We can help you become a persuasive, effective leader. A stronger writer. An innovative entrepreneur.
About us
Based in the University of Saskatchewan College of Engineering
Faculty are recognized experts in communication and technological innovation
We offer formal credentials in three specialized areas of communication and in technological innovation
Classes open to USask students and practising professionals
On-demand courses available for workplaces
Graham School advantages include: small class sizes; personal attention and feedback from our faculty; opportunities to hone your skills in class
Specialized Communication Certificates
We offer three separate, specialized certificates in professional communication. Each requires three classes. (They replace the Certificate in Professional Communication that requires six classes.)
Persuasive Communication (CPC-PC)
Learn the theory of persuasive communication, develop written and oral communication skills, and learn to communicate well as a leader and a team member.
Leadership and Negotiation (CPC-LN)
Develop your skills in leadership and negotiation, and cultivate sound judgment as a communicator in professional practice.
Technical and Professional Writing (CPC-TPW)
Improve your professional writing skills for both general and scientific audiences.
Admission requirements and Deadlines
For information regarding the admission requirements and deadlines, check the USask Admissions Page.
Applications are open for the upcoming intake. Applications will close in June for the Fall Term intake, and in November for the Winter Term intake.
Communicate. Lead. Succeed.
Public speaking competition
Each year, the Ron and Jane Graham School of Professional Development hosts a speech competition that is open to all students who have completed RCM 200 or RCM 300.
The 2023 winner is Millie Jamieson. Congratulations!
Technological Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Innovation and entrepreneurship is a skill set that can be taught and learned.
Our Tech Innovation ecosystem offers Usask students many entry points to start their journey including:
- Low commitment events and workshops
- Courses for certain topics and skill sets
- Academic certification program to set you apart
- Academic educational accelerator
- Faculty and expert mentorship
Your tech innovation journey
“Curiosity” |
“Creative” |
“Collaboration” |
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SIGMA Demo Day |
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Tech Innovation courses
Technological Innovation Certificate
The Technological Certificate Program introduces students to business fundamentals and the processes necessary to design and commercialize technologically innovative solutions. The program runs over two years. In this time you will gain the knowledge and skills needed to:
- identify problems with good tech innovation opportunities;
- design solutions to those problems, and
- commercialize your innovative solution.
Technological Innovation Certificate - Leading Innovative Teams
The Technological Innovation Certificate – Leading Innovative Teams program introduces students to business fundamentals and processes to design and commercialize technologically innovative solutions. It cultivates a strategic mindset, with participants learning how to assess an organization's capacity for innovation, engage effectively with key stakeholders, and shape their organization so that they can continuously build and commercialize their innovations.
The program consists of five courses (12 credits), all with an organizational management focus. The program is jointly delivered by the Ron and Jane Graham School of Professional Development, College of Engineering and Edwards School of Business.
Technological Innovation Certificate - New Product Market
The Technological Innovation Certificate – New Product Market program cultivates an interdisciplinary and a customer-focused mindset in product development practice. In particular, the students will develop skills in the practice of marketing research and product definition for being the future entrepreneurs.
Admission Requirements
All applicants to this program must meet the following requirements in order to be considered for admission:
- Completed at least 60 credit units of post-secondary coursework
- 60% average in the most recent 18 credit units of completed coursework
- Proficiency in English
Ready to apply?
Both external applicants and current USask students must complete the online application form by the application deadline. If you are a current USask student, consult your academic advisor regarding enrolling in this program.
For applicants new to USask, a non-refundable application fee of $90 CAD is required before your application will be processed. Current USask students do not need to pay an application fee.
SIGMA Program
SIGMA is an award-winning program that helps USask students hone their entrepreneurial skills. You bring your proof-of-concept or ready-to-market technology to SIGMA (Saskatchewan Innovation, Growth & Market Acceleration) and we will help you fully develop its potential.
Want to find your inner entrepreneur?
"It starts from incubating an idea, to develop the skills and mindset to help grow it and pursue it."
Want to open more doors with your engineering degree?
"What the technological innovation certificate allowed me to do is see the broader spectrum of what an engineer is."
Do you want to capitalize on your curiosity?
"Curiosity allows us to approach problems in new and unique ways."
Do you want to be a stronger collaborator?
"In the broad sense, collaboration enables success."
On-demand professional development
We offer a range of professional development to organizations outside the university. Our expertise includes the following:
- Leadership
- Entrepreneurship
- Communication
- Social and cultural aspects of engineering design
Negotiation Fundamentals: Find Winning Solutions in Competing Needs Situations
This course helps to clearly identify, analyze, and respond effectively to the various elements of rhetorical situations involved in all negotiation. You will also learn about planning and preparing for negotiation, developing a BATNA, and framing negotiations for success.
Course details: 9 hours (over the 3 modules), in-person
Leadership as Effective Communication
This course helps to clearly identify, analyze, and respond effectively to the various elements of rhetorical situations involved in all negotiation. You will also learn about planning and preparing for negotiation, developing a BATNA, and framing negotiations for success.
Course details: 9 hours (over the 3 modules), in-person
Interested in learning more? Get in touch with us!
