PROGRAM

Accounting and Payroll Administration

The Accounting and Payroll Administration Diploma program equips you with a strong combination of office administration, advanced accounting, and payroll skills essential for today’s job market.

 

With hands-on training in accounting and payroll, you will develop the skills employers are looking for while gaining real-world experience that builds confidence.

 

This career-focused approach, which features a practicum in a working payroll environment, prepares you to step into finance and payroll roles with the knowledge and readiness to succeed!

CREDENTIAL
Diploma
DURATION
43 Weeks
DELIVERY METHOD
On Campus, Combined, Online

Program info

Accounting jobs are in high demand! This diploma program is ideal for individuals seeking a career that allows them to work in virtually any organization with a payroll and employees.

During this immersive 43-week program, you will take bookkeeping courses, develop an understanding of business accounting, process a full annual payroll cycle, and learn the fundamentals of employment insurance, income tax, pensions, and more.

You will become familiar with key accounting software, including Sage 50 Accounting and QuickBooks, and learn to prepare T4s, Record of Employments (ROEs), as well as calculate benefits, earnings, and allowances.

Before graduating, you will also complete a 100-hour practicum placement in an accounting or payroll office.

CERTIFICATION RECEIVED
Accounting and Payroll Administration Diploma

Accelerated Learning

Courses

Gain practical, career-focused training through courses designed to prepare you for real-world roles.

SSS4

Student Success Strategies

Emphasis is placed on thinking about achieving success from day one, and developing the non-technical skills to enhance personal, academic, and career success.

MOT4

Microsoft Outlook

This course presents the MS Outlook application interface, tools, and features. You will learn about the fundamentals of an e-mail application, scheduling, calendars, contact lists, creating, forwarding and managing messages. This course relies heavily upon hands-on practical activities that allow you to learn concepts by practicing them on a regular basis.

MSW4

Microsoft Word

This course introduces the students to word processing with Microsoft Word. Relying heavily on a hands-on practical training approach, students learn by doing skills based simulations, training and assessments. Learners will focus on the core features of Microsoft Word such as proper document formatting, organization and editing using the tools and features of the ribbon. The course will then continue with more advanced topics such as working with tables, lists, objects, templates footnotes and endnotes and mail merges. Students will explore the collaboration features that allow users to share and collaborate on documents through the use of track changes, sharing and reviewing.

MSE4

Microsoft Excel

Relying heavily on a hands-on practical training approach, students learn by doing skills based simulations, training and assessments in Microsoft Excel. The course starts with an overview of spreadsheets and how to use the common features and functions of Microsoft Excel. The course then focuses on the core features of Microsoft Excel where students learn how to enter and format data and use the various functions and formulas to manage and manipulate data. The course continues with more advanced topics such as performing quantitative analysis with logical, lookup and various mathematical and financial functions. Depicting data visually is an important feature of Excel. Students will learn how to work with charts in Excel to produce a variety of different charts based on data housed in a spreadsheet. Finally, students will learn to handle large volumes of data with datasets and tables.

MSA4

Microsoft Access

The main objective of this course is to introduce students to the basic commands, functions, and capabilities of Microsoft Office Access. Students learn how to create tables and forms and how to search for data, sort and filter data, and create and modify queries. Reports and charts can be created using the data.

PSK4

Professional Skills [PSK4]

This course is designed to equip students with the skills necessary for dealing effectively with both customers and colleagues in the business world. Using a variety of instructional methods including role-plays, case studies, group exercises, simulated situations, and discussions, students learn and practice customer service and interpersonal skills necessary for success in today’s business environment.

EBW4

Effective Business Writing [EBW4]

The workplace of the twenty-first century demands excellent communication skills. The focus of this course is on learning writing techniques that ensure effective business communication. Following the completion of this course, students will be able to achieve effective writing styles, apply skillful writing techniques used in business communications in today’s workplace. This includes communicating in teams using listening, nonverbal and meeting skills; planning, writing and reviewing various types of business messages; communicating effectively using memos, email, letters and instant messages; creating business reports and proposals; plan, writing and delivering oral presentations.

 

AFA4

Accounting Fundamentals I [AFA4]

This course is an introduction to the fundamental principles and practices of accounting as a device for reporting business activity. It provides the student with an understanding of the underlying theory and principles of accounting. The construction of financial statements as they evolve from business transactions and records is emphasized using the rules of double-entry bookkeeping. In addition, adjusting journal entries and everyday transactions for both service and retail businesses are recorded coupled with the preparation of basic financial statements.

AFB4

Accounting Fundamentals II [AFB4]

The focus of the level 2 course is on the Merchandising sales, Inventories and Cost of Sales, Accounting Information Systems, Receivables and Payroll. Students will learn the use of special journals and subsidiary ledgers in an accounting system coupled with methods of recording and managing retail inventories are examined. Journalizing of payroll entries is included along with recording the purchase and amortization (depreciation) of fixed assets, as well as intangible assets

CAA4

Computerized Accounting I [CAA4]

This course provides a practical instruction to Sage 50 Accounting. Students learn how to set up a computerized accounting environment and record transactions in the General, Payable, and Receivable ledgers by working with a variety of business simulations.

CAB4

Computerized Accounting II [CAB4]

This course is a continuation of Computerized Accounting with Sage 50 Level 1. Students learn how to set up for Payroll and Inventory, record payroll and inventory, set up budgets, and reconcile accounts by working with a variety of business simulations.

