Graduate Certificate in User Experience (UX) Design

at Humber College North Campus Canada

Humber’s Business – Accounting diploma program provides you with a well-rounded accounting education with training in accounting procedures and theory, taxation, business law, information systems, and management. Supported by our state-of-the-art Accounting Centre, you’ll learn best practices in accounting and become skilled at using industry-standard software including Profile (personal tax), Access, Excel, Quickbooks, SAGE 50 Accounting (formerly known as Simply Accounting) and SAGE Accpac Plus.

You will learn accounting from industry-connected faculty who are committed to providing you with practical, hands-on accounting training to help you get ahead. Our program’s versatile range of courses helps you develop broad-based business skills including human resource administration, business writing, macroeconomics and finance. At any time, you can transfer to the three-year Business Administration – Accounting advanced diploma program, with an optional co-op opportunity.

You may choose to study for four consecutive semesters if you wish to accelerate your path to graduation.

Humber’s Electrical Engineering Technician – Control Systems diploma program focuses on three major concentrations in electrical engineering:

• Power industry
• Process instrumentation
• Programmable logic controllers (PLCs).

Our courses are designed in collaboration with an industry advisory panel, ensuring you learn current and relevant material. The program blends classroom theory with laboratory work on subjects such as electric devices and circuits, digital and programming fundamentals, power generation and distribution, electrical computer-aided design and drafting (CADD), electrical code, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and technical communications.

Complex and challenging assignments prepare you for the realities of a control systems and electrical engineering career. Jump-start your career in the power industry, process instrumentation field as a control specialist or working with programmable logic controllers (PLCs). Our graduates can find work as technicians – designing, maintaining, servicing or selling automated industrial, electrical machines, electrical control, power and process instrumentation systems and equipment. Some employers of our graduates include ABB Inc., Aztec Electrical Supply, Canada Bread, City of Brampton, Street Lighting Department, Eastern Power Limited, Enersource Hydro Mississauga, Siemens Building Technologies Inc., Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), Hydro One and Ontario Power Generation.

From the business side of hospitality, to à la carte cuisine, Humber’s Culinary Skills certificate program prepares you for a career as a professional chef. Gain theoretical and practical skills while learning in cutting-edge labs and real-world settings with the latest kitchen technology and equipment.

Many graduates of this one-year program continue on for another year and complete the Culinary Management diploma program or enter our Cook Apprenticeship program.

Students also have the opportunity to experience preparing meals on the Humber Food Truck, Humber’s classroom on wheels. A fast-track program is implemented for the January start. The first semester (January to April) is immediately followed by the second semester (May to August).

The curriculum for this program is similar to the first year of the Culinary Management program. This allows students to transition into the Culinary Management program after the first semester or at the end of the second semester with bridging courses. Alternatively, students are able to move into the Cook Apprenticeship program providing they have an eligible employer.

Design is everywhere - built into the environments we navigate, the financial and social services we access, the technology we use, products we consume, and processes we use to do our jobs. Design is providing innovative solutions to the most pressing and urgent problems in today’s world. There has never been a more exciting or relevant time to be a designer.

A wide variety of subjects will guide you through important conceptual and practical design fundamentals such as design theory and practice, prototyping, and usability testing. Design courses will help you develop visual storytelling and communication skills, ensuring that you are equipped with top-notch graphic and user design skills upon graduation.

Our program is designed to respond to the increasing demand for designers prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Grounded by the unifying principle of human-centeredness, this program focuses on how design thinking can be harnessed for social change, improve daily experiences, and make processes and interfaces more human-focused.

Humber’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) diploma prepares you to work with children (birth to 12 years) and their families. Students can expect to attain and exceed the practice-ready knowledge, skills and attitudes employers are seeking from ECE graduates in supporting children, families and the community by engaging in innovative learning and simulation experiences. These experiences take place within Humber's Carol Reid Early Childhood Education Lab, as well as within the Humber Child Development Centre - interacting with our scenic arboretum and nature-inspired playground and exploring responsive inclusive teaching methods and leading edge curriculum.

