Students complete the APCO Public Safety Telecommunicator I course, which is designed by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) and delivered by a certified APCO trainer.  This course provides an overview of public safety communications including call processing techniques, terminology and technology, radio communications and liability issues.  *This is a PASS or FAIL course.  Upon successful completion, students will receive certification from the APCO Institute.  Successful completion means:  1) receiving a passing grade on class assignments;  2) meeting minimum attendance requirements as set out by APCO;  and 3) by achieving at least 80% on the final exam.

This course is designed to introduce students to the law in Canada.  A brief history of the development of Canada’s legal system and an overview of the sources and divisions of law set the stage for an examination of the Constitution and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  A thorough examination of the courts and the roles of those in the courts give students insight into the operation of the legal system.  Students are introduced to tort law, family law, criminal law, and administrative law.  Legislation related to emergency dispatchers is introduced.  This course is meant to give students a general understanding of how laws are defined, created, implemented, and interpreted to give them a strong foundation to build upon in their core legal courses.  

Students will learn the keyboard using computer assisted instruction with a focus on improving accuracy and speed. A minimum of 25 net words per minute (NWPM) must be achieved in order to successfully complete this course. Students will be introduced to file management using the Windows 7 operating system and basic word processing concepts using Microsoft Word 2010 and PowerPoint 2010.

Students will gain insight into the world of customer service.  They will develop problem solving skills, and formulate strategies for dealing effectively with a diverse range of customers. Students will discuss the relationship between empowerment, communications, motivation, and leadership in customer retention and recovery.

Ethics was once defined as what one would do when nobody else was looking. In today’s work environment, ethics receives greater attention with corporate and political scandals and leadership failure being the most notable examples in the public eye. All public service employees require an appropriate appreciation of ethics and an understanding of the process behind correct and ethical decision making for important day-to-day decisions not always defined by the law or organizational policy.

COMM 104 provides an introduction to applied communications with particular emphasis on the development of speaking, presentations, listening, reading, writing, documenting, and thinking skills.  The language skills developed in this course will aid students as they prepare for the workplace (i.e. all forms of law enforcement, emergency response and security).

The study of psychology helps students understand why people think and act as they do. Topics include the biological bases of behaviour, perceptual processes, learning, motivation, emotion, psychological disorders and states of awareness. Students examine psychology concepts to better understand psychological adaptation and the causes and consequences of human behaviour.

This course builds on the outcomes of COMP 1383 (Computer/Keyboarding Skills I). Students will continue to focus on improving accuracy and increasing speed by practicing keyboarding skill-building drills. A minimum of 35 net words per minute (NWPM) must be achieved in order to successfully complete this course. Proficiency using Microsoft Word 2010 and PowerPoint 2010 will be developed.

Students complete the APCO Fire Service Communications course, designed by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO), and delivered by a certified APCO trainer. This course provides an overview of fire service communications including organizational structure, fire behaviour, fire apparatus and terminology, computer-aided dispatch, hazardous materials and the National Incident Management System. This is a PASS or FAIL course. Upon successful completion, students will receive certification from APCO Institute.  Successful completion means: 1) receiving a passing grade on class assignments;  2) meeting minimum attendance requirements as set out by APCO; and 3) achieving at least 80% on the final exam.

In this introductory level course, students learn to apply knowledge of interpersonal relations and group dynamics to working within a team.  Emphasis will be placed on utilizing effective communication skills (both verbal and written) with individuals and groups.  Group cohesiveness and group decision making will be discussed and applied.

Students explore the concepts of wellness and how to provide practical strategies to develop a healthy lifestyle. Through lectures, group discussions, practical experience and self-evaluation, students explore issues such as stress management, nutrition, physical fitness and self-responsibility. Students learn strategies to develop, design and implement effective personal fitness programs.

This course has been designed to assist students in further developing their abilities to effectively evaluate information and to problem solve. This is a research course form a consumer’s point of view.  Students will develop skills to detect misinformation and skills in applying reliable information.  Research skills will be developed by learning the essentials of social science research, practicing how to locate and evaluate research, and through practical experience in applying the information gathered.  Students will also be introduced to job searching skills and researching positions in their field.

