qualitative research methods.
• Develop and communicate plans and recommendations that integrate the results of research, assessment and investigations.
• Adopt and use information technologies in accordance with current industry standards.
• Use strategic leadership and critical thinking in professional roles and in decision-making contexts.
• Develop operational threat mitigation strategies consistent with a fact-based assessment of geo-political trends.
• Respond to emerging situations using the principles of crisis management.
• Develop public safety strategies that synthesize current scholarly thinking and emerging trends in the field.
• Lead personnel and manage facilities while applying standard business practices.
• Design, implement, manage and evaluate security awareness education initiatives.
• Adapt to changes in employment requirements through the development, implementation and updating of professional and personal development plans.
• Work with diverse stakeholders and populations.
• Work with other professionals by applying the principles of inter-professional practice.
• Research and analyze criminal behaviour within the broader context of social trends in today`s society consistent with current scholarly thinking.

Co-op Information:
Cooperative education (Co-op) allows students to integrate their classroom learning with a real-world experience though paid work terms. Two academic terms prior to the cooperative education work term, students are required to actively participate in and successfully complete the self-directed co-op online readiness activities and in-person workshops. For more information Click on

This one-year Pre-Health Sciences Pathway to Certificates and Diplomas Ontario College Certificate program provides you with the knowledge, skills and abilities fundamental to academic success in a variety of health science programs. Develop strong study skills and earn post-secondary credits that may be transferred to other college programs.

As a student, you explore your interests in the health science field while meeting the eligibility requirements for a number of Algonquin College programs, including:

• Dental Assisting - Level I and II
• Fitness and Health Promotion
• Occupational Therapist Assistant/Physiotherapist Assistant
• Paramedic
• Practical Nursing
• Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training
• Veterinary Assistant
• Veterinary Technician

The curriculum provides you with the opportunity to learn more about potential careers in health sciences as you improve your skills and knowledge in communications, mathematics, biology and chemistry.

The intention of this program is to prepare you for further study in certificates or diplomas, rather than moving directly into the chosen industry. It is important to note that completing this program doesn`t guarantee entry into a health or science program.

The Bookkeeping and Accounting Practices Ontario College Certificate program gives you the knowledge and skills to work effectively in a variety of accounting and bookkeeping roles.

This one-year program balances theory and practical training, to ensure that you are ready for your career. Faculty members include experts dedicated to ensuring that you gain a solid foundation of skills.

Explore the full accounting cycle, including:

• Identifying and recording business transactions
• Preparing financial statements
• Developing essential bookkeeping skills by practising working with data such as purchases, payments, sales, collections and payroll.
• Effectively identifying and applying business processes by maintaining paper and computerized financial records.

Develop communication and math skills as well as an understanding of business practices. Work with popular accounting software and spreadsheet tools to ensure that your technical skills are up-to-date.

With an Ontario College Certificate from Algonquin College, you may find employment in entry-level roles such as:

• Payroll clerk
• Accounts payable clerk
• Accounts receivable clerk
• Billing clerk debt collections
• Accounting clerk
• Bookkeeper
• Accounting assistant

The program spans over a period of one year and is focused on those who wish to improve the current global situations via advanced knowledge and application of sustainable building strategies. During the course, the students enhance their understanding of building technology, construction and design from their prior experience/education.

The course curriculum includes courses in methods and materials designed to lessen the reliance on fossil fuels and harness the energy resources of water, wind and the sun and offer sustainable energy conservation improvements. The students are introduced to a variety of design technologies and strategies that make buildings healthier and livable for people, reduce environmental impact, manage material resources and conserve energy in an economical way. 

The graduates of the course can find jobs with design and construction firms, architectural, engineering, government agencies, Green building consultants and related disciplines.

Medical Device Reprocessing is a unique Ontario College Certificate program that combines theory, lab practice, simulation and hands-on experience. This one-year program prepares you to apply principles of infection prevention and proper handling of reusable patient care equipment in healthcare settings.

As a student, you explore various areas including:

• Human anatomy
• Medical terminology
• Patient interventions
• Employee and patient safety

Gain manual dexterity by practising with equipment and surgical instrumentation in simulation labs as well as operating equipment in clinical healthcare settings. Collectively, these practices will prepare you for work in the healthcare field. Benefit from more than 130 hours of clinical practice, which provides the opportunity for integrating theory and principles into hands-on practice.

