The Essentials

Critical tools for success.

Learn professional skills for success with these focused programs.

Schedule & Fees

Each Essentials course is aligned with different Certificates of Completion.
Some courses are aligned with one stream, while others may be aligned to multiple streams.

View the catalogue page for full details or visit the course listing for your Certificate of Completion to see which courses are applicable:

Please note schedule is subject to change at any time.

Essentials courses take place on McMaster's One James North Campus in downtown Hamilton.

Print Schedule
Hamilton In-Person (H)
Fall 2017 Winter 2018 Spring 2018
business essentials
Course Units Course # Tuition
Date /Time /Format Sec
Date /Time /Format Sec
Date /Time /Format Sec
Business Storytelling 1 ESS 817 $445
Fri, Feb 09 - Feb 09
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Customer Service Excellence 0.5 ESS 801 $295
Thur, Mar 01 - Mar 01
9:00 AM - 12:30 PM (H)		 C01
Delivering Powerful Presentations 1 ESS 838 $445
Tues, May 15 - May 15
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Effective Business Writing 1 ESS 895 $445
Thur, Feb 22 - Feb 22
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Finance for Non-Financial Managers 2 ESS 874 $895
Wed, Dec 06 - Dec 13
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Fostering Workplace Innovation 1 ESS 820 $445
Tues, Mar 13 - Mar 13
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Intrapreneurship: The Innovator Within 1 ESS 819 $445
Thur, Sep 14 - Sep 14
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Negotiation Skills 1 ESS 877 $445
Tues, Apr 24 - Apr 24
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Project Management 2 ESS 836 $895
Tues, Mar 20 - Mar 27
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Strategic Planning Fundamentals 1 ESS 804 $445
Tues, Feb 27 - Feb 27
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Supervision Essentials* 1 ESS 796 $495
Thur, Oct 12 - Oct 12
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Tues, Jun 05 - Jun 05
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
communication essentials
Course Units Course # Tuition
Date /Time /Format Sec
Date /Time /Format Sec
Date /Time /Format Sec
Art of Active Listening 0.5 ESS 797 $295
Thur, May 03 - May 03
8:30 AM - 12:00 PM (H)		 C01
Business Storytelling 1 ESS 817 $445
Fri, Feb 09 - Feb 09
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Coaching & Mentoring 2 ESS 902 $895
Wed/Tues, Jan 31 - Feb 06
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Conflict Resolution in the Workplace 1 ESS 899 $445
Fri, Dec 01 - Dec 01
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Customer Service Excellence 0.5 ESS 801 $295
Thur, Mar 01 - Mar 01
9:00 AM - 12:30 PM (H)		 C01
Dealing with Difficult People 0.5 ESS 800 $295
Thur, May 10 - May 10
9:00 AM - 12:30 PM (H)		 C01
Delivering Powerful Presentations 1 ESS 838 $445
Tues, May 15 - May 15
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Effective Business Writing 1 ESS 895 $445
Thur, Feb 22 - Feb 22
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Emotional Intelligence at Work* 1 ESS 835 $495
Wed, Sep 27 - Sep 27
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Wed, May 23 - May 23
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Giving & Receiving Constructive Feedback 1 ESS 834 $445
Tues, Oct 03 - Oct 03
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Meetings that Make a Difference 0.5 ESS 798 $295
Tues, Apr 03 - Apr 03
9:00 AM - 12:30 PM (H)		 C01
Negotiation Skills 1 ESS 877 $445
Tues, Apr 24 - Apr 24
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Strengthening Communications with True Colors* 1 ESS 807 $495
Tues, Mar 06 - Mar 06
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
innovation essentials
Course Units Course # Tuition
Date /Time /Format Sec
Date /Time /Format Sec
Date /Time /Format Sec
Art of Active Listening 0.5 ESS 797 $295
Thur, May 03 - May 03
8:30 AM - 12:00 PM (H)		 C01
Conflict Resolution in the Workplace 1 ESS 899 $445
Fri, Dec 01 - Dec 01
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Creative & Critical Thinking 2 ESS 862 $895
Tues/Wed, Nov 14 - Nov 15
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Fostering Workplace Innovation 1 ESS 820 $445
Tues, Mar 13 - Mar 13
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Innovation Foundations 0.5 ESS 818 $295
Thurs, May 17 - May 17
9:00 AM - 12:30 PM (H)		 C01
Intrapreneurship: The Innovator Within 1 ESS 819 $445
Thur, Sep 14 - Sep 14
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
leadership essentials
