Computer Engineering Technician

Post-Secondary Programs
Credential Earned: College Diploma (2 Year)
Campus: Kirkland Lake, Timmins
Program Length: 4 Semesters

Program Codes
T100W (PC) – Timmins Campus
T100AU (PC) – Timmins Campus
T100AUW (PC) – Timmins Campus
T103W (KL) – Kirkland Lake Campus
T103AU (KL) – Kirkland Lake Campus
T103AUW (KL) – Kirkland Lake Campus

With Northern’s two-year Computer Engineering Technician diploma, you’ll emerge as an IT professional whose high-end skills support the technologies that now run every aspect of our economy and daily lives.

The hands-on curriculum means you’ll literally assemble and configure a computer. On a broader spectrum, you’ll learn to develop, maintain and optimize networks, systems and software.

You’ll also develop core programming skills, and you’ll master web development, cybersecurity and database management.

Along the way, you’ll be challenged to solve complex issues and master the latest and emerging technology to make sure you’re prepared for the problems wand solutions of the future

This program prepares students to write exams for certifications such as Cisco (CCNA),
Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate or Cisco CyberOps Associate, Networks +, A+ Certification, Server+ and Linux + Certification.

Career Opportunities

Northern College graduates are able to develop and maintain networks, systems and programs for both business and industry. Graduates can expect to find employment in the following fields/positions:

  • Programmer / Analyst
  • System / Network Administrator
  • Telecommunications
  • Municipalities
  • Boards/organizations

Contact Information

For questions about being admitted into the program, please contact Northern College Admissions at admissions@northern.on.ca or by phone at 705-235-3211 ext. 7222.

For questions about the content of the program, contact the Program Coordinator.

Eric Lapajne
Program Coordinator
Tel: 705-235-3211 ext. 7246
Email: lapajnee@northern.on.ca

Admissions Information

Admission Requirements

  • Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
  • Grade 12 English (C, U)
  • Grade 12 Math (C, U)

Or equivalent

 

Academic prerequisites for this program may be obtained free of charge through Academic Upgrading.

Applicants who do not have a high school diploma or equivalent and will have reached the age of 19 years on or before the start of the program must undergo academic testing and may be required to complete Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR) process to demonstrate equivalency of admission requirements prior to admission into a program.

For more details, please contact the Admissions Office at 705-235-7222 or admissions@northern.on.ca.

Additional Requirements for International Students

In addition to the admission requirements, international students must have proof of English Proficiency and meet the requirements below.

1. Proof of Senior High School Diploma/Certificate

2. English Proficiency (we will require one of the following):

  • IELTS Academic International English Language Testing System: a minimum overall score of 6.0 must be achieved with no individual band score under 6.0; however, we will accept one band at 5.5.
  • TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) – Internet Based Test (iBT) overall minimum score of 79
  • PTE (Pearson Test of English) Academic – Graduate Diploma: 58+

If your country of citizenship has English as its official language, we may accept alternate proof of English Proficiency.

All educational documents must be submitted in English and will be dependent on the country of citizenship.

For more information, please contact admissions@northern.on.ca.

What You Learn

The program synopsis with course descriptions can be found below.

Please note, course information are based on current offering and are subject to change. Current students can find more information on courses in their student account.

For questions about the content of the program, please contact the Program Coordinator.

Semester 1

Communications I is a practical course designed to help strengthen essential oral and written communication skills. Students will be exposed to a variety of learning methods and communication formats. Emphasis will be placed on the use of appropriate structure, writing conventions, tone and style as well as the enhancement of interpersonal, teamwork and presentation skills. Students will also develop discipline-specific documents, practice proper business etiquette and learn the importance of ethical behaviour and professionalism in the classroom and workplace. Attention to detail is emphasized.

This course introduces the student to health and safety in their home, in society and within an occupational setting. Students learn about the social and personal benefits of safe work practices and the methods to best prevent accidents or injuries. Students will review the role, right and responsibilities of an individual in today’s health and safety conscious world. Students also learn how to read and interpret the Occupational Act and Regulations.

Cisco Networking I is the first course of the Cisco Networking Academy CCNAv7 curriculum titled Introduction to Networks (ITN). Introduction to Networks is one of three courses that are aligned to the CCNA Certification Exam. ITN contains 17 modules, each with a series of topics. In Introduction to Networks, the student will gain a basic understanding of the way networks operate. They will learn about network components and their functions, as well as how a network is structured, and the architectures used to create networks, including the internet. ITN is about more than learning networking concepts. By the end of this course, the student will be able to build local area networks (LANs), configure basic settings on routers and switches, and implement internet protocol (IP). In ITN, every concept that the student learns and skills that they develop will be used in the rest of the CCNA curriculum.

