Overview
Boost your problem-solving skills with thoughtful and innovative approaches
Building your creative, critical and design thinking skills will enhance your ability to solve intricate problems. Equip yourself to succeed with our online Creative, Critical & Design Thinking program.
- Employs the same tools used by leaders in government, healthcare, the arts, technology and more
- Teaches you the systematic and human-centred processes that allow you to:
- Empathize with people
- Identify and frame problems
- Seek different viewpoints
- Identify alternative explanations
- Generate test ideas
- Take actions that add value to others and promote positive outcomes and opportunities
- Earn a Certificate of Professional Learning or a Diploma in Business Administration with a concentration in Creative, Critical & Design Thinking
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Program highlights Learn More
- Innovative, solutions-focused problem solving
- Online courses taught by industry experts
- Earn a certificate of professional learning
- Open enrolment program
Creative, Critical & Design Thinking program features:
- Learn the same reasoning tools and techniques used by leaders in business, government, healthcare, the arts, technology and more
- Opportunities to compile a toolkit of creative thinking techniques to generate, evaluate and develop new ideas and solutions
- Practical activities that include case studies, group discussion and projects to enhance critical thinking skills for working and living in today’s complex world
- Flexible options to complete as a certificate of professional learning or apply courses toward electives or concentration of the Business Administration Diploma

What you'll learn Learn More
- How to leverage a design thinking mindset for problem-solving
- How to acquire a creative thinking, problem-solving toolkit
- Best practices to develop design solutions and construct prototypes
Through our Creative, Critical & Design Thinking program, you’ll learn to:
- Develop competencies in critical, creative and design thinking to investigate an idea and transform it into meaningful action
- Apply divergent and convergent thinking tools to situations within a variety of fields and settings
- Examine principles and models of creative, critical and design thinking to effectively solve problems for users and stakeholders
- Practice using the tools, frameworks and processes needed to develop solutions to industry problems and complex situations
- Construct and execute innovative strategies in relation to problems and situations
- Become aware of, and leverage, the role(s) played in creative processes and teams
- Reflect on and meaningfully communicate your experiences of creating, problem solving and designing
- Recognize how to identify, participate in, and support communities committed to sustainable change
Learn more about the Creative, Critical & Design Thinking program
- Anyone working in business, marketing, government, health care, the arts, technology and more
- New and current managers
- Recent college/university graduates
Earning a Certificate of Professional Learning in Creative, Critical & Design Thinking demonstrates to employers that you have the skills they are looking for in a wide variety of industries and especially in-demand for the following roles:
- Marketer
- Sales professional
- Customer Service Representative
- Information Technology Professional
- Portfolio Accountant
- Controller
- Financial Analyst
- Team Leader
- Manager
Are you a current McMaster University undergraduate student?
Explore the ElevateYourSkills option to learn how you can earn a Creative, Critical & Design Thinking certificate as part of your degree.
- Use your electives to earn a professional certificate or diploma
- Fully online courses that you can fit into your schedule
- Providing you with real-life career skills and experience before you graduate
Check out our latest Program Preview webinar recording to learn more about the Creative, Critical & Design Thinking program
What Our Recent Graduates Say

Tracy
Project Management graduate
“I am constantly reinventing myself. McMaster Continuing Education has been transformative.”
I am constantly reinventing myself. McMaster Continuing Education has been transformative. I was introduced to new ideas and new skills. Because of that, I’ve had new opportunities in my career. McMaster Continuing Education is the best place to take professional development courses. The programs fit into your life.
Tracy
Project Management graduate

Adam
Business Administration graduate
“I feel very strongly that McMaster Continuing Education can really help you reinvent your career.”
I feel very strongly that McMaster Continuing Education can really help you reinvent your career. I found that the Business Administration program was really the best fit for me, because the learning that I was able to take in through this program was really cutting edge and current to the labour market. The learning that I took on is something I use every day.
Adam
Business Administration graduate

