School of Business

Office Administration

Certificate

Program Overview

Note: The fall 2020 Prince Albert intake of this program is suspended.

Saskatchewan Polytechnic's Office Administration program is a one-year certificate program offered full-time on-campus in Prince Albert and Regina.

You may also take all the courses in the program through Continuing Education. If you take the courses through Continuing Education, you are not required to apply for admission or meet the requirements. Once you have successfully completed all the courses, simply apply to graduate. 

This program provides knowledge and skill development related to the business office environment, with an emphasis on computer applications. Instruction is augmented by projects that will give you a hands-on understanding of the demands and rewards of work in an office setting.

You’ll learn how to:

  • Edit and write business letters, memos and email communication;
  • Effectively use leading business software applications, including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, presentations, desktop publishing and Adobe to create business documents;
  • Execute office procedures such as reception, mail processing, email communication, calendaring, telephone communication, maintaining office equipment, task management and meeting participation;
  • Generate, maintain and retrieve manual and electronic records;
  • Use interpersonal communications in the workplace; and
  • Use automated accounting software and do basic accounting.

Saskatchewan Polytechnic emphasizes hands-on learning, especially when it comes to computer and software programs. You’ll learn to use leading office software, from word processing to accounting to email. You’ll gain practical experience through simulated office situations. You’ll practise standard office procedures, from directing telephone communications to preparing for meetings to maintaining office equipment and managing office supplies.

Job-Ready at Graduation

Your Sask Polytech classroom mirrors a business environment. Business attire is expected. You'll work individually and in teams. You'll turn classroom friendships into a professional network. You'll learn by doing. This means, for example, that you'll learn about Microsoft Office by using it in class, about managing office supplies and business forms as well.

 

Learning Environment

  • 120 students in Regina and 50 students in Prince Albert are accepted each year 
  • Students will experience lab, project work and lectures.
  • Class hours are 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. or 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. a.m. daily, dependent on the campus. It is expected that students will complete 20-30 hours of homework each week outside of class time.
  • There are many group projects that require teamwork skills
  • It is very important that students take initiative and manage their work time effectively.
  • Similar to the workplace, students are expected to attend classes. 

Career and Salary Information

Your Career

Every business needs administrative assistants. This gives Saskatchewan Polytechnic Office Administration graduates a broad job market: government, education, law, medicine, engineering, manufacturing, travel, insurance, banking and business. You could work in a large organization and become a specialist or in small business and perform a wide variety of duties. Entry-level positions include administrative assistant, administrative support staff, receptionist, bookkeeper, customer service representative and more.

Do you need help deciding if these careers could be a good fit for you? Contact Career Counselling Services.

Do you already know this is the program you want to take but need more detailed information or help applying?  Connect with a Recruitment Advisor.

Potential Careers

Sample Job TitleNOC Classification1Earning Potential2
Administrative SupportAdministrative Officers (1221)$31,200 - $79,300
Executive AssistantExecutive Assistants (1222)$43,500 - $77,100
Administrative AssistantAdministrative Assistants (1241)$31,200 - $66,300

What's the Work Like?

As a student and in this profession you may:

  • Greet visitors, determine their needs and direct them to appropriate people.
  • Answer telephone and electronic questions and relay telephone calls and messages.
  • Record and prepare minutes of meetings.
  • Use telephone, email and internet to arrange travel schedules and make reservations.
  • Open and distribute incoming regular and electronic mail and other material.
  • Prepare, key in, edit and proofread letters, invoices, presentations, brochures, publications, and reports.
  • Order office supplies and maintain office inventory (e.g. paper, printer ink, envelopes).
  • Schedule and confirm appointments and meetings of your employer.
  • Compile data, statistics and other information to support office-related research activities.
  • Supervise and train office staff in procedures and in use of software.

Below is a list of skills, with examples, that are important in this line of work. You do not need to have all of these skills before entering the program. However you will need to have the ability and desire to build these type of skills in order to be successful in the field.

This section is based on the more detailed Essential Skills Profiles developed and available through the Government of Canada.

Below is a list of skills (with examples) that are important in this line of work. This section is based on the Essential Skills Profiles developed and available through the Government of Canada.

