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Administrative Assistant Diploma
Become the organizational backbone of any office — communication, Microsoft Office, bookkeeping, scheduling and project coordination.
On this pageProgram overview
The program
Program overview
The Administrative Assistant Diploma prepares you to run the day-to-day operations of a modern office. You will master professional communication, document preparation, scheduling, bookkeeping and the software employers expect.
Through practical, scenario-based learning — including a supervised administrative work-experience component — you will graduate ready to support executives and teams with confidence and efficiency.
Is this program right for you?
The Administrative Assistant Diploma is a good fit if:
- You are organized, like people and want a stable office career in almost any industry
- You are returning to work or changing careers and want a credential that employers recognize
- You are new to Canada and want Canadian office skills, business writing and software experience
- You need to study around a job or family — coursework is online and self-paced
What you’ll learn
- Manage office procedures and organizational workflows
- Produce professional documents, presentations and reports
- Master the Microsoft Office Suite
- Handle bookkeeping: invoicing, payroll and budget tracking
- Coordinate schedules, meetings and travel arrangements
- Deliver excellent customer service and communication
- Apply project-management techniques in the office
- Ensure privacy, data-protection and workplace-safety compliance
Curriculum
12 focused courses totalling 806 hours of guided online learning.
- Introduction to Office Administration50 hrs
- Business Communication Skills70 hrs
- Microsoft Office Suite Mastery100 hrs
- Document Management and Filing Systems60 hrs
- Financial Administration for Assistants80 hrs
- Customer Service and Interpersonal Skills60 hrs
- Scheduling and Time Management40 hrs
- Project Management Fundamentals80 hrs
- Data Entry and Database Management70 hrs
- Office Procedures and Practices70 hrs
- Professional Ethics and Workplace Safety40 hrs
- Practical Administrative Experience (Internship)86 hrs
- Total instructional hours806 hours
Admission requirements
- High school diploma or equivalent (mature-student admission may be available)
- English language proficiency
- Basic computer literacy
- Reliable computer and high-speed internet for online study
How much time will it take?
Ucademy is flexible and largely self-paced. As a guide, you can study part-time at about 12–15 hours a week and finish in roughly 12 months, or go faster full-time and finish in around 7 months. You choose the pace that fits your work and family life — and you can start whenever you are ready.
Careers
Career outcomes
Graduates are prepared for administrative and office-support roles across virtually every industry.
- Administrative Assistant
- Office Administrator
- Executive Assistant
- Office Coordinator
- Receptionist / Front-Desk Coordinator
- Data Entry / Records Clerk
Helps prepare for: Microsoft Office Suite, First Aid / CPR
Career outlook & salaries in Alberta
Typical roles and wage ranges for related occupations in Alberta. Source: Government of Canada Job Bank & Alberta alis labour-market data.
Administrative Assistant
$19.78–$37.00/hrmedian $26.43/hr · NOC 13110Support scheduling, communications and operations across any industry.
Office Administrator
$21.00–$48.08/hrmedian $30.77/hr · NOC 13100Coordinate day-to-day office functions, records and vendors.
Executive Assistant
$26.92–$48.08/hrmedian $35.00/hr · NOC 12100Provide high-level support to managers and executives.
Wages vary by employer, experience and location and are not guaranteed. Figures are Job Bank Alberta hourly wages (low–high and median, 2023–2024) for related occupations, provided for general guidance.
The numbers behind this career
Official data about the occupations this program prepares you for. It describes these jobs across Alberta — not what Ucademy students will earn — and it shows the less favourable figures as well as the good ones.
Source: Job Bank outlook and key facts — NOC 13110 · recent trends Jul 28, 2026.
Hiring figures: Alberta Wage and Salary Survey 2023 (alis) — NOC 13110 · employer survey, 2023.
Benefits: Job Bank wages page.
