Diploma in Broadcasting - Radio and Contemporary Media

at Durham College - Oshawa Campus Canada

An education in journalism provides excellent training in critical thinking, writing and presenting ideas while preparing students for one of the most interesting careers imaginable. Armed with very transferable knowledge, skills and experience, journalism graduates go on to write and deliver stories on all written and broadcast platforms. Students also develop an array of social media skills and undergo experiential learning through the program’s ‘working newsroom’, before moving on to a seven-week field placement, applying their skills in a professional environment. Students taking the Journalism advanced diploma program will have an additional four-week field placement at the end of the sixth semester.

This program embraces the broad changes occurring in the media landscape and offers a progressive curriculum that will allow you to focus on development of journalism, social media skills and content creation on all platforms – online, print and broadcast. Students in the Journalism – Mass Media program will develop the essential skills, knowledge, and behaviours required to work in this progressive, critical profession. In their first year, students are introduced to the core journalism skills and learn how society functions both locally and globally. In their second year, students focus on creating content for all media platforms and undergoing experiential learning through our ‘working newsroom’'.

Due to the constant evolution of technology and the increasing development of new platforms of communication, traditional media professions such as journalism are facing new opportunities, as well as new challenges. Changes in the delivery methods of traditional news have forced journalists and others within the journalism industry to change how they do their jobs. For instance, journalists can now collect information with their phones and deliver stories directly to multiple platforms.

Graduates will have developed skills in: broadcasting, reporting, interviewing, editing, writing, content creation and media production, teamwork and critical thinking. You will have knowledge of applicable legislation, standards and professional ethics, and recognize the importance of continuous learning. More specifically, you will gain a clear understanding of the impact of digital technology on journalism and will be able to respond and adapt effectively and efficiently to technological changes.

Upon successful completion of this program you will have opportunities at an entry-level in a wide variety of news organizations and as content creators for a variety of private companies and public organizations, such as school boards, hospitals and governments. Graduates will have the skills to perform a range of tasks, including:
Writing local, national and international news through interviews and research

• Writing news stories for publication and/or broadcast
• Editing, analyzing and verifying information for accuracy
• Researching and conducting interviews for broadcast, online and print
• Applying production skills and using equipment to create content for a range of platforms
• Using social media platforms to engage audiences
• Planning and designing editorial content to meet a mass communications strategy for a client

Durham’s Journalism – Mass Media program has successfully covered the campus and community since 1974. It has an ongoing history of excellence, winning Ontario Community Newspaper Association honours on a regular basis. Our graduates have a track record of producing quality work across Canada – for news organizations such as CBC, CTV and TSN and in communities from British Columbia to Nova Scotia. Grads have also earned careers as content creators and social media coordinators for companies, agencies and institutions.

NOTE: Students enrolling in this program are required to purchase their own laptop. 

Are you looking to start your own business? Entrepreneurship and small business development are vital components of economic growth in Canada with 75 per cent of all new jobs being created in the small business sector. You will learn and work with industry-experienced professors and business professionals as your mentors who have started and run successful businesses. This program will help prepare you to launch your business with business industry connections and a complete business plan the day you finish.

Our well-equipped microbiology, chemical analysis, product development, and food processing facilities provide our students with hands-on experience in the methods and instrumentation used in the food science, cosmetics, natural health product, and cannabis industries.  Our students learn the theory of and perform experiments mirroring industry procedures and protocols to ensure they are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to work in these high-demand industries.

During placement, students have the opportunity to gain experience at partner organizations, including food manufacturers, microbiology laboratories, analytical testing facilities and ingredient suppliers.

Graduates are employed in both the public and private sectors including:

• Bakeries, confectioners, pasta and snack food manufacturers
• Brewers, winemakers and beverage manufacturers
• Dairy, meat, seafood and canning processors
• Food additives and flavour manufacturers
• Government agencies
• Packaging, ingredient, and equipment suppliers
• Consumer health products manufacturers
• Research establishments and universities
• Third party testing labs

This program has broad career prospects and a graduate may become a(n)

• Food safety technologist
• Quality assurance technologist
• Quality control technologist
• Microbiology technologist
• Food or cosmetic manufacturing technologist
• Food product development technologist
• Instrumentation technologist
• Analytical Chemist

Human resources (HR) professionals work in partnership with business managers to take care of the company’s largest asset – its employees. To help a business run, HR staff provide advice to department supervisors on a range of employee relations issues, design and deliver a range of programs and services focused on individual and team needs, and create company policies that support and promote a workplace culture based on fairness, equity and personal growth.

