Online and Remote Learning

If you work in the scientific community or in health care and you want to write more effectively about your field, this course is for you. Whether you want to write for the mass media, specialist publications, or for your colleagues, this course will focus your thinking, sharpen your wits and ignite your writing. Come immerse yourself in the dynamic currents energizing science, medicine and public health communications with award-winning journalist Paul Webster. This course strengthens writing skills that cannot be duplicated by chatbots. Understand what constitutes good writing about science, medicine and public health. Tools to make science, medicine and public health relevant, understandable and interesting to lay readers. Become familiar with the market for journalism about science, medicine and public health. Complete a brief story, a full news story, a blog and a short feature. Come away with several story pitches.

Learn the fundamental principles of medical microbiology as they relate to health and disease. This online course was designed by microbiologists from U of T's Department of Molecular Genetics, with contributions from scientists and clinicians from local hospitals and Public Health Ontario. Whether you're an undergraduate or recent graduate, you'll gain a solid foundation in medical microbiology and emerge better prepared for a career in the health sciences. This course also fulfills an entrance requirement for some professional programs. This course is offered in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine.  Discover stimulating and rewarding aspects of medical microbiology. View interviews with experts and go on virtual tours of diagnostic labs. Analyze current events to understand important concepts in medical microbiology, such as the role of quarantines in containing epidemics. Explore career paths you might not otherwise have considered. Fulfill entrance requirements for some professional health science programs.

Get the knowledge, skills and tools you need to succeed in the rapidly evolving world of public relations. In this course, you'll analyze the types of problems, opportunities, issues and situations that public relations practitioners deal with today. You'll learn how to use traditional and new techniques and social media to help solve the business challenges faced by private, public and not-for-profit organizations.  Analyze what public relations is (and is not) Explain and evaluate how the RACE theory is applied to the ethical process and practice of public reactions Apply research, critical thinking and problem solving skills to help solve organizational challenges Summarize current and future tools and approaches to public relations management Identify/analyze the role of media relations, social media and other public relations tactics for past and current news events for a variety of business sectors Analyze and evaluate several communications campaigns that help manage stakeholder relationships Create strategic and comprehensive communications plans 

In this course, you'll examine the fundamental components of strategic public relations in more depth - how to communicate strategically, how to change public opinion and how to do it ethically. Learn how and why opinion changes - essential knowledge if you're a public relations professional seeking a competitive edge. Through case study assignments and in-class discussion, you'll learn how to identify key audiences, create compelling and strategic narratives, build strong relationships with stakeholders and use persuasion to change attitudes and behaviours. Identify and manage key audiences. Get a strategic communications perspective on reputation management, organizational behaviour, government relations and corporate responsibility. Review and summarize the public relations process. Use advanced public relations tools and techniques to solve issues and manage crises. Apply effective strategic communications concepts to practical problems and real-life situations.

An innovative product or service is worthless without a market that knows about it and values it. Learn how to develop a value proposition that articulates the unique competitive advantages of your innovative product, service or technology in the marketplace. In six modules, you'll learn how to create awareness, establish credibility, build brand value and sign up first and follow-on customers. You'll also learn how to create credible and effective go-to-market strategies for your innovation. Define the value proposition and unique competitive advantage of your innovation. Develop a staged go-to-market strategy. Use a toolkit to create a successful marketing/communications plan. Align marketing and communications assets to your strategy.

Explore the latest consumer trends and examine case studies from a range of industries to see how research solves marketing and business problems. You'll learn how to use market research to increase return on investment (ROI) and decrease potential business losses. You'll examine qualitative, quantitative, online and advertising research, brand equity measurement, consumer segmentation and concept creation. You'll also learn to identify important consumer trends and consider the challenges of research for online media. Sessions include lectures, discussions, hands-on exercises and group projects. Understand the role and value of marketing research in a successful business program.Commission the right qualitative and quantitative research.Interpret results of research and brand equity measurement.Choose the right selection of panelists for your research.Apply the basics of consumer segmentation to in-market programs.

Learn how to reach and understand consumers using qualitative research techniques, including online focus groups and mobile technology. In this course, you'll explore the steps of qualitative research, including how to define a focus group's target, create a discussion outline and interpret results. You'll help organize mock focus groups and then watch discussions that show qualitative research in action. Case studies will illustrate successful and unsuccessful product introductions. By the course's end, you will appreciate and understand marketing research as an integral part of innovation. Commission the right qualitative marketing research for each situation. Design your own qualitative research and consumer focus group. Interpret results of qualitative research and apply the findings to business questions. Understand new qualitative research techniques. Leverage marketing research to introduce a product or service innovation.  

Immerse yourself in the real science of quantitative marketing research in this intensive, 12-week course. You’ll learn how companies unearth consumer insights and confirm research findings. You’ll work through current, real-life market research problems and conduct research, from developing questionnaires to presenting results. You’ll learn the fundamentals of quantitative research and how to apply research techniques to common business problems. You will also learn how new techniques like Big Data analysis, social listening and crowdsourcing are changing the current landscape. Design a quantitative study using current and appropriate research methods Develop a survey for a quantitative study and derive the correct conclusions from the results Define and present workable recommendations Commission a quantitative study for a deeper understanding of shopper behaviour Describe the impact technology is having on the marketing research industry today

Become a more effective leader by learning how to engage others and create shared purpose. Learn how to approach a variety of leadership situations, from performance management to negotiation, and ensure the best outcome for everyone. You'll become more capable in leading conversations that engage individuals and teams. By the end of the course you will have learned best practices that contribute to high performance. Each class will also include feedback and coaching on real challenges raised by participants. Understand the role that strategic leaders play in creating shared purpose. Build relationships and bridge diverse perspectives to cultivate performance and potential. Overcome barriers to authentic communication. Address underlying assumptions and tensions and handle strong emotions. See how your own clarity of purpose can influence those around you.

In a world of increasing distractions and volatility, the qualities of focus and attentiveness combined with emotional intelligence and empathy are defining assets of effective leadership. In this course, you'll use self-assessment, mindfulness assessments, simulations, exercises and readings to develop a personal plan that will make you a better leader. The course will examine links between leadership effectiveness and focus and attention, which can be enhanced through mindfulness training.   Understand emotional intelligence and its role in effective leadership. Identify your leadership strengths and target areas for development. Improve your ability to influence and motivate others. Craft a personal leadership development plan that can help you be more effective in your current role. Understand the research linking mindfulness training to leadership effectiveness. Become more focused, more resilient and ultimately more fulfilled.