  • Proofread outgoing documents and reports for clarity, proper punctuation, grammar and sentence structure. 
  • Skim regular and electronic mail and fax messages to determine whether these materials should be copied to others, posted to bulletin boards, filed or deleted.
  • Read equipment and procedure manuals. For example, read fax manuals to determine how to program features, such as date and time and troubleshoot equipment malfunctions.
  •  Locate data in lists and tables. For example, find account codes, telephone numbers, addresses, postal codes, names and dates in directories.
  • Complete a variety of forms. For example, enter names, addresses and product descriptions on requisition forms and waybills.
  • Look over forms to ensure accuracy. Depending on the work context, office administrators may verify the completeness of forms, such as applications, security clearances, rental unit agreements, university course change forms and permission slips for trips.        
  • Write message summaries on telephone message forms.
  • Draft letters for a variety of purposes. For example, office administrators in property management companies write letters to respond to tenants' complaints and renovation requests.
  • Edit and correct others' writing. For example, office administrators in electrical and mechanical contracting firms may edit project proposals and final reports.
  • Receive payments for stamps and personal photocopies, collect funds for gifts and special events and reimburse staff for minor expenditures from petty cash accounts.
  • Estimate duration of time required to complete tasks.
  • Measure and weigh packages being sent by regular post and courier to determine shipping costs.
  • Greet telephone callers, respond to their requests and take messages.
  • Discuss work processes and upcoming events in staff meetings.
  • Explain administrative processes and procedures to co-workers, clients and the public. For example, office administrators in property management companies may explain environmental safeguards to tenants and review procedures for submitting rent payments.
  • Solving problems related to conflicting priorities and unreasonable expectations for the amount of work they can accomplish. For example, office administrators in insurance offices receive high priority work from two or more co-workers simultaneously and must problem solve this issue.
  • Use suppliers for a variety of products, considering the suppliers' selection, prices and account histories.
  • Use critical thinking skills to assess the urgency and importance of telephone calls prior to interrupting a meeting.
  • Use bookkeeping and accounting software. Enter data, such as employee hours and invoice details.
  • Generate monthly reports and other financial summaries.
  • Use spreadsheet software. May create spreadsheets and modify spreadsheet templates to track attendance, product sales, inventories and budgets.
  • Use word processing software to enter and edit text, format paragraphs, lay out pages and create finished documents.

  • Conduct Informational Interviews with people working in this field.
  • Explore the possibility of job shadowing.
  • Read more about NOC 1241 Administrative Assistants.
  • Arrange an INSIGHT experience or attend an Open House event at Sask Polytech.
  • Call 1 866 467 4278 and ask to speak with the program head or a career counsellor at Saskatchewan Polytechnic.

Length and Start Date

Start Date(s):
  • September and January - Prince Albert and Regina (full-time)
  • Part-time Studies (course offerings vary)


Length: 32 weeks (full-time); 14 courses (Part-time Studies)

View latest program status info

Locations

  • Online/Distance
  • Prince Albert
  • Regina

    • Some programs offered online or otherwise by distance (i.e., correspondence) include on-site labs, clinicals, practicums or work experiences. They may be offered course-by-course or full-time, or both, and deliveries may change over time.

Part-time Delivery

Students do not apply to this program, but take courses part time and apply to graduate (pdf) through Enrolment Services once all courses are completed.

Admissions

Admission Requirements

Special Admission

Applicants who do not possess the academic qualifications for a program may be admitted if evidence of probable success can be established through a special admission assessment. Interested individuals should still apply. Applicants are automatically considered for special admission. However, some specific admission requirements may still need to be met. Refer to the ACCUPLACER© cut scores for this program below, and review additional details concerning Special Admission.

ACCUPLACER©

  • 250 Arithmetic
  • 243 Reading
  • 241 Writing

Admission Method

First Qualified/First Admitted

The First Qualified/First Admitted (FQFA) process is used for the majority of Saskatchewan Polytechnic programs. When we determine that you meet the program's admission requirements, you will be offered admission based on the date you fully qualify for the program. The earlier you provide the appropriate documents and information that qualify you for admission to the next intake, the earlier you might begin your studies. Your application, once qualified, is always considered for the next intake. 

Applicants to programs with multiple intakes in an academic year remain in the application pool until the last intake for that academic year has begun. Programs using the FQFA process receive applications year round and maintain an application pool for each academic year. Qualified applicants who are not offered a seat must reapply for the next academic year. 

Sponsored programs or programs targeted to specific groups do not accept applications year round or maintain an application pool.

See Admission Processes for more information about this method of admission.

Tuition and Fees

Estimates are based on current rates and are subject to change. Amounts for a program may vary by campus. Totals shown here include all mandatory fees as well as approximate cost for books and supplies. Visit the Tuition and Fees web page for a complete breakdown of tuition and fees for this program.

 

2020/21 Academic Year

$7,775

Part-time Studies Students: Contact Registration Services

International Students

View tuition rates for international students.

Get Credit for What You Know

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition

Saskatchewan Polytechnic recognizes that adults learn in many different ways. This includes acquiring knowledge and skills through life and work experience or non-formal training.  See links below to more information about PLAR and detailed PLAR candidate guides for courses in this program.


Transfer Credit

Many Sask Polytech students benefit from transferring course credit. You may be eligible to transfer credit to Sask Polytech or to another college or university.

Additional Information

Related Programs