Frequently Asked Questions
General Information
What payment methods are available?
What is the cancellation and transfer policy?
What are the answers to frequently asked questions about exams?
Is tuition for The Directors College tax deductible?
The Chartered Director Program
Who should register for the Chartered Director (C.Dir.) program?
Are there any prerequisites for registration in the program?
What is the cost of registration and what is included in the fee?
Where are the Chartered Director Program sessions held?
How do I get from the airport to the session?
When do the modules begin and end?
Is attendance mandatory at all sessions?
How long does it take to complete the Chartered Director program?
When do delegates complete their C.Dir. examination?
How is the exam structured? Upcoming dates.
Specialized Programs
Human Resources and Compensation Committee (HRCC) Program
Who should register for the Human Resources and Compensation Committee (HRCC) Program?
What is the cost of registration and what is included in the fee?
Where are the HRCC Program sessions held?
When do the modules begin and end?
Is attendance mandatory at all sessions?
Is there an exam? Upcoming dates.
The Chairs Forum
Who should register for The Chairs Forum?
What is the cost of registration and what is included in the fee?
Where is The Chairs Forum held?
Audit Committee Program
Who should register for the Audit Committee Program?
What is the cost of registration and what is included in the fee?
Where are the Audit Committee Program sessions held?
How do I get from the airport to the session?
When do the modules begin and end?
General Information
What payment methods are available?
All fees must be paid in advance of the module date. Registration fees can be paid by credit card (Visa, MasterCard or American Express) via our online registration system. Please note that if you register for all five modules at once, your credit card will not be charged for all sessions simultaneously. Unless otherwise requested, the credit card provided will be charged approximately 6-8 weeks prior to the start date of each module. Participants may also pay by cheque; cheques should be made payable to “The Directors College” and mailed to The Directors College c/o The Conference Board of Canada, 255 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M7. If you are paying by cheques, please ensure your cheque is mailed two weeks in advance of the session date to ensure the payment is processed before the start of your session.
What is the cancellation and transfer policy?
The Directors College (DC) is committed to fully meeting the needs of all participants and the delivery of the highest quality programs. To maximize participant learning, DC strictly controls class size and invests significant resources in pre-program preparation. For these reasons, the college has implemented a cancellation and transfer policy of its programs.
Cancellation of registration
Participant cancellations must be received in writing. Participant cancellations received more than 31 days prior to a program’s start date will incur an administration charge of $300. For cancellations received between 30 and 14 days prior to a program’s start date, 50% of the program fee will apply. Requests received less than 14 days prior to start date or failure to attend without notice will result in a charge of 100% of the program fee.
Transfer of registration
Participant transfers must be received in writing. Participant transfers can be completed without penalty more than 31 days prior to a program’s start date. Transfer requests received 30 to 14 days prior to the start date will incur an administration charge of $300. Requests received less than14 days prior to start date or failure to attend without notice will result in a charge of 100% of the program fee.
| Time | Cancellation penalty | Transfer penalty |
| More than 31 days notice | $300 | N/A |
| 30 to 14 days notice | 50% | $300 |
| Less than 14 days notice | 100% | 100% |
| No notice | 100% | 100% |
DC reserves the right to cancel or reschedule programs at any time. If DC cancels or reschedules a program due to weather or unforeseen circumstances beyond the control of DC, you are entitled to a full refund. DC is not responsible for travel arrangements, travel fees, or any expenses incurred by you as a result of such cancellation. If a program in which you are enrolled is cancelled, you will be contacted at the email address you provided when registering. Please ensure a valid and up-to-date email address is available in your DC profile at all times.
Is tuition for The Directors College tax deductible?
Registration fees paid by individual tax filers for The Directors College programs are eligible for tuition tax credit. Receipts are available upon request.
The Chartered Director Program
Who should register for the Chartered Director (C.Dir.) program?
Applications are welcome from directors serving on a corporate board – and candidates who intend to serve on corporate boards – who are interested in, and committed to, mastering the structure and dynamics of corporate governance.
Are there any prerequisites for registration in the program?
It is strongly recommended that participants have board experience. For participants who do not have board experience, business experience at a senior level is essential. Participants who do not have board experience or experiences at senior levels of business are examined on a case-by-case basis to ensure they are suitable candidates for the C.Dir. designation or participation in the second track option.
