Bookkeeping Certificate
The Bookkeeping Certificate Program equips students with the essential knowledge and practical skills needed to succeed in accounting and financial administration. Through a series of five courses—ranging from introductory and advanced bookkeeping to hands-on training with Sage 50 and QuickBooks Online, and a focused study on payroll administration — students will gain a solid foundation in both manual and computerized accounting systems. Whether you are new to bookkeeping or looking to enhance your existing skills, this program provides the tools and expertise required to confidently manage financial records and support business operations.
What You’ll Learn
Build a solid foundation in bookkeeping and accounting practices with hands-on training in both manual and computerized systems. Graduates of this program will be equipped to:
Gain practical skills in:
- Full-cycle bookkeeping and financial record management
- Payroll administration and tax compliance
- Preparing and analyzing financial statements
- Using Sage 50 and QuickBooks Online to manage business finances
Career Opportunities
As a graduate of the Bookkeeping Certificate program, you will be equipped with the skills to support the financial operations of businesses and organizations across a variety of industries. This credential will prepare you for essential roles in finance and administration, helping you launch or advance your career in Alberta’s growing economy.
You’ll be prepared to:
- Maintain accurate financial records and ledgers
- Process accounts payable and receivable
- Manage payroll systems and reporting
- Pursue roles such as Bookkeeper, Payroll Administrator, or Accounting Clerk
Course List
CEBKEEP100: Introduction to Bookkeeping
Learn how to record transactions set up and maintain a set of books. Students apply their understanding of debits and credits, accounts and journal entries through practical case studies. This course focuses entirely on manual accounting procedures and assumes students have no prior knowledge of bookkeeping.
CEBKEEP200: Advanced Bookkeeping
Expand your knowledge of accounting principles. This course studies these principles as they apply to the recording and presentation of assets, liabilities and equity. Students will be prepared for a career in accounting by exploring the concepts of detailed financial statements including adjusting and closing entries.
CEBKEEP305: Sage 50 Level 1
Students will learn how to perform daily accounting tasks in the general ledger, accounts receivable, accounts payable and payroll. This course is geared towards someone whose primary responsibility is data entry in Sage 50 (Simply Accounting).
CEBKEEP302: QuickBooks Online
Learn how this program can simplify the setup of a chart of accounts, reconcile chequing accounts, create and print inventory and receivables, create estimates and generate reports. Topics covered in this course include an introduction to QuickBooks, basic accounting principles, backing up files, creating companies, working with vendors, working with customers, banking with QuickBooks and more.
CEBKEEP400: Payroll Administration
Learn how to prepare hourly, salaried and commission payroll. Students will focus on a comprehensive study of federal and provincial legislation relating to the payroll function. They will also learn payroll law, record maintenance, paycheque and statement preparation, tax preparation and the effect of current source deduction rules on payroll preparation.
A minimum of 80% attendance is required in all Bookkeeping courses.
A minimum grade of 60% is required to pass all courses.
View the full course schedule for 2025/2026
Registration
You can register via Self-Service login, or by visiting or calling the Office of the Registrar at 780-791-4801.