Online and Remote Learning

Learn where and when you want.

SCS is committed to making learning as accessible as possible both locally and across the globe. We are continuously expanding our list of over 540 online learning opportunities. From languages to accounting, we offer flexible learning opportunities.

Our online courses are instructor-led and delivered through the University of Toronto’s Learning Management Engine – Quercus. Quercus uses weekly, real time modules and has tools for engagement and community building. Course preparation has built in flexibility so you can read, study, and complete assignments on your own time.

You will communicate with your instructors via discussion boards and/or email. Some online courses include live, interactive webinars. If you’re unable to attend the live webinar, you will be able to view a recording of the webinar on your own schedule.

You may also want to investigate funding opportunities available to you on our Financial Assistance page. Your path to lifelong learning is more attainable than you think!

Organizations use quality management and process excellence to deliver value for customers, generate returns for shareholders and improve workplaces. This course gives you a solid grounding in the ideas and practices of quality management. You'll learn the core ideas that underpin the leading quality and process excellence methodologies and frameworks used today (ISO, TQM, Lean Six Sigma) and how to apply Lean Six Sigma Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control (DMAIC) methodology to business and work situations. Understand how quality relates to business strategy. Measure and define quality in your processes from your customer's perspective. Map and analyze your processes. Understand and identify waste in your processes. Understand and be able to apply fundamental project management and Lean Six Sigma tools to improve processes.
  • Fall - 25
  • ON-LINE
When leading organizations get serious about improving processes and optimizing quality, they turn to Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methodology. In this five-session micro course, you’ll acquire fundamental skills and techniques needed to execute LSS projects. You’ll learn to identify opportunities for improvement, calculate the cost of poor quality and plan a solution that addresses five distinct LSS phases: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control (DMAIC). You’ll emerge with a keener understanding of why things go wrong and how to design measurable improvements when they do. Within 4-6 weeks of successfully completing this course, you will receive your micro-credential indicating achievement of the outlined learning outcomes and competencies/skills. Micro-credentials are tamper proof, verifiable, blockchain-based and 100% digital. They can be shared on social media, including LinkedIn and Facebook, embedded in websites or downloaded as PDFs. By the end of this micro course, you'll be able to: Identify improvement opportunities within processes. Calculate the cost of poor quality. Plan a DMAIC project. Apply statistical methods to analyze process problems. Competencies/skills developed in this micro course include: Process Mapping Process Analysis Lean Principles Six Sigma Tools DMAIC Methodology Project Management Statistical Methods
  • Spring/Summer - 25
  • ON-LINE
If you’ve already taken 2699A Introduction to Lean Six Sigma Methods, or have equivalent knowledge, this five-session micro course will take you deeper into the Lean Six Sigma (LSS) approach. Whether you’re working to improve services or manufacturing processes, you’ll develop a greater ability to measure process performance, identify gaps and opportunities for improvement, and design workable solutions using the DMAIC approach. You’ll learn which tool to use in every phase of a project, whether you’re improving an existing process or implementing something new. Within 4-6 weeks of successfully completing this course, you will receive your micro-credential indicating achievement of the outlined learning outcomes and competencies/skills. Micro-credentials are tamper proof, verifiable, blockchain-based and 100% digital. They can be shared on social media, including LinkedIn and Facebook, embedded in websites or downloaded as PDFs. By the end of this micro course, you'll be able to: Identify opportunities for improvement. Identify LSS tools and techniques to use in each phase of DMAIC. Use the tools and techniques in service or manufacturing processes. Complete an end-to-end LSS project. Competencies/skills developed in this micro course include: DMAIC Methodology Customer Focus Process Management Project Planning Data Analysis
  • Spring/Summer - 25
  • ON-LINE
Lean Six Sigma is a strategic tool organizations use to deliver value for customers, generate returns for shareholders and create a meaningful workplace environment for employees. This hands-on course covers widely used concepts associated with the Lean Six Sigma methodology. You'll learn how to identify improvement opportunities, develop solutions and ensure that the benefits are realized. Map the value streams in your organization. Analyze a value stream to improve flow and create demand-driven pull. Calculate takt time and quantify the baseline performance of your value stream. Establish and define standard work. Lead kaizen events to improve the effectiveness of your value stream.
  • Fall - 25
  • ON-LINE
