These non-credit interest courses are offered in the fall and winter sessions and may be taken on week days or Saturday.
Schedule
Investment Principles
20 hours | 900-325-00-01 | Tuition: $195
Well informed investors make better investment decisions. This course provides participants with the knowledge, skills and confidence to demystify the world of financial planning and the stock market.
Who should attend:
Individuals who wish to understand the complexities of financial planning, stock markets, and investing. This course aims at empowering participants to become knowledgeable and savvy investors.
What you will learn:
– Fundamentals of stocks and bonds
– How to evaluate an investment
– Financial ratios
– Different investment techniques used by famous investors
– Understanding the acronyms: GIC, TFSA, RRSP, RESP, and RRIF
Thursday: 19:00 – 21:00
Feb. 13 – April 23
Instructor: Jean Marier has over 15 years of experience in the Financial Services industry. He received the Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI) in 2000.
Learning from the Top Minds in Investing
20 hours | 900-333-00-01 | Tuition: $195
Enhance your understanding of investing and gain insight into your own investment skills by learning about the techniques used by some of the world’s most renowned investors.
This course will discuss the strategies and approaches used by the greatest investors of all time. Deepening your knowledge of these great investment minds will provide you with a renewed perspective and inspiration.
Who should attend:
Individuals who have taken Investment Principles (900-325-00-01) or those who have a solid knowledge and interest in markets and investments.
What you will learn:
- How to create a disciplined portfolio approach.
- Valuations of companies
- The Magic Formula
- Dogs of the Dow technique
- Buffett style investment
- “Cigar Butt” investing
- 7+2 Portfolio
Tuesday: 19:00 – 21:00
Feb. 11 – April 15
Instructor: Jean Marier has over 15 years of experience in the Financial Services industry. He received the Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI) in 2000.
Fusion 360 for Absolute Beginners
15 hours I 900-332-00-01 |Tuition: $225
This course provides a practical hands-on introduction to model-based design with the powerful full-featured Autodesk CAD/CAE/CAM software Fusion 360, through lectures, demonstration and hands-on labs.
By the end of this course, participants will have gained the experience and the knowledge to turn their own designs into 3D-printable models.
Who should attend:
Students of 3D Printing 101 who do not already know how to use the Fusion 360 CAD/CAE/CAM software to design, engineer and manufacture 3D models.
Anyone experimenting with 3D printing or Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines who is now ready to start modeling and manufacturing their own designs.
What you will learn:
- How to obtain and install a free license for Fusion 360
- Understanding and navigating the user interface
- Planning and managing the product structure of 3D models
- Sketching, with and without constraints
- Importing and working with sketches sourced from repositories and other programs
- Modeling with Fusion 360; Parametrically and Directly
- Workspaces and Workflow
- Bodies and Components
- Best Practices when designing for 3D Printing with Fusion 360
Required Equipment:
Participants must be comfortable using a Windows-based personal computer in the classroom. You should own a personal computer to practice between classes. If your own is portable, you may also bring it to class. (Fusion 360 also works on a Mac).
Required Text:
Fusion 360 for Makers: Design Your Own Digital Models for 3D Printing and CNC Fabrication (Make:), Maker Media, Inc., by Lydia Sloan Cline, 2018
Wednesday: 18:30- 21:00
Feb. 12 – March 18
Instructor: Stephen Paul Jones, Eng., LSSBB
3D Printing 101 – Making Things Real
12 hours | 900-336-00-01 | Tuition: $195 (including materials)
This course provides a personalized and practical hands-on introduction to 3D printing. By the end of this course, participants will understand – from experience – the basics of 3D printing with PLA filament and how they might benefit from having it in their own home or small business.
Who should attend:
- Anyone already experimenting with 3D printing
- Individuals curious to know more about it
What you will learn:
- 3D printing fundamentals, including:
- What is “Fused Deposition Modeling” (FDM)
- Where 3D models come from (and how to make your own)
- Typical 3D-printing pitfalls
- The secrets to success (like why you must “squish” the first layer “just right”)
- The essentials in a complete FDM ecosystem, including:
- Excellent free and “low-cost” tools and models with which to build your own
- Best practices to keep it all working
Required Equipment:
Participants must be comfortable using a Windows-based personal computer (the recommended software also works on a Mac). You should own a personal computer to practice between classes. If your own is portable, you may also bring it to class. You are welcome to use your own 3D printer for this class; however, it is not necessary to own a 3D printer, to get value from this course. You can complete most of the classwork using the free “slicer” software and you will have access to a 3D printer during class, for the hands-on printing activities.
Wednesday: 19:00 – 21:00
March 25 – April 15
Instructor: Stephen Paul Jones, Eng.
The New Rules of Work
9 hours |900-B25-00-01| Tuition :$99
The working world has evolved and continues to advance at a rapid pace. Today’s worker must navigate ever-changing realities, new technologies and modern social norms. Knowing the new rules of work is essential to successful job hunting and career management.
