This full-time post-graduate certificate program will prepare you for a successful career in business and future managerial roles in just 8 months while helping you successfully balance your professional and personal responsibilities.

Register for this Program

Business Strategy

Examine the external context of business and the challenges of managing in the Canadian business environment. Explore the external context of business considering economic, competitive, labour, technological, societal, global, and political issues. Gain insight into current challenges and opportunities that play a dramatic role in the business landscape and affect business strategy.

Business Fundamentals

Examine the functional areas of business through a critical discourse about management, its sub-disciplines, and the current issues and future challenges it faces. Compare classic management articles with writings from alternative or contradictory perspectives. Examine current news stories to illustrate and assess the practical relevance of each of the management ideas presented. Develop, articulate, and support your own thinking in relation to contemporary business issues.

Business Communications

Develop transferable skills that can be applied to a variety of roles in business. Develop key business/management skills that are required of business professionals and prepare for the business and professional environment in Canada through theoretical instruction, practical case analyses, interactive and team-based exercises, as well as oral and written assignments. Develop strong critical thinking skills, business acumen, oral and written communication skills (including presentation skills), negotiation and influencing skills, and data and numeracy skills, and much more.

Accounting – Analysis & the Use of Financial Information

Explore basic concepts in financial accounting, managerial accounting and their interrelationships to duties and responsibilities of a manager. Gain a critical overview of the accounting process and a broad, conceptual understanding of the role of accounting in modern society. You will study financial statements prepared for external audiences and how those statements contribute to financial decisions and capital markets; and, internal reports that affect managers’ day-to-day decisions.

Marketing Fundamentals

Examine fundamentals of marketing theory, concepts and management as applied to marketing’s strategic role in meeting customer needs, including product (goods and services), price, promotion, distribution, consumer, segmentation, positioning, ethics, and research to prepare to create a marketing plan.

Human Resources Management

This course introduces you to the basic principles and concepts of human resources management, and provides a context for the challenges facing HR managers in contemporary Canadian organizations. You are given opportunities to identify organizational problems, and to prescribe and implement corrective actions.

Introduction to Project Management

Examine the theory and practice of project management with a problem-solving approach to planning, budgeting, implementing and completing small and large-scale projects. Gain a strong working knowledge of project management fundamentals and be able to use this knowledge to positively impact workplace projects.

Applied Capstone Course

The purpose of the capstone course is to create an opportunity for you to make connections between the various topics in the program; to analyze, synthesize, and apply the knowledge gained throughout the program to real-world business cases.

Canadian Students

This unique post-degree program provides the educational experience that upper-year undergraduate students enjoy with an exposure to a multi-cultural environment that only York University can provide. Graduates of this program will be uniquely positioned to thrive in Toronto’s diverse workplaces — a critical asset for global companies.

Develop a rich professional network that includes global and local peers and instructors with significant industry experience. As a pioneer in professional education, York has the expertise to offer you a vibrant, meaningful post-degree experience. You’ll graduate work-ready and promotable in Canada’s largest labour market.

International Students

York University’s Post-Graduate Certificate in Business Administration is absolutely unique in Canada. This program provides the educational experience that Canadian upper-year undergraduate students enjoy with the academic language supports needed for success. As a leader in academic English education, York has the expertise to offer you a vibrant, meaningful post-degree experience.

Unlike other Canadian business certificates that only offer classes in the evening and on weekends, York offers a full-time schedule. Despite the accelerated format of the full-time program, the course scheduling provides opportunities for students to study and work outside the class schedule.

Graduates of this program will be uniquely positioned to thrive in vibrant multi-cultural workplaces. Develop a rich professional network of local students, international peers, and Canadian instructors with significant industry experience. You’ll graduate work-ready and promotable.

You may be eligible to transfer a maximum of one equivalent course from another institution to receive advanced standing.

Transfer credits must meet basic conditions and be supported by documentation.  Please forward requests for transfer credit to the Program Coordinator for approval via email at cpehelp@yorku.ca. Transfer credit requests approved by the Program Manager will be discounted based on the cost of the course.