View the data as a table
| Area | Low | Median | High | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | $19.78/hr | $26.43/hr | $37.00/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
| Athabasca–Grande Prairie | $20.00/hr | $25.27/hr | $34.00/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
| Banff–Jasper | $20.00/hr | $25.27/hr | $34.00/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
| Edmonton | $19.23/hr | $26.74/hr | $35.00/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
| Lethbridge–Medicine Hat | $20.00/hr | $26.43/hr | $40.38/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
| Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake | $21.00/hr | $30.77/hr | $45.05/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
| Canada | $19.23/hr | $26.44/hr | $36.88/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
All rows are Labour Force Survey results for 2023–2024. Calgary, Camrose–Drumheller and Red Deer show exactly the Alberta figures (the survey sample is thin), so they are not drawn separately; Athabasca–Grande Prairie and Banff–Jasper are identical to each other. Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake has the highest median ($30.77), but its outlook is Limited (see below). Wages depend on the employer, experience and location and are not guaranteed.
Source: Job Bank wages — NOC 13110 · wages updated Nov 19, 2025; outlook updated Dec 10, 2025.
| Alberta | Athabasca–Grande Prairie | Banff–Jasper | Calgary | Camrose–Drumheller | Edmonton | Lethbridge–Medicine Hat | Red Deer | Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative assistant NOC 13110 | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Limited |
Job Bank expects only a few new positions from growth, with several openings from retirements. It also warns that online services, artificial intelligence and the automation of back-office work may slow job growth and change some roles in this occupation. The outlook is Moderate in Alberta and in most regions, and Limited in Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake.
Source: Job Bank outlook · updated Dec 10, 2025.
| Starting | Overall | Top | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative assistants (13110) | $22.79 | $27.25 | $31.02 |
“Starting” is the average pay employers report for entry-level positions with that job title — not what any program’s graduates earn. This is a separate survey from Job Bank, so the numbers differ.
Source: Alberta Wage and Salary Survey 2023 (alis) — NOC 13110 · employer survey, 2023.
- Elementary and secondary schools 10%
- Construction 8%
- Hospitals 7%
- Ambulatory health care services 6%
- All other sectors 69%
Job Bank lists only the four largest industries; the remaining share is spread across many other sectors, which fits an occupation found in almost every kind of workplace.
Source: Job Bank, workers by industry (NOC 13110) · Alberta.
View the data as a table
| administrative assistants | all occupations | |
|---|---|---|
| Above bachelor’s level (master’s, doctorate) | <5% | 9% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 16% | 21% |
| College certificate or diploma | 28% | 19% |
| High school | 34% | 28% |
| Apprenticeship or trades certificate | 12% | 13% |
| No high school diploma | <5% | 10% |
Administrative work is not tied to a single credential: 34% of people in this role have high school as their highest education, 28% a college certificate or diploma and 16% a bachelor’s degree.
Source: Job Bank, educational attainment (NOC 13110) · Alberta.
Data checked October 19, 2026: Job Bank wages updated Nov 19, 2025, outlooks Dec 10, 2025, recent employment trends Jul 28, 2026; Alberta Wage and Salary Survey 2023. Occupation data, not a program outcome. Ucademy has no graduates yet.
Where graduates work in Alberta
Administrative staff are needed everywhere: energy and engineering firms, construction and trades companies, law and accounting offices, municipalities and school boards, non-profits, property management and healthcare offices across Calgary, Edmonton and smaller Alberta communities.
| Role | Occupation group (NOC 2021) | Learn more |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative assistant | NOC13110Administrative assistants | How to Become an Administrative Assistant in Alberta |
| Office administrator / office coordinator | NOC13100Administrative officers | Office Manager & Executive Assistant Careers in Canada: A Complete Guide |
| Executive assistant (with experience) | NOC12100Executive assistants | Office Manager & Executive Assistant Careers in Canada: A Complete Guide |
| Receptionist / front-desk coordinator | NOC14101Receptionists | — |
| Records or data-entry clerk | NOC14100General office support workers | — |
NOC is the National Occupational Classification used by Job Bank and alis. You can look up wages and outlooks for each group in our Alberta salary calculator or on alis. Job titles and hiring vary by employer; Ucademy does not guarantee employment.