If you've completed 2355 Understanding & Managing Conflict or have equivalent experience, this course will teach you the practical skills you need to effectively manage conflict either as a neutral third party or as a participant seeking the best possible outcome. If you want to excel and lead in managing the conflicts that arise in today's workplaces, this highly interactive and practical course takes you through a learning plan of your own design, starting with a detailed self-assessment. Explore the full range of skills needed to manage conflict. Get insights into which skills to improve. Practise a wide range of conflict-management skills. Develop a meaningful plan for continued skills development.
  • Spring/Summer - 25
  • ON-LINE
Fantasy and science fiction allow writers and readers to step outside familiar boundaries into imaginary worlds. In this workshop-style course, you'll learn the elements of both genres and get feedback from a community of writers as you craft the first draft of a new short story. You'll explore the foundations of world-building, plot, scene-setting, character development, and dialogue, as well as honing your critiquing skills. You'll also find out more about the business side of writing fantasy and science fiction. Create plot, narrative and characters that use elements of fantasy and Science Fiction. Learn some of the business aspect of fantasy and science fiction writing. Benefit from a critique of your manuscript.
  • Fall - 25
  • Spring/Summer - 25
  • IN-CLASS
  • ON-LINE
  • St. George Campus
Accident prevention should be a top priority for all organizations. Reducing accidents means fewer injuries and a boost to your reputation and employee morale. You incur fewer costs related to property damage, reduced productivity and legal liability. In this course, you'll learn the importance of approaching accident prevention systematically. Topics include occupational health and safety (OHS) programs, hazard identification, auditing tools, investigations and case studies. This online course has live webinars.  Understand the true cost of workplace accidents and how to prevent them. Investigate the direct and root causes of workplace accidents. Review the essential elements of an internal responsibility system. Understand the purpose of loss control and loss management programs. Implement an occupational health and safety (OHS) management system.
  • Fall - 25
  • Spring/Summer - 25
  • ON-LINE
Want to jump-start your writing, sharpen your focus and create commercially viable work? This course explores a range of popular fiction genres - such as mystery, the thriller, horror, romance, science fiction, fantasy and young adult - and introduces you to a community of like-minded writers. You'll learn how to create strong plots, scenes with impact, three-dimensional characters and believable dialogue. You'll also examine the business of writing, including agents, publishers and the US and international markets. Apply concepts of plotting, pacing and characterization. Write the opening chapter of an original work of genre fiction. Produce a 25-word log line that sums up your project. Investigate the genre fiction marketplace.
  • Fall - 25
  • Spring/Summer - 25
  • ON-LINE
This course gives you an overview of business basics in the life sciences sector, with a focus on employment strategies, industry growth and innovation, and helps you develop an individual employment plan. Gain valuable industry insight from practising professionals and guest speakers representing various sectors within the life sciences. Topics include the scope of life sciences at the international, national and regional levels, networking and employment outreach, résumé writing and interview skills and employment trends in the industry. Financial assistance may be available to eligible Ontario residents through the Ontario Bridging Participant Assistance Program (OBPAP) provided by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU). Please email scs.learnerservices@utoronto.ca for details. Gain employment strategies to enter the Canadian life sciences sector. Develop an employment-focused network within your field of interest. Create an individual employment plan. Improve your résumé and interview skills.
  • Fall - 25
  • ON-LINE
Pharmaceutical and laboratory operations depend on Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP). This GMP/GLP course teaches you the regulations and expectations of Health Canada HPFBI GMP/GLP and US FDA GMP/GLP and how they apply to the manufacturing, distribution and importation of pharmaceutical, radiopharmaceutical, biological and veterinary drugs. You'll learn effective Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) writing and GMP auditing and get valuable insight from guest speakers who work within the pharmaceutical industry. Financial assistance may be available to eligible Ontario residents through the Ontario Bridging Participant Assistance Program (OBPAP) provided by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU). Please email scs.learnerservices@utoronto.ca for details.   Ability to work in a GMP/GLP-compliant environment. Know the importance of good documentation practices and record-keeping. Understand the purpose and reasoning behind GMP/GLP regulations and their practical application through key quality systems. Understand the Qualyty Assurance-GMP-Quality Control relationship. Acquire essential skills for effective SOP writing and GMP auditing.
  • Fall - 25
  • ON-LINE

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