Approved courses for advanced standing in the York University School of Continuing Studies must meet the following criteria:

1. There must be a minimum 90% overlap in content and curriculum.
2. There must be the same number of contact hours or greater as compared to the course offered in the School of Continuing Studies program.
3. The course must be at the university level (from an accredited academic institution) with a grade of B or better. College equivalents will be considered.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The following information is required to be sent electronically to cpehelp@yorku.ca in order to assess a transfer of credit:

1. The name and/or course code of the York University School of Continuing Studies course for which you wish to receive advanced standing
2. The course you wish to transfer from another institution
3. When and where you completed the course
4. A complete SCS Transfer Credit Request Form
5. An official transcript, demonstrating your completion of the course and final grade
6. A full course outline that provides the following details:

• Course name
• Description
• Learning objectives
• Assessment criteria
• Reading materials
• Weekly content covered
• Number of hours

Please note that incomplete packages cannot be reviewed.

Transfer credit requests may take a minimum of six-eight weeks to process and must be submitted before the start of the program.

Have you recently graduated from a non-business field and are looking to differentiate yourself for new and exciting job opportunities in business?

Careers in areas such as:

• Marketing
• Sales
• Administration
• Operations

Or, are you looking to broaden your professional working knowledge to become a T-shaped professional? No matter what field your educational background is in, graduating from our Post-Graduate Certificate in Business Administration will help you develop the skillset to work more effectively on a cross functional team – leading to more job advancement opportunities.

Graduates of our Post-Graduate Certificate in Business Administration meet the educational requirements to obtain the Certified In Management (CIM) designation from the Canadian Institute of Management.*

*Please note there are additional requirements in addition to the Post-Graduate Certificate in Business Administration that are needed for the CIM designation. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that these are met.

Business Administration Advisory Council

Senior executives from many of Toronto’s leading organizations help us ensure our graduates have the skills and knowledge that employers value most, including the following:

• Gary Spraakman, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, York University
• Stephen Gaskin, Senior VP Ontario Region, Scotiabank
• Maurizio Bevilacqua, Mayor, City of Vaughan
• Anthony Dale, President and CEO, Ontario Hospital Association
• Bal Sahjpaul, Senior Director E-commerce, Acklands-Grainger
• Roberta Wilton, Chief Executive, The Dunfield Group
• Greg Hewitt, Chief Executive Officer, DHL Express USA
• Rose Cammareri, Executive Vice President, Retail Distribution, AGF
• Faith Tull, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Randstad Canada

 Judy Chang, B.A.Sc., MBA (Marketing & Strategy)

Judy has over 20 years of experience in brand management, marketing, and business strategy analytics in the consumer packaged goods industry, steering multi-million dollar franchises to rapid growth. Judy has led Fortune 500 teams at Kraft, Mondelez and The Nielsen Company, where she served as Vice President, Client Services. Judy currently leads York University’s YSpace Food Accelerator to help food start-ups scale and accelerate growth. She also serves as a Program Advisor for York University’s Entrepreneurial Leadership & Learning Alliance (ELLA) Accelerator supporting women’s entrepreneurship, and as a Business Mentor for youth entrepreneurs with the City of Markham. In 2014, Judy founded Pivot Perspectives Coaching & Consulting, a training organization for leaders and entrepreneurs.

Judy holds a Masters of Business Administration from Rotman School of Business with specializations in Marketing and Strategy. She also has a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Sciences from the University of Toronto and is a Certified Coach with the Coaches Training Institute (CTI).

Nidhi Chopra, CPA, CA, FRM

Nidhi brings over 20 years of accounting and finance experience. Her professional growth with large multinationals, start-up businesses and entrepreneurial enterprise has allowed her to develop a strong appreciation for evolving financial reporting and controls. During her career, Nidhi co-founded and operated a multi-modality medical clinic in the GTA and was a financial leader for a privately pharmaceutical business which was later acquired by a TSX listed company. During this time, she provided cross-functional leadership and her financial expertise was integral in growth strategies for products and services.