You will learn about:

• How children learn
• The importance of responsive relationships
• The image of the child and the significance of viewing children from a wide variety of lenses
• How to create responsive, inclusive play-based learning environments and natural play spaces for children, families and the community
• Human development
• Observation and reflection, and the preparation of pedagogical documentation by children, families and the community
• Social justice, advocacy, leadership and the role of the ECE professional
• The importance of collaborating with relevant community agencies
• How ministry and government legislation and guidelines inform practice

The Humber Advantage
Humber’s Early Childhood Education diploma program is a recognized leader in preparing registered early childhood educators who see themselves as global citizens. Students and graduates advocate for the holistic health and well-being of all children, supported by a connection to nature and a stand for social justice.

Global Citizens and Social Justice

• We provide our students with:
  • Experiences and resources that reflect and promote diversity and inclusion
  • Opportunities to develop an understanding and appreciation of all nations and cultures, and a commitment to contributing to the global community
  • Ongoing initiatives guided by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as outlined in the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, in consultation with Humber’s Aboriginal Resource Centre.

Work Placement

• We believe it is necessary for our students to have extensive experience in the profession in order to be successful as registered early childhood educators. Students can expect to have work placement experiences within the program and will be required to complete approximately 450-600 work placement hours over three semesters. During these three semesters, students may have field practicums such as working with families and children (various age groups) in licensed child care or preschool settings, EarlyON Child and Family Centres, various community programs, full day kindergarten, or home based child care programs. A different placement for Semesters 2, 3, and 4 ensures a range of experiences prior to graduation and equips students with a range of networks within the community to explore employment in the future.
• In the ECE program, Field Practicum 1 and Field Seminar 1 begin in Semester 2. Students should plan to complete their prerequisite requirements accordingly. Visit the Work-Integrated Learning web pages > to learn more about placements and requirements. 

The Advanced Chocolate and Confectionery Artistry graduate certificate program offers you an opportunity to develop high-level skills in pastry arts. Using advanced techniques and sophisticated equipment, you will design and produce artisanal chocolates and confections, international desserts, frozen preparations, and multi-tiered special occasion cakes in Humber's state-of-the-art bake labs. You will research current trends and emerging technologies in chocolate and confectionery with a focus on sustainability and environmental stewardship. Studies in entrepreneurship, and recipe and product development will culminate in the launch of a branded product.

This program is offered in a flexible learning environment allowing students to learn online, in-class or in a hybrid format. Practical classes take place in the evening to accommodate working professionals.

Humber’s User Experience (UX) Design graduate certificate simulates the interdisciplinary approaches needed to achieve an innovation process with a focus on design desirability, technological feasibility and business viability. In two semesters, you will be prepared to innovate by problem finding through design research, problem understanding through synthesis, and problem solving through design and prototyping experiences. You will learn how to create valuable courses of action by generating design problem hypotheses, structured design process plans, compelling UX deliverables and persuasive arguments.

You will learn human-centered design methods and rhetoric that ground your design in the needs of the public. In addition, you will learn how to use interaction design and design systems through industry-standard quality assurance methods, and how to design and implement user interfaces to follow corporate strategies. A variety of conceptual and practical work will help you develop effective UX design skills.

As a user experience designer, you will employ the work-practice of prototyping concepts in order to describe ways to integrate digital services with material products and environments. As a UX researcher, you will discover insights through usability testing and apply them to create value for corporate clients and their customers. Toward the conclusion of this program, you will convert your acquired skills and achievements into a portfolio of design products that will help you launch a career as a UX design professional. This program fosters the practical discipline, relevance and currency essential in the contemporary, ever-growing UX job market.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon successful completion of the program, a graduate will:

• Facilitate team processes towards effective completion of user experience design projects.
• Represent a linked sequence of observed evidence, collected data, qualitative research findings, interpretations and proposed design solutions to stakeholders to solicit support and commitment.
• Assess requirements of a user experience design project, in order to increase corporate acceptance, usability and effectiveness.
• Present persuasive arguments in support of user experience projects which balance user needs with business objectives.
• Design a complex user experience project which considers a business uncertainty and plans for multiple outcomes.
• Manage projects using current and proven methodologies to coordinate the work of a multi-disciplinary user experience design team.
• Adapt recommendations and courses of action in accordance with explicit and implicit cultural, professional and ethical constructs involved in solving user experience design problems.
• Factor and refactor research methods and insight-generating frameworks in order to facilitate, inform and guide team problem-solving.
• Resolve uncertainties and create shared purpose with stakeholders using iterative prototyping.
• Evaluate, adjust and communicate design decisions in alignment with financial, technical, and usability factors.

