University of Toronto Mississauga
EN-12: Continuing Education

See attached file.

Advanced Environmental Management

ABOUT THE CERTIFICATE

Humanity today faces serious environmental challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, waste management, and overexploitation of water and other resources. Increasing urbanization around the world also has major implications for people and the planet. In this certificate program, you’ll learn how to best reduce environmental impacts and improve the living conditions of people around the world. You’ll explore key concepts such as spatial disparities, scientific uncertainty, the need for collaborative decision-making, and sustainable development. You’ll also learn the relevant science, historical details, human impacts, and approaches for addressing them. You’ll probe similarities and differences in social, economic, and ecological challenges faced by different world regions and groups, including Indigenous peoples. You’ll examine case studies that illustrate real-world implications of climate change and related issues, and opportunities to improve sustainability and equity. You’ll emerge better prepared to build a career in environmental management, implement best practices, influence policy, and contribute to positive change.

Advanced Study in GIS for Environmental Management

ABOUT THE CERTIFICATE

Certificate of Advanced Study in GIS for Environmental Management is designed for professionals who wish to achieve greater conceptual understanding and technical expertise to master the field of GIS.

Climate Change Policy and Practice

ABOUT THE CERTIFICATE

Leading organizations around the world know they have to limit their GHG emissions if climate change is to be slowed. In this dynamic certificate program, you'll learn what is being done in Canada and other North American jurisdictions to encourage sustainability, and reduce and offset harmful GHG emissions. You'll see the lengths to which corporations both public and private must go to accurately verify, validate and report emissions. Buoyed by real-world examples, you'll explore and critically assess a range of possible voluntary business and community programs as well as policies instituted by regulators. You'll learn how to prepare the full range of compliance documents and absorb real-world lessons in sustainability reporting. You'll pick one company of your choosing and devise a GHG mitigation strategy. You'll emerge better prepared to give your organization a strategic and competitive edge as an ambassador of accurate GHG reporting and risk management.

Environmental Management

ABOUT THE CERTIFICATE

If you have a passion for holistic environmental management, this four-course certificate program is for you. You'll get a thorough grounding in the fundamentals of environment management, including science-based decision-making, impact and risk assessments, and conflict resolution. You'll discuss current theory and best practices in a range of topic areas, such as climate change, water security, energy resources, and urban environments. You'll learn how Canada can best protect its fisheries, agricultural land, forests, wildlife, and parks. You’ll explore complex issues such as mining development and waste management, and health and economic impacts of environmental exploitation. You’ll examine the important role of Canada’s Indigenous peoples in environmental management. You'll apply the theory you learn as you develop a more strategic approach to management that makes colleagues and partners feel included and enthused.

Geographic Information Systems for Environmental Management

ABOUT THE CERTIFICATE

Advance your career by harnessing the power of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing. Whether you work in environmental management, geography, biological studies or asset management, this four-course certificate will give you the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in a rapidly expanding field. You'll explore the theory and techniques of GIS and Remote Sensing from the ground up, and how they can help you acquire, store and analyze geospatial data, and correctly interpret satellite images. You'll learn how to process geospatial data, and combine the graphic power of maps with computer database technologies to better understand problems and identify solutions. You'll learn to map existing environmental conditions and develop models that help predict future conditions and trends. You'll use the latest GIS and RS software packages to design and develop your own customized tools. Whatever your discipline, you'll emerge better prepared to meet your organization's most urgent challenges.

Renewable Energy

ABOUT THE CERTIFICATE

Dependence on fossil fuels, and an unprecedented global rate of development, mean renewable energy technologies will be increasingly important in the coming decades. If you want to be part of this fascinating and important industry, this certificate program is for you.

Two required courses and two electives will prepare you for leadership roles in government, non-governmental organizations, or business. You’ll address sustainable development issues for billions of people around the world who lack reliable, modern, and adequate sources of energy. You’ll learn what constrains the availability, suitability, and quantity of energy generation, as well as the possible environmental and social impacts associated with different technologies.

In addition, you’ll explore the benefits and challenges of renewables that have already become economically competitive, especially wind and solar, and how they are procured, stored, and distributed. You’ll learn to develop strategic, consensual, and inclusive solutions that address social, resource, technical, application, and environmental perspectives.

From individual households to island nations, off-grid small towns and remote rural areas, you’ll emerge with a clear understanding of the role of renewable energy in sustainable development, and in building a more climate-resilient and socially and environmentally just society.

Sustainable Water Management

ABOUT THE CERTIFICATE

Humans rely on water for our very existence. But it’s a resource with limits and we have to learn to live within them. In this certificate program, the only one of its kind in Canada, you’ll learn how human social and economic activities are intensifying pressure on water resources—and what can be done about it.

In three mandatory courses and one elective, you’ll explore the hydrological cycle and how factors such as population growth, urbanization, agricultural practices, economic development and climate change can lead to inadequate supply, poor quality, and damage from flooding.

Taking an interdisciplinary approach, you’ll learn about current and emerging water issues at the global, regional and local scale. You’ll study best practices and constructive strategies to protect water sources and reduce demand, along with innovative approaches to water provision, treatment and stormwater management.

Whatever your interest in water—supply manager, policy-maker, sustainability advocate—you’ll emerge with a deeper understanding of how to make material changes to its use, distribution, treatment and management, through sustainability, equity and economic lenses.

For this component, the methodology employed for AC-1 Academic Courses and AC-9 Research and Scholarship was also used to analyze continuing education courses. Each course description was analyzed to determine if it was a sustainability course offering, using the technical manual's descriptions and examples as a guide, as well as the UN SDGs.

It is worth noting that all the listed courses with accompanying descriptions are sustainability-focused certificate courses.