Nidhi now spends her time providing advisory services for small business, teaching at York University School of Continuing Studies, and volunteering in the non-profit sector. She is the Treasurer for a nonprofit organization, is the former Vice Chair at Skylark Youth and Families and a former board member for the Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences. She also brings board experience from the private sector. Nidhi is a CPA, CA, and is certified in Risk Management.

Joanna Drakakis, BSBA, MBA, CPHR Candidate, DBA (in progress)

Joanna has more than 20 years of experience in international business operations with industry expertise in manufacturing, retail, hospitality, and international logistics operations. Her progressive experience in human resources and organizational operations culminated in becoming the Chief Executive Officer of 3Ks Unique Co., a successful multinational firm. As a business and human resources consultant with a focus on business development, compliance, and health & safety for international organizations, Joanna brings a passion for teaching that brings business world reality into classroom instruction. 

Joanna brings a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, an MBA from William Howard Taft University, and Certificates in Project Management, Human Resources Management and TESOL. She is currently in the process of completing her Doctorate in Business Administration with a specialization in business leadership and management, and receiving validation as a CPHR. Joanna teaches a variety of business and human resources courses at York University, Seneca College, and Centennial College and is a facilitator for HRPA-York Region’s Educational Committee.

Su-Yan Gay, MHRM, BA, B.ED, CHRL, CTDP

Su-Yan Gay is a Human Resources professional who brings almost 20 years of HR experience to York University. Su-Yan worked as the Manager of Learning & Development for a large crown corporation for over 10 years. Her most recent position took her to Alberta, where she was the Supervisor of Employee Education and a Senior HR Advisor within a municipal government organization. Based in Toronto, Su-Yan is currently managing her own HR consulting firm (NAYUS Consulting Group) where she is advising public and private organizations in both Canada and the Caribbean with their HR and talent management needs.

Su-Yan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Toronto, a Bachelor of Education degree (specializing in Adult Education) from Brock University, and a graduate degree in Human Resources Management from York University. In addition, she holds the professional designations of Certified Human Resources Leader and Certified Training & Development Professional.

Anwar Habib, MBA (Marketing)

Anwar has over 20 years of industry experience working for Unilever and Johnson & Johnson in Australia, South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. During this time, he has managed global brands including Ponds, Vaseline, Sunsilk, Pepsodent, Aim, Band-Aid, Carefree and Acuvue.
Starting as a brand manager, Anwar progressed through various responsibilities in marketing and sales to become Regional General Manager and then Country Manager for the Middle East and North Africa, receiving recognition as a multi-year President’s Club award winner for outstanding achievement.

Anwar has been teaching marketing and international business for the last 13 years, both at York University and McKeil School of Business. He is also co-author of “Principles of Marketing,” the 1st Arab world edition with Professor Philip Kotler.

SYEDA FAHMIDA HABIB, DBA, MBA, M.APP.FIN

Dr. Habib is a passionate, student-centered educator with 25 years of teaching experience at both the University and College level. Her core areas of expertise are finance, banking, accounting and general management. Fahmida has been involved in the development of curricula, course material and assessment, managing teaching teams, and textbook writing, authoring a textbook on Finance and Banking for Wiley Publishers in 2018.

Fahmida brings particular expertise in working with mature multicultural student groups and believes that the best learning happens when the material is adapted to the learner’s abilities, interests and experiences. Leveraging her vast international experience, Fahmida strives to instill in her students a passion for life-long learning and learning beyond borders. In 2020, Fahmida was nominated for the Minister’s Award of Excellence with the Ministry of Colleges and Universities for going above and beyond in both the classroom and community.

Fahmida completed her Doctorate of Business Administration, Finance and Banking from SMC University in Switzerland, has a Masters in Applied Finance and Banking from Macquarie University in Australia and an MBA, majoring in Marketing from the University of Dhaka in India.