Working conditions
What the work is usually like day to day. It varies by employer, so ask about it in interviews.
- Hours. Mostly weekday office hours. Some employers offer hybrid work; front-desk roles are in person.
- The work itself. Long periods at a computer, juggling requests from several people, and deadlines for documents, meetings and events.
- People skills. You are often the first person visitors and callers speak to, so calm, polite communication matters.
Where this career can lead
Many administrative professionals grow into office administrator, office manager or executive assistant roles as they gain experience and take on budgets, suppliers and people. Others specialise — in legal, medical or construction administration — or move into human resources, payroll or project coordination, using the organization and software skills built in this program.
Studying
A typical study week
Ucademy is self-paced, so you decide when you study. Studying part-time at the recommended pace, a week usually looks like this:
- Watch two or three short recorded lessons on business communication or office procedures
- Practise in Word and Excel: format a business report, build a simple budget sheet, set up a mail merge
- Complete one graded assignment — for example, minutes from a recorded meeting or a professional email set
- Post a question in the program forum or book time with an instructor if something is unclear
You can slow down during busy weeks and speed up when you have more time. Learner success staff check in if you fall behind.
Skills, tools and industry certifications
What you will practise and use throughout the program:
- Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint
- Business correspondence, minutes and reports
- Scheduling, calendar and travel coordination
- Bookkeeping fundamentals
- Records management and data entry accuracy
Certifications
The program includes Microsoft Office Suite training and First Aid/CPR, as listed in the program facts. Many graduates later add a Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) exam to show their skills to employers — exam registration is separate.
How you will study
Coursework is online and self-paced, with instructors available for questions and feedback. The program ends with an internship so you can practise in a real workplace before you graduate; internship arrangements are confirmed when you enrol.
Cost & next steps
Administrative assistant course online: how it works
Most of this administrative assistant program is online coursework you complete at your own pace: 11 courses covering office administration, business communication, Microsoft Office, document management and filing, financial administration, customer service, scheduling and time management, project management fundamentals, data entry and databases, office procedures, and professional ethics and workplace safety. It also includes an 86-hour practical administrative internship where you apply those skills; see how internships are planned to work.
It suits career changers, people returning to work, newcomers to Canada and anyone who wants an organized, people-facing office role.
What to compare between administrative assistant courses
- Is the program licensed in Alberta? Here is how to check a college’s licence.
- How many instructional hours, and what are the courses?
- Is there an internship or practical component, and how is it arranged?
- Will you practise the software employers use, such as Microsoft Office?
- What is the total cost?
Job Bank lists the usual requirements for administrative assistants as completion of secondary school plus a one- or two-year college or other program for administrative assistants, or previous clerical experience. It rates the outlook for administrative assistants (NOC 13110) in Alberta as Moderate for 2025–2027. More in How to Become an Administrative Assistant in Alberta and Administrative Assistant Skills Alberta Employers Want.
What else to budget for besides tuition
- A computer, webcam and headset that meet the technology requirements, and reliable high-speed internet.
- Textbooks, e-books and software. Your enrolment contract will list exactly what is included in tuition and what is not.
- Internship costs such as travel and business clothing; some hosts may ask for a police information check.
Tuition and any fees will be published before enrolment opens, and no tuition is collected before then. The funding finder shows which ways to pay may fit you.
Paying for your program
Most students combine more than one source of funding. Options to explore:
Your next steps
- Read the syllabus.Download the full program outline from the panel at the top of this page.Download syllabus
- Check the fit.Take the 1-minute program quiz or compare programs side by side.
- Talk to an advisor.Book a free info session — no cost, no commitment.Book an Info Session
- Stay informed.Request information and we will tell you as soon as intakes open.Request Information
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