Who should attend:
This course will appeal to anyone looking for fresh insights and inspiration for finding new employment and/or managing their current career opportunities.
You will learn to :
- Analyze evolving business practices, communication trends and 21st century skills
- Take an inventory of personal strengths, professional aptitudes and work preferences
- Adopt different job searching tools and media (resumé, portfolio, LinkedIn, blog)
- Identify avenues for networking, interviewing and job searching
- Develop interview skills and effective communication techniques
Saturday 9:30 – 12:30
Feb 8 – Feb 22
Instructor: Erin Stashin is a high-energy, bilingual professional with 15 years experience as an independent consultant. Her clientele consists primarily of pharmaceutical and biotech companies seeking to improve their outcomes from communication, education and training initiatives. With a master’s in educational technology and expertise in adult learning and performance improvement, Erin now devotes a significant portion of her professional time to launching or managing learning and performance programs aimed at sales, marketing and scientific affairs teams.
Beyond Point and Click: Digital Photography
20 hours | 900-230-00-01 | Tuition: $195
Using your personal DSLR digital camera, learn the basic principles of photography and improve the composition of your photos.
Who should attend:
Individuals who want to enhance the look of their personal photos.
What will you learn:
You will improve your photo-taking skills and learn fundamental techniques for capturing those special moments on your camera.
Special features include:
- Hands-on experience using your digital camera and exploring your camera’s settings
- Exercises and projects to help solidify learned techniques
- An introduction to Photoshop, including basic editing tools
Tuesday: 19:00 – 21:00
March 10 – May 12
Instructor: Avi Charszan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts (Design) from Concordia University. Full-time photographer, Avi Charszan also works as a freelance graphic designer.
Golf Fundamentals
7.5 hours I 900-211-00-01 I Tuition: $95
Swing your way into Spring by learning the fundamentals of golf, or tuning up for the golf season. Brush up on the basics of the full swing, chipping, pitching, and putting. Sponge balls will be used for pitching and full swing practice, real balls for chipping and putting. Video analysis is also available. Participants should wear suitable clothing and running shoes. Clubs will be provided for those who need them.
Wednesday: 19:00 – 20:30
April I – May 6 (no class on April 22)
Instructor: Joef Fitleberg teaches Physical Education at john Abbott College and plays golf competitively at the provincial level.
**These courses are for couples only but each student must register individually.**
Latin and Modern Ballroom Dancing – Intermediate
12 hours | 900-A00-00-01 | $125 (per student)
(Prerequisite: Latin and Modern Ballroom Dancing – level I or level II)
FOR COUPLES ONLY. A continuation of Latin or Modern Ballroom Dancing – Level I and /or Level II, this course reviews the steps previously introduced and concentrates on more advanced steps.
Friday: 19:30 – 20:30
Jan. 31 – April 24 (no class on April 10)
Instructor: Carla Ciaramellano
The Bible as Literature, the Beginning: Genesis and Exodus
16 hours | 900- A63-00-01|Tuition: $185
Note that it is a fundamental premise of this course that all religious narratives are myths, created by men, in specific times and places and for purposes about which their very existence invites us to speculate. That is not to say that the Bible should not be considered true. It is true in the way all literature worthy of the name is true, in that it resonates with paradigms and motifs that hit at the heart of the psycho-spiritual experience of human beings.
Who should attend?
The Bible is the foundational text of Judaism and Christianity and has influenced Islam. It is therefore a significant monument in the cultural landscape of many of us. It is seminal to many great works of literature, art, music and architecture. In addition, the ethical principles found therein contribute to the sense of justice and the codes of justice with which most of us live.
This course will be of interest to all who enjoy reading and discussing literature.
What you will learn:
The student can expect to learn about
- The probable origins of the contributive documentary sources
- The process of redaction and canonization
- The types of literature in these early books
- Significant motifs and tropes and the possible function of the books under consideration in the overall project.
Wednesday: 14:00-16:00
March 13 – May 1
* Tuition fees include the cost of course materials
Instructor: Yves Saint-Pierre retired in 2017 as Chair of the English department at John Abbott College. He taught a great variety of courses in the department for twenty-eight years. He remains an Emeritus Member of the English department at the College.
ACTion: Dramatic Arts Program for 50+
Have you ever wanted to take an acting course or try your hand at playwriting but have been too busy with work and family? Join us for ACTion, a new and innovative program in Dramatic Arts designed for the 50+ group. The objective is to encourage older adults to discover their potential creativity through practice.
Whether you are working or retired, are a complete beginner or have already developed some skills in the Dramatic Arts, this program will offer you and your peers a relaxed environment where you will learn new skills to enable you to create theatre in novel and exciting ways and feel totally at ease.
Adults in the 50+ age range are encouraged to discover their creative voices in bringing to light important issues in their communities through dramatic study and production and where your life experiences will inform your practice in this program.