Shirley Lamarre, MBA, CPA, CGA, ACCA

Shirley has taught a wide range of courses including accounting, finance and taxation for over ten years at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Her industry experience spans both the public and private sectors in the areas of corporate finance, accounting, controllership and project management.
Shirley is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). She holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) with a focus in Commerce and Strategy from Laurentian University.

Shirley also teaches in the MBA Program at Cape Breton University and has been involved as a subject matter expert in curriculum design to meet industry and professional certification requirements. Her teaching philosophy includes motivating and encouraging students to learn from one another, while always challenging them to be critical thinkers.

Cheryl Lee, PMP, PMI-PBA, CBAP

Cheryl is the CEO of Knowledge Adapters, a Toronto-based consulting firm that offers business analysis and project management consulting and training services in the areas of business analysis, project management and change management. Clients include public and private sector organizations across all industries, including financial services, high tech, telecommunications, transportation, construction, entertainment, and all levels of government.
Cheryl is co-author of “Effective PM and BA Role Collaboration” (2015), J. Ross Publishing, and one of four global authors of The PMI Guide to Business Analysis (2017), published by the Project Management Institute (PMI). She has spoken at conferences, chapter meetings, colleges, and at universities to audiences across the globe.

Cheryl founded the PMI Toronto Chapter Business Analysis Community; the first Business Analysis Community within a PMI Chapter, and has served as a Director at Large for the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) Toronto.
Cheryl is a certified Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA), Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP).

Jeff May, M.Ed, BA (Hons)

Jeff’s background in business and human resources management spans more than twenty-five years. In his capacity as an independent consultant, he has worked with some of Canada’s most influential companies, completing client engagements in both the public and private sectors. His international experience includes working with post-secondary partners in Indonesia to assist with the development of applied entrepreneurship curriculum and the establishment of community business support centres.

Jeff has taught management development, organizational behaviour, human resource planning and development, and business foundation courses at McMaster and York universities, and at Seneca, Conestoga, and Confederation colleges. He has an undergraduate honours degree in Economics from Laurentian University in Sudbury, and a graduate degree in Education from Nipissing University in North Bay.

Janet Melo-Thaiss, PhD (ABD), MA, BA (Hons)

A passionate and enthusiastic instructor, Janet Melo-Thaiss believes that York University’s classrooms have the power to change the world for the better. Winner of multiple teaching awards, including the President’s University-Wide Teaching Award and Humanities Teaching Award, Janet focuses on mentoring students and facilitating their journey towards the highest expression of their own skills and talents.

Janet’s work in the financial and insurance industries as a Marketing Professional and Financial Writer informs her focus on experiential learning in the classroom and helps students to see the connections between their academic and professional paths. Known as an innovative teacher, Janet’s classroom is a dynamic space where mindfulness meets academic excellence.

Janet brings a Masters in English and is completing a PhD in English through York University.

Chris Rotolo, MBA

Chris is a data expert: determining its value, monitoring its integrity and managing its performance. After spending decades working in full-service and multi-national marketing agencies, he has turned his passion and experience to helping organizations build positive, long-term relationships with their stakeholders.

For more than ten years, Chris has created, revised and taught a range of courses for Canadian colleges and universities. On his own time, he works with sector development organizations to educate non-profit leaders on best practice. Additionally, he creates and delivers workshops to under-served communities to improve employment opportunities. Chris holds his MBA from the University of Ottawa.

Rehan Sher, MA, MASc, BA (Hons), PMP, CHRL

Rehan is an HR and Project Management Professional with over 20 years of experience.  In January 2014, he became the Founder & CEO of the HR and Project Management Corporation, a global firm specialized in providing recruitment and training services.

Rehan is a part-time faculty member at York University, Humber College, and Lambton College where he teaches HR and project management.  He has an Honours BA in Economics from the University of Toronto, an MA in Economics from the University of Western Ontario, and an MASc in Management Science from the University of Waterloo.  He also has a Master’s Certificate in Learning & Development from Schulich’s Executive Education Centre and holds both the PMP & CHRL Professional Licenses.

