BUSINESS AND OFFICE ADMINISTRATION
Northern College's School of Business and Office Administration offers a range programs designed to provide you with real world skills and a rounded business education. You have the opportunity to get a solid general foundation, and pursue a career in specialized fields such as accounting, office administration, law clerk, marketing, human resource management, and financial services practice.
You can attend the majority of our programs at any of our 4 campuses (some campuses rely more on distance delivery than others; see individual program pages for details), as well as from your home community via distance education. Certain programs also offer the opportunity for hands-on experience in job placements.
Features and Highlights
• You can start most of programs in September or January.
• A common first year for six business program options means that students can finish with a certificate after one year, or choose to continue and specialize in any one of six two-year diploma or three-year advanced diploma programs.
• Common courses allows students greater flexibility to transfer between certain programs.
• Double diploma options are available.
• Getting advanced standing in degree programs is easy with the many partnerships Northern College has with a number of universities.
• Study full-time, part-time, in class or through distance education, or choose a combination of methods to suit your needs.
One Year Certificate Programs
• Management Certificate: This is the common first year* business program leading into six of Northern College’s two and three year business programs in accounting, human resources management, marketing, and business general studies. On completion of this first year (which is a rounded introduction to the field of business) students earn a Management Certificate and can proceed with specialized business studies or explore employment options. You can enroll via September and January intakes at any of our campuses or via distance education, so that results in you being able to get started on the path to any of six* subsequent two- and three-year business programs in January as well. (*Law Clerk, Office Administration/Executive, and Business Administration – Information Systems programs have unique first years.)
• Office Administration - General: this program draws on some courses from the Management Certificate program along with additional specialty courses and a 2 week placement to prepare you to become a confident, capable and efficient administrative assistant. Students proceed from here to employment, or to a second year to develop more in-depth skills and knowledge in the Office Administration – Executive program.
Two Year Diploma Programs
• Business - Accounting: after completing the Management Certificate students deepen and broaden their knowledge of accounting, practicing accounting procedures using both manual and computerized accounting software programs. Proceed from here to employment or to the third year accounting program.
• Business - General: after completing the Management Certificate, students expand their general business knowledge taking elective courses from a mixture of accounting, marketing, business and human resource management courses. Proceed from here to employment or to the third year Business Administration-General program.
• Business - Marketing: after completing the Management Certificate, learn the processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.
• Law Clerk: This specialized two-year program (with unique first year) prepares you for a stimulating career in a law office or related environments, such as legal departments of government and industry. The comprehensive law clerk education now includes a 120 hour placement.
• Office Administration - Executive: students extend their professional skills in office administration after completing Office Administration – General certificate, deepening their competency with 1 day/week placement in the second semester, and additional courses such as Medical and Legal Terminology, Desktop Publishing, Transcription, Databases, advanced document processing and more.
Three Year Advanced Diploma Programs
• Business Administration - Accounting: a popular program for students aiming for their Certified General Accountant (C.G.A.) designation and that builds on the knowledge of the two-year accounting program. Regional employers recognize the solid accounting foundation graduates of this program have achieved, with the learning being reinforced via a 5 week placement in the final semester of third year.
• Business Administration - General: students expand and deepen their general business two year program knowledge through a third year of study, taking elective courses from a mixture of accounting, marketing, business and human resource management courses. The program ends with a 5 week placement.
• Business Administration - Human Resource Management: aim towards a career in the dynamic field of human resource management, taking courses that earn credits recognized by the Human Resource Professional Association (HRPA), and finishing the program with a 5 week placement.
• Business Administration - Information Systems: this specialized three-year program (with unique first year) is similar to earning a double diploma in business and computer technology. The knowledge you gain in both business (accounting, economics, etc.) and computer topics (networking, programming, operating systems, security etc. ) positions you to be a highly valued, versatile and effective employee.
Graduate Certificate (One year duration; requires diploma, degree or equivalent experience to apply)
• Financial Services Practitioner: become a sales and marketing professional in the rewarding financial services industry. Sophisticated curriculum developed in partnership with the industry is combined with a unique program delivery across Northern Ontario. Theory classes are delivered by distance to your home community, but students also take one 5 day course together at a central location each semester. You quickly become part of the industry via six-week-long, 3 day/week industry placements in or nearest to your home community in each of the two semesters.
Graduate Certificate (One year duration; requires diploma, degree or equivalent experience to apply)
• Financial Services Practitioner: become a sales and marketing professional in the rewarding financial services industry. Sophisticated curriculum developed in partnership with the industry is combined with a unique program delivery across Northern Ontario. Theory classes are delivered by distance to your home community, but students also take one 5 day course together at a central location each semester. You quickly become part of the industry via six-week-long, 3 day/week industry placements in or nearest to your home community in each of the two semesters.
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