Initially, participants in the program can choose to focus on playwriting, acting, or both. We will eventually add new courses in directing, scene analysis, playing Shakespeare and more.
Playwriting
Writing for Stage and Screen: Creating Believable Characters
3 hours | 900-A55-00-01| Tuition: $60
Believable characters have depth and complexity. In this workshop we’ll create compelling, believable characters based on four main categories that will provide our characters with a ‘backstory’. In this way we’ll give them a personality, a voice and a moral stance which will determine how they react, given their character, strengths and values as we’ve defined them, when we place them in a variety of situations.
Saturday : 09:30-12:30
April 18
Writing for Stage and Screen – Creating Conflict
3 hours | 900-A56-00-01| Tuition:$60
Conflict is at the heart of every drama. We define conflict as a struggle between opposing forces. In a play/film this usually means that our main character faces great odds when trying to attain his/her goal and this creates conflict and tension within the storyline. The choices our characters make defines who they are. This workshop will give you practice in introducing and building conflict in your play or film script.
Saturday: 09:30-12:30
May 23
Instructor: Christine Davet is an actor and playwright. She has taught courses in screenwriting/scriptwriting at London University’s Birkbeck College and has worked for the UN, Voice of America and CIDA creating Dramas for social change.
Acting
Acting 1
18 hours | 900-A52-00-01 | Tuition: $195
This introductory course in acting will introduce you to the joys and excitement of performance in a relaxed and supportive atmosphere. We will touch on the basic skills, techniques and theories involved in acting and you will gain a basic practical grounding in voice work, speech, movement, improvisation and acting. Participants will be required to choose and prepare a monologue that they will perform towards the end of the course as well as attend a live play in a professional theatre.
Thursday: 19:00 – 22:00
Feb. 13 – March 26 (no class on March 5)
Instructor: Stephanie Merulla (MFA) is an actress who has worked internationally with companies such as It’s Not a Box Theatre in Saskatoon, the Cambridge Shakespeare Festival in the UK, the Whitehorse Theatre Company in Germany, and the Live Art Performance Platform in Nicosia, Cyprus. She has also represented Québec on the national planning committee at Canada’s Magnetic North Theatre Festival. Currently, Stephanie is teaching acting in Verdun where she provides workshops to students with a practical and creative approach to learning. Her practice is based on the Stanislavski system while drawing inspiration from other acting training techniques such as Laban and Grotowski.
Acting II
18 hours | 900-A53-00-01| Tuition: $195
This course will focus on the actor’s work on the role with some attention to voice and movement. We will analyze play texts by breaking them down into playable actions that carry the story forward and give insight on how to bring a character to life.
Thursday: 18:30-21:30
April 2 – May 21
Instructor: Ralph Allison was for twenty years, the director of the Theatre Performance program at Concordia University in Montreal. As well as teaching acting, he has directed and acted for stage and film in the United States and Canada.’
For more information on the program and /or the courses: Contact program creative director Christine Davet at: christine.davet@johnabbott.qc.ca
How to Register
Students registering in a non-credit Language, Professional Development or Interest course may register online as of December 20, 2019 or, in person (WALK-IN) as of January 21, 2020 at 16:00.
New students registering in a non-credit English or French language course must take a placement test before registering.
Les nouveaux étudiants doivent passer un test de classement avant de s’inscrire à un cours non-crédité d’anglais ou de français.
English and French Placement Testing (for new students)
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
16:00-19:00
Registrar’s Office- Herzberg Building (H-128)
HOW TO REGISTER
ONLINE OMNIVOX REGISTRATION
- Select a course
- Click the registration button which will bring you to MIA online registration
- Click confirm registration
- Pay fees using MasterCard or Visa
WALK-IN REGISTRATION
- Select a course
- Complete the non-credit Professional Development and Interest course Registration form click here
- Be prepared to pay fees in full : Visa/MasterCard/Interac/Cash
Non-credit Professional Development and Interest Course Registration December 20, 2020: 
For additional information, go to General Information
Fees and Refund Policy
Fees for Senior Citizens (65 years & over)
Seniors are eligible for a 20% discount on tuition fees for all courses.
Refund Policy
Tuition fees for non–credit Language, Professional Development and Interest courses are refundable upon receipt of written notification as follows:
- Full refund before the first scheduled class
- 50% refund before the second scheduled class
- No refund after the second scheduled class
To officially withdraw from a course, students must provide a written request which includes their name, student ID and course number by one of the following methods:
- E-mail to: rorecords@johnabbott.qc.ca
- Come in person to the Registrar’s Office (H-128)
- Fax: 514-457-6812
Course Cancellation
The Centre for Continuing Education reserves the right to cancel any non-credit course due to insufficient registration prior to the start of class. Students registered in a cancelled class will be contacted and their monies refunded in full.