Indira Somwaru, PhD, MBA, BEd, CHRP

Dr. Indira Somwaru is a human resources professional and educator with over twenty years of experience in both business and academic settings. Her industry experience includes senior human resources management positions in a variety of organizations including health care, real estate and publishing.
Indira currently teaches courses in business and human resources management at York University in the Schulich School of Business, School of Administrative Studies, School of Continuing Studies, and School of Human Resources Management, from which she is a Teaching Excellence Award recipient. She brings specialized expertise in negotiations which she teaches to Schulich undergraduate, graduate and executive level students. Indira also teaches courses in the Master’s Degree program in Industrial Relations and Human Resources at the University of Toronto and Rotman Commerce.

In addition to teaching, Indira designs and delivers workshops and provides consulting services to private industry, particularly in the area of human resources management. Her areas of expertise include negotiations, change management, leadership and managing diversity.
Indira’s brings a PhD in Management from Griffith University as well as an MBA, BEd and BA from the University of Toronto. She is also a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP).

Faith Tull, MHRM, CHRE

A senior global executive with over 25 years’ experience, Faith has served in roles such as Chief People Officer, Global Head of Talent as well as SVP, Human Resources for a number of multinational organizations. She currently serves as an active Professional Advisory Committee member for degree programs for two Canadian universities.

Faith brings expansive expertise and specialization in Organizational Design & Development, Talent Management, Succession Planning, Talent Acquisition, Performance Management, Employee Relations, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and Strategic Planning.  Additionally, Faith’s background has given her broad experience across a range of industries that include Technology, Pharmaceutical, Engineering, HR Services, and Insurance.

Faith obtained her Masters of Human Resources Management (MHRM) from York University, a BA in Industrial/Labour Relations from the University of Toronto, a Certificate in Adult Training & Development from OISE, as well as a Business Administration Diploma from Sheridan College. Faith is a member of the HRPA, from which she holds the top tier designation of Certified Human Resources Executive (CHRE).

Faisal Yousuf, MBA (Strategy), BComm., PFP

Faisal has 20 years of experience in national, regional and branch leadership roles with TD, Laurentian Bank and London Life, progressing to executive-level roles including District Vice President and Associate Vice President of Sales, Strategy and Digital. He is also a management consultant within the Canadian financial services sector.
Faisal has worked in many different areas of the industry which includes analytics, sales leadership, capability development, advice strategy and distribution leadership roles within insurance, retail banking and wealth management.

Faisal has over 10 years of experience as an educator. He is currently a part-time professor in the Business Faculties at York University, Humber College, and Sheridan College. He is Co-Founder & Chair of Refugee Girls Worldwide, a current Board Member at William Osler Health System Foundation, and past Cabinet Chair at United Way.
Faisal holds a Bachelor of Commerce (concentration in Finance) and an MBA (concentration in Strategy) from the University of Windsor.

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Post-Graduate Certificate in Business Administration – Program Policies

Program Format

 

The School of Continuing Studies has a student record review process of students that have completed courses in the previous semester. Students who have successfully completed all the program requirements are eligible to graduate. Students are not required to formally apply to graduate.

Students will have their course grades reviewed by the Program Manager as they approach the end of the program. Students should expect to receive their Certificates in October/November by mail.

Students enrolled in all of our Certificate programs have access to the York University Library. The School of Continuing Studies will provide you with the library application form.

It is wise to budget approximately $150 — $200 per course. All the books and reading materials will be available at the York University bookstore. You can also order your books online at http://bookstore.yorku.ca/

If you would like to visit the bookstore in person, store hours are as follows:

Monday & Tuesday 9am–7pm
Wednesday–Friday 9am–5pm

Open Saturday for the month of September.

CLOSED Saturday & Sunday.

Students in a cohort travel together through the program, learn through shared experiences as a group, and complete courses in a designated sequence.

The cohort model provides an opportunity to network and build professional relationships that may extend beyond the program. Therefore, the courses cannot be taken at your own pace.