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!

You will be fascinated to know what neuroscience is teaching us about the brain’s effect on how we think, feel, act, learn and change. Explore how this emerging science informs our understanding of the practice of mindfulness. It can promote psychotherapeutic change, strengthen interpersonal relations and enhance our learning.  Drawing upon the new neurosciences and 25 years of evidence based research, you will explore what we have come to know about the brain and how brain creates mind. You will then look at this foundational knowledge and its implications in health care, education and the mind at work. You will participate in group dialogue and in-class meditations.   Explore the new neurosciences and how they are changing our view of health care, education, leadership and the mind at work. Develop a foundational understanding of how the brain developed progressively over time; Develop a foundational understanding of how mindfulness practice affects brain structure and function. Explore emerging insights on how the brain, the body and our relationships cultivate the mind.
  • Winter - 26
  • IN-CLASS
  • ON-LINE
  • St. George Campus
Trace the historical and contemporary development of mindfulness meditation (MM) as it has developed into scientific protocols for the purposes of clinical application and research methodologies. Learn about how these early protocols have been adapted and transformed into applications for education and the corporate world as Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBI’s).  MBI’s are employed by practitioners and researchers as research-based methodological approaches to cultivating an optimal mind. Depending on the MBI, the intent is to enhance one’s health, wellness, resiliency, learning, and potential. This course briefly surveys and explores the spectrum of contemporary MBI’s and their practices, while helping learners to further target and train in MBI protocols. The spectrum of MBI’s covered may include MBSR, MBCT, DBT, ACT, Insight Dialogue, the burgeoning compassion models, as well as mindfulness based curriculums in education and the workplace. Distinguish between a range of mindfulness based interventions and their specific applications. Familiarize yourself with the diverse approaches and applications of mindfulness based interventions. Develop a basic understanding of growing MBI research, body of knowledge and its appropriate application.
  • Winter - 26
  • ON-LINE
Contemporary mindfulness and mindfulness meditation practices attempt to integrate Eastern and Western values and their resulting views of personhood and the world. This two day course brings these often erroneously contrasted views together, exploring the secular practice through the combining of psychology with philosophies which help explain the practice of mindfulness and mindfulness meditation. A range of philosophies will be explored contributing to an explanation and understanding of the buddhist roots of practice. Phenomenology - the study of perspective, epistemology - the study of knowing, and ontology – the study of ways of being. In this course you will deepen your understanding of mindfulness practice by experiencing an array of philosophical perspectives that focus on how we interact with the world. Learners are invited to explore a new way of relating to their own difficulty and to the suffering of others.   Explore the basics of a world view determined by 500 years of scientific materialism. Identify key shifts taking place in our perspectives that arise out of and are informed by the new sciences (quantum and neurosciences). Consider how these shifts in perspective will change our view of self, personhood, humanity and the moral compass we choose to live by. Learn to integrate the world views of the eastern and western mind as one mind.
  • Fall - 25
  • Winter - 26
  • ON-LINE
In this experiential course  you will reflect on your motivations, intentions, values and practices in order to contribute to a secular, inclusive, universal and embodied practice. Discussions will surround an ancient set of 16 guidelines inspired by leaders committed to a culture that proposes mindful thought, values, relations and compassion-in-action  This course highlights how individuals may embody mindful practices in the everyday. Drawing from an ancient wisdom tradition, translated and stewarded by the Dalai Lama’s foundation in Great Britain, the 16 Guidelines proposes a palette of secular options that cultivate states of the embodied mind.  These guidelines can be integrated into everyday life as a secular practice to optimize one’s human potential as well as to promote a civil society. These include states of mind such as: compassion, kindness, authentic speech etc.   Understand the concept of the embodied mind. Interpret the ancient document known as the 16 Guidelines both historically and in its contemporary application and usage. Develop your own personal guidelines that will provide the scaffolding of your own embodied practice.
  • Fall - 25
  • Winter - 26
  • ON-LINE
This course shows you how advertising fits into an overall marketing strategy, by combining proven principles with modern forms of communication and consumer engagement. Your instructor will combine lectures, readings, case studies, exercises and assignments to explore advertising strategy and principles. You'll see how advertising has responded to changing consumption patterns by exploiting new channels to target customers more effectively. You'll learn how to incorporate consumer insights into advertising strategy and the creative process, and how to measure your success. Understand how advertising fits into a larger marketing/brand strategy.Incorporate consumer insights into advertising strategy.Get an overview of the creative development process.Explore different media channels, both digital and traditional.Plan and execute campaigns from first pitch to final evaluation.