Effective Public Speaking
Participants learn how to identify the purpose for their presentation and develop a strategy to achieve it, as well as build their own credibility in a speaking context. Participants will have the opportunity to develop and present a persuasive speech and receive feedback during the process. Participants will also learn from assessing the strategies employed by other participants.
Course Details: 9 hours (over 3 modues), in-person
Interpersonal Communication & Professional Relationships
This course introduces students to the rhetorical foundations of the study of interpersonal communication and its application to the workplace. It identifies various kinds of conflict and relational problems in addition to responses to those issues and various strategies that may resolve or defuse conflict. The course also examines how to lead people through conflict and examines choices available when the conflict proves to be unresolvable. The study and mindful practice of interpersonal communication affords us new opportunities at both the social and professional level.
Course Details: 9 hours (over the 3 modules), in-person
Persuasive Professional Writing
This course focusses on writing and editing as persuasive skills and tasks. While preparing an effective text requires an understanding of the fundamentals of sentence structure, a good writer/editor must also be able to gauge an audience’s needs and make informed choices regarding which available structures will be most effective in a given context.
Course Details: 9 hours (over the 3 modules), in-person
“Time Talks and Space Speaks:” An Introduction to Nonverbal Communication in the Workplace
This three-hour seminar talk will introduce you to the main concepts of nonverbal communication. By developing an understanding of the power of nonverbal communication, you can learn to recognize and respond appropriately to the unspoken messages that surround you in your workplace. Learn how to apply this understanding to improve both how you present yourself professionally and how you understand your colleagues, your supervisors and your subordinates.
Course Details: 3 hours, in-person or remote
Communication as Ethical Action
Being an ethical professional means doing the right thing; however, much of our doing originates in communicating. This presentation explores how communication both builds our ethical character and helps us demonstrate that character in our personal and professional relationships.
Course Details: 3 hours, in-person or remote
Presenting Data in Graphical Format
This short course will explore the visual representation of data through case studies, with a special emphasis on the potential ethical implications of such representations.
Course Details: 3 hours, in-person or remote
Interested in learning more? Email the school at graham.school@usask.ca
A Disciplined Approach to Innovation and Corporate Entrepreneurship
This short course is based on the research and teaching of Bill Aulet, Managing Director Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship, as described in the book “Disciplined Entrepreneurship – 24 Steps to a Successful Startup”. This methodology is being used as the foundation of the USask College of Engineering Technological Innovation Certificate, and the Saskatchewan Innovation and Growth Market Acceleration (SIGMA) programs. This is a good course to increase business acumen; learn how to interact with clients to achieve increased engagement; increase understanding of what you can do for your customer and how they make buying decisions; and learn how to generate more value for your customers, including increased lifetime value for customers.
Course Details: 9 hours (over the 3 modules), in-person or remote
Business Development and Sales for Engineers
This short course presents fundamental concepts for engineers to enter into the world of business development and direct sales. Whether you are starting your own consultancy, establishing your organization’s formal sales team or joining an existing organization’s sales organization, you will acquire the basic tools and knowledge to contribute as a part of a sales team. This is also a good course for those who are required to either support or manage business development and sales teams. A basic understanding of the business development and sales world will allow staff in facilitation and support roles to be more effective in integrating with existing efforts to populate the sales pipeline and the sales funnel effectively.
Course Details: 9 hours (over the 3 modules), in-person or remote
Technical Sales in Engineering
This short course presents fundamental concepts for engineers supporting the business development and direct sales teams in engaging with the customer base and potential clients to win projects and sales. The technical sales engineer is considered a subject matter expert in a specific technical field and is required to work in close consort with the business development and sales teams to craft and present, when called upon, technical aspects of the proposal or sales pitch. This course will provide a technical sales engineer with the fundamentals of sales infrastructure and the methods used by business development and sales teams. It will also define their roles in reviewing, distilling, packaging, presenting, and supporting (both internal and external), information for leads, and client and customer marketplace events.
Course Details: 9 hours (over the 3 modules), in-person or remote
Customer Discovery & Development
This short course presents fundamental concepts for engineers to enter into the world of business development and direct sales. Whether you are starting your own consultancy, establishing your organization’s formal sales team or joining an existing organization’s sales organization you will acquire the basic tools and knowledge to contribute as a part of a sales team. This is also a good course for those who are required to either support or manage business development and sales teams. A basic understanding of the business development and sales world will allow staff in facilitation and support roles to be more effective in integrating with existing efforts to populate the sales pipeline and the sales funnel effectively.
Course Details: 9 hours (over the 3 modules), in-person or remote
Use of Generative AI for Engineering Development
This course focuses on the use cases of two trending AI product, ChatGPT and Mid-journey, to equip students and professionals with knowledge to increase productivity.
Course Details: 9 hours (over the 3 modules), in-person or remote
Use of Generative AI to Gain a Competitive Advantage
This course gives young entrepreneurs a deeper understanding of business competitive advantage in the context of the advancing AI world.
Course Details: 9 hours (over the 3 modules), in-person or remote
Interested in learning more? Email the school at graham.school@usask.ca
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