Office Administration – General

Post-Secondary Programs
Credential Earned: College Certificate (1 Year)
Campus: Haileybury, Kirkland Lake, Moosonee, Timmins, Distance
Program Length: 2 Semesters

Program Codes
B011 (PC) – Timmins Campus
B025 (HL) – Haileybury Campus
B027 (KL) – Kirkland Lake Campus
B034 (JB) – Moosonee Campus (offer based on community need)
B249 (CK) – Distance

Thanks to a host of practical simulations and a hands-on work placement, Northern’s one-year Office Administration – General certificate will prepare you to claim your place as a confident and valued member of any organization.

You’ll get an overview of the relationship between the finance, human resources, marketing and operations departments. And you’ll learn what it takes to maintain an organization’s competitive edge.

Along the way, you’ll also cover the basics of accounting and business math, improve your verbal and written communications, and master keyboarding and essential software skills.

The result? From problem-solving and planning meetings to managing appointments and arranging travel, the entire office will rely on you to keep things running smoothly.

Career Opportunities
Graduates of the Office Administration Program – General (one year certificate) may choose to continue their studies for another year to receive a diploma in the Office Administration Executive Program. Graduates who enter the workforce will find opportunities in the following: healthcare, legal, government, industrial, commercial and financial.

Contact Information

For questions about being admitted into the program, please contact Northern College Admissions at admissions@northern.on.ca or by phone at 705-235-3211 ext. 7222.

For questions about the content of the program, contact the Program Coordinator.

Jennifer Huggins
Program Coordinator
Tel: 705-235-3211 ext. 2105
Email: hugginsj@northern.on.ca

Admissions Information

Admission Requirements

  • Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
  • Grade 12 English (C, U)
  • Grade 11 Math (C, M, U)

Or equivalent

 

Academic prerequisites for this program may be obtained free of charge through Academic Upgrading.

Applicants who do not have a high school diploma or equivalent and will have reached the age of 19 years on or before the start of the program must undergo academic testing and may be required to complete Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR) process to demonstrate equivalency of admission requirements prior to admission into a program.

For more details, please contact the Admissions Office at 705-235-7222 or admissions@northern.on.ca.

Additional Requirements for International Students

In addition to the admission requirements, international students must have proof of English Proficiency and meet the requirements below.

1. Proof of Senior High School Diploma/Certificate

2. English Proficiency (we will require one of the following):

  • IELTS Academic– International English Language Testing System: a minimum overall score of 6.0 must be achieved with no individual band score under 6.0; however, we will accept one band at 5.5.
  • TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) – Internet Based Test (iBT) overall minimum score of 79
  • PTE (Pearson Test of English) Academic – Graduate Diploma: 58+

3. CO-OP Work Permit is mandatory for this program to participate in unpaid program placements.

If your country of citizenship has English as its official language, we may accept alternate proof of English Proficiency.

All educational documents must be submitted in English and will be dependent on the country of citizenship.

For more information, please contact admissions@northern.on.ca.

What You Learn

The program synopsis with course descriptions can be found below.

Please note, course information are based on current offering and are subject to change. Current students can find more information on courses in their student account.

For questions about the content of the program, please contact the Program Coordinator.

Semester 1

In this course, students will be introduced to the accounting cycle and the preparation of financial statements. Topics include recording entries, preparing financial statements and accounting for merchandising activities. This course will be essential for further study in financial accounting.

In this course, students will learn how proper recruitment/selection strategies, and training and development methods, maintain an organization’s competitive advantage. The integral role of job design and analysis in affecting compensation management and performance appraisal decisions will be examined. Students will investigate a variety of employment and health and safety laws as they relate to managing a diverse workforce. In addition, the fundamental principles of the union-management framework will be explored.

Communications I is a practical course designed to help strengthen essential oral and written communication skills. Students will be exposed to a variety of learning methods and communication formats. Emphasis will be placed on the use of appropriate structure, writing conventions, tone and style as well as the enhancement of interpersonal, teamwork and presentation skills. Students will also develop discipline-specific documents, practice proper business etiquette and learn the importance of ethical behaviour and professionalism in the classroom and workplace. Attention to detail is emphasized.

In this course, students will gain practical experience with the essential features of Microsoft Office – MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint to enhance their communication and analytical skills. Basic computer skills are required as prerequisite. Students will gain hands-on experience with file management, software settings, system security, Word Reports (APA Functions), tables, advanced presentation functions, summarizing and analyzing data in Excel through a series of learning activities, projects, and exercises that focus on real world examples. Students gain practical knowledge that can be applied directly to the workplace setting.

In this course, students will begin with a review of basic arithmetic and algebraic manipulations, continuing topics that include ratios, proportions and percentages, math of merchandising that include mark-ups and mark-downs, various payroll scenarios, and the evaluation and calculations using simple interest.

This course provides applications that reinforce word processing skills. It focuses on techniques to enable students to produce a wide variety of documents using Microsoft Word 2013 using Windows 7. Keyboarding speed and accuracy will be reinforced during document preparation.

This course will equip the student to find meaningful employment in the administrative field. Administrative Professionals have more responsibilities in today’s work environment. Some of the topics covered in this course include: professionalism, telecommunications, records maintenance, technology and soft skills. In-class simulations and discussions provide students with the opportunity to problem solve and participate in group activities.

