Bookkeeping and Accounting Practices at Algonquin College

Launch into the field of accounting and open up career opportunities.

The Bookkeeping and Accounting Practices Ontario College Certificate program gives you the knowledge and skills to work effectively in a variety of accounting and bookkeeping roles.

This one-year program balances theory and practical training, to ensure that you are ready for your career. Faculty members include experts dedicated to ensuring that you gain a solid foundation of skills.

Explore the full accounting cycle, including:

• identifying and recording business transactions
• preparing financial statements
• developing essential bookkeeping skills by practising working with data such as purchases, payments, sales, collections and payroll.
• effectively identifying and applying business processes by maintaining paper and computerized financial records.

Develop communication and math skills as well as an understanding of business practices. Work with popular accounting software and spreadsheet tools to ensure that your technical skills are up-to-date.

With an Ontario College Certificate from Algonquin College, you may find employment in entry-level roles such as:

• payroll clerk
• accounts payable clerk
• accounts receivable clerk
• billing clerk
• debt collections
• accounting clerk
• bookkeeper
• accounting assistant

You may also earn credits that can be used in our Business - Accounting Diploma program, if you choose to pursue further studies.

SUCCESS FACTORS

This program is well-suited for students who:

• Are adaptable and enjoy problem-solving.
• Communicate effectively with people in a variety of capacities.
• Work well under pressure and are deadline driven.
• Perform well working both independently and collaboratively.
• Possess a keen eye for detail.
• Have a high standard of ethics.
• Have strong organizational skills.
• Are comfortable using technology and software.

Careers

Graduates may find employment in entry-level bookkeeping and payroll positions in a variety of business organizations, in roles such as payroll clerk, accounts payable clerk, accounts receivables clerk, billing clerk, debt collections, office administration roles with accounting tasks, accounting clerk, bookkeeper or accounting assistant. Graduates may also work as self-employed entrepreneurs.

Learning Outcomes

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1. Prepare and maintain manual and computerized financial reports for organizations in accordance with Canadian accounting practices in a timely and accurate fashion.
2. Identify and apply Canadian and Ontario payroll record-keeping practices, procedures, requirements and regulations to employee compensation.
3. Describe and navigate business structures and interrelationships from the perspective of the finance and accounting department.
4. Apply Canadian compliance standards to the preparation of basic statutory and non-statutory business filings.
5. Apply fundamental mathematical methods and procedures to support bookkeeping practices and the preparation of financial information.
6. Produce accurate and appropriate formats of inter- and intra-office communications according to accounting and finance department conventions.
7. Practise ethical behaviour and corporate responsibility in all aspects of work completed.
8. Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.

Program Eligibility

• English, Grade 12 (ENG4C or equivalent).

• Mathematics, Grade 11 (MBF3C or equivalent).
• Applicants with international transcripts must provide proof of the subject specific requirements noted above and may be required to provide proof of language proficiency. Domestic applicants with international transcripts must be evaluated through the International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS) or World Education Services (WES).
• IELTS-International English Language Testing Service (Academic) Overall band of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each band; OR TOEFL-Internet-based (iBT) Overall 80, with the minimum of 20 in each component: Reading 20; Listening 20; Speaking 20; Writing 20.