Office Administration Program

Delivery of Courses

We offer our for-credit courses in a variety of ways:

1. Online asynchronous (self-directed study with weekly assignments and deadlines)
2. In person scheduled classes at our Ayamdigut campus
3. In community, as directed by the community. For students that cannot attend in person in Whitehorse or who do not like online asynchronous classes, please reach out to us. Courses may be offered in community in innovative ways. We will work to find a way that works for you. Please reach out to us at officeadmin@yukonu.ca to discuss learning options, as we want to ensure you have full access to our courses.
4. If you are a business and want to offer one or more of our for-credit courses to your employees in a condensed format, let's talk!

Duration of Program 

Each 30-credit certificate may be completed full-time from September to May or on a part-time basis over two or three years. Recent graduates may return for a second certificate by completing certificate-specific courses.

You may join each certificate's cohort and take courses as a group to complete a certificate, or you may take one course at a time. The only prerequisites we require to join our Office Administration program are English and math 10, and once you are a student at Yukon University, you can take most of our courses without having to take previous Office Administration courses. Feel free to join our Office Administration program and take full-time or part-time studies or become an open-studies student and take up to two courses a year to try them out.

If you don't have the math 10 or English 10 prerequisites to join our Office Administration program, you may take or upgrade these courses with our Academic and Skill Development team.

Each of our three certificates have the same courses that are offered in the fall semester:

• Workplace Administration and Collaboration - ADMN 100
• Office Procedures for Today's Offices - ADMN 101
• Introductory Accounting - ACCT 120
• Business Communications - COMM 100
• Technology for Business - COMP 161
• Yukon First Nations Core Competency 

Each certificate has specialized courses that are offered in the Winter semester:

Administrative Assistant

• Administrative Elective
• Office Procedures for Administrative Professionals - ADMN 102
• Advanced Word Processing - WP 220
• Communications Elective - COMM 125 OR COMM 200

Financial Assistant

• Financial Elective
• Intermediate Accounting - ACCT 120
• Practical Accounting Applications - ACCT 125
• Computerized Accounting - ACCT 300

Medical Office Assistant

• MOA Elective
• Introduction to Healthcare in Canada and the North - MOA 100
• Medical Office Procedures - MOA 101
• Basic Physiology, Anatomy, and Pharmacology for the Medical Office Assistant - MOA 102

All certificates have a keyboarding competency that students must pass in order to graduate, and the last course for each student to complete is the fieldwork/practicum course from mid-April to mid-May.

You may complete the Office Administration program full-time over 9 months, or you may choose to take courses part-time over one or more years.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

ACCT 120 - Introductory Accounting

This introductory course covers the study of accounting based on a service business organized as a sole proprietorship and a merchandising business. Topics include analysing and journalizing transactions, general journal and combination journals, posting to general ledger, accounts receivable and payable ledgers, eight-column worksheets, adjusting and closing entries, and preparing financial statements.

ADMN 100 – Workplace Administration and Collaboration

This course is for students or professionals entering office assistant roles in any context and provides students with the necessary skills to enter the modern workplace. This course introduces students to the essential tools and skills for digital communication and collaboration, focusing on the proficient use of email and scheduling, team collaboration, virtual meeting tools, and data management.

ADMN 101 - Office Procedures for Today’s Offices

This course focuses on practical knowledge and skills related to office procedures, systems, and routines. Topics include human relations, interpersonal skills, conflict resolution, teamwork, critical thinking, and cultural competency. This course will place an overarching emphasis on tools and strategies to promote individual, organizational, and community wellness.

COMM 100 - Business Communications

In this course, students explore the written and oral skills needed to communicate in diverse organizational and cultural contexts. Students will build a strong foundation in business writing written communication, and then they will research, create and adapt documents to achieve strategic, professional goals. Awareness of audience and clarity of purpose will be stressed as integral aspects of effective communication. As well, students will study, develop, and deliver oral presentations.

COMP 161 - Technology for Business

Through this course, students will develop skills to create documents for effective decision making in the workplace. Students will use business management tools to develop skills for communication, collaboration, and analysis. Students will develop an understanding of organizing and visualizing data and information. This course provides an orientation to current tools and software used in workplaces, and it will discuss the evolving areas of AI and maintaining wellness with boundaries between work and online life.

KEY 001 – Keyboarding

This course focuses on developing students’ skills in keyboarding. Time will be devoted to individual work and practice sessions. Students must past with 25 nwpm with 98% accuracy.

ADMN 102 – Office Procedures for Administrative Professionals

This course will focus on practical knowledge and skills related to office procedures, systems, and routines. Major topics in this course include time-management skills, project management, communications and customer service, meeting and event planning, minutes and resolutions, and presentations.

