Business Fundamentals

Post-Secondary Programs
Credential Earned: Ontario College Certificate (1 Year)
Campus: Haileybury, Kirkland Lake, Moosonee, Timmins, Distance
Program Length: 2 Semesters
CIP Code: 52.0101

Program Codes
B289-HL (Haileybury Campus)
B288-KL (Kirkland Lake Campus)
B294-JB (Moosonee Campus)
B287-PC (Timmins Campus)
B292-CK (Distance)

Business Fundamentals at Northern is a one-year certificate that will provide you with the foundation you need to kick-start your career.

It’s also the gateway to all of Northern’s two-year business diploma programs — including Marketing, Accounting, Human Resources, and more.

You’ll get started with hands-on introductory courses that provide an overview of everything from recruitment and recordkeeping, to communications and management.

Then, you’ll dive deeper into what it takes to maintain an organization’s competitive edge — exploring microeconomic theory, organizational behaviour, and the interrelationship between entrepreneurship, ethics, and social responsibility.

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.

Jami Burns
Program Coordinator
Tel: 705-235-3211 ext. 2114
Email: burnsja@northern.on.ca 

Student Success & The Northern Experience

Business Fundamentals is a one-year certificate that will provide you with the foundation you need to kick-start your career.

This is the common business program that leads into five of our business diploma programs in Accounting, Human Resources, Marketing, Global Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology, and Business. Graduates of the program may choose to continue in any of the other Business diploma programs offered or enter the work force with a foundation in basic business skills.

Does this program sound like a good fit for you?

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Course Information

Course descriptions can be found below.

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

If you have questions or require program information for previous academic years, please contact the Program Coordinator.

More information can be found in the Program Outline [PDF, 170 KB]. Program Outlines can also be found in the archives.

Program Outline [PDF, 170 KB]

2024-2025 Academic Year

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.

56 Hours

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.

42 Hours

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.

42 Hours

In this course, students will learn essential skills for success in college and the workplace. This course focuses on developing and strengthening oral and written communication skills, and critical thinking ability. During this course, students will engage in a variety of forms of communication with a focus on upholding the principles of academic integrity. Students will develop the skills necessary to create discipline-specific documents, practice business etiquette and professionalism, and apply critical thinking strategies to practical scenarios. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to plan and draft concise, coherent and well-organized writing assignments that are tailored to specific audiences and purposes. 

42 Hours

In this course, students will gain practical experience with Microsoft Excel for Windows. Excel will be used to prepare various reports, presentations and applications which directly correlate to the critical-thinking requirements of the workplace. Students will gain practical experience working with formulas and functions, developing, and enhancing financial reports, organizing data with charts, data lists, and tables, managing multiple work sheets, workbooks, and external data sources, developing macros, using conditional functions, working with financial tools and functions, and performing what-if analysis.

42 Hours

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.

56 Hours

This course is an informative introduction into marketing. Students will become acquainted with current Canadian marketing concepts, terminology and practices, examine strategies to apply them to contemporary marketing situations, and gain an understanding of how they affect an organization’s profitability. Students will also explore consumer and business marketing, product planning, building customer relationships and creating customer value. This course provides a basic understanding of Canadian marketing structures and techniques including defining and segmenting target markets and interpreting market research data.

42 Hours

Semester 2

In this course, students will examine, in more depth, selected assets and liabilities found on the balance sheet as well as learn to account for equity transactions involving partnerships and corporations. Assets examined include cash, accounts receivable, notes receivable, investments, plant, property, and equipment and intangibles. Liabilities studied will include short and long term bonds, notes payable, warranty liabilities and income tax liabilities.

56 Hours

In this course, students will be introduced to managing and navigating organizational behaviour in a professional Canadian business environment, at the same time keeping in mind the increasingly interdependent nature of globalization. This course examines management and group dynamics from the manager as well as employee point of view, both in an professional setting. There is significant emphasis on how OB research into the area of workplace experience of managers and employees contributes to the productivity of the organization. The course brings in numerous examples of practical applications with the involvement of the learners from real-life situations and personal experiences to analyze the concepts discussed. There is also key emphasis on developing awareness towards corporate social responsibility and the relation between ethical practices and organizational behaviour.

42 Hours

This course is designed to introduce the student to the study of economics, beginning with the field of microeconomics. The course will use scientific theory to better understand the relationship and consequence of economic and business decisions. Additionally, this course will use mathematical procedures to predict and practically use economic models in real world settings. As opposed to Macroeconomics, Microeconomics will focus on the effects of business decisions on an industry or a single business specifically. Topics include supply and demand, elasticity, consumer choice, and production costs in the short and long run.

42 Hours

In this course, students will develop professional communication skills required for success in the workplace. Students will continue to develop and strengthen their oral and written communication skills and critical thinking abilities. During this course, students will use various modes of communication to complete assignments designed to meet program and professional expectations. Students will utilize a variety of technologies for the purpose of creating a professional presence in a digital environment. Students will develop the necessary skills to create polished workplace documents such as letters, resumes, cover letters and reports tailored to specific audiences. Students will learn to conduct themselves with professionalism in both workplace interviews and job searches.  Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to create clear, concise and coherent workplace and employment documents that are error-free and designed for specific audiences and purposes.  