B1068O

Computerized Accounting III with QuickBooks [B1068O]

In this module, students continue to build their knowledge and skills in computerized accounting systems, learning QuickBooks, an easy-to-use and powerful system. Students will learn to set up a new QuickBooks company and manage customer accounts. Students also review and consolidate their understanding of Excel and Word by exporting QuickBooks data into these programs. QuickBooks payroll features are also covered. 

HRE4

Human Resources [HRE4]

Employees are the most valuable asset of a business and all aspects from hiring to performance appraisal are examined utilizing the case study approach.

PRL1

Payroll Basics [PRL1]

By the end of this course, students will understand the compulsory aspects of payroll and its objectives. They will know the difference between independent/self-employed compared to business employer/employee relationships based on CRA guidelines. Major emphasis will be placed on the mandatory aspects of payroll such as calculating statutory deductions for federal and provincial governments. Students will understand the role of government agencies (CRA, Service Canada, and ESDC) that control payroll rules and regulations governing all stakeholders.

PRL2

Payroll Processing [PRL2]

By the end of this course, students will be able to interpret their own pay stub. They will be able to accurately calculate normal/regular payroll cycles. They will understand different aspects of income and statutory requirements pertaining to areas such as earnings, benefits, allowances, and expense reimbursements. Students will be able to calculate statutory and non-statutory deductions, and they will be able to accurately process special payments including bonuses, retroactive pay, vacation pay, director fees, and employment termination amounts. Exposure to ROE (Record of Employment) will be provided.

PRL3

Payroll Remittance and Reporting [PRL3]

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to calculate and know the deadlines and procedures associated with remitting statutory deductions to CRA and RQ (Quebec Provincial Ministry). They will understand the repercussions of not submitting remittances, or of submitting late remittances. Students will learn provincial requirements of payroll tax levies, and they will receive exposure to non-government unions, private pensions, garnishments and WCB calculations) deduction amounts. A detailed exposure will be given to T4/T4A, RL-1, and other annual required reports. At the end of the course, students will understand the accounting aspects of payroll, its remittances, and payroll accruals.

ITFO

Income Tax Fundamentals [ITFO]

This course is designed to follow the general structure of the Canadian Income Tax Act for individual taxpayers. This introductory course presents in-depth coverage of the information needed to prepare a majority of individual income tax returns for residents of Canada. The course will cover major income categories, applicable tax rules to calculate net income, allowable deductions for tax payers and calculation of tax payable for individuals. The course will also determine who is subject to tax in Canada and the basis on which Canada levies income tax. Advance tax topics are covered briefly in this course to create an awareness of subject matter. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to prepare a basic individual tax return.

CES4

Career and Employment Strategies [CES4]

This course builds on the skills learned in the Student Success Strategies course or its equivalent. It provides information on how to use the communication skills learned in order to make a successful presentation to a prospective employer. Students also learn how to uncover the hidden job market and identify employment opportunities. Self-assessment during this course allows students to identify their personal skills that are transferable to the workplace and to describe these skills to a prospective employer. Students may be videotaped during a mock interview and will participate in the analysis of their performance in the “interview”.

AB-APA199

Practicum [AB-APA199]

Students will be placed in actual work places related to their field of study and will be expected to act as a regular employee in order to gain the valuable real world experience that so many employers seek. Students are encouraged to find their own work experience placement; however, once placed, continuation in that placement is mandatory.

Requirements

To enrol in this program, all applicants must meet with an admissions representative in addition to meeting the following requirements:

Standard Admission

  • Alberta high school diploma or equivalent verified by transcript or Detailed Academic Report (DAR)

Mature Admission

  • Be at least 18 years of age prior to admission (19 for out-of-province)
  • Successful completion of the Reeves College Admissions Test.

 

*Manitoba applicants must also have been out of school for one year in addition to the above.

International Student Requirements

International applicants must meet the following English language proficiency requirements:​

 

  • Canadian Language Benchmark Assessment (CLBA): 7 in each strand.​
  • TOEFL: Internet-based test score of 71 (overall) or Paper-based test score of 560.
  • IELTS Academic: Overall score of 6.0, with no band score below 5.0.​
  • CAEL: Score of 60.

 

Additional requirements include official transcripts, proof of financial support, a valid study permit, and other documentation as specified by the college.

Still have questions? Talk to an admissions expert.
CAREER

Real Graduates. Real Careers.

Accounting and Payroll Administration graduates working in 
	Accounting Clerks, 
	Accounts Payable Clerks, 
	Accounts Receivable Clerks, 
	Tax Return Preparers, 
	Benefits Officers, 
	Pay and Benefits Clerks, 
	Pay Clerks, 
	Payroll Officers,
8/10 Graduates
Gain Employment

Reeves College alumni are building rewarding careers as Accounting Clerks, Accounts Payable Clerks, Accounts Receivable Clerks, Tax Return Preparers, Benefits Officers, Pay and Benefits Clerks, Pay Clerks, and Payroll Officers.

Get Career-ready
Success Stories

Hear From Our Graduates

I learned lots of new things, met great people...it gave me more knowledge and experience to be successful out in the workforce.

Kayla T

Ready to Make a Difference?

Study Accounting and Payroll Administration to develop in-demand skills, open new opportunities, and launch your future.