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Ministry-approved title: Business – Finance
Money management, investing, and financial planning form the foundation of the Finance – Business program, preparing graduates for careers across Canada’s financial services sector.
This two-year diploma program builds practical, career-focused skills for roles in banking, wealth management, insurance, and financial planning. Alongside core financial knowledge, emphasis is placed on communication, relationship building, sales, and client-focused advising – skills essential to success in today’s financial services industry.
Students study investing, mutual funds, ETFs, stocks, taxation, retirement planning, insurance, and financial planning, while developing the ability to interpret financial information and support client decision-making. The program also supports preparation for industry certifications such as the Canadian Securities Course® (CSC) and Canadian Investment Funds Course® (CIFC), providing a strong foundation for licensing pathways and entry into the profession.
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The Finance – Business program provides students with the skills, knowledge, and confidence required to work in a variety of financial services roles, including personal banking, financial planning, investment brokerage, and firms dealing with registered plans. In addition to a foundation in business, learning focuses on client relationship management, personal financial planning, taxation, retirement planning, investments, and estate planning. Graduates develop a strong mix of financial analysis and planning skills aligned with industry expectations.
Opportunities also exist for further education, including Durham College’s Finance – Business Administration advanced diploma.
In this program, students learn how to:
Successful graduates will be able to:
Graduates may also be prepared to pursue industry licensing and certifications in financial services. This program may support preparation for the following:
Note: Requirements for each designation and certification are set by the granting body, not Durham College. Students are responsible for meeting all external eligibility requirements and application processes.
Durham College (DC) offers pre-admission assessment testing to mature domestic applicants to meet admission requirements in English and/or Math. Domestic applicants who are 19 years of age or older as of the start date of their program, and who do not have the required program credit(s), i.e. Grade 12 English and/or Grade 12 Math are eligible to take an admissions assessment test.
Learn more about how to book Pre-Admission Assessment Testing here.
DC also offers Academic Upgrading. Courses are FREE and designed to help you meet the admissions requirements for this program. Available to individuals 18+, these courses are offered on campus at DC. Boost your qualifications with:
Learn more about Academic Upgrading and connect with our team to get started.
Students can earn the following globally recognized certificates by taking Microsoft Office Specialist exams as part of their computer courses:
Students who successfully pass all three exams can earn an extra certificate that recognizes their accomplishment with the Microsoft Office Specialist: Associate (Office 365 and Office 2019) certificate. DC students are provided access to Microsoft Office 365 through the college’s Microsoft Office account. See more details about this opportunity.
CCI Learning is the exclusive Canadian partner of Certiport and through our partnership with them it enables us to bring Certiport’s Microsoft Office Specialist certifications to our students.
Students entering their first year of studies in a Faculty of Business and Information Technology program will receive a membership to all of Durham Region’s Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade for the duration of their studies, plus an additional year following graduation. As one of the only colleges in Ontario with this offering, DC is proud to provide students with access to local businesses at a regional level.
The Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade include:
Membership benefits:
The courses listed below are for incoming students. If you are a current student, please refer to your program of study for the year you began your program. Your program of study can be found on MyDC. Students are responsible to ensure they are not duplicating their GNED or FNMI selections as per their diploma requirements. For a successful program completion, students must have successfully completed three unique elective courses as per their program of study.
Courses, course descriptions and delivery formats are subject to change.
In person
Students will come to campus to complete in-person learning requirements. Detailed schedules, with course-specific delivery information, will be available after registration. Courses, course descriptions and delivery formats are subject to change.
School is an investment in your future, and financial support is available to help you succeed.
DC's Financial Aid and Awards is here to help you access funding and opportunities that make pursuing your education easier and more achievable:
Visit Financial Aid and Awards to explore all the options to help finance your education.
There are opportunities for graduates to pursue further education qualifications. They may complete one extra year of study to achieve the advanced diploma in Finance – Business Administration.
Qualified graduates may be eligible to apply their academic credits towards further study through Durham College’s partnerships with many Canadian and international colleges and universities.Sample diploma-to-degree opportunities include:
Please visit our pathways page to learn more about how you can transfer your credits towards a degree.
Looking for more pathway opportunities or to transfer to Durham College? Click here for more information.
NOTE: Students enrolling in this program are required to purchase their own laptop.
*Mac Computers
John-Paul Mann is an experienced finance educator, program coordinator, and leader with more than 25 years of experience in financial services and post-secondary education. He teaches across the Finance – Business diploma and advanced diploma programs, delivering engaging, student-centred learning experiences that emphasize real-world application, storytelling, and hands-on skill development in a project-driven classroom. Prior to academia, John-Paul held progressive leadership roles at BMO Bank of Montreal, where he built high-performing teams, led large-scale change initiatives, and consistently exceeded performance targets across lending, investment, and insurance. He holds an MBA in Financial Services from Dalhousie University along with industry accreditations, including FICB and LLQP, and is passionate about preparing students for successful careers in the financial services industry.
Dr. Brad Niblett is an experienced finance educator, entrepreneur, and investor with over 25 years of market and executive experience and a strong commitment to project-based learning. He teaches across the Finance – Business diploma and advanced diploma programs, combining investment theory with applied computational work in a project-first classroom where students develop and test real financial models. Dr. Niblett holds a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) from Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh Business School), where his research focused on dynamic capabilities and strategic alliance portfolios. His current research interests sit at the intersection of fintech, post-quantum cryptography, and the future of secure digital finance, with particular attention to implications for Canada’s financial systems and investment landscape.
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