What is the cost of registration and what is included in the fee?
The registration fee of $4,120 per module includes all sessions over the 2 1/4 day period (a total of 125 hours for all five modules); copies of prepared handouts and available texts; all meals and accommodation during the session; the proctured exam writing; and the graduation event. It does not include travel to and from the module location.
There are five modules required to complete the Chartered Director program. Therefore, participants who are pursuing the C.Dir. designation will pay a total of $20,600 (HST exempt) in registration fees. (The fees are eligible for Revenue Canada tax tuition credit.)
Please note that you can register for all five modules at once, but billing to your credit card will occur six to eight weeks in advance of each module so that your payment can be dispersed.
Where are the Chartered Director Program sessions held?
The Directors College sessions are held at White Oaks Conference Resort and Spa in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON.
How do I get from the airport to the session?
Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel to and from the session. The Directors College does not endorse or recommend any particular travel company or means of transportation. However, we get a number of requests from participants looking to book taxis or sedans, so some options are listed below.
Directions to White Oaks Conference Resort and Spa
For travel to Niagara-on-the-Lake:
* Falls Livery & Taxi : 905-321-9515
* Niagara Airbus: 1-800-268-8111
* 5-0 Taxi : 905-685-5464
The Directors College can not guarantee the quality of any of the services listed as we are not affiliated with any of these companies.
When do the modules begin and end?
All sessions run from Thursday at 4:30pm and officially end at 5:00pm on Saturday. Accommodations are provided on Thursday and Friday evenings. Meals include Thursday dinner, all day Friday (breakfast, lunch, dinner and all day snacks) and all day Saturday (except dinner). Saturday night accommodation can be arranged for those individuals traveling from outside the province and who request it in advance of the session. Participants wishing to arrive in advance of Thursday and beyond Saturday will have to make their own arrangements for accommodation.
Please note at the completion of Module 5 we offer a Saturday night dinner to all participants and invite them to bring a guest along.
Is attendance mandatory at all sessions?
For those participants who intend to pursue the C.Dir. designation, attendance at all sessions of all modules is mandatory. Participants who will not be in attendance for portions of the module, will be required to redo in person the missed sessions at the next available module. If you have a special situation that you feel may warrant an exception to this policy, please advise The Directors College management team that you would like to make an official request for an exemption to this policy. All such requests will be examined on a case-by-case basis and you will receive notification of the outcome of your request. In most cases, exemptions to this policy will not be granted, as attendance at all portions of the program is essential.
How long does it take to complete the Chartered Director program?
Chartered Director delegates can complete the program as quickly as our program calendar permits (normally 3 to 8 months, depending on the selected start date). Module 1 is strongly recommended as the first course of the program and Module 5 must be taken as the fifth and final course of the program; Modules 2, 3, and 4 may be taken in any order. Candidates must complete all five modules within an 18 month period to be eligible for the C.Dir. designation.
If you have a special situation that you feel may warrant an exception to this policy, please email The Directors College management team to make an official request for an exemption to this policy. All such requests will be examined on a case-by-case basis and you will receive notification of the outcome of your request. In most cases, exemptions to this policy will not be granted, as timely completion of the program is essential to the learning process.
When do delegates complete their C.Dir. examination?
After Module 5, delegates are provided with a list of ten consecutive business days available for the exam and they must provide three date selections within the pre-selected two-week window. Although every effort is made to accommodate the first choice of each delegate, room and proctor availability may require scheduling the exam on their second or third choice of dates. Exams can be scheduled in major cities across Canada including Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, St. John’s or Halifax.
How is the exam structured? Upcoming dates.
The exam for the Chartered Director program currently consists of 200 multiple choice questions and is based on the material covered in all 5 Modules of the program. The exam is 4 hours in length and is scheduled after the completion of Module 5 – The Board Simulation. Access to on-line practice exams is provided in the waiting period between Module 5 and the exam date.
C.Dir. Exam Period for 2011/2012
October 17 – 28, 2011
January 9 – 20, 2012
June 11 – 22, 2012
September 24 – October 5, 2012
Specialized Programs
Human Resources and Compensation Committee (HRCC) Program
Who should register for the Human Resources and Compensation Committee (HRCC) Program?