42 Hours

Improving your knowledge and understanding of the history of the Indigenous peoples of what we now call Canada is an important step to enable Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, organizations, and communities to work together more respectfully. Throughout this course you will have the opportunity to learn, discuss and reflect about many topics that are relevant in the learning journey towards reconciliation.

42 Hours

In this course, students will develop their business mathematics skills expanding them to compound interest scenarios that include single cash flows of future value and present value, ordinary simple annuities, ordinary general annuities, simple and general annuities due, deferred annuities, perpetuities and perpetuities due. Throughout the course, students will not only evaluate the requirements but also use their critical thinking skills to evaluate appropriate investments to make and aspects of a variety of loans to consider all in a business environment whether that be in the private, public or not-for-profit sectors of industries.

56 Hours

In this course, students will follow the accepted concepts of marketing, current marketing principles/practices, and their applications as functional decision-making management tools. Topics will include all aspects of product/service marketing and management, price determination and pricing strategies, distribution-related strategies, marketing communications strategies (including advertising, personal selling, sales promotions, event marketing and sponsorship, public relations and direct marketing) and non-profit marketing and global marketing. This course builds on the foundation of MR1073 Introduction to Marketing I. Students will continue to examine current Canadian material on marketing and determine strategies for developing new products and services that are consistent with evolving marketing needs and principles of sustainability. Students will apply their knowledge in producing a marketing plan where they will set marketing objectives, develop a marketing mix, along with developing marketing strategies. Budgetary considerations will be taken into account, and evaluation criteria identified. Students will also contribute to the development of pricing strategies and participate in conducting market research to provide information needed to make marketing decisions.

42 Hours

Career Ready Graduates

Articulation Agreements

A number of articulation agreements have been negotiated with universities and other institutions across Canada, North America and internationally. These agreements are assessed, revised and updated on a regular basis. Please contact the program coordinator for specific details if you are interested in pursuing such an option.

 

Canadian Field of Study/CIP Code List

CIP Code: 52.0101

International students: check the Canadian Field of Study/CIP Code List to see if your program is eligible for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).

 

  1. Identify factors that have an impact on an organization’s business opportunities.
  2. Explain the impact of corporate sustainability, corporate social responsibility and ethics on an organization’s business initiatives.
  3. Use current technologies to support an organization’s business initiatives.
  4. Apply basic research skills to support business decisions making.
  5. Perform basic accounting procedures and financial calculations to support the operations of an organization.
  6. Describe marketing and sales concepts used to support the operations of an organization.
  7. Develop strategies for ongoing personal and professional development to enhance work performance.
  8. Outline the functional areas of a business and their interrelationships.

 

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the program may choose to continue in any of the other Business diploma programs offered or enter the work force with a foundation in basic business skills. Graduates will find employment in business and industry, non-profit organizations or government agencies.

  • Entry-level career in a variety of business settings
  • Administrative officer
  • Sales representative
  • Customer service representative

Explore labour market information for related careers and employment trend data from the Government of Canada Job Bank.

Admissions Information & Requirements

Admission Requirements

  • Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
  • Grade 12 English (C, U)
  • Grade 11 Math (C, 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 with an equivalent Grade 12 Mathematics (50% min.) and/or Business/Commerce stream.

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) – Computer-based overall minimum score of 79
    • PTE (Pearson Test of English) Academic – Graduate Diploma: 58+

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 dependant on the country of citizenship.

For more information, contact the international admission office directly at INTLapply@northern.on.ca

Additional Information

If your goal is to earn only the one-year certificate apply directly to this program using the program codes below. If your goal is a two-year business program, apply to the Northern College program of your choice on OCAS. When studies commence, you are automatically registered in first year Business Fundamentals. After completing this first year, you can register for the fall into the second year of the two-year business program of your choice.

Tuition, Fees & Payments

The tuition and fees information is typically updated yearly for the upcoming Academic Year in May. The amounts are for the full academic year.

Amounts may be based on last years tuition and fees and are subject to change.

If you are a current student, please refer to your Student Account or see a Student Services Clerk for the most up-to-date information.

Tuition

Domestic: $2,720.56

International: $14,813.46

Ancillary Fees

Ancillary fees vary by campus and support aspects of your experience as a Northern College student, such as Student Associations, Athletic Facilities, and Health Benefits.

Ancillary fees are paid in full for the entire academic year in the first semester.

The Convocation and Official Documentation Fee (GRA) of $100.00 only applies for the first year of each program.

Please see Detailed Ancillary Fees for more information.

Ancillary Fees by Campus Domestic International
Haileybury (HL) $976.50 $1,589.00
Kirkland Lake (KL) $909.50 $1,522.00
Moosonee (JB) $590.00 $1,485.00
Timmins (PC) $945.50 $1,558.00
Distance (CK, CH, OL) $772.50 N/A

Find Your True North.

At Northern College, you’re a part of a community.

From your teachers to support staff and administrators, we are all here to help you get an education and make some lasting connections along the way.

Your success is incredibly important to you, so we provide student supports to help you achieve your goals. From study assistance and accessibility services to mental health supports and financial aid, we’ve got you covered.

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