Finance
Accounting and Payroll Administration
Bookkeeping, computerized accounting and payroll administration for small business, industry and public sector employers across Alberta.
Diploma
- Length
- 45 weeks
- Hours
- 940 hrs
- Credential
- Diploma
- Next start
- Oct 27, 2026
Overview
About this program
Accounting and payroll administration keeps an organisation's money moving. Accounting clerks, bookkeepers and accounts payable and receivable staff are the people who do that work day to day.
The diploma trains you on the software employers actually use, including Sage 50 and QuickBooks, alongside accounting principles, payroll fundamentals, office procedures and business writing. It finishes with a four-week practicum in a corporate or business setting.
Courses 15
Open any course to see what it covers.
1Skills for Success20 hrs
This course is designed to equip students with knowledge and skills for academic, personal and professional success. During this highly interactive and practical course, students will be introduced to tools and strategies to set goals, adopt a growth mindset and stay motivated will pursuing their studies. This course will empower students to become active participants and owners of their learning.
2Career Strategies20 hrs
This course is designed to help students prepare and be successful in their job search once they have completed the program, as well as assist with practicum placement. How to prepare for and conduct an effective job search will be discussed, as well as, tapping into the hidden job market and using social media in the job search successfully will be explored.
3Introduction to Computers20 hrs
Students will develop their understanding of computers in general and the Windows 11 operating system in particular. Students will explore methods of managing files and personalizing their own desktop environment.
4Microsoft Outlook20 hrs
Students will explore Microsoft Outlook, a common business email and organization platform. Students will develop calendars, task lists, e-mail productivity tools, and contact lists.
5Microsoft Word60 hrs
In this course, students will explore and practice Word processing functionalities, document design, and customization of documents with graphics and charts. This course consists of a combination of lecture, hands-on practice, exercises, and discussions to reinforce principles and word processing techniques.
6Office Procedures60 hrs
This course provides students with foundational knowledge about the workforce and professional environment. Students will be introduced to ethical business behavior, financial documents, leadership, teamwork, and communication skills. As well the course will cover managing physical and electronic records, organizing meetings, handling telecommunications, and seeking employment.
7Business Writing40 hrs
This course is designed to enhance students’ professional business writing skills. Students will learn to organize ideas in an audiencecentered approach and develop business documents clearly and concisely. In class assignments will allow students to plan, write and review emails, memos, business letters and reports. This course also covers basic grammatical concepts and principles and techniques of proofreading.
8Microsoft Excel Core40 hrs
In this course, students will explore spreadsheets, creating formulas, spreadsheet design, and customization of spreadsheets with graphics and charts. This course consists of a combination of lectures, hands-on practice, and exercises to reinforce principles and spreadsheet creation.
9Microsoft Excel Expert40 hrs
In this course, students will explore spreadsheets, creating formulas, spreadsheet design, and customization of spreadsheets with graphics and charts. This course consists of a combination of lectures, hands-on practice, and exercises to reinforce principles and spreadsheet creation.
10Accounting Principles I and II120 hrs
Students will understand the purpose of accounting and mechanism of financial statements. Learn how to link personal accounting to business accounting and understand the differences between equity and net worth. Explore the accounting framework and understand several forms of business organizations. Get familiarized with accounting cycle i.e. journals and ledgers and learn to record and post business transactions. Describe the concepts of adjusting entries and how to treat them on accounting map. Understand post-closing entries and prepare post-closing trial balance. Students will understand various concepts of inventory in merchandising business. Recognize the application of several inventory valuation systems and their treatment on accounting map. Comprehending the elements of accounting information system and its importance in the accounting cycle. Discuss the importance of cash and internal controls and understand cash control practices. Describe payroll accounting and controls. Describing the use of financial statements for analytical purpose.
11Payroll Fundamentals I and II80 hrs
In this course, with the help of an instructor, students will learn how to communicate all aspects of individual pay requirements to stakeholders. This course will also provide hands-on practice by calculating gross earnings, deductions i.e. CPP (Canada Pension Plan), EI (Employment Insurance) and Income Tax With-holdings. In this continuation course of Payroll Fundamental I, students will learn the knowledge required to communicate all aspects of organizational remittances, accounting and year-end requirements to various stakeholder. Students will get the opportunity to learn and practice calculating net pay, journalizing entries for payroll, organizational remittances to federal, provincial and third-party stakeholders, prepare accounting documents for payroll and complete various year-end documents.
