In the Business Fundamentals program, you will learn how to support business operations through hands-on projects in accounting, marketing, and communications to explore your best-fit role.
You’ve been told you have a mind for business, but what kind of business will that be? Find out what interests you most with Confederation College’s Business Fundamentals one-year certificate program.
This program is ideal for business-minded students who are not quite sure what area of business they want to study. You will have the opportunity to learn all aspects of business with courses such as computer applications and business communications, as well as introductory courses in accounting, human resources, and marketing.
Top Highlights
One-Year Program: Allows you to enter the workforce faster
Comprehensive Overview: Touches upon all areas of business to help you find your niche
Pathway Opportunities: Provides the pathway to our two-year diploma programs in Marketing, Human Resources, or Accounting
Skill Development: Learn skills for an administration career as well
Ideal Candidate Profile
Explorative: Eager to discover different areas of business
Curious: Interested in gaining a broad understanding of business concepts
Flexible: Open to various career paths within the business sector
Ambitious: Looking to fast-track your entry into the workforce or further education
The following 6 intakes share the same admission requirements:
Fall (0249)Winter (0239)Fall (0690)Fall (0690)Winter (0239)Fall (0249)
Admission Requirements for Domestic Students
Ontario Secondary School Diploma (or equivalent) with courses from the College (C), University (U), University/College (U/C), or Open (O) preparation levels with Grade 12 English (C/U) Level.
or successful completion of the Mature Student Assessment.
or successful completion of the Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC) or General Education Development Test (GED), prior to May 2024.
or appropriate credits from the Academic and Career Entrance program (ACE).
Organizations depend on the effective management of its human resources to achieve optimum results. In this course, you 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. You 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.
In this course, students will be introduced to academic writing styles with a thematic focus on current issues. This course will help students to express themselves clearly and correctly in written form. Students will critically analyse assigned readings and express their thoughts. The course will also focus on the development of an academic paper utilizing the APA style of documentation.
In this course, students will be provided an overview of the decisions that face Marketers in today's fast-paced and competitive business environment. 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. This is a highly interactive course where students will participate in a variety of hands-on practical activities and projects to immerse themselves in the fundamentals of marketing.
In this course, students will be introduced to the accounting cycle and the preparation of financial statements. Topics include: preparing journal entries to record transactions and adjustments; preparing worksheets; preparing financial statements; accounting for merchandising activities; and valuing inventory.
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.
In this course, students will begin with a review of basic arithmetic and algebraic manipulations, continuing with the following topics: ratios and proportions, percentages and the percentage formula, discounts, mark-ups and markdowns, payroll scenarios, break-even analysis and simple interest.
In this course, students will develop their skills and understanding of business mathematics involving interest calculations, compound interest, annuities, loan financing, bonds and investment decision making.
In this course, students will enhance their writing skills to produce routine workplace correspondence in a business setting. Students will be exposed to handling instant messaging and texting professionally. They will also prepare different types of informal reports and business documents. Students will combine collaborative methods with advanced research, written and oral skills to produce and present an infographic.
Students will apply accounting principles to select assets and liabilities as well as the capital/equity transactions involving individuals, partnerships, and corporations. In addition, students will learn the purpose and compute common types of financial statement analysis.
In this course, students will discuss small-scale economic phenomena. Students will examine the behaviours of individuals, households, firms, industries, and resource owners. Further, they will review the explanations for such things as prices and output of firms, and the choices of consumers in buying goods and services. Finally, they will examine technological change, costs, competitions and adjustments of markets to new conditions.
This course builds on the foundation of Introduction to Marketing. 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 and select marketing channels while examining the elements of integrated marketing communications and the communication process. 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. The further development of analytical marketing skills will be emphasized through the use of problems and case studies. This is a highly interactive course where students will continue to participate in a variety of hands-on practical activities and projects to immerse themselves in the fundamentals of marketing.
In this course, students will assess the impacts of human behaviour on organizational performance through the study of personal values and perceptions, motivational techniques, effective utilization of teamwork, conflict resolution options, negotiation processes, leadership styles, approaches to decision making, options for organizational structure, and change management. Students will learn to predict potential impacts of human resources policies and practices on employee behaviour as well as recommend management practices to effectively address specific employee behaviours.
In this course, students will have exposure to a comprehensive windows-based financial spreadsheet package to enhance their problem solving abilities. The package used will be Microsoft Excel for Windows. The student will use this as a tool to prepare calculations, reports, and presentations which are commonly performed in the modern office.
In this course, students will be introduced to the accounting cycle and the preparation of financial statements. Topics include: preparing journal entries to record transactions and adjustments; preparing worksheets; preparing financial statements; accounting for merchandising activities; and valuing inventory.
In this course, students will be introduced to academic writing styles with a thematic focus on current issues. This course will help students to express themselves clearly and correctly in written form. Students will critically analyse assigned readings and express their thoughts. The course will also focus on the development of an academic paper utilizing the APA style of documentation.
