ZON 100: Passion. Purpose. Project.
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Got a passion project that you’ve been wanting to pursue? ZON 100 is your chance to discover and define your purpose, turning it into reality while earning course credit and developing your idea with the support of a diverse, encouraging community. This unique experiential elective helps all undergraduate students integrate their passion projects seamlessly into their academic schedule. You'll gain real-world skills and accountability through a process-based journey, guided by an instructor and peers, with courses offered every Fall and Winter semester. It's about empowering you to take an existing project to the next level, or guide a new idea from conception to execution, and make a tangible impact.
What is ZON 100?
ZON 100 is an experiential elective where ideation meets action. It empowers you to take an existing project to the next level, or guide a new idea from conception to execution. Whether your focus is social, cultural, technical, environmental, or deeply tied to your academic background, you will pursue a project that matters to you.
Drive Your Own Project: Define Your Project, Stay Accountable, and Realize Your Vision.
Join a Dynamic Community: Connect, Share, Support, and Grow.
Earn Credit for Real-World Impact: Transform Your Ideas into Action.
Who joins ZON 100?
Students from almost every major across have experienced the unique value of ZON 100. From diverse academic backgrounds, they’ve each gained distinct benefits, leveraging the course to advance their unique projects as well as their academic, professional, and personal goals. Many call it one of the most practical and meaningful experiences of their time at TMU, and you can hear from them directly in the video testimonials by clicking on the blue button below.
"This course helped tremendously in launching my debut short film to festivals and audiences. I had no intention of making a film, I only had the concept. With this course, it gave me the push I needed to make this idea come to life. It helped me in my professional confidence."
Sara, Creative Industries
Why take ZON 100?
We know your time is stretched between coursework, part-time work, social commitments, and planning for the future. That’s why ZON 100 is designed to integrate seamlessly into your academic schedule, offering a rare opportunity to build something meaningful and impactful while earning credit toward your degree. This unique experience cultivates a highly sought-after skillset that will significantly differentiate you on your resume, in interviews, in networking opportunities, and in any professional environment. Many students call ZON 100 one of the most practical and meaningful experiences of their time at TMU, and you can hear from them directly in the video testimonials below.
When is ZON 100 offered?
ZON 100 is offered in-person every Fall and Winter semester. In the Spring-Summer semester, it's offered virtually as CZON100 through the The Chang School of Continuing Education.
How does ZON 100 work?
ZON 100 helps you take an existing project to the next level, or guide a new idea from conception to execution, by providing a structured, supportive environment. You'll engage in alternating class sessions and dedicated squad sessions (breakout groups with peers working on similar projects). Transferable skills that support success in academic, professional, and real-world settings are also at the core of ZON 100. Throughout the course, you’ll develop and reinforce a practical toolkit of essential skills. These aren’t abstract concepts, but real-world tools that will help you make meaningful progress on your project and beyond. Over 10 weeks, you’ll actively strengthen these skills through hands-on work, squad sessions, and reflective class discussions, ensuring you can carry them forward long after the course ends. Explore the skills toolkit below.
Organization & Leadership
Structure your project from start to finish. You'll learn to manage tasks, set priorities, and lead yourself and your initiative effectively to achieve tangible progress.
Critical Thinking & Inquiry
Tackle the messy realities of your project. You'll learn to question assumptions, analyze challenges from all angles, and find practical solutions to move your ideas forward.
Curiosity & Creative Thinking
Fuel your passion by exploring fresh possibilities. Cultivate original approaches, brainstorm innovative solutions, and embrace new perspectives to bring your unique vision to life.
Communication & Networking
Clearly articulate your purpose and connect with others. You'll learn to express your ideas compellingly, listen actively, and build valuable relationships that truly support your project's journey.
Initiative & Resourcefulness
Take charge of your project's direction. You'll learn to overcome obstacles creatively, find innovative solutions with available resources, and confidently push your ideas forward independently.
Uncertainty Narrowing & Decision Making
Thrive amidst complexity. You'll learn to seek out necessary information, make informed decisions, and iterate on your approach as new insights emerge, keeping your project moving forward effectively.
Empathy & Problem Solving
Understand real needs deeply. Develop a project that truly resonates with people, addressing needs with compassion and creating positive, lasting impact for your intended beneficiaries.
Responsibility & Accountability
Own your project's journey from idea to completion. You'll gain the commitment to meet goals, learn from every step, and take full ownership of your progress and outcomes.
Adaptability & Flexibility
Respond effectively to change. You'll learn to adjust your approach, embrace new insights, and pivot seamlessly when facing unexpected challenges, keeping your project vibrant and relevant.
Metacognition & Mindfulness
Understand how you operate at your peak. Develop the self-awareness to recognize your strengths, manage challenges effectively, and continuously refine your approach to thinking and working.
