History and Legacy: Ontario’s Only College with a University Centre
First, let’s go back to 1967. That year, Durham College was formally established as part of Ontario’s college system, embarking on its journey in vocational education. After more than half a century of development, Durham College has grown into a comprehensive public college with two campuses in Oshawa and Whitby, as well as a learning centre in Pickering. Durham College diploma
Most notably, Durham College is the only college in Ontario, Canada, with a university centre, sharing campus facilities with Ontario Tech University at its main Oshawa campus. This unique campus arrangement allows students to benefit from both the college’s practical teaching resources and the university’s infrastructure, laying a solid foundation for future academic advancement.
Currently, the college enrolls over 11,000 full-time students, including international students from more than 30 countries, fostering a warm and diverse campus culture.
Exceptional Employment Outcomes: 92.2% Employer Satisfaction and 85% Employment Rate
Durham College takes pride in its outstanding graduate employment outcomes. Thanks to its practical programs and high-quality teaching, graduates achieve an employment rate exceeding 85% within six months of graduation, with employer satisfaction reaching 92.2%.
This remarkable statistic stems from the college’s strong ties with industry. Most programs offer on-campus or paid co-op placements, ensuring genuine career readiness. Located in Oshawa, a city renowned for its automotive manufacturing industry, the college is adjacent to General Motors’ production facility. This facility conducts annual on-campus recruitment drives for technical talent.
Recent data reveals the college’s top employer partners include globally recognized companies such as IBM, General Motors, Lakewood Health Group, and Ontario Power Generation. This industry-academia integration model ensures students graduate with core competencies ready for direct workplace entry.
Flexible Pathways: Four-Year Dual Certification in Diploma and Degree
Durham College offers unique academic advancement opportunities. Through partnerships with over ten institutions in Canada, the United States, and Australia—including Ontario Tech University, Lakehead University, Trent University, and Brock University—the college delivers undergraduate programs in Economics, Management, Business, Food Science, Law, Liberal Arts, Anthropology, Environmental Resources, Psychology, and Sociology.
Upon completing Durham College’s diploma program, students can directly pursue a university degree at the same institution without transferring. Since the college diploma incorporates pre-university coursework, students can reduce required credits to graduate earlier, saving both time and costs.
This flexible pathway allows students to choose a “college + university” model tailored to their goals, gaining practical vocational skills while pursuing advanced degrees. Additionally, the college offers language-free dual admission, providing a convenient pathway for students who have not yet met language requirements.
Diverse Program Offerings: 130+ Programs Across Eight Faculties
Durham College provides exceptionally broad program choices. With eight faculties, it offers over 130 full-time programs spanning business, computer science, media, engineering, health sciences, law, and more.
The School of Business and IT Management offers programs in Accounting, Human Resources, Internet Information Technology, Marketing, and Sports Management.
The School of Trades, Apprenticeships, and Renewable Energy Technology—a signature program—provides training in Carpentry, Electrical Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Renewable Energy Technology, and Welding Technology. Leveraging Oshawa’s automotive industry strengths, students in these programs benefit from exceptional internship and employment opportunities.
The College of Applied Science and Engineering Technology offers programs in Architectural Technology, Biomedical Engineering Technology, Mechatronics Technology, and Environmental Technology.
The College of Multimedia, Arts, and Design features creative programs including Animation – Digital and Art, Broadcast Media, Game Development, Graphic Design, and Special Effects and Digital Cinema.
The College of Health and Community Services provides popular programs such as Child and Youth Worker, Dental Assisting, Early Childhood Education, Nursing, and Social Service Worker, with most programs incorporating practicum placements.
The Faculty of Law and Emergency Services offers specialized programs including Advanced Policing and Investigations, Court Support Services, Fire and Life Safety Systems Technician, and Legal Assistant.
Additionally, the college operates the Faculty of Food and Agriculture (at the new Whitby campus with state-of-the-art facilities) and the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies and Career Services, comprehensively addressing students’ diverse needs.
Prime Location and Campus Facilities: A Livable Campus on Lake Ontario
Durham College enjoys a truly exceptional location. Its main campus is situated in downtown Oshawa, adjacent to Lake Ontario, and is just 40 minutes from Toronto, Canada’s largest city. The Lake Ontario region is also only about a 30-minute drive away, allowing students to enjoy both a beautiful, peaceful environment and convenient access to the vibrancy of a major metropolis.
Oshawa is a vibrant, growing city with thriving business and entertainment sectors, a clean and attractive environment, and a pleasant climate—with average winter temperatures of 0°C and summer temperatures of 25°C. It’s an ideal location for outdoor activities like canoeing, fishing, ice skating, cycling, and hiking. The city boasts excellent rail and road transportation, complemented by direct bus routes to the campus.
Campus facilities are comprehensive, including laboratories, a library, a Manufacturing and Information Technology Center, a Computer Center, a Language Center, a Student Recreation Center, and a bookstore. Athletic facilities encompass an outdoor training facility, a gymnasium, squash courts, and soccer fields. The university boasts Canada’s top university athletic teams and athletes, with men’s teams competing in baseball, basketball, golf, volleyball, and soccer, and women’s teams in basketball, soccer, golf, softball, and volleyball.
The college is currently implementing a $33 million expansion project that will increase enrollment capacity by 3,000 students and add 600 computer workstations, providing students with an enhanced learning environment.
