Business Management Department

Association of Chartered Certified Accountants

This program is recognized by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). The ACCA, a prestigious international professional accounting body based in the U.K., has conducted a formal review of Columbia College’s Business Management Diploma Program and has found our courses eligible for credit towards the professional ACCA Qualification.

Students who complete the Business Management Diploma (Accounting Concentration) will gain exemption from papers F1, F2, and F3 in the Fundamentals Level. To obtain the ACCA qualification, a student needs to complete 6 more papers (F4 to F9) in the Fundamentals level, three papers (P1 to P3) in the Professional level, an ethics module and three years of practical experience.

Here are some of the reasons why you should consider ACCA as your route to a career in accounting or finance:

1. The ACCA is an internationally-recognized body for professional accountants and has a network of 83 offices around the world, 147,00 members and 424,000 students in over 170 countries. This means you can study and work wherever you wish your career path to take you.
2. The ACCA has been around for over 100 years and has a reputation for quality and excellence. It means employers all over the world recognize this designation and recognize that you have the right skills needed to get the job done; and
3. The ACCA has a mutual-recognition agreement with a well-known Canadian professional accounting association. This means if you are ACCA-qualified, you are eligible to apply as a member of this Canadian professional accounting body and be able to practice your profession in Canada.

Please feel free to contact me or your Student Admissions Advisor and we’ll be pleased to discuss the details with you. You may also visit the ACCA website at www.accaglobal.com for more information about the ACCA and the ACCA qualification.

Employment Opportunities

Successful graduates of the Business Management Program may be employed in a variety of organizations, whether in the private, public, or non-profit organizations. They can secure positions in Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Sales, Human Resources Management, or Operations Management.
Employment opportunities in Business Management may include but are not limited to the following entry-level specialist and professional positions:

• Human resources professional (e.g. recruitment, training, compensation)
•  Business manager/owner
•  Accounting professional (examples: accounting technician,accounts payables/receivables assistant, bookkeeper, and payroll administrator)
•  Marketing agent or professional
•  Administrative officer
•  Banking/Investment officer
•  Credit/loans officer
•  Operations manager or specialist
•  Financial customer services representative
•  Financial planner
•  Insurance agent/broker
•  Inventory control specialist
•  Investment advisor
•  Marketing research analyst
•  Office Administrator
•  Purchasing agent
•  Retail store supervisor
•  Sales agent/representative

Note: Hiring requirements vary greatly from one employer to another depending on the responsibility and scope of the position. Employers may also require a combination of post-secondary education, related experience, training, and other factors.

Introduction

Columbia College’s Business Management Professional Programs are licensed through Alberta Government Advanced Education and Technology Private Vocational Training Branch.

Columbia College’s Business Management Program is designed for people who want to succeed in business either as a professional, a manager, or as an entrepreneur. They want to establish a career where they set goals, organize resources, analyze problems, make decisions, and ensure goals are achieved according to plans.  They also want to take on leadership roles, facilitate team members in achieving goals, resolve conflicts, address stakeholder needs, and help their organizations to achieve competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Whether students plan to work in business and industry or be self-employed, they gain the fundamental knowledge and skills needed to succeed in today’s business environment.  They are prepared to work in entry-level positions in Accounting and Finance, Sales and Marketing, Human Resources Management, or Production/Operations for various organizations whether public, private, or non-profit.

Classes are led by competent and caring facilitators who employ a combination of lecture presentations, case studies, role-plays, demonstrations, practical exercises, and group discussions.  Students are treated as responsible adults, and classroom activities simulate real-world examples as much as possible.  Students analyze a wide range of business cases which enable them to integrate theories, principles, and concepts learned from their academic studies.

After completing the Business Management Program, students are expected to have acquired competency in a number of business areas to obtain entry-level (or higher) positions in various organizations. Students will have a good understanding of how organizations function and operate in the real world. They will have the ability to critically analyze problems and develop practical solutions. They will possess a capacity to effectively communicate their ideas, either one-on-one or in a group setting.  All these qualities make our students appealing to employers who are looking for people who are properly equipped to meet the challenges of the modern organization.