As a successful graduate of this program you will qualify for approved credit towards the academic component of the Certified Human Resources Professionals (CHRP) designation granted by the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario (HRPAO). Students who receive and average grade of 70% in these courses and maintain a minimum grade of 65% in each course meet the coursework requirements to write the Comprehensive Knowledge Exams – a significant step towards becoming a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP). 

You will acquire skills in the effective use of industry-standard software and learn from professors who are connected to the industry. As a student, you will have the opportunity to interact directly with industry professionals and to participate in hands-on learning opportunities such as case competitions and either a field placement or co-operative education (co-op) experience.

NOTE: Students enrolling in this program are required to purchase their own laptop.

Human resources (HR) professionals serve as strategic partners in today’s business environment. They work closely with management colleagues at all levels of a company on a variety of project-based and proactive initiatives. Many roles are performed by HR professionals including the following:

• Advocating on a variety of staff issues
• Developing and implementing company policies, procedures, programs and services
• Giving advice and counsel to corporate executives, line managers and employees

This program will develop your skills, knowledge and abilities in the following areas:

• Compensation management and performance appraisals
• Employee and labour relations
• HR planning and training and development
• Managerial accounting
• Occupational health and safety
• Recruitment and selection

Co-operative education (co-op):-

The best way to succeed in your field is to immerse yourself in it! Co-op is an excellent way to build your professional network, explore career paths and apply in-class teachings to real work situations. Co-op is a model of education that integrates academic learning with workplace learning in fields relevant to our students’ academic and personal goals. Similar to an academic course, work terms are a mandatory component to this form of experiential learning.

Students in the Business Administration – Human Resources Management Advanced Diploma program will be invited to apply to the co-op option during their first year of study. Entrance to the co-op option is limited and the processes for securing a work term are competitive.  Students who qualify for co-op will be eligible to complete a four-month, paid work term between the second and third years of their program.

Supports are available through the Co-op office to assist students with securing their work terms. In addition, the Co-op office is in contact with co-op students and their employers during the work terms to help with any questions. Upon completing the work term, co-op students return to campus to complete their final two academic semesters of the program before graduating.

Advanced Law Enforcement and Investigations allows you to combine law enforcement experience with advanced fitness training and conflict management to gain additional professional certifications for a rewarding career in the justice sector. Whether you choose to join an investigation agency, private security firm or work in law enforcement, your experience and newly acquired skills will give you the edge you need.

Business Fundamentals is a one-year Ontario College Certificate program that will help you identify which area of business suits your talents and interests for your future career! You will study all aspects of business, develop your skills and explore your options.  Courses include accounting, business communications, human resources, marketing and supply chain management.  A comprehensive study of each will help you discover your perfect career fit.  This program also provides those already in the workforce with a foundation of business knowledge that can help them expand their career and business opportunities.

You can choose to graduate with your Business Fundamentals certificate after one year and start your career or continue your studies in the Business program of your choice—this program leads right into the second year of Durham College business diplomas.

NOTE: Students enrolling in this program are required to purchase their own laptop. For specific hardware and software requirements for this program click here.

This program is designed for individuals who want to develop skills and knowledge appropriate for an entry level position in a business setting.

You will study:

• Accounting
• Business communications
• Human resource management
• Marketing
• Principles of a business organization
• Supply chain management

All courses offered are available in the daytime, but also in the evenings and online through Continuing Education (additional fees apply).

For those who are passionate about the environment and want to dedicate their work to preserving and protecting our earth, air and water, this program provides a diverse and rewarding career path. As an environmental technologist, you will spend your days outdoors conducting critical monitoring, sampling and surveying before returning to the lab to perform your analyses and the office to record and tabulate data. Whether advising organizations on best practices or holding them accountable for poor ones, your work will be vital to ensuring the health of our communities and planet.