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.
Organizations depend on the effective management of its human resources to achieve optimum results. In this course, you 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. You 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.
In this course, students will begin with a review of basic arithmetic and algebraic manipulations, continuing with the following topics: ratios and proportions, percentages and the percentage formula, discounts, mark-ups and markdowns, payroll scenarios, break-even analysis and simple interest.
In this course, students will be provided an overview of the decisions that face Marketers in today's fast-paced and competitive business environment. 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. This is a highly interactive course where students will participate in a variety of hands-on practical activities and projects to immerse themselves in the fundamentals of marketing.
Students will apply accounting principles to select assets and liabilities as well as the capital/equity transactions involving individuals, partnerships, and corporations. In addition, students will learn the purpose and compute common types of financial statement analysis.
In this course, students will enhance their writing skills to produce routine workplace correspondence in a business setting. Students will be exposed to handling instant messaging and texting professionally. They will also prepare different types of informal reports and business documents. Students will combine collaborative methods with advanced research, written and oral skills to produce and present an infographic.
In this course, students will discuss small-scale economic phenomena. Students will examine the behaviours of individuals, households, firms, industries, and resource owners. Further, they will review the explanations for such things as prices and output of firms, and the choices of consumers in buying goods and services. Finally, they will examine technological change, costs, competitions and adjustments of markets to new conditions.
In this course, students will develop their skills and understanding of business mathematics involving interest calculations, compound interest, annuities, loan financing, bonds and investment decision making.
This course builds on the foundation of Introduction to Marketing. 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 and select marketing channels while examining the elements of integrated marketing communications and the communication process. 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. The further development of analytical marketing skills will be emphasized through the use of problems and case studies. This is a highly interactive course where students will continue to participate in a variety of hands-on practical activities and projects to immerse themselves in the fundamentals of marketing.
In this course, students will assess the impacts of human behaviour on organizational performance through the study of personal values and perceptions, motivational techniques, effective utilization of teamwork, conflict resolution options, negotiation processes, leadership styles, approaches to decision making, options for organizational structure, and change management. Students will learn to predict potential impacts of human resources policies and practices on employee behaviour as well as recommend management practices to effectively address specific employee behaviours.
In this course, students will have exposure to a comprehensive windows-based financial spreadsheet package to enhance their problem solving abilities. The package used will be Microsoft Excel for Windows. The student will use this as a tool to prepare calculations, reports, and presentations which are commonly performed in the modern office.
This course introduces the student to how accounting information is used by, and meets the needs of both internal and external users through effective and efficient communication as well as what accounting information is required by a business concern to reflect clearly the operating results of the enterprise over its operating life. Throughout the course, students will be introduced to generally accepted accounting principles,the interpretation and preparation of financial statements and how this information is recorded in the various business records.
Learn to use Microsoft Excel to create and format spreadsheets in order to analyze data and make more informed business decisions. You will discover how to; create, edit, format and print workbooks; use mathematical formulas and functions; create and format charts and shapes; insert images; cut, copy and paste data.
Computer Software Requirements: Microsoft Excel version 2016, 2019, 2021 or 365. MAC users are not supported in this course.
Specific focus is on the factors that affect the overall atmosphere in the workplace and that which contributes to an environment conducive to maximum productivity. Students will be introduced to effective strategies for hiring, motivating, managing, training, and retaining staff. Students will study the following topics: the strategic importance of Human Resources and the role of the HR Manager; competitive challenges facing Human Resources; job analysis and design; Human Resources planning; recruitment and selection; orientation and training; employee relations; performance management; compensation; employee benefits and services; labour relations; health and safety; equity and diversity; and international human resources management. Significant emphasis will be placed on the team approach to creative problem-solving techniques and heir application to selected case studies and a project that replicates actual on-the-job activities. This course contains mandatory group work. We recommend viewing the course schedule immediately upon logging into the course to view course and group work requirements.
This course provides a review of basic arithmetic and algebra as well as providing students with mathematical tools and concepts needed for other college courses and in future employment. This course is to prepare students for later courses in Marketing, Business, Financial Planning, Accounting, Purchasing and Insurance.
Marketing 1 is the first course of a two course Introduction to Marketing designed to provide students with a sound grounding in the field of marketing. Emphasis is placed on the formulation of integrated marketing strategies that play a role in achieving organizational objectives. The course is divided into four segments: marketing process and marketing environments; marketing planning and information collection processes; buyer behaviour and targeting strategies; and marketing mix (two components of the mix are discussed: product and price).
Communication remains an essential skill sought by employers, regardless of discipline or field of study. Using a practical, vocation-oriented approach, students develop stronger grammar and business writing skills to become effective business communicators. Through a combination of lectures, exercises, and independent learning, students practice writing, speaking, reading, listening, locating and documenting information, and using technology to communicate professionally. Students develop and strengthen communication skills that contribute to success in both educational and workplace environments.