Upon graduating, you may find work in healthcare facilities, which may include:

• Hospital medical device reprocessing departments
• Public and private clinics
• Dental clinics
• Surgical centres

Computer Systems Technology Security is a three-year Ontario College Advanced Diploma that prepares the students for significant roles in securing the integrity, critical data of a business, confidentiality, network infrastructure and transactions while developing the practical hands-on skills and theoretical knowledge to implement, recommend and solve various advanced security solutions and countermeasures.

During the course, the students learn to employ common techniques and tools used in investigations and digital forensics, deploy modern security countermeasures against threats to the IT infrastructure, explore how to participate in the investigation and incident response process effectively and how to validate and evaluate security controls. The curriculum also includes topics like Canadian/International laws, assess the technical aspects and risk levels of security solutions, privacy laws and compliance, ethical and social implications related to security, the legal process and proper evidence gathering procedures, analyzing and managing risk/threats, security and penetration tests and vulnerability assessments, designing effective corporate security policies and IT forensic concepts and tools

The graduates of the course may find jobs in various industrial, service, private and industrial sectors, public organizations (financial, healthcare), privately managed security firms, users of information networks, including government organizations; small, medium-sized and large business enterprises, ; law enforcement agencies (RCMP, OPP, local police forces) and associated security agencies (CSIS, CSE), primary communications carriers, information service providers, information technology consulting firms and security audit/penetration consulting firms.

The students may secure job positions in the Information Technology environment like that of a corporate information security or security administrator (junior to intermediate level); corporate information security manager/officer (junior to intermediate level); network security specialist (junior to intermediate level); IT/network security consultant (junior to intermediate level); IT/network security architect/designer (junior to intermediate level); security auditor/penetration tester (junior to intermediate level); digital forensic analyst/consultant/investigator (junior to intermediate level); IT/network security and compliance analyst/investigator (junior to intermediate level); technical support specialist - security (intermediate level); technical integration sales representative and support (intermediate level).

Learning Outcomes

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Analyze and resolve information technology problems through the application of systematic approaches and diagnostic tools.
• Analyze, plan, design, and implement computer systems.
• Analyze, plan, design, and implement networking solutions.
• Install, configure, troubleshoot, monitor, maintain, upgrade, and optimize computer systems.
• Install, configure, troubleshoot, monitor, maintain, upgrade, and optimize networks.
• Use a variety of scripting tools and languages to automate routine tasks.
• Participate in the deployment and administration of databases within a networked environment.
• Plan, develop, and be responsible for data storage to ensure the integrity of information.
• Apply knowledge of security issues to the implementation of information technology solutions.
• Appraise existing security solutions with a view to on-going maintenance, development, and improvement of organizational security.

Get the technical skills required to repair and modify automated equipment

The two-year Electromechanical Engineering Technician Ontario College Diploma program prepares you for many different career pathways. Industry professionals teach you the skills to repair and modify automated equipment in many different sectors.

In this program, you experience both classroom and lab-based hands-on learning. You develop team building skills and collaborate on class projects.

As a student in this program, you learn about:

• Electronic circuits
• Industrial pneumatics
• Computer-aided design
• Microcontrollers
• Digital logic
• Programmable logic controllers (PLCs)
• Motor controls and machine tool operations
• Industrial robots
• Mechatronics  

The two-year Computer Programmer Ontario College Diploma program prepares you for a career in software development. The program also specializes in program development strategies (using object-oriented modelling), database design and database administration.

Use leading industry software products such as Oracle and CASE tools. Learn about programming languages such as Java, COBOL, SQL and PHP. Study object-oriented analysis and design, operating systems and coding in integrated environments, and learn how to debug, test, and maintain codes.

In your final semester, participate in a software development project working with external clients to gain real-world experience in the programming field.

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 work in a variety of different fields, as almost all sectors of industry require programmers. You may be employed as:

• A software programmer
• A web programmer
• A business programmer
• An application programmer

In this two-year Strategic Global Business Management Ontario College Graduate Certificate, you learn to navigate complex geopolitical climates and to develop positive cross-cultural relationships, so that your business can have global reach. You explore the ways that areas of business management work together to form a strategic global approach.

Extend your business management skills as you identify feasible opportunities to enter new global markets in ethical and socially responsible ways that comply to international policies, regulations, and laws. Identify how to manage projects, human resources, finances, marketing, sales, risk and continuity within international settings. Apply business principles to digital business environments through e-commerce, supply chain and social media marketing to support the business in a global market. Think innovatively to explore ways to leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning while protecting your business through cyber security and information management. The program culminates with a collaborative project complete with an industry partner, an opportunity that supports your growth as a strategic global business professional.