Certificate in Communications and Marketing

Today's communication practitioners must be adept at using both traditional media and the ever-evolving new media marketing toolbox. Communicators must bring knowledge, insight and experience in building reputational value and solving business challenges faced by private and public organizations.

Program Overview

Get the knowledge, skills and tools needed to succeed as a marketing and communications professional. Delve into strategic communications by exploring steps to successful planning, crisis communications, social media strategy, promotional writing, and research methods. In this certificate, you will analyze external and internal environments to understand risks and identify emerging issues and opportunities. Beyond compulsory courses, participants can select an elective to add specialized topic to the program including storytelling, government communications, web copywriting and more!

Completing the core courses plus one elective grants the participants the Certificate in Communications and Marketing.

Topics/key outcomes

• Explore the range of research methods that can be used by communicators to ensure their work is more strategic and analyze research data in ways that reveal important finding that help with making informed and strategic decisions.
• Discover proven planning tools and research approaches and use these to develop a complete strategic communication plan.
• Learn how to monitor the environment to track risks, effectively identify emerging issues, collect and analyze sources of information to help diagnose a situation and formulate a plan to manage contentious issues.
• Identify organizational objectives for the use of social media and define common key performance indicators to build a social media strategy that will get you the results your organization needs.
• Understand how to use strategies and words to win over your readers and discover proven tools and technique that will improve your writing’s persuasive power and teach you how to write dynamic, compelling copy that produces results.

Certificate Requirements

Core Courses

• Building a Social Media Strategy That Adds Value
• Contentious Issue Management and Crisis Communications
• Research Methods for Strategic Communicators
• Strategic Communication Planning
• Writing for Promotional Communications

Elective Courses

• Communicating in Government
• Communicating Under Pressure 
• Communicating with Your Employees
• Communicating Your Social Responsibility and Sustainability Initiatives
• Creative Strategy: Words, Sounds and Images that Generate Impact
• Interview like a Pro: Media Training for Spokespeople
• Storytelling: The Secret Weapon of Communication
• Writing About Science and Social Science for the Public
• Writing for the Web

FAQ

What is the certificate good for?
The certificate assures employers and potential employers that you have met or exceeded the standard they are looking for and are committed to continuous learning. The certificate is issued by the University of Ottawa Professional Development Institute, a trusted training provider preferred by many federal government departments as well as public and private sector organizations. The Institute wins respect and acclaim for its cutting-edge learning programs, the exceptional calibre of its trainers, and its real-world focus.

The certificate program is a non-credited certification. It cannot be used towards a degree and is not equivalent to any other professional certification.

How much does it cost?
You register and pay for each course individually. There is no additional charge for the certificate.

How long will the program take?
You have three years from the start date of your first course to complete the certificate program. Provided you complete all courses within three years, you can pace your learning as you wish.

Is there a final exam?
No. However, participants must fully attend all courses of the program in order to obtain the certificate.

Are there any admission requirements?
No. Enrollment is open to everyone.

How do I register for the program?
Begin by registering for any of the courses that make up the program. You will be asked for proof of completion of the required courses, so make sure you keep your certificates from each course. If you have any questions before beginning or as you progress through the program, contact the office at 613-562-5802