Semester 2

In this course, students will be introduced to business in Canada, focusing on introductory topics for those interested in employment in a business management role. Topics of study will include the relationships between the areas of finance, human resources, marketing, and operations within an organization, business ethics and social responsibility, management concepts and practices, and an exploration of the entrepreneurial spirit.

Communications 2 is a one-semester course that applies the oral and written communication tools learned in Comm1 to specific business/technical applications as required by industry today. The student will enhance the writing skills acquired in COMM1 and learn to produce effective documents including business letters, emails, employment documents as well as reports applicable to their field of study. Students will also learn how to plan and participate in meeting situations and participate in mock interviews (as applicable) so that they are prepared to transition into the competitive employment market. Students will continue to learn and apply proper language and grammatical structures and apply editing strategies to business/technical documents through both in-class/online activities and through the usage of the customized Mylab online grammar tool. As with COMM1, the content will be inclusive and reflect the diverse workplace that students will experience in the future.

*Students for whom English is not their first language will receive additional language support through the concurrent delivery of CM2933 (Enhanced Comm2) which continues to focus on the foundational grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure skills introduced in CM1933.

In this course, Students are introduced to the advanced applications of Microsoft Office – MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint. Students gain practical experience by applying a series of learning activities, projects and exercises that focus on real-world examples. Advanced applications range from creating a web page from a Word document, to amortization schedules, and data tables, to advanced animation, transitions and sound files for slide show presentations.  Students gain practical knowledge that can be applied directly to the workplace setting.

During this course, students will gain an understanding of computerized accounting concepts using Simply Accounting for Windows. Students will complete applications using the general module, inventory module, accounts payable module, accounts receivable module, and payroll module. Theory topics include adjustments and the worksheet, closing entries, trial balances, subsidiary ledgers, special journals, and accounts receivable ledgers.

This experiential learning opportunity supports graduates of the Office Administration program to gain career-related experience on the job. Students are responsible for finding a suitable placement within their respective communities, where they can apply the principles and skills learned throughout the program. Students are required to complete weekly placement journals and a final project highlighting their experience.

This course analyzes the tasks and responsibilities of an administrative assistant in an electronic office environment. As an Administrative Professional you will be “information central”, a valued member of a team in a business or organization where everyone will depend on you to keep the office organized and running efficiently. This course reviews duties and responsibilities of the Administrative Professional including: telecommunication tools, managing appointments, planning meetings, and arranging travel.

In this course, advanced features in Microsoft Word will be examined. A variety of documents incorporating Word features will be produced. The students will develop timesaving skills and techniques when completing applications. Keyboarding speed and accuracy will be reinforced during document preparation, practice sessions, and timed drills.

This general education course will provide students with an introduction to Canadian Indigenous Nations’ history, sovereignty, land titles, cultural history and current critical issues. Topics addressed include the content of Indigenous rights, economic and social development, community and political processes, and business law and policies, justice & social services. Canadian Indigenous History and Relations is a general education course that has been incorporated into all programs at Northern College.

Tuition & Fees

Tuition and fees are updated yearly for the upcoming Academic Year by May 1.

Current amount may be based on last years amounts and are subject to change. Ancillary fees vary by campus and program.

If the tuition and fee information for international students does not appear on this page, visit northerncollege.ca/international/tuition to see amounts for general programs.

Please refer to your Student Account for the most up-to-date information.

Student Year Campus Program Code Tuition Ancillary Fees Total Fees
StudentDomesticYear1CampusTimmins - PCProgram CodeB011Tuition$2,720.56 Ancillary Fees$899.50 Total$3,620.06
StudentDomesticYear1CampusHaileybury - HLProgram CodeB025Tuition$2,720.56 Ancillary Fees$930.50 Total$3,651.06
StudentDomesticYear1CampusKirkland Lake - KLProgram CodeB027Tuition$2,720.56 Ancillary Fees$863.50 Total$3,584.06
StudentDomesticYear1CampusMoosonee - JBProgram CodeB034Tuition$2,720.56 Ancillary Fees$548.00 Total$3,268.56
StudentDomesticYear1CampusDistanceProgram CodeB249Tuition$2,720.56 Ancillary Fees$735.50 Total$3,456.06
StudentDomesticYear1CampusMoosonee - JBProgram CodeB285Tuition$2,720.56 Ancillary Fees$548.00 Total$3,268.56
StudentInternationalYear1CampusTimmins - PCProgram CodeB011Tuition$14,382.00 Ancillary Fees$1,422.58 Total$15,804.58
StudentInternationalYear1CampusHaileybury - HLProgram CodeB025Tuition$14,382.00 Ancillary Fees$1,453.58 Total$15,835.58
StudentInternationalYear1CampusKirkland Lake - KLProgram CodeB027Tuition$14,382.00 Ancillary Fees$1,386.58 Total$15,768.58
StudentInternationalYear1CampusMoosonee - JBProgram CodeB034Tuition$14,382.00 Ancillary Fees$1,353.58 Total$15,735.58
StudentInternationalYear1CampusMoosonee - JBProgram CodeB285Tuition$14,382.00 Ancillary Fees$1,353.58 Total$15,735.58
Tuition & Payment Information
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