This course will cover some current business strategies and trends. The course will focus on the factors that affect the success of businesses in Canada. In today’s rapidly evolving and ever-changing world, it is critical now more than ever for businesses to continue to develop and innovate as quickly and efficiently as possible. Through this course, students will learn how to manage people, money and information, and gain insight into the professional management style. In addition, the process of management will be discussed as well as evolving business ethics, sustainability and lean management skills. Skills gained in this course will enable the students to identify, create, and implement a plan to meet specific business needs.
In this second of the two introductory accounting courses, students will expand their understanding of accounting principles and concepts while covering specific topics including: capital assets, corporations' shareholders' equity, and bonds payable. Preparation of the Statements of Retained Earnings and Cash flows will also be covered. Finally, the students will expand their understanding of the role of financial statement users by studying financial statement analysis. Prerequisite: OL090 Accounting Basics I or AC111
The appropriate documentation and research required to execute an effective job search strategy will be created in this course. Report writing skills, involving detailed research and problem solving of current issues and solutions will be applied. Finally, this course will allow you to further develop effective oral presentation skills which will be invaluable in career development. Computer Software Requirements: Microsoft Powerpoint
Knowledge of contemporary microeconomics issues is essential to understanding the world we live in. Students examine fundamental microeconomic principles with an emphasis on the use of economic models to analyze economic developments accurately and objectively. Students examine the role of prices and competitive markets in the allocation of resources, firm behaviour and market structures, as well as evaluate the effects of government intervention in the economic marketplace.This course includes mandatory group work. We recommend viewing the course schedule immediately upon logging into the course to view course and group work requirements.
This course introduces the student to the concepts and procedures of the time value of money calculations used in Mathematics of Finance. It covers topics in simple interest, compound interest, simple and general annuities, bonds and cost-benefit analysis.
Marketing 2 is the second course of a two course Introduction to Marketing designed to provide students with a sound grounding in the field of marketing. Emphasis is placed on the formulation of integrated marketing strategies that play a role in achieving organizational objectives. The course is divided into four segments: price strategy and management; distribution management; marketing communications; and emerging directions in marketing. The first three segments of Marketing 2 provides coverage of the remaining components of the marketing mix that was introduced in Marketing 1.
Introduction to Business Management and Organizational Behaviour
42 hours
This subject is an examination of the contemporary Canadian business environment including the organization, leadership and management decision process which influences the behaviour of individuals and groups. Increased global competition, technological change and the rising expectations of both employees and employers have underlined the need for improved and more effective leadership. This subject provides a better understanding of this process. This course includes mandatory group work. We recommend viewing the course schedule immediately upon logging into the course to view course and group work requirements.
Completion of the Business Fundamentals program may help you find a job in several entry-level positions, including:
Sales
General Administration
Customer Service
However, it is more of a stepping stone to other educational opportunities, including Confederation College’s two-year and three-year diploma programs in business.
Clicking the button will take you to a detailed dashboard with up-to-date job data tailored to your program, including salary ranges, job titles, and projected demand.
Pathways
Confederation College offers a variety of articulation agreements designed to help you advance your education and career. Whether you're coming to us from another institution or planning your next steps after completing your program, our pathways make your transition seamless and effective.
Student Accessibility and Essential Program Requirements
Confederation College is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive learning environment and will provide reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), and College policy.
Students who require accommodations are encouraged to engage with Student Accessibility Services and are responsible for initiating and participating in the accommodation process. Accommodation is a collaborative process involving the student, Student Accessibility Services, faculty, and the Academic School. Requests for accommodation are considered on an individual basis, and the College will work with students to identify reasonable accommodations that provide equitable access to learning while maintaining the integrity of the program.
Students are expected to demonstrate the essential knowledge, skills, professional behaviours, learning outcomes, and competencies required to successfully complete their program. While the manner in which these requirements are demonstrated may be accommodated where appropriate, the essential requirements themselves must still be achieved.
For programs involving laboratories, field work, clinical placements, aviation environments, trades training, equipment operation, simulations, community placements, or other environments where health and safety are critical, accommodations must also be consistent with applicable legislation, professional standards, licensing requirements, accreditation standards, and workplace safety obligations.
In some circumstances, a requested accommodation may not be reasonable or possible where it would:
Fundamentally alter an essential program requirement, competency, or learning outcome.
Compromise the health or safety of the student or others.
Conflict with provincial or federal legislation.
Conflict with the requirements of an external regulatory, licensing, accreditation, or professional body.
Prevent the student from demonstrating competencies required for safe and effective professional practice.
Note
Where a particular accommodation cannot be provided, the College will work collaboratively with the student to identify whether an alternative accommodation can appropriately address the student’s disability-related needs while maintaining essential program requirements.