Course Units Course # Tuition
Date /Time /Format Sec
Date /Time /Format Sec
Date /Time /Format Sec
Business Storytelling 1 ESS 817 $445
Fri, Feb 09 - Feb 09
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Coaching & Mentoring 2 ESS 902 $895
Wed/Tues, Jan 31 - Feb 06
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Creative & Critical Thinking 2 ESS 862 $895
Tues/Wed, Nov 14 - Nov 15
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Delegating that Works 1 ESS 806 $445
Tues, Oct 24 - Oct 24
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Emotional Intelligence at Work* 1 ESS 835 $495
Wed, Sep 27 - Sep 27
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Wed, May 23 - May 23
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Fostering Workplace Innovation 1 ESS 820 $445
Tues, Mar 13 - Mar 13
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Giving & Receiving Constructive Feedback 1 ESS 834 $445
Tues, Oct 03 - Oct 03
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Leadership Foundations 1 ESS 811 $495
Wed, Nov 22 - Nov 22
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Negotiation Skills 1 ESS 877 $445
Tues, Apr 24 - Apr 24
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Strategic Planning Fundamentals 1 ESS 804 $445
Tues, Feb 27 - Feb 27
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Supervision Essentials* 1 ESS 796 $495
Thur, Oct 12 - Oct 12
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Tues, Jun 05 - Jun 05
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
productivity essentials
Course Units Course # Tuition
Date /Time /Format Sec
Date /Time /Format Sec
Date /Time /Format Sec
Achieving SMART Goals 1 ESS 837 $445
Thur, Apr 19 - Apr 19
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Art of Active Listening 0.5 ESS 797 $295
Thur, May 03 - May 03
8:30 AM - 12:00 PM (H)		 C01
Conflict Resolution in the Workplace 1 ESS 899 $445
Fri, Dec 01 - Dec 01
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Creating Your Work-Life Balance 0.5 ESS 816 $295
Thur, May 03 - May 03
1:00 PM - 4:30 PM (H)		 C01
Delegating that Works 1 ESS 806 $445
Tues, Oct 24 - Oct 24
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Delivering Powerful Presentations 1 ESS 838 $445
Tues, May 15 - May 15
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Effective Business Writing 1 ESS 895 $445
Thur, Feb 22 - Feb 22
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Emotional Intelligence at Work* 1 ESS 835 $495
Wed, Sep 27 - Sep 27
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Wed, May 23 - May 23
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Maximizing Personal Productivity 1 ESS 802 $495
Tues, Nov 28 - Nov 28
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Negotiation Skills 1 ESS 877 $445
Tues, Apr 24 - Apr 24
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Project Management 2 ESS 836 $895
Tues, Mar 20 - Mar 27
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
team essentials
Course Units Course # Tuition
Date /Time /Format Sec
Date /Time /Format Sec
Date /Time /Format Sec
Building High-Performance Teams 2 ESS 871 $895
Tues/Wed, Jun 12 - Jun 13
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Conflict Resolution in the Workplace 1 ESS 899 $445
Fri, Dec 01 - Dec 01
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Dealing with Difficult People 0.5 ESS 800 $295
Thur, May 10 - May 10
9:00 AM - 12:30 PM (H)		 C01
Fostering Workplace Innovation 1 ESS 820 $445
Tues, Mar 13 - Mar 13
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Giving & Receiving Constructive Feedback 1 ESS 834 $445
Tues, Oct 03 - Oct 03
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Intrapreneurship: The Innovator Within 1 ESS 819 $445
Thur, Sep 14 - Sep 14
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Meetings that Make a Difference 0.5 ESS 798 $295
Tues, Apr 03 - Apr 03
9:00 AM - 12:30 PM (H)		 C01
Negotiation Skills 1 ESS 877 $445
Tues, Apr 24 - Apr 24
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01
Strengthening Communications with True Colors* 1 ESS 807 $495
Tues, Mar 06 - Mar 06
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (H)		 C01

Course fees include refreshments, lunch and materials (lunch is not included for half-day courses). 
Upon successful completion, 1-day and 2-day courses may be applied towards elective requirements in the Business Administration Diploma. 

* Students must enrol at least two weeks before the start date to allow time for an online assessment to be completed prior to the course. 

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