The course focuses on a process- and journey-based approach, where your learning is assessed by how you navigate challenges, integrate feedback, and adapt your project over time. Regular notes and progress reports are used to capture your efforts and progress. If one semester is not enough, you can continue in ZON 200, where you will build on your project or start something new. The two are required courses in the Minor in Innovation and Zone Learning.
Book a Meeting to Discuss ZON 100
Curious about ZON 100 and ready to turn your passion project into reality? Connecting with one of our course instructors is the best way to discuss your project idea and better understand the course. Please book a meeting with JP Silva (opens in new window) to find out more.
FAQ
The course is open to students from every major at TMU. Although it's typically taken by third, fourth, and fifth-year students, it has also had first and second-year students. If you're a first-year student, we recommend waiting until your second semester, after you've experienced a full course load.
The course is about combining the pursuit of your own passion project, autonomously, with real-world engagement of end-users, audiences, or beneficiaries.
You'll learn to turn your passion project into reality by researching your space, setting realistic goals, experimenting with new approaches, and learning from both successes and setbacks. Along the way, you'll strengthen transferable skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication that will benefit you in any academic program or career path you choose.
Beyond having a project in mind, there are no academic or skill-based prerequisites to take the course.
The course is designed so any student can participate, regardless of major or technical ability. Whether you have a lot or little knowledge and skill to support your project, you will always be encouraged to develop them further.
You should have a passion project in mind before enrolling. The semester is too short to both conceive and meaningfully pursue a new project. If you're unsure about your idea, please book a meeting with the instructor well before the semester begins.
The course does not pair students with existing projects. Most participants pursue solo projects or already have established teams. Having your own project idea is strongly recommended.
You can change your idea as many times as you need before the start of the semester. What's most important is that you're ready to begin actively working on a project once the course begins.
As you can witness from the video testimonials above, participants in the course have worked on a very broad range of real-world projects. We encourage you to pursue a real-world project because you want to, not just because you can. The only limit is your imagination and drive. Possible projects could include: launching a mobile coffee cart serving ethical, locally-sourced coffee, creating a peer support network for first-generation college students, producing a documentary film about women in STEM fields, expanding a creative writing workshop program for underserved youth, self-publishing a graphic novel about immigrant experiences, building a free health literacy program for newcomer communities, recording a hip-hop music EP about financial anxiety; starting a freelance brand identity design agency, organizing a community garden network in your neighborhood; and so much more.
The course provides full support and encouragement for both group and individual projects.
The course provides full support and encouragement for new and ongoing projects.
The course supports both commercial and volunteer/non-profit passion projects. Whether your project involves selling creative work or benefiting a community, you will receive comprehensive support and encouragement.
The course operates on two-week cycles. One week features a three-hour class with all peers for presentations, discussions, demos, and guest speaker conversations. The alternate week involves a one-hour small group session (4-5 peers with the instructor or an academic assistant) for debriefing on progress, challenges, and planning. These small group sessions foster peer learning and support.
You are expected to spend at least three hours a week outside class working on your project. Class time is reserved for presentations, discussions, demos, and debriefs, not project work. On weeks with only a one-hour session, you'll gain two extra hours to work independently.
Most projects evolve throughout the semester. You only need to know where you want to start. Iteration is expected and encouraged.
The course is about making iteration and pivoting part of the learning process, so whether your projects succeeds, fails, or doesn't work it won't have on your grade.
The course is designed to be a supportive environment. You'll build confidence gradually through structured opportunities to share progress, receive feedback, and learn from peers and potential end-users or beneficiaries.
The assessment includes three individual monthly reports and one group presentation. These evaluate how you apply and reinforce transferable skills (e.g., critical thinking, problem-solving, leadership, organization) in your project. You're not assessed on technical knowledge and skills or the success or failure of your project.
The instructor will facilitate connections to TMU's material and financial resources for passion projects. You will also be connected with past and current participants for networking, insights, and support. The instructor will also be available for direct guidance in case you need to bounce off ideas or are struggling to overcome a particular challenge.
Most projects in the course require little or no funding. Where costs are involved, we can help you explore TMU's material and financial resources.
Most participants take the course to explore academic or career-related goals, whether it's standing out in a capstone, building a standout portfolio, preparing for grad school, starting an independent practice, or launching a potential venture.
In the last session of the semester, you will be invited to participate in the Zone Learning Showcase and Market at the SLC, which will give you an opportunity to engage with many other students at TMU as well as the broader community. There will be also other ad hoc opportunities to showcase and present your project whether it's at the Assembly Gallery, the Zone Learning Fair, or in events organized by the SLC, by the facultes, or by the student societies.
The calendar description currently states that "students must apply for and be accepted as members of one of the Zones," but this is no longer the case. We're working to remove that sentence from the calendar for next academic year.
The course is department consent at the moment, which means that you cannot self-enrol or add it to your course intentions. To enroll or to add the course to your intentions, you must book a meeting (external link) with the instructor to discuss your project and course plans. We are working to remove this consent requirement for the next academic year.