This program is designed for new or more experienced members of the Human Resource and Compensation Committee who wish to enhance their skills and knowledge, as well as behaviour and group dynamics, specific to the challenging responsibilities of this committee. The HRCC program goes beyond fundamental skills to equip you with best practice and leading edge tools.
What is the cost of registration and what is included in the fee?
The cost for each HRCC Module is $2,350, which includes all program delivery over the two days period, all course materials and on-site meals. Also included in the fee is the exam administration and registration to the graduation. It does not include travel to and from the module location.
Where are the HRCC Program sessions held?
The HRCC Modules are being held in Toronto, ON (unless otherwise stated).
When do the modules begin and end?
The program consists of two two-day modules (Monday and Tuesday). Both days sessions begin at 8:00am and end at 4:30pm.
Is attendance mandatory at all sessions?
For those participants who intend to pursue the Committee Certification, attendance at all sessions of both modules is mandatory. Participants who will not be in attendance for portions of the module will be required to redo in person the missed sessions at the next available module. If you have a special situation that you feel may warrant an exception to this policy, please advise The Directors College management team that you would like to make an official request for an exemption to this policy. All such requests will be examined on a case-by-case basis and you will receive notification of the outcome of your request. In most cases, exemptions to this policy will not be granted, as attendance at all portions of the program is essential.
Is there an exam? Upcoming dates.
Successful completion of a comprehensive national exam is required for all Committee Certifications.
HRCC Exam Period for 2011/2012
October 17 – 28, 2011
January 9 – 20, 2012
June 11 – 22, 2012
September 24 – October 5, 2012
The Chairs Forum
Who should register for The Chairs Forum?
Board and committee chairs interested in enhancing their leadership skills through an interactive simulation and sharing experiences with other Chairs from various sectors.
What is the cost of registration and what is included in the fee?
The cost for The Chairs Forum is $1,650 which includes all learning materials, reception and dinner. It does not include hotel accommodation or travel to and from the forum location.
Where is The Chairs Forum held?
The Chairs Forum will be held in Toronto, ON (unless otherwise stated).
Audit Committee Program
Who should register for the Audit Committee Program?
Audit Committee members from publicly listed companies, private corporations, government and not-for-profit organizations interested in an interactive learning opportunity and tools to assess their practices and fine-tune to their own particular circumstances.
What is the cost of registration and what is included in the fee?
The cost for each Audit Committee module is $3,175 which includes all program delivery over the two days period, all course and exam materials plus two nights’ accommodation. It does not include travel to and from the module location.
Please note that participants need to take the two modules in order as Module 1 is most of the theory and Module 2 is mostly the simulation.
Where is the Audit Committee Program sessions held?
The program is residential and is held at White Oaks Conference Resort and Spa in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (unless otherwise stated).
How do I get from the airport to the session?
Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel to and from the session. The Directors College does not endorse or recommend any particular travel company or means of transportation. However, we get a number of requests from participants looking to book taxis, so some options are listed below.
Directions to White Oaks Conference Resort and Spa
For travel to Niagara-on-the-Lake:
* Falls Livery & Taxi : 905-321-9515
* Niagara Airbus: 1-800-268-8111
* 5-0 Taxi : 905-685-5464
The Directors College cannot guarantee the quality of any of the services listed as we are not affiliated with any of these companies.
When do the modules begin and end?
All sessions run from Monday at 8:00am and officially end at 4:00pm on Tuesday. Accommodations are provided on Sunday and Monday evenings. All meals are included all day Monday (breakfast, lunch, dinner and all day snacks) and all day Tuesday (except dinner). Tuesday night accommodation can be arranged for those individuals traveling from outside the province and who request it in advance of the session. Participants wishing to arrive in advance of Sunday and beyond Tuesday will have to make their own arrangements for accommodation.
Upcoming Events
- Module 3: Oversight and Finance in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (February 9-11, 2012)
- Module 4: Communication and Social Responsibility in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (March 1-3, 2012)
- Module 2: Leadership and Strategy in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (March 22-24, 2012)
- HRCC Module 1 in Toronto, ON (March 26-27, 2012)
- Module 1: Accountability and Change in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (April 19-21, 2012)