If you are a domestic or internationally educated student with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree, you may be eligible for a compressed, fast-track opportunity to complete your advanced diploma requirements in two semesters.

The Environmental Technology program focuses on the chemical and biological sciences as they relate to environmental pollution. An emphasis is placed on ground and surface water quality, soil and waste management and recycling in urban and industrial settings. You will also examine environmental regulations and review their social and economic impacts on communities.

Training and experience in the handling, analysis and monitoring of a wide variety of biological and chemical parameters linked to pollution are at the heart of the program. First-hand field and laboratory experience is emphasized in areas such as:

• Analytical chemistry
• Data collection
• Environmental stewardship management
• Instrumental analysis
• Microbiology

Environmental problems and concerns are constantly changing and at Durham College we aim to adapt in order to stay at the leading edge of these changes. Statistics Canada has identified environmental technology as one of the top emerging employment sectors.

This fast-track option is designed for students with existing academic credentials and will provide you with the advanced skills necessary for employment in the environmental field. The program provides technical practice with many opportunities for hands-on experience and project-based learning.

Chemical Engineering Technology is at the core of our ever-evolving world - innovative products, processes and materials are a constant in our time. To support these changes, this program puts a focus on material science, nuclear physics and instrumentation. Renewable fuels, process simulation and analysis and development of chemical products all have one thing in common - the chemical engineering technologist.

Chemical engineering technology is about creating value through chemical conversions, all the way from lab-scale processes to optimizing full plant operations, and this program provides training to enable graduates to do this. Applications include manufacturing of high-tech polymers, water treatment operations, catalytic conversions, nuclear power and sustainable fuel sources. . Chemical engineering technologists play a role in each of these areas.

This program will provide you with hands-on experience and a solid background in analytical chemistry, organic chemistry, nuclear physics and instrumental analysis including chromatography and spectroscopy, as well as process control and sustainability. Working alone and in teams, first-hand experience is emphasized through our fully equipped Analytical Instrumentation laboratory. The core of the program will give you training and experience in the handling, analyzing, monitoring, processing and properties of a wide variety of chemicals.

Safety and environmental compliance are both emphasized in the program as chemical engineering technologists take processes from “cradle to cradle”. The field placement component of the program provides valuable contacts and experience.

If you want to create award-winning advertising and marketing campaigns, this program is for you. We live in an age of digital disruption. In order for advertisers to compete for ‘screen-time’ they must develop engaging content that harnesses the power to connect with consumers. As marketers strive to increase their share of consumer attention, they must research how people are spending time across multiple devices and platforms. When you understand consumer markets and behaviour, you can create great advertising campaigns.

The Advertising and Marketing Communications program prepares you with the knowledge, skills and experience for an exciting career in the advertising industry. You can work at an agency, research or production firm, or within a media company; we will help you choose the path that best suits your skill-set. You will gain experience as an account manager and production artist working for campus media, and have the opportunity to participate in the college advertising agency – ‘collaboragency’. Our students manage real accounts and deliver both strategic and creative recommendations to achieve client goals.

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to rapidly transform the way organizations and their people work, a shortage of skilled professionals remains the single most significant challenge facing AI adoption by industry. With a focus on enterprise AI, including both off-the-shelf solutions and proprietary AI, this program – the first and only graduate certificate of its kind in Canada – will prepare you to meet this demand for AI-literate practitioners.

As a graduate, you will know how to leverage AI to extract data and use data-driven intelligence to guide decision-making, solving complex enterprise problems with state-of-the-art solutions, all while creating efficiency and quality gains for small and medium-sized enterprises up to the largest of corporations. Additional emphasis will be put on data governance, including data management to ensure its integrity.

Students will also benefit from multiple opportunities for experiential learning, including access to the college’s AI Hub, completion of two diverse capstone projects and an optional work term. Graduates will be prepared to enter this high-growth field, which currently sees the Greater Toronto Area home to the highest per-capita concentration of AI companies in the world.