Non-Credit Diploma in Professional and Leadership Studies

About the Program 

The Non-Credit Diploma in Professional and Leadership Studies is a 16-month, non-credit program designed to give you high-demand leadership skills and hands-on experience. You will complete foundational courses in leadership and human resources management, and then choose to specialize in Agricultural & Farming Operations Management, Construction Site Management, or Sustainable Energy Technologies Management. In partnership with the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS), our Diploma offers a supportive experience that includes Canadian workplace training, one-on-one career counselling, and job search support led by the ISANS team, culminating in a 4-month work term in your field of study. For more information, visit the program page.

What You Will Learn 

The Non-Credit Diploma in Professional and Leadership Studies provides a comprehensive grounding in key skills that will allow you to make effective and successful short, medium, and long-term decisions as a leader in your organization. The focus of the Diploma is to help you develop as a leader, pursue specialized knowledge, and gain hands-on experience in your field. Graduates of the program will develop a personal leadership style and learn to: 

• Flexibly adapt your leadership choices to different complex dynamic contexts and situations; 
• Combine your understanding of leadership, ethics and strategy to lead with excellence; 
• Approach challenges and problems analytically and systematically; 
• Use data effectively in your problem-solving and decision-making; 
• Critically evaluate communications, ideas, perspectives, information and data; 
• Select solutions to current problems through an objective solution evaluation process appropriate to the context; 
• Manage ambiguity and uncertainty in your decision-making and problem-solving; 
• Leverage specialized skills in Agricultural & Farming Operations Management, Construction Site Management, or Sustainable Energy Technologies Management.

Why Choose This Diploma? 

You should take this Diploma if: 

• You have full-time work experience, aspire to a leadership role and want to build a solid foundation of knowledge and practice around leadership; 
• You have some leadership experience and would like to tailor your knowledge to the Canadian work context; 
• You want to gain high-demand skills and hands-on experience to launch your career in Canada; 
• You would benefit from Canadian work culture training, 1-on-1 career counselling, and job search support; 
• You want to live and study in Halifax, one of Canada’s safest and friendliest cities. 

How Will You Benefit? 

Graduates of the program will: 

• Be employment-ready for professional, leadership and management positions in the Canadian labour market; 
• Be able to communicate and interact effectively in the Canadian workplace; 
• Possess tangible skills in chosen specialties (Agricultural & Farming Operations Management, Construction Site Management, or Sustainable Energy Technologies Management); 
• Understand their strengths and challenges as professionals, leaders, or managers, and how to address the challenges. 

Diploma Requirements 

The following courses are mandatory for completion of the Diploma: 

Certificate in Leadership Excellence: 

• Leadership Dynamics 
• Ethics in Action  
• Mastering Strategy 
• Risk Assessment & Management  

Certificate in Human Resource Leadership:

• Coaching Skills for Leaders 
• Strategic Communications
• Negotiation and Conflict Resolution 
• Change Management 

You will also choose a specialization and complete all relevant coursework in that specialization: 

Agricultural and Farming Operations Management

The Certificate in Agricultural and Farming Operations Management will prepare you to work on a Canadian farm or agricultural business. Your existing knowledge and experience in agriculture will be valuable as you engage in learning about the Canadian context throughout this certificate. You will learn about the management of key systems required for the daily operation of an agricultural enterprise including mechanical, safety, records keeping, livestock and crop care, risk assessment, planning, production and post-production practices. This specialization will equip you to become a senior employee overseeing a safe workplace operated by skilled workers while managing crop production and post-harvest handling.

By the end of this certificate, you will be able to:

• Recognize and mitigate hazards to protect yourself and others;
• Understand the specific safety issues in an agricultural setting including working with large machinery, livestock, tools, mechanical/computational equipment;
• Manage the maintenance requirements of farm equipment, grounds, infrastructure, biosecurity, and water;
• Understand farm record keeping, planning, HR requirements, accounting, and day-to-day operations;
• Demonstrate awareness of best practices in post-harvest handling and waste management to minimize loss and improve sustainability;
• Acquire broad knowledge of the Nova Scotia agricultural sector, including key concepts in soil management, crop and livestock health maintenance.

Construction Site Management

The Certificate in Construction Management will prepare you to manage construction projects of varying sizes, supervise teams, and inspect construction sites, buildings, and associated facilities. This specialization includes training in site safety, personnel supervision, labour relations, construction project management including documentation, scheduling, resource and cost control, bid strategies, rework prevention, construction insurance and bonding, accident management and investigation, applicable laws and regulations, and communication skills.

By the end of this certificate, you will be able to:

•     Explain the theory and methodologies of construction management;
•     Manage construction industry projects and teams;
•     Master concepts of planning and control of projects, operations and resources;
•     Accurately estimate construction project costs;
•     Understand different procurement contracts and their use cases;  
•     Comprehend safety protocols and health in construction;
•     Understand industrial relations, claims, liability, and dispute resolution.

Sustainable Energy Technologies Management

The Certificate in Sustainable Energy Technologies Management will prepare you to apply basic engineering principles and technical skills in support of engineers and other professionals engaged in developing solar and wind-powered energy systems. This specialization includes training in solar and wind energy principles, energy storage and transfer technologies, testing and inspection procedures, system maintenance procedures, and report preparation. Participants will leave with an understanding of the mechanics behind wind power generation, the economics of different types of power projects, the technical aspects of its integration into power grids, and the future potential of this technology.

Participants will gain practical skills to:

•     Design, implement and manage a sustainable energy project.
•     Plan, design, and develop the processes required to install different wind/solar projects.
•     Recognize the most common and most innovative applications of energy in electricity, transportation, heat and buildings.
•     Understand the mechanics of how power and heat are generated and utilized.
•     Financially evaluate and compare sustainable energy technologies.
•     Understand barriers and incentives to implementation of renewable energy technologies.

At the end of the program, you will complete a 4-month work term during which you will apply your learning to real-life situations, make industry connections, and experience Canadian work culture. You must successfully complete your work term to satisfy program requirements and graduate. 

Admissions Requirements 

• Completion of an undergraduate degree in a related discipline
• A minimum overall average of 70% (around a B- or 2.7 GPA) as calculated in your undergraduate degree OR most recent degree
• Meet the English language requirement of IELTS 6.5, with no band below 6.0 
• Receive two (2) positive academic or professional references  
• Demonstrate three years of full-time work experience (strongly recommended) 

Do you meet all the admission requirements but need to upgrade your English? We offer in-person or fully remote courses to help you achieve your goals. See Dalhousie’s department of English Language Studies to explore your options. Before applying, please read though our Frequently Asked Questions to make sure you understand all application requirements. 

Schedule and Fees 

There are three start dates per year: in September, January, and April. Apply at any time; applications are competitive and evaluated on a rolling basis, so applying early is encouraged. This is a full-time program, and you should expect to spend a minimum of 30 hours per week engaged in courses, study, and experiential learning. 

For more information, please visit the program page or contact openlearning@dal.ca.

*Fees outlined in this section are an estimate for the full 16-month program. Total program fees may vary depending on specialization, delivery format, student service fees, textbooks and taxes. Tuition and fees are subject to review. Note: The program cost does not include the processing of the relevant visa or living expenses.