Illustration of a spring launching into the clouds.

Act today, thrive tomorrow: your business success is limitless.

The future is determined by what actions you take today. Similar to jumping off a springboard, the results don’t appear from thinking about it—the results show up after you do it. Stay ahead in today’s global economy and gain practical, real-world skills in areas like finance, human resources, communication or marketing.

If you want to complement your existing expertise with foundational skills in business administration, and face challenges head-on as a resilient professional, this program is for you. As your knowledge and skills stack up, it’s never too late to change your career trajectory and gain momentum in a new direction. Be more than just job-ready, be ready for future success.

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Program description

The Certificate in Business Administration (CBA) is a flexible program designed for professionals seeking a custom approach to their educational goals and interests. Taught by experienced industry experts, you will gain a comprehensive foundation of core business skills, covering areas such as accounting, marketing, communications, team building, conflict resolution, creative problem-solving, analytical tools and management concepts.

This program aims to enhance your current expertise and equip you with new business skills, ensuring you are well-prepared to meet the ideas and challenges of today's global economy. By expanding your business knowledge, you will develop the resilience needed to create organizational change or new solutions from multiple perspectives.

Throughout the certificate program, you will build the confidence to navigate the complexities of business with social, cultural, and strategic awareness and integrity. This learning journey fosters both personal and professional growth and provides you with a recognized credential from UVic. Adapt to the changing needs of companies, organizations and the economy, and let your business success evolve from a solid foundation into a thriving new career path.

Program highlights


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Credibility
The University of Victoria is one of Canada's leading universities, recognized for preparing students for careers in a wide range of disciplines. Upon successful completion of this program you will receive a certificate.

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Teaching Talent
Our instructors are industry professionals with years of experience. They’re dedicated to helping you develop the knowledge and skills to realize your full potential.

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Networking
Collaborate with, learn from and find support in a network of professional colleagues who are as passionate about adult education and lifelong learning as you are.

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Laddering Opportunities
Depending on your selected courses, you may be able to earn one or more micro-certificates in addition to the CBA. You may also have the option to apply and continue on to the Diploma in Business Administration program.

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Supportive Services
Get access to a range of services and resources before, during and after your time in the program. This includes a new student orientation day, career services, immigration advising, non-academic support and on-campus services.

Affiliated with 

CIM logo

Our business programs allow you to become certified with the CIM (Certified in Management) professional designation.

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Program information session

Join us for a free 30-minute Zoom session where we will introduce you to the Business Administration program as a whole and outline the differences between the certificate and the diploma.

View information session details

Program outcomes

After completing the Certificate in Business Administration, you will gain the knowledge to effectively work with core industry tools and concepts, along with having the practical skills, values and perspectives needed to successfully navigate the business landscape.

You will also be able to:

  • understand and describe how the marketing, finance and organizational business units integrate for success
  • use analytical, decision-making and problem-solving frameworks to recommend initiatives that align with strategic goals
  • apply global, cross-cultural and Indigenous perspectives to business strategies, functions and operations
  • apply ethical, social and sustainable responsibility to business strategies, functions and operations
  • understand and describe effective business strategies in a variety of contexts
  • develop and use effective communication, teamwork, analytical skills and competencies in a variety of specialized and functional business disciplines

Who is this program for?

This certificate program is for professionals who are interested in developing their career or professional goals and want to gain practical skills and foundational knowledge in business administration, strategic planning, operations or management concepts.

If you see yourself reflected in any of the following, this program could be a good match:

  • you are a full-time, mid-career professional or employee looking for exciting opportunities to upskill or pivot
  • you have previous, specialized education and want a better understanding of business administration concepts to complement your current expertise
  • you have a career development plan that includes becoming a socially and culturally aware professional by learning from diverse perspectives
  • you aim to get a business credential to boost your resume or advance your career goals
  • you want your employees/staff to get more business training from industry professionals so they can contribute to organizational success

Career options

Some of our learners pursue careers in the following roles:
  • Small Business Owner/Manager
  • Government Manager/Director (Provincial/Federal)
  • Consultant
  • University Administrator
  • Restaurant/Hotel/Retail Manager
  • Police/Fire Department Administrator

Instructors

News and resources

Courses and fees

The CBA program requires the completion of eight courses in total (five required courses and three electives). View the courses below to see what topics interest you.

= Courses open for registration

Program planning

The length of the program varies depending on how many courses you take per term. On average, students complete the program in one year (full-time) or three years (part-time).

Courses are offered face to face or online. Please note that not all courses are available online, and not all courses are available face to face. A different selection of courses is offered each term. To see our upcoming offerings, please view our course schedule. You are welcome to contact our office (bstadvisor@uvic.ca) for help with course selection.

If you're planning to come to Canada to study with us, please review our Travelling to Canada pages for information on travel restrictions and requirements, medical insurance, study and work permits, airport information and what to pack. 

Estimated fees

Canadian students Part-time Full-time
Program application fee (non-refundable)
$150.00
$150.00
Tuition $605.00 per course

$4,840.00

Student services fees n/a
$1,203.00
Textbook costs (estimated)
$125.00
$1,000.00
Estimated Total $5,990.00* $7,193.00*
*IMPORTANT NOTE:
Fees listed in this section are an estimate for the full two-year program. Total program fees may vary depending on delivery format, tuition rate, course selections, student services fees, textbooks and taxes. Tuition and fees are subject to annual increases. 

There are two financial support options available for business students. View financial support

International Students Part-time Full-time
Full-time program application fee (non-refundable)
$300.00
$300.00
Non-refundable program deposit (due within 3 weeks of program offer)
$3,500.00
$3,500.00
Student services fee
n/a
$2,028.00
Tuition (includes deposit, if applicable)
$885.00 per course

$7,080.00

Textbook costs (estimated) $125.00 per course $1,000.00
Estimated Total $8,380.00* $10,408.00*
*IMPORTANT NOTE:
Fees listed in this section are an estimate for the full two-year program. Total program fees may vary depending on delivery format, tuition rate, course selections, student services fees, textbooks and taxes. Tuition and fees are subject to annual increases. 

Application information

Admission requirements

To qualify for the CBA program, applicants are required to provide a transcript showing a minimum of high school completion. Mature applicants who do not meet this requirement may also be considered on the basis of minimum five years of work experience and must provide a resume. In addition, two years of professional, full-time work experience (or post-secondary educational equivalent) is recommended. 

If your first language is not English, you can find more details here on how to provide evidence of proficiency.

Policies

It is recommended that all students review the Policies page prior to applying for the program. You will find detailed information about application fees and requirements, course requirements, advanced standings, English Language proficiency and more. If you have any questions about our policies, don’t hesitate to contact our team.

How to apply

When applications are open, you can apply by completing an online application form below. 

Fully complete applications will be reviewed by our admission staff in the order in which they are received. In order for an application to be fully complete, you must also submit all required supplementary documents (e.g, transcripts, proof of English proficiency and other documents as requested). All supporting documents must be received within 30 days of the original application submission, or the application will be cancelled.

Please note: the program may edit or change application deadlines without notice, depending on seat availability. As such, we strongly encourage applying early to the program. Acceptance into the program does not guarantee registration in individual courses.

Looking for more information on how to apply? Attend one of our upcoming program information sessions.

Application dates

Starting in
January 2025
 
Availability
  Accepting Applications
Apply by
  October 18, 2024
Starting in
May 2025
 
Availability
  Accepting Applications
Apply by
  Open until filled
Starting in
September 2025
 
Availability
  Accepting Applications
Apply by
  Open until filled