12Computerized QuickBooks I and II120 hrs
This course provides hands-on instruction on setting up QuickBooks. Students will customize forms to work with topics, such as processing sales transactions, invoices, bill payments. QuickBooks will also help in managing inventory, payroll, sales taxes and analyzing financial data to improve your business strategies. This course is a continuation of knowledge and skills learned from QuickBooks I. This course will provide students hands-on instruction on how to set up and maintain data files, company records and employee files QuickBooks. Students will learn how to handle billing from invoice and finance charges, as well, as accounts payable and payroll.
13Sage I and II120 hrs
Students will learn how SAGE handles billing, invoicing, finance charges, accounts payables, accounts receivables, customer and supplier management, inventory management, payroll, and period end procedures to produce financial statements. This course is a continuation of knowledge and skills learned from Sage I. This course will teach students to maintain complete accounting records for small to medium-sized companies. Students will explore payroll and payroll setup, company budget and budget reporting, paycheque processing and employee direct deposit, and single and multiuser modes.
14Applied Business Practice60 hrs
In this course, students will solve case studies, while working in groups and present work to the class. Students will also get hands-on practice with data-entry with help of an instructor.
15Practicum Placement120 hrs
Practice knowledge and skills acquired in the classroom during a four-week practicum in a corporate and/or business setting. Through this exposure, you will gain greater awareness of the specific responsibilities and daily experience of professionals in the field.
Admission requirements
Standard
An Alberta high school diploma or equivalent, verified by transcript.
Mature student
Out of school for one year and at least 18 years of age before admission, with either 33 credits toward an Alberta high school diploma OR equivalent verified by transcript, OR A pass on an approved aptitude test (the Wonderlic or the CAAT).
English language
An alternative to the mature route: a foreign-trained degree together with a Canadian Language Benchmark of 6 or higher.
All applicants
A successful interview with a college representative.
Cost & funding
Tuition and fees
- Tuition$15,410
- Books, supplies & fees$1,913.56
- Total$17,323.56
Source: Alberta alis program listing · as of 2025-04-22.
Funding
Student aid. Aid is available for qualified candidates. You apply to Alberta Student Aid yourself, and it decides who qualifies, not the college.
- Band funding. First Nations and Métis students may be sponsored through their band or settlement. Start early, because approval times vary.
- Employer sponsorship. Some employers fund training for their staff. The college can invoice an employer directly.
- Payment plans. Arranged with the college.
Where and how
How you study
Combined (onsite and online)
Start dates
Where this leads
Accounting Technician & Bookkeeper
NOC 12200
Accounting technicians and bookkeepers maintain systematic records of business transactions, verifying and recording them using computerized systems for invoices, payroll and financial documents.
- Average, Alberta
- $29.84/hr
- Typical range
- $20.00 to $44.00/hr
- Starting out
- $16.00 to $35.90/hr
- Employed in Alberta
- 22,320
What employers look forHigh school minimum; most employers prefer a post-secondary accounting certificate or diploma.
Payroll Administrator
NOC 13102
Payroll administrators process payroll information, determining pay and benefit entitlements and source deductions for employees across organizations of all sizes.
- Average, Alberta
- $34.15/hr
- Typical range
- $21.67 to $47.34/hr
- Starting out
- $19.00 to $42.79/hr
- Employed in Alberta
- 5,470
What employers look foralis lists a minimum of two years post-secondary for this occupation, which is longer than this program. National Payroll Institute certification is not required but is often preferred.
Read this alongsidealis lists two years post-secondary as the typical entry route for this occupation. Robin’s program is 45 weeks. This should not be claimed as a direct graduate outcome without the college’s own placement data.
Roles this program prepares you to apply for
- Payroll & Benefits Administrator
- Bookkeeper
- Payroll Analyst
- Office Administrator
- Accounting Clerk
- Payroll Clerk
- Payroll Specialist
- Executive Administrator
- Cloud Bookkeeper
- Financial Analyst
Source for the roles: Program Information Form filed with Alberta Advanced Education, as of 2026-09-28. This is the work the program prepares graduates for, not an offer of employment.
Wages describe the occupation across Alberta, not Robin College graduates. The college publishes no placement or graduate earnings data. Source: 2023 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey and the 2024–2026 occupational outlook, published on alis.