This course covers the fundamentals of computer hardware, software and advanced concepts such as security, networking, and the responsibilities of an IT professional. Students learn how to assemble and configure a computer, install operating systems and software, and finally troubleshoot hardware and software problems. In addition, chapters on networks and communication skills are included. This course helps students prepare for CompTIA’s A+ certification.

Prerequisite: None.

This course covers basic algebra properties, graphing the straight line, basic geometry and trigonometry, and solving a system of equations graphically and algebraically. It also covers vector addition by components and by the cosine and sine laws.

This general education course will provide students with an introduction to Canadian Indigenous Nations’ history, sovereignty, land titles, cultural history and current critical issues. Topics addressed include the content of Indigenous rights, economic and social development, community and political processes, and business law and policies, justice & social services. Canadian Indigenous History and Relations is a general education course that has been incorporated into all programs at Northern College.

This course provides an introduction to programming using Java. The course will focus on core programming concepts that are universal to all modern programming languages. Students will learn to write programs using proper algorithm design, logic, data types, variables, control structures and functions (methods). The goal of the course is to provide a solid foundation of core programming skills that will allow students to further their learning in a variety of development environments.

Semester 2

Communications 2 is a one-semester course that applies the oral and written communication tools learned in Comm1 to specific business/technical applications as required by industry today. The student will enhance the writing skills acquired in COMM1 and learn to produce effective documents including business letters, emails, employment documents as well as reports applicable to their field of study. Students will also learn how to plan and participate in meeting situations and participate in mock interviews (as applicable) so that they are prepared to transition into the competitive employment market. Students will continue to learn and apply proper language and grammatical structures and apply editing strategies to business/technical documents through both in-class/online activities and through the usage of the customized Mylab online grammar tool. As with COMM1, the content will be inclusive and reflect the diverse workplace that students will experience in the future.

*Students for whom English is not their first language will receive additional language support through the concurrent delivery of CM2933 (Enhanced Comm2) which continues to focus on the foundational grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure skills introduced in CM1933.

This is the second course in the CCNA curriculum series, which focuses on Switching, Routing, and Wireless Essentials (SRWE). It focuses on switching technologies and router operations that support small-to-medium business networks and includes wireless local area networks (WLAN) and security concepts. In addition to learning, key switching and routing concepts, learners will be able to perform basic network configuration and troubleshooting, identify and mitigate LAN security threats, and configure and secure a basic WLAN.

An operating system is an organized collection of programs and data designed to manage the resources of a computer system and provide a base upon which applications can be developed and run. This course is designed to build a foundation in basic server administration. It covers all of the critical Windows Server 2016 features, including the features unique to this operating system. The students will learn how to choose the right server edition for their needs, and learn how to install, configure, customize, manage, and troubleshoot their server.

This course covers intermediate level programming concepts using the Java programming language. Using a project-based approach, students will learn and apply Object Oriented Design (OOD) principles in solving computer programming problems.

 

MA2104 is the second course in the math stream for students in an Engineering Technician / Technology program.  The emphasis of this course is on solving equations relating to quadratics, logarithms, exponentials, with sections on factoring, fractional equations, manipulating exponent and radical expressions, and complex numbers, and for some programs studying systems of linear equations and determinants.  Applications of the basic concepts, to particular fields of study, will be covered.

The second semester Mathematics course is designed to give the student the mathematical tools required to function in his/her special field of study.

Students are encouraged to seek help after class hours if problems are encountered in the course.  Every effort will be made to identify problem areas to the student, but in the final analysis, it is the responsibility of the student to ask for help.

Prerequisite:   MA1100 – Mathematics I  (with 60%)

Cisco CyberOps Associate covers knowledge and skills needed to successfully handle the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of an associate-level Security Analyst working in a Security Operations Center (SOC).

This general education course will provide students with an introduction to Canadian Indigenous Nations’ history, sovereignty, land titles, cultural history and current critical issues. Topics addressed include the content of Indigenous rights, economic and social development, community and political processes, and business law and policies, justice & social services. Canadian Indigenous History and Relations is a general education course that has been incorporated into all programs at Northern College.

Semester 3

The course focuses on cabling issues related to data, voice, video communications and provides an understanding of the industry and its worldwide standards, types of media and cabling, physical and logical networks, as well as signal transmission. Cabling and networking equipment and consumable bundles are used to teach the hands-on portion of the curriculum. This provides the student with a basic understanding of networking and telecommunication cabling, communication standards, and how to properly plan and understand the different uses of technology examples (Power over ethernet, understanding connecting wireless  networks, Fiber networking), install and test the data/telecommunication mediums and different types of networking equipment.

General Education Courses are selected online each semester by the student from a list provided and exposes students to a related area of study outside of their immediate academic discipline. Certain programs have predetermined electives. 

This course provides an introduction to markup languages and their use in web publishing. The focus will be on HTML, CSS, and the most current techniques for front-end web development with an emphasis on creating web interfaces that work seamlessly on mobile devices. Students will learn through a combination of research and applied projects, and will apply the current standards in HTML5 and CSS3.