Tyson
Business Administration - Marketing graduate
“The instructors worked in the marketing field and taught us real-life experiences.”
Obtaining an education with McMaster Continuing Education helped me reinvent my career. I was a former banker and I wanted a career in marketing. Through this program, I was able to bridge that gap and get into the career that I wanted. The instructors were working in the marketing field, teaching us real-life experiences and that was very valuable to me.
Tyson
Business Administration - Marketing graduate
“I am constantly reinventing myself. McMaster Continuing Education has been transformative.”
I am constantly reinventing myself. McMaster Continuing Education has been transformative. I was introduced to new ideas and new skills. Because of that, I’ve had new opportunities in my career. McMaster Continuing Education is the best place to take professional development courses. The programs fit into your life.
Tracy
Project Management graduate
“I feel very strongly that McMaster Continuing Education can really help you reinvent your career.”
I feel very strongly that McMaster Continuing Education can really help you reinvent your career. I found that the Business Administration program was really the best fit for me, because the learning that I was able to take in through this program was really cutting edge and current to the labour market. The learning that I took on is something I use every day.
Adam
Business Administration graduate
“The instructors worked in the marketing field and taught us real-life experiences.”
Obtaining an education with McMaster Continuing Education helped me reinvent my career. I was a former banker and I wanted a career in marketing. Through this program, I was able to bridge that gap and get into the career that I wanted. The instructors were working in the marketing field, teaching us real-life experiences and that was very valuable to me.
Tyson
Business Administration - Marketing graduate
Other programs you may be interested in
Certificate in Creative, Critical & Design Thinking
CERTIFICATE OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING IN CREATIVE, CRITICAL & DESIGN THINKING
Pursue your Certificate of Professional Learning in Creative, Critical & Design Thinking with McMaster Continuing Education
Explore the requirements below and register today!
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Certificate of Professional Learning in Creative, Critical & Design Thinking
Earn your Certificate of Professional Learning in Creative, Critical & Design Thinking by completing all 3 courses listed below. Courses can be taken in any order.
Certificate of Professional Learning in Creative, Critical & Design Thinking Requirements
Academic Credit – 9 units
The Creative, Critical & Design Thinking courses can also be completed as part of the Business Administration Diploma with a concentration in Creative, Critical & Design Thinking
Courses can also be taken as general electives in the Business Administration Diploma
Courses (Complete all 3)
3.0 UNITS
CCD 101
Cultivating Creative Thinking
3.0 UNITS
CCD 103
Design Thinking
Creative, Critical & Design Thinking Courses
Creative, critical & design thinking Courses
Advance your career with online Creative, Critical & Design Thinking courses
Explore course options below and register today!
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3.0 UNITS
CCD 101
Cultivating Creative Thinking
3.0 UNITS
CCD 103
Design Thinking
Creative, Critical & Design Thinking Schedule
Creative, Critical & Design Thinking Schedule
This schedule table displays courses planned to be offered this year and is a guide to planning your courses for the academic year. Please note: Spring term registration opens mid-March and Fall/Winter term registration opens mid-July. The schedule table is subject to change. Please visit the course pages to browse classes currently available for registration and the latest cost information. The cost for Creative, Critical & Design Thinking courses is $710.08 per course.
Learning format definitions:
- VC = Virtual Classroom learning format
- O = Online learning format
- OSS = Online Self-Study learning format
For more information about our learning formats and to choose a format that works best for you, please visit our Learning Formats page.
Course Name (Course Code) | Winter 2023 | Spring 2023 |
---|---|---|
Cultivating Creative Thinking (CCD 101) | Date: Jan 16 – Apr 16
Format: O |
|
Critical Thinking for Problem Solving (CCD 102) | Date: Jan 16 – Apr 16
Format: O |
Date: May 8 – Aug 6
Format: O |
Design Thinking (CCD 103) | Date: May 8 – Aug 6
Format: O |