Humber’s Electronics Engineering Technician diploma program emphasizes electronic products, control systems and telecommunications - all built on a strong basis of computer and networking engineering. The program provides you with hands-on experience of electronic, analog, digital and programmable circuits. Our experienced faculty will teach you about computer programming, interfacing, local networks, radio frequency circuits, basic programmable logic controllers (PLC), industrial electronics, wired and wireless communication devices, and troubleshooting techniques. You’ll be taught how to embed these circuits into smart devices, industrial equipment, and consumer products.

You’ll also build and test circuit boards, learn electronics fabrication, program PLCs and design embedded systems in our state-of-the-art labs including a prototyping facility.

Humber’s Construction Engineering Technology program is one of three stackable programs within the Carpentry-Construction group. Along with the Carpentry and Renovation Techniques certificate and the Building Construction Technician diploma, the program introduces you to the carpentry trade, gives you practical experience with trade regulations and with best practices. Students will be able to move from various certificate and diploma programs into the advanced diploma program (including Carpentry and Renovation Technician, Industrial Woodworking Technician, Carpentry and Renovation Techniques, and Building Construction Technician).

The advanced diploma program is designed to explore the construction industry from an engineering and management perspective. You will become familiar with the strategies required for project planning and execution for the commercial-based industry.

Throughout the program, you will learn about compliance with workplace health and safety practices and procedures in accordance with legislation and regulations. You will also learn how to ensure that work is performed in compliance with contractual obligations, applicable laws, standards, bylaws, codes and ethical practices. Coursework will include sustainability practices. Teamwork, leadership, and supervisory and interpersonal skills will be emphasized.

Key learnings will include:

• Collecting, processing, analyzing and co-ordinating technical data to produce project-related documents
• Co-ordinating and facilitating the collecting, processing, interpreting and application of survey/geomatics and layout information
• Selecting and using industry-specific technologies
• Monitoring projects through principles of construction project management
• Preparing estimates
• Performing, co-ordinating and facilitating quality control testing

Optional Co-op
This program offers a co-op option. Co-op work terms enable you to apply your skills and knowledge in a work environment and gain valuable, practical experience related to your program of study. You will learn new skills, learn about the world of work and meet people in your profession.

For students who are accepted into the program, two co-op work terms will take place. The first four-month work term is between Semesters 2 and 3, and the second four-month work term is between Semesters 4 and 5. There are limited spaces in the co-op option. Therefore, you will apply for the co-op option during Semester 1 and be informed of the process by which to apply. While co-op work opportunities are not guaranteed, as students are in a competitive job placement market, participating students will receive a wide range of services to help them find a co-op opportunity.

Humber’s Regulatory Affairs graduate certificate program focuses on developing the concepts, skills and techniques required to work in regulatory affairs in the pharmaceutical, medical device or biotechnology industries. You will gain knowledge of the regulatory system, legislation, procedures and practices which relate to the development, manufacture, quality assurance and marketing of health-related products. 

The importance of internationally harmonized regulations and future trends in the industry will be examined by analyzing relevant international and Canadian legislation and regulations. You will study a wide range of regulations and standards including good manufacturing practices, good laboratory practices, good clinical practices, good documentation practices, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the Canadian Food and Drugs Act, the Environmental Protection Act, principles of regulatory compliance and inspections, drug establishment licensing, and related standards and guidelines. Teamwork and communication skills are emphasized and you will acquire information technology skills that assist communication and data management specific to regulatory affairs.

You will become familiar with the steps necessary for product submission; how to assemble documents and statistical evidence; the complexity of product registration, negotiation and follow-up; and how these are linked to the federal government and provincial formularies.

Following two academic course-based semesters, students complete a three-month placement that provides opportunities to apply and integrate theoretical knowledge and skills into real-world work settings. Most placements are in the following sectors: pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device organizations, government agencies or food industries.

The pharmaceutical industry is facing constant development. As society is aging more focus is being given to the development of new drugs and the improvement of health care. The comprehensive training we provide, combined with previous degrees and work experience, make our students highly marketable. Our graduates work in a spectrum of fields such as pharmaceutics, biotechnology, medical devices, natural health product industries or in government.