Program calendar icon Program Length

  • 10 Months

Program credential icon Credential

  • Certificate

Program location icon Location Offered

  • Cowichan
  • Nanaimo

Unlock your full potential as an executive office administrator. The VIU Office Administration Certificate Program offers specialties as an Accounting Assistant, Administrative Assistant and Legal Administrative Assistant. In this 10-month certification program, you will master computer, accounting, legal, customer relations and keyboarding skills that will turn you into the secret weapon your dream employer has been looking for.

Start your office career training at VIU today!


The Office Administration Program

This program provides thorough, in-depth training in the skills required by today’s office workers in order to be competitive in the job market. Current computer software applications are stressed, as well as the traditional skills and knowledge of business English, business calculations, office procedures, customer relations, and strong keyboarding skills.

The program offers three specialties Accounting AssistantAdministrative Assistant, and Legal Administrative Assistant. Students can expect to receive industry-specific training in skills related to their chosen field of study. A two-week work placement practicum is available at the end of the program in each certificate stream for eligible students. 

Completion Requirements

To be eligible for an Office Administration Program certificate, students must: 

  • complete all program requirements within three years.
  • complete all required courses (maintain a minimum "C-"/70% grade average).
  • complete practicum course. 

For further information about the OADM program please contact the Advising Centre.

The program offers three specialties Accounting AssistantAdministrative Assistant, and Legal Administrative Assistant.

Administrative Assistant

This specialty's certificate is designed to provide students with the technical, administrative, and human relations skills required in today’s office environments. Students gain in-depth training in administrative and interpersonal skills, as well as in the use of computers and popular software applications, including the Microsoft Professional Office Suite and the Windows environment. Students learn to use computers and software applications to solve problems, manage information, and enhance document production.

A two week practicum course is available at the end of the program for eligible students. 

Career Opportunities 

Graduates will acquire a broad range of marketable skills, which makes them ideally suited for many office positions. Graduates are employed in a wide variety of private and public sector firms, including federal, provincial, and municipal government offices; major corporations; desktop publishing firms, and many other mid-sized and small companies. Graduates may apply for occupations such as administrative assistant, secretary, office clerk, receptionist, executive assistant, office manager, and a variety of other support staff positions. 

Semester ICredits
OADM 115T - (Administrative Procedures)1.5
OADM 120T - (Business Math and Calculators)1.5
OADM 130T - (Business English)3
OADM 136T - (Human Relations and Office Procedures)3
OADM 146T - (Office Computer Applications I)3
Total Credits12
Semester IICredits
OADM 138T - (Business Communications)3
OADM 147T - (Office Computer Applications II)3
OADM  148T - (Office Computer Applications III)3
OADM 149T - (Office Computer Applications IV)3
Total Credits12
Semester IIICredits
OADM 135T - (Employment Strategies)1.5
OADM 156T - (Electronic Information Management )1
OADM 185T - (Office Practicum) or
OADM 181T - (Level II Project)
1.5
OADM 187T - (Administrative Capstone)2
Total Credits6
Year 1 Credits30

 

Accounting Assistant

This specialty is invaluable for a person who aims to work in a business where both bookkeeping and a variety of software and office-related skills are required. Students gain valuable knowledge in business math and calculator processes as well as bookkeeping procedures and concepts, including using automated accounting software. In addition, students develop aptitude with industry-standard business software applications from the Microsoft Office suite and obtain skills in human relations and business English.

A two week practicum course is available at the end of the program for eligible students. 

Career Opportunities 

Graduates have found career opportunities in government, accounting, insurance, and real estate firms. Graduates may apply for occupations such as accounts payable and/or accounts receivable clerk, accounting assistant, payroll clerk, finance assistant, bookkeeper, data entry clerk, and other financial and bookkeeping support positions. 

Semester ICredits
OADM 120T - (Business Math and Calculators)1.5
OADM 121T - (Accounting I)1.5
OADM 130T - (Business English)3
OADM 136T - (Human Relations and Office Procedures)3
OADM 146T - (Office Computer Applications I)3
Total Credits12
Semester IICredits
OADM 122T - (Accounting II)3
OADM 123T - (Computerized Accounting)3
OADM 147T - (Office Computer Applications II)3
OADM 148T - (Office Computer Applications III)3
Total Credits12
Semester IIICredits
OADM 135T - (Employment Strategies)1.5
OADM 156T - (Electronic Information Management )1
OADM 185T - (Office Practicum) or
OADM 181T - (Level II Project)
1.5
OADM 186T - (Accounting Capstone)2
Total Credits6
Year 1 Credits30

Legal Administrative Assistant

This specialty's certificate is designed to provide students with the fundamental skills and knowledge required to join a firm’s legal support staff at the junior level. Students gain in-depth procedural law training in a variety of areas such as conveyancing, litigation, family law, corporate law, and wills and estates. In addition, students complete training in administrative and interpersonal skills, as well as in the use of computers and software including word processing and email applications.

A two week practicum course is available at the end of the program for eligible students. 

Career Opportunities 

Graduates have found career opportunities in private law firms; Crown prosecutor’s offices; federal, provincial, and municipal government offices; real estate companies; offices of notaries public; insurance offices, and major corporations. Graduates may apply for occupations such as legal administrative assistants, legal support assistants, legal receptionists, legal secretaries, legal admin support clerks, conveyancers, corporate secretary, litigation assistants, and other legal office support positions. 