This course introduces students to contemporary sociological thinking and the theories of social behaviour. Using sociological concepts and perspectives, students examine social inequalities, social interactions, collective behaviour and other areas related to Canadian society and culture.

This course provides students with an understanding of the law, policies and procedures that are specific to police call takers. Students apply knowledge and skills to given simulated situations.  The responsibilities of police officers, communicators and supervisors are addressed along with liability issues and police service policy.

This course focuses on the terminology, structures and functions of the skeletal, muscular, nervous, respiratory, reproductive, and cardiac systems. This will prepare students for applying critical thinking skills to the practical components of emergency medical dispatching.

This course is intended to help students secure careers in their chosen field. Students will be introduced to job search strategies, resume and cover letter writing, the professional portfolio, types of pre-employment testing, behavioural event interviewing, effective work etiquette, and professionalism.

This course builds on the outcomes of COMP 2340 (Computer/Keyboarding Skills II). Students will continue to focus on improving accuracy and increasing speed by practicing keyboarding skill- building drills. A minimum of 40 net words per minute (NWPM) must be achieved in order to successfully complete this course. Students will be introduced to Excel 2010 and Access 2010.

Students are introduced to basic concepts of emergency management as practiced in Ontario and across Canada.  The course includes the province of Ontario’s Basic Emergency Management (BEM) certification course curriculum addressing the core components (mitigation, prevention, preparedness, response and recovery) of emergency management.  Instructed by a provincially certified Basic Emergency Management (BEM) facilitator, students meeting the provincial requirements will be given the opportunity to attain provincial certification in Basic Emergency Management.

Elective general education courses appear in your program of study as GNED 0000. This is called a “placeholder.” This placeholder is replaced by an actual course that you will select from a list of available "elective" general education courses when you register in the relevant semester.

Please note that the type and number of elective courses available will vary from semester to semester and from year to year.

Please visit the General Education website for more information.

This course has been designed on the provincially approved curriculum as set out by the Ministry of Community Safety & Correctional Services.  It will provide the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities required to write the standardized provincial test for a Security Guard licence in the province of Ontario.

This course builds on the outcomes of COMP 3340 (Computer/Keyboarding Skills III). Students will continue to focus on improving accuracy and increasing speed by practicing keyboarding skill- building drills. A minimum of 45 net words per minute (NWPM) must be achieved in order to successfully complete this course. Proficiency using Excel 2010 and Access 2010 will be developed.

This course introduces students to the skills used to recognize the need for, and understand the steps to, effective crisis intervention as they apply to callers, family members, friends and co-workers. Emergency services providers, in particular, are exposed to Critical Incident Stress (CIS) situations that may lead to the need for interventions to mitigate/prevent the development of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The focus of this course is to make the student feel confident and competent in understanding and responding to a diverse range of crisis situations.

This course introduces students with the opportunity to acquire the skills and knowledge to deal with a diverse range of customers.  Students will focus on topics pertaining to the achievement of equity in various social and work settings including, but not limited to, race, gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation.  With diversity as a backdrop, students will develop a clear sense of their own attitudes, beliefs and values.  This course will deal with social issues of diversity and will identify possible strategies for empowerment in the workplace.

Students complete the APCO Emergency Medical Dispatcher course designed by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) and delivered by a certified APCO trainer.  This course provides an overview of emergency medical communications including legal and liability issues, resource allocation, layout and structure of Emergency Medical Dispatch Guidecards, anatomy and physiology, quality assurance, and stress management.  This is a pass or fail course.  Students must achieve a minimum of 80 per cent on the APCO certification exam and complete all other course work as described in the course outline.  Upon successful completion, students will receive a certificate of completion from the APCO Institute.

In the fourth semester of studies in the 911 Emergency and Call Centre Communications program, students complete a placement in a work setting for a minimum of 120 hours (weeks 1 through 3 of semester 4) enabling them to apply the soft skills they have learned and developed in their program.