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Continuing Education

Records Management Certificate

Applications for StrongerBC future skills grant funding for this program are now closed for Fall 2024. To pay for a program seat, please see tuition costs below.

Business and Management

Manage documents to simplify workflows

Learn the records management skills you need to manage records in law firms, doctors’ offices, government agencies, or any organization with large document stores.

With the rapid growth of digital technologies, organizations need assistance to manage records and documents efficiently. The Records Management program teaches you industry standards and best practices to create, organize, secure, archive, and track both electronic and paper records in order to facilitate retrieval and ensure legal compliance. Records management expertise can set you apart from the office pool and lead to enhanced career opportunities in a variety of fields.

Credential: Certificate

Format: Part time

Delivery: Online courses with no scheduled meeting times; practicum in person at an assigned work site

Duration: 1–3 years

Tuition*: Approximately $3800. Tuition is paid per course.

Practicum required? Yes

Application deadline:
Students can apply at any time and will be considered for the next available intake.

* Tuition subject to change without notice. Textbooks are not included in tuition.

Entrance requirements

View the entrance requirements on the UFV Academic Calendar.

Program outline

Courses

View the schedule of current and upcoming Records Management courses for course descriptions, fees, and other details.

To complete the Records Management certificate, you must complete eight courses and a practicum.

  • These courses can be taken in any order, so you can start the program in Fall, Winter, or Spring.
  • The courses in this program have no prerequisites. However, please note that you must complete all the courses before qualifying for the practicum.
  • Most courses are offered once per year, with some being offered twice.
  • All courses are held online with no scheduled meeting times.

 Courses are offered on the following schedule:

Fall — September to December
Course Delivery Hrs of instruction # of weeks
(RM01) Fundamentals of Records Management Online 15 3
(RM02) Records Classification Online 30 5
(RM05) Databases: Access Online 15 3
(RM08) Business Communications Online 15 3

 

Winter — January to April
Course Delivery Hrs of instruction # of weeks
(RM01) Fundamentals of Records Management Online 15 3
(RM03) Record Management Systems Online 30 5
(RM04) Digital Age Literacy Online 15 3
(RM05) Databases: Access Online 15 3

 

Spring — May to August
Course Delivery Hrs of instruction # of weeks
(RM06) Spreadsheets: Excel* Online 15 3
(RM07) Word-Processing: Word Online 15 3
(RM09) Records Management Practicum Off site Mon-Fri 3


*Students may take Excel Level I in lieu of RM06: Spreadsheets: Excel.

Please note that the Course Schedule is subject to change.

Interested in taking one individual course without completing the certificate? Email [email protected] for permission.

 

Practicum

Students complete a two-week practicum at the end of their program that provides a meaningful work-like experience and exposure to a professional records management setting. To qualify for the practicum, you must have successfully completed all courses within the program.

 

Practicum schedule

Your practicum hours will reflect the schedule of the host you are paired with.

 

Practicum location

While we try to place students near their city of residence, we cannot guarantee a practicum placement in a particular city. For example, students who live outside the Fraser Valley may need to travel to the Fraser Valley to complete their practicum. Transportation to the practicum site is your responsibility.

 

Missing your practicum

Completing your practicum is a requirement for graduation. If you are unable to attend or complete your practicum due to extenuating circumstances, please contact Continuing Education immediately.

Extenuating circumstances are defined as a situation beyond your control that prevents you from completing a course, program, or practicum. These are circumstances that are unexpected and/or uncontrollable and arise during the course of the program. Examples include:

  • Death of an immediate family member
  • Car accident
  • Medical emergency
  • Incapacitating illness
  • Serious personal situation

The following does not qualify:

  • Inability to achieve a passing grade
  • Unawareness of deadlines
  • Unfavorable weather conditions
  • A short-term illness
  • An unmanaged, pre-existing health condition

Students who miss their practicum may re-register for practicum at the next intake date, but will be required to pay the tuition cost of the practicum again.

Please discuss any barriers that may affect your practicum assignment with Continuing Education immediately after registration.

 

Evaluation

Assessment is reflective of classroom participation, assignments, study projects, practicum, and examination results.

 

Employment facts

Records managers and document controllers are important to organizations with large data repositories, primarily health care and government. There is also demand for record management and document control in banking, multinational industry, legal firms, and academic institutions. PayScale reports that records managers in Canada have an average salary of $51,475. Being a recent graduate trained in the latest technologies is an advantage for administrative assistants who are seeking work with companies that must make their documents secure, searchable, and compliant.

Currently, the outlook for record management professionals is above average for those working in the healthcare field. First, the healthcare industry is growing as the population ages, and more people are required in all areas. Second, according to the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science, health organizations are currently converting patient records from paper to electronic format and are therefore finding a need for employees that have specialized skills in information management and document control. 

Textbooks

To find your textbooks, use the UFV Bookstore's textbook search tool. Select "CE - Continuing Education" as your area of study.

Questions?

Phone: 604-851-6324
Toll free: 1-888-504-7441 ext. 6324
Email: [email protected]
Or ask online

"When I landed a job as a document controller for Flatiron, I followed the preset procedures the construction company had in place. We had touched on document management in my Applied Business Technology training, but I realized that there was more to learn. I was able to complete the Records Management training online to expand my skill set. I loved the online option. It was awesome."
  • – Gaylene deGroot
  •    Document controller, Flatiron

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