Continuing Education

Business Foundations

Your business education starts here

Business Foundations, a four-course, one term, full-time pathway program into Business Administration, is designed for students lacking the prerequisites to directly enter Business Administration. The skills acquired in this program will provide you with foundational knowledge to meet the prerequisites and enroll in further post-secondary study in Business. Upon successful completion of the program, you will be eligible to enter Year 1 of Business Administration at the JR Shaw School of Business.

Please note, students registering in this program will be registered into the (4) courses that comprise the program. These courses are BUSF851 Effective Communications, BUSF856 Business Math, BUSF860 Introduction to Business, and BUSF865 Strategies for Student Success.

No part-time or individual course registrations permitted. Students may only take this program once - retakes are not permitted.

This is a full-time program with classes running during the day on weekdays. Students are expected to be in class during set times per the program schedule. This is not a self-paced (asynchronous) program.

Register for this certificate

This program is designed with a set schedule. By choosing this purchase, you secure a spot in a predefined set of classes scheduled over a specific period. There are no schedule adjustments or changes available. Classes must be attended when scheduled (these are live classes with attendance expected always).

You can register for the entire program using the Packaged Course Offering below. It includes the following courses

  • BUSF851 - Effective Communications
  • BUSF856 - Business Math
  • BUSF860 - Introduction to Business
  • BUSF865 - Strategies for Student Success.
     

Courses

Packaged Course Offering

Quick Facts

Campus: Main

Any in-person components of your courses will be delivered at NAIT's Main Campus in Edmonton. View map

Delivery Modes:

  • Varies by Class - Delivery mode varies by class. See Courses and Advanced Credit to view course scheduling details.

Delivery Times:

  • Weekdays - Daytime - Classes are scheduled on weekdays, before 5 p.m.

Hands-on, industry-relevant skills 

The Business Foundations Program consists of 4 courses including Effective Communications, Mathematics for Business, Introduction to Business and Strategies for Student Success.

Completing and passing all 4 courses in the program with a 55% grade in each course fulfills the entrance requirements for NAIT's Business Administration diploma program and provides you transfer credits for 2 first-year courses.

You will receive advanced standing in:

  • COMM1101: Communications 1

  • MATH1180: Business Math

As you refresh your skills and establish a strong academic foundation, you have the added benefit of knowing your course work in this term applies to your diploma program.

Over the course of the term, you will:

  • Devise individual strategies for academic success

  • Develop a plan for personal and professional growth

  • Integrate appropriate technical and software applications that support academic activities

  • Implement and improve professional communication skills

  • Discover fundamental principles and develop business skills for subsequent coursework

Note: You must obtain at least 55% in all 4 courses to obtain admission to the Business Administration program. It is recommended that prior to starting the Business Foundations program, you meet NAIT’s ELP standards. You will be required to meet NAIT's English Language Proficiency standard prior to being admitted to the diploma program.

Learn more about NAIT Business Administration Learn more about NAIT English Language Proficiency testing

Academic prerequisites

English and math recommendations

It is recommended applicants have Math 10C and English 10-1 or 10-2 before taking the Business Foundations program.

As English is the language of instruction at NAIT, an adequate knowledge of written and spoken English is a prerequisite for admission. By registering in the program, you are certifying that you have an adequate knowledge of written and spoken English. NAIT has a number of assessments that meet our English Language Proficiency (ELP) requirements.

Learn more about English Language Proficiency requirements at NAIT

For students who aren't as confident with their math abilities, we recommend taking the Math Skills Booster course (MASB101) before entering the Business Foundations program. The Math Skills Booster course is a 10-hour crash course designed to refresh your math skills, revisiting basic concepts such as arithmetic operations, fractions, and percentages.

Time commitment

The Business Foundations program is a full-time program. Classes take place during the day Monday to Thursday, and as such, requires a significant time commitment. Although some students are able to manage completing this program while working full-time (provided work doesn’t occur during the day during the week), we would neither recommend nor suggest doing so. 

Delivery Options: On Campus and Remote Live (Online)

The Business Foundations program offers 2 delivery methods for students to complete their program, either On Campus (in person) at the NAIT Main Campus in Edmonton or Remote Live (online). 

Not sure which delivery mode is right for you?

Both delivery options have:

  • A set schedule during the day Monday – Thursday, where you are expected to always attend class

  • Live teaching by a seasoned instructor

  • The same course content, assignments, and assessments

When deciding between delivery options, please consider your motivation, organization, social interactivity needs, and technical know-how to determine whether in-person or online learning is right for you. We find that many students in this program are well-suited for the in-person offering; however, both are available for your consideration and choosing. Also please note that your classes will be in session during the day every Monday – Thursday for the semester. 

On Campus (in-person) learning provides:

  • Access to instructors 1-on-1 in person

  • Face-to-face interaction with peers to build your student network

  • Live teaching  and learning in a physical classroom with more physical space, visual aids, large whiteboards, etc.

  • Fewer distractions being in a controlled classroom environment

Remote Live (Online) learning provides:

  • Ease of access & convenience

  • No travel to campus

Instructors

Nicola Young

Nicola Young

Nicola has over 15 years’ experience as an adult educator. Her passion is learning and this means going the extra mile to create a safe and engaging classroom.

Read More

Frequently Asked Questions

Registration

Funding Options

Courses, certificates and transfer credits

Technology Requirements

Delivery Methods

  • Face to Face: Where: In-person meetings. When: Course is scheduled at a specific time for students to attend. Face-to-face instruction at all class meetings. Location may be on campus or at a worksite.
  • Blended: Where: Mixture of in-person & online components. When: Course is scheduled at a specific time for students to attend. Combination of face-to-face and online components at specific times. Some online components may be accessed online anytime.
  • Hyflex: Where: Choice to attend in-person or online meetings. When: Course is scheduled at a specific time for students to attend. For each class, students choose to attend in-person with the instructor or online at a specific time.
  • Remote Live Delivery: Where: Online with instructor. When: Course is scheduled at a specific time for students to attend. Instruction is delivered at set times online. Students do not come to campus.
  • Remote On-Demand Delivery: Where: Online anytime. When: No set class meetings. Coursework is accessed on-demand and online. While there are no set class meetings, there may be set due dates and deadlines for some activities. Students may interact with peers through virtual tools.
  • Remote Independent: Where: Online anytime. When: No set class meetings. Coursework is accessed on-demand and online, with no instructor support. While students choose when to do coursework, there may be set due dates and deadlines. 
  • Work Placement: Where: In-person meetings. When: Work is scheduled at a specific time for students to attend. Onsite work integrated learning. Location at a worksite.
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