The focus of this course is to learn about WANs (wide area networks) along with new technologies for improving the functionality of these networks using virtualization and automation. You will use the skills and knowledge gained from your previous networking courses in order to successfully configure, secure, verify and troubleshoot enterprise network devices. This will be achieved by incorporating your newly acquired knowledge of application programming interfaces and network configuration management and monitoring applications.

Demand for Linux technical expertise is growing rapidly in IT departments. Linux is being adopted by many companies for numerous services once provided by other varieties of UNIX and Microsoft Windows operating systems. The course will introduce students to the most common methods, hardware and software used to achieve a useful and secure Linux computer system. This course helps students prepare for CompTIA’s Linux+ certification and the LPIC-1 certification through the study of the configurations used in the set up of Fedora Linux operating system installations.

 

This course will present the essential skills for designing and working with relational databases. Students will acquire a solid foundation in Structured Query Language (SQL) by working on a series of existing databases. Techniques for the design and implementation of databases will be presented following the principles of normalization and referential integrity.

Semester 4

The course provides an introduction to the core security concepts and skills needed for the installation, troubleshooting, and monitoring of network devices to maintain the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of data and devices.

Prerequisite: IN3084 – Cisco Networking III with a minimum passing grade level of “C” – 60%.

This course provides a foundation of the basic information required for network operating system administration and other network administration tasks. The course is intended for students who want to pursue a career in information technology. The configuration and administration both the Windows Server 2012 and Linux Fedora operating systems is studied. Also, how to troubleshoot operating system issues is practiced. This course helps students prepare for CompTIA’s A+ certification.

Prerequisite: IN1104 – IT Essentials I with a minimum passing grade level of “C”.

This course will teach the students about virtualization as it combines theories and concepts with practical hands-on activities and projects that allows the student to apply the concepts learned to real world scenarios. This course will provide the student with a working knowledge of the leading virtualization products, including Oracle VirtualBox, VMware Workstation, Microsoft Hyper-V, and VMware vSphere. In addition to learning how to install and use the products, the student will learn how to apply virtualization technology to create virtual data centres that use clusters for high availability, use management software to administer multiple host systems, implement a virtual desktop environment, and leverage cloud computing to build or extend the data centre and provide disaster recovery services. By the time they finish this course the student will have a solid base in virtualization concepts and products that you can use to build your IT career.

This course provides a hands-on introduction to web application development. Students will design and implement a series of projects that reflect the current trends in web applications. Sample projects include social media sites, shopping cart systems, and content management systems. Students will gain experience with web scripting languages and enabling database-driven content.

This course provides an overall examination of systems analysis as it applies to all phases of the Systems Development life Cycle (SDLC). The actual components of these phases, in theory and in practice, are explored in relation to completing assigned projects. The projects will involve the planning, analysis, & design of a system. The course also introduces some concepts of Critical Thinking & Problem Solving.

General Education Courses are selected online each semester by the student from a list provided and exposes students to a related area of study outside of their immediate academic discipline. Certain programs have predetermined electives. 

Tuition & Fees

Tuition and fees are updated yearly for the upcoming Academic Year by May 1.

Current amount may be based on last years amounts and are subject to change. Ancillary fees vary by campus and program.

If the tuition and fee information for international students does not appear on this page, visit northerncollege.ca/international/tuition to see amounts for general programs.

Please refer to your Student Account for the most up-to-date information.

Student Year Campus Program Code Tuition Ancillary Fees Total Fees
StudentDomesticYear1CampusTimmins - PCProgram CodeT100Tuition$2,720.56 Ancillary Fees$899.50 Total$3,620.06
StudentDomesticYear2CampusTimmins - PCProgram CodeT100Tuition$2,720.56 Ancillary Fees$811.50 Total$3,532.06
StudentDomesticYear1CampusKirkland Lake - KLProgram CodeT103Tuition$2,720.56 Ancillary Fees$863.50 Total$3,584.06
StudentDomesticYear2CampusKirkland Lake - KLProgram CodeT103Tuition$2,720.56 Ancillary Fees$775.50 Total$3,496.06
StudentInternationalYear1CampusTimmins - PCProgram CodeT100Tuition$14,382.00 Ancillary Fees$1,422.58 Total$15,804.58
StudentInternationalYear2CampusTimmins - PCProgram CodeT100Tuition$14,382.00 Ancillary Fees$1,422.58 Total$15,804.58
StudentInternationalYear1CampusKirkland Lake - KLProgram CodeT103Tuition$14,382.00 Ancillary Fees$1,386.58 Total$15,768.58
StudentInternationalYear2CampusKirkland Lake - KLProgram CodeT103Tuition$14,382.00 Ancillary Fees$1,298.58 Total$15,680.58
Tuition & Payment Information
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