  • Winter - 26
  • ON-LINE
Analyzing engineering projects and companies from an economic standpoint is important for any engineer. This course equips learners with the financial tools needed to make sound decisions about engineering projects and companies. It introduces core concepts like the time value of money and explores methods for comparing investment alternatives, such as present and future worth analysis. Learners will master calculating interest rates and cash flows, both crucial for project evaluation. The course also tackles methods to assess project viability, including payback period and internal rate of return analysis, while considering depreciation methods in a tax context and financial statement analysis to understand organizations’ financial position better. This course will ensure you can make best economic decision in addition to the best technical decision. This course offers engineering knowledge that participants may consider for their continuous professional development needs. As well, if you are required to pass the professional engineering examination in Engineering Economics to get a P.Eng. license in Canada, this course will improve your chances. Case studies and reviews of past exams will build your knowledge and confidence. 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. Apply up-to-date concepts and methods of engineering economics in a Canadian setting. Compare engineering projects and choose the one with the best prospects for success. Calculate time-value equivalence, normal and effective interest rate, cash flows and other metrics. Analyze financial statements, effect of inflation and leasing alternatives. Identify and manage uncertainty and risk.
  • Winter - 26
  • ON-LINE
If you are required to pass the professional engineering examination in Elementary Structural Analysis to get a P.Eng. licence in Canada, this examination preparation course will improve your chances. It will also help you to refresh and update your knowledge in this field. You'll cover the syllabus with like-minded colleagues, guided by expert instructors through live interactive online webinars and discussion board. You'll learn about the nature of loads and restraints, and structural elements such as beams, trusses and frames. You will identify unstable structures and calculate appropriate support responses. Case studies, reviews of past exams, extensive problem-solving exercises and networking with other engineers will build your knowledge and confidence. 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. Demonstrate your understanding of the basic principles of structural analysis. Identify unstable structures and calculate responses. Analyze indeterminate structures and distribution methods. Distinguish statically indeterminate structures and their degree of indeterminacy. Draw complete free-body diagrams of structural assemblies and components.
  • Winter - 26
  • ON-LINE
Improve your prospects of passing the professional examination in Geotechnical Materials & Analysis for a P.Eng. licence in Canada. Working with colleagues, guided by expert instructors, through live interactive online webinars and discussion board, you'll learn the theories and principles of soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering. You'll study and classify physical properties of soil, including permeability, distribution and contact pressure. You'll learn how to use cutting-edge computer programs. Case studies, reviews of past exams, extensive problem-solving exercises, assignments and networking with other engineers will build your knowledge and confidence. 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. Define, analyse and classify soil compositions and their characteristics. Understand the principles of soil mechanics and groundwater hydraulics. Use flow nets to compute velocity and discharge of two-dimensional groundwater flows. Know the principle of effective vertical-stress distribution. Compute settlement, consolidation and compression of certain soil materials.
  • Winter - 26
  • ON-LINE
This course is part of the Certificate in Licensing International Engineers into the Profession (LIEP)  Civil Engineering program. It prepares the participants for the PEO examination on Elementary Structural Design that confirms their knowledge in the field for P.Eng. License.  Learners will be exposed to the theories and concepts of wood, concrete and steel design and analysis both at the element and system levels. Upon completion of the course, learners will have developed a better understanding of the basic principles of structural design. This course is intended to provide the learners with the skills and knowledge required for effective design of steel, reinforced concrete and wood members using the current editions of Canadian design codes. A review of elementary structural analysis, with the emphasis on calculation of bending moments will be provided. Limit state design will be introduced and loading due to use and occupancy, snow, wind and earthquake will be discussed. The course also covers the elementary design concepts and procedures for design of connections, tension members, beams and columns and illustrates their application through design examples. 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. Calculate the factored loads due to use and occupancy, snow, wind and earthquake.  Calculate properties of built-up steel sections. Analyze steel members to determine their axial or flexural capacity.  Design steel tension, compression or flexural members to satisfy the limit states.  Determine number and arrangement of bolts and design welded connections in steel structures. Design rectangular reinforced concrete beams or T-sections for factored shear forces or bending moments. Determine the shear or flexural resistance of rectangular reinforced concrete beams or T-section. Design reinforced concrete columns subjected to axial load and bending.  Design wood columns /beams to satisfy the limit states. Design two-way bending wood members (e.g. purlins) for different service conditions. 
  • Winter - 26
  • ON-LINE
This comprehensive course equips learners with the essential knowledge and practical skills to excel in Geotechnical Design. Gain a deep understanding of soil physics and mechanics through engaging online webinars and interactive discussion boards. This course will delve into the geotechnical properties of soil, exploring essential topics like construction dewatering and seepage control, bearing capacity analysis, shallow and deep foundations design principles, lateral earth pressure and retaining wall design methods, and computer-aided design for achieving long-term slope stability. This course offers engineering knowledge that participants may consider for their continuous professional development needs, specifically focusing on the Canadian and Ontario standards and specifications for geotechnical structure design. The course also includes real construction examples to enhance practical understanding. As well, if you are required to pass the professional engineering examination in Geotechnical Design to get a P.Eng. license in Canada, this course will improve your chances. Case studies and reviews of past exams will build your knowledge and confidence. 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. Understand the principles of geotechnical design from theory to practice. Apply basic knowledge of shearing resistance in spread/strip footing design Analyze soil lateral pressure to design more stable retaining walls. Quantify seepage effect on slope stability for better long-term slope design. Use computer modeling to assess slope stability.
  • Winter - 26
  • ON-LINE

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