COMM 200 – Intercultural Communications for Business OR COMM 125 (not both)

To work towards reconciliation in Canada, The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has made calls to action for “skills-based training in intercultural competency.” As new communication technologies improve connectivity and the world becomes increasingly globalized, intercultural competency is critical for business communicators, both locally and globally. In this course, students will practice listening, speaking, and writing to communicate with understanding, empathy, and awareness in intercultural community and business contexts. Through reflection on individual worldviews and recognition of cultural difference, students will explore skills-based solutions for developing intercultural competency.

Prerequisite(s): COMM 100

COMM 125 – Interpersonal Communications OR COMM 200 (not both)

Through guided reflection students are invited to analyze the ways they currently use communication, considering the contextual factors that impact professional relationships. Continuous analysis supports further development of their communication skills. Practice and feedback encourage students to become active, intentional, and self-aware communicators. This course fosters a foundation for relational practice in northern workplaces.

WP 220 - Advanced Word Processing

This course covers advanced features for creating, formatting, and editing complex documents. Students will use mail merge to create form letters, mailing labels, email and telephone lists. They will create multi-section reports with tables of contents using templates with styles and macros. They will customize Microsoft Word and automate their work using templates with auto text and toolbars, and they will create onscreen, fill-in forms.

FILD 100 - Administrative Assistant Fieldwork

This is the culminating capstone course in the Administrative Assistant certificate and through this course, students will participate in four weeks of on-the-job training. Through mentorship, students will take on an administrative assistant role in a Yukon organization. Throughout the placement, students will reflect on this learning experience with feedback from their placement supervisor and instructor.

Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of all certificate requirements in the field of study.

ACCT 125 - Intermediate Accounting

This intermediate course covers partnership and corporation accounting, combination journals and special journals; posting to accounts receivable and payable ledgers; payroll, general accounting adjustments, inventory control, and analysis of financial statements.

Prerequisite(s): ACCT 120

ACCT 130 – Practical Accounting Applications

This course builds on the foundational accounting knowledge gained in ACCT 120 and ACCT 125. In this hands-on, application-focused course, students will further develop their accounting skills by engaging with real-world scenarios and practical exercises. The course will provide students with a deeper understanding of how to apply accounting principles in day-to-day office administration tasks and organizational financial management. Through a combination of case studies, practical exercises, and collaborative projects, students will gain the confidence to apply accounting techniques in real office settings, ensuring that they are prepared for a range of accounting responsibilities in the workplace.

ACCT 300 - Computer Applications in Accounting

This course will introduce students to the practical application of accounting theory using Sage 50, an industry standard, integrated computerized accounting system. Students will become proficient in establishing company records, maintaining daily transactions using the general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, inventory, and payroll features, as well as creating financial statements.

Prerequisite(s): ACCT 120

FILD 101 - Financial Assistant Fieldwork

This is the culminating capstone course in the Financial Assistant certificate and through this course, students will participate in four weeks of on-the-job training. Through mentorship, students will take on a financial assistant role in a Yukon organization. Throughout the placement, students will reflect on this learning experience with feedback from their placement supervisor and instructor.

Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of all certificate requirements in the field of study.

MOA 100 - Introduction to Healthcare in Canada and the North

In this course, students explore the complexity of delivering health care in Canada and how policy shapes decision making within the health care continuum. Students will understand the basic framework of health care delivery in the Yukon and comprehend how the various health care providers interact inter-professionally and the role of government in defining the conveyance of health care to the public. In addition, students will work independently and in groups to solidify the knowledge gained and support personal, organizational, and community wellness by developing cultural awareness and applying principles of reconciliation in their daily lives.

MOA 101 - Medical Office Procedures

This course prepares students with knowledge and skills of office procedures in a medical office in the Yukon. Students will use medical office equipment and software to develop skills in appointment scheduling, reception, filing, preparing and handling laboratory samples and sterilizing medical instruments. Students will learn and use medical terminology for simple clinic procedures, perform baseline assessments on patients, and fill out medical forms and maintain a complete inventory of clinic supplies. Students will also learn Yukon Health Care Billing and Yukon Health Care Policies and Directives, which will help them complete medical forms and documents to support patients in receiving insured health services in the Yukon. Lastly, students will learn techniques on therapeutic communication, verbal and non-verbal cues to equip them with empathy and advocacy to meet the needs of the patients.

MOA 102 - Basic Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology for the Medical Office Assistant

This course will prepare students with the basic knowledge on Human Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology. Students will be introduced to the functions, interrelation of organs, disease processes and the effects of medication on body systems. The course will also present information on different methods of drug administration, drug groups and drug interactions. The knowledge that they gain from this course will help them work efficiently and assist physicians on their day-to-day clinic operations. This will also help them understand and provide support to their vulnerable clients. This course will not equip the MOA to answer patient’s questions regarding their illness/medications but is to provide insight into why patients may be exhibiting certain symptoms at the time of the office visit. Indigenous ways of healing, alternative medications and over the counter medications will be integrated into each module.