Semester ICredits
OADM 130T - (Business English)3
OADM 146T - (Office Computer Applications I)3
OADM 160T - (Legal Office Procedures)3
OADM 170T - (Human Relations)1.5
OADM 172T - (Excel Basics)1.5
Total Credits12
Semester IICredits
OADM 161T - (Civil Litigation)3
OADM 162T - (Family & Divorce)3
OADM 163T - (Wills and Estates)1.5
OADM 164T - (Conveyancing)3
OADM 165T - (Corporate Law)1.5
Total Credits12
Semester IIICredits
OADM 135T - (Employment Strategies)1.5
OADM 156T - (Electronic Information Management )1
OADM 167T - (Legal Office Practicum) or
OADM 181T - (Level II Project)
1.5
OADM 188T - (Legal Capstone)2
Total Credits6
Year 1 Credits30

All program courses must be successfully completed before certificates will be issued.

Note: Students who do not meet the minimum "C" grade in English 12 and minimum "C" grade in either Mathematics 10 or Apprenticeship and Workplace Mathematics 10 prerequisites for this program can write an assessment test.

Notes on Admission

  • Certified touch-typing speed of minimum 25 net words per minute based on a 5-minute timing with 5 or fewer errors is recommended.*
  • Applicants without English 12 and Mathematics 10 will be considered for admission if they successfully complete reading comprehension, sentence skills, and arithmetic assessment. Call toll–free at 1.888.920.2221 Ext. 6276 to book an assessment or use our online booking system at VIU Assessments.
  • Students with previous work experience, or with current training, may be eligible for Prior Learning Assessment (PLA). Contact the Advising Centre toll–free at 1.888.920.2221 Ext. 6410 for information on PLA.
  • This is a demanding program, and applicants with the minimum admission requirements may experience difficulties in completing the program.
  • A strong foundation with computer file management, including saving, moving, deleting, copying and renaming both files, folders, and subfolders in Windows Explorer is strongly recommended.
  • Experience using/operating/navigating a PC computer/Windows environment (not MAC) is recommended.

* Please call toll–free at 1.888.920.2221 Ext. 6276 to book a keyboarding assessment. Students who submit a recent college-verified keyboarding timing of 25 nwpm, as above, will have met the keyboarding requirement.

Domestic Fees

Tuition and Other Mandatory Student Fees

When applying to the program, applicants will be charged a non-refundable application fee.

When applying to graduate, students will be charged a non-refundable graduation and alumni fee.

Some courses have additional fees to pay for extraordinary class–related expenses.

Fees - 10 Month Program Amount
Tuition (10 months x $489.41 per month) 4,894.10
Supply fee 117.17
Student Activity fee (4% of tuition and supply fee) 200.45
Student Services fee (4.42% of tuition) 216.32
VIU Students' Union fee (10 months x $26.59 per month) 265.90
Health and Dental Plan fee ($265.00 per year) 265.00
Textbooks and supplies (approximate costs) 1,800.00
Locker Rental (approximate costs) 50.00
Notes

The VIUSU Health and Dental Plan fee is assessed for all students enrolled in 6 credits or more per term, or in Trades/Vocational programs of 5 months or longer.  

All fees are subject to change without prior notice and are expected to increase by 2% each year on April 1.

Domestic (Canadian)

Program Start Date Accepting Applications Campus Options
Anticipated intake for someone applying today:
Application Fee:
$44.27
Admissions Assistant:
Name: Jenny Carpen-Rouget
Phone: 250.753.3245 ext. 2283
Email: Jenny.Carpen-Rouget@viu.ca
Chair Contact:
Name: Colin Cameron
Phone: 250.746.3595
Email: Colin.Cameron@viu.ca
Comments:

Students who do not meet the minimum "C" grade in English 12 and/or minimum "C" grade in either Mathematics 10 or Apprenticeship and Workplace Mathematics 10 prerequisites for this program may write an assessment test.

Anticipated intake for someone applying today:
Application Fee:
$44.27
Admissions Assistant:
Name: Naomi Knodel
Phone: 250.746.3514
Email: Naomi.Knodel@viu.ca
Chair Contact:
Name: Colin Cameron
Phone: 250.746.3595
Email: Colin.Cameron@viu.ca
Comments:

Students who do not meet the minimum "C" grade in English 12 and/or minimum "C" grade in either Mathematics 10 or Apprenticeship and Workplace Mathematics 10 prerequisites for this program can write an Applied Business Technology assessment test.

International

Program Start Date Accepting Applications Campus Options
Anticipated intake for someone applying today:
Application Fee:
$150.00
International Admissions Officer Contact:
Name: Yuzo Ishida
Email: Study@viu.ca
Comments:

At this time the Legal and Accounting specialties are not accepting applications while we work on updating the program content. We encourage you to apply for the Administrative Assistant specialty.

 

Further information on this program can be found on the Department website.

Visit the Department Website

Previous versions of this program can be found in the Program Archive.

Gabrielle Banman

“What I love best about this program is that every skill taught is relevant to working in the real world. It has changed my life significantly for the better."