FILD 102 - Medical Administrative Assistant Fieldwork

This is the culminating capstone course in the Medical Assistant certificate and through this course, students will participate in four weeks of on-the-job training. Through mentorship, students will take on a medical assistant role in a Yukon organization. Throughout the placement, students will reflect on this learning experience with feedback from their placement supervisor and instructor.

Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of all certificate requirements in the field of study.

Office Administration graduates are workforce ready for a variety of workplace settings and industries (e.g. private, public, nonprofit). Examples of office administration jobs include the following:

All courses in the Office Administration program are delivered face-to-face at the Ayamdigut campus in Whitehorse, and students are encouraged to bring their laptops to the classroom.  If you don't have access to a personal laptop, one may be provided to you for courses that require a laptop.

For students using their own laptop in class, you will require the following:

• Windows-based PC* that is less than five years old with up-to-date browsers
• Current operating system - Windows 10

*Chromebooks are not sufficient, and Mac products are not compatible with the Microsoft-based software used in this program and may put students at a disadvantage to successfully complete the program.

A typing speed of 25 n.w.p.m with 98% accuracy is a requirement for graduation from the Office Administration program.

NEW for September 2025

Medical Office Assistant Certificate

The Office Administration program prepares students for engaging careers in the field of office administration and is designed in the Yukon, with Yukoners in mind. The Office Administration program holds significance in the North and remains transferable to regions outside of the Yukon. Upon graduation, our hands-on training allows students to enter directly into a variety of workplace settings and industries (e.g. private, public, nonprofit).

We have updated our certificates and are thrilled to be offering updated courses beginning in September 2025. The program offers three unique 30-credit certificates that begin each September:

• Administrative Assistant
• Financial Assistant
• Medical Office Assistant - new this year!

Each certificate provides specialized training in communications, office procedures, computer applications, and accounting with a specific focus on preparing graduates for employment in busy office environments. Office Administration offers a transformational and hands-on learning experience that provides opportunities for students to adapt to continuously changing technology, culture, and societal norms. Along with job-specific skills, the Office Administration program places importance on interpersonal skills, and individual, organizational, and community wellness.

Students can complete one of the Office Administration certificates in as little as nine months and may choose to return and complete another Office Administration certificate by completing an additional semester within five years of graduation.

Graduates of this program leave with hands-on and critical-thinking skills, giving them the confidence to creatively adapt and develop innovative approaches for today’s dynamic workplaces.

Graduates of this program will have practise in the following outcomes:

• Research, assess, and share reliable information to meet organizational needs
• Apply fundamental financial practices to maintain accurate records
• Coordinate and organize information and people to ensure efficient and healthy workplaces
• Work mindfully in diverse settings while engaging in lifelong learning to maintain relevancy and individual wellness
• Communicate efficiently to meet the needs of various audiences and purposes
• Support organizational and community wellness by developing cultural awareness and applying principles of reconciliation in their daily lives

Our minimum admission requirements are 65% or greater in Math 10 and English 10 (or equivalent). If you don't have these prerequisites, you may complete them at Yukon University with our Academic and Skills Development team.  

What prerequisites do I need?

Office Administration program requires 65% or higher in math 10 and English 10. Students do not require a grade 12 diploma to enter Office Administration.

What if I don't have the prerequisites?

Potential students are encouraged to complete math 10 and English 10 or equivalencies through our Academic and Skill Development department.

Can I take courses without completing a certificate?

Yes. Students may complete as many courses as they like.

Do all courses have prerequisites?

Most of our courses can be taken without having to take other courses. Please refer to the program guide to see what courses have prerequisites.

Can I take courses as an Open Studies student?

Yes. Please refer to the Open Studies webpage.

As a graduate of one of the certificates, can I come back to complete another certificate?

Yes. Anyone who graduates from one of our certificates may return to complete the second-semester courses to obtain another certificate within five years of graduation.

Do I have to complete fall semester courses before completing second semester courses?

Most second semester courses may be completed without taking first semester courses. 

Are courses offered online or in person?

Courses will be offered according to the needs of the students each year. 

Will courses be offered in person in Yukon communities?

We are dedicated to offering courses to our students in Yukon communities in a way that works for them. Please connect with Office Administration faculty.

Yukon University recognizes that a greater understanding and awareness of Yukon First Nations history, culture, and journey towards self-determination will help to build positive relationships among all Yukon citizens. As a result, all students and staff will be required to achieve core competency in knowledge of Yukon First Nations.

For details, visit Yukon First Nations Core Competency

Fees

Tuition for credit programs is calculated per course credit. See money matters for more information.

Some programs and courses have additional fees - see Ancillary Fees.

Student financial awards

Education is an investment in your future, your family and your community. Yukon University is pleased to support that investment by offering some of the most competitive tuition rates in the country, as well as several student financial awards to help offset your educational and living costs.

Financial assistance

There are government programs, scholarships, bursaries, awards and First Nation funding available to financially support you throughout your academic career.

See money matters for more information, or talk to our financial advising staff in the Student Services Centre. Email or call 867 456 8574 to make an appointment.