Academic Calendar

Legal - Office Assistant Certificate

Overview

The legal major provides core office skills and legal-specific courses for entry-level legal assistants that include basic legal theory and legal office procedures. The legal assistant in today’s competitive market must be adept with technology, understand procedures in a law office, have a basic knowledge of law and be able to work within time limits.

Career Potential

Graduates work as entry-level legal assistants, transcriptionists or word processing operators in law offices, legal departments of government or private industry, or in general business offices.

Office Assistant Certificate

School of Continuing Education
MacEwan.ca/OfficeAssist

Today’s office assistants have strong technical skills to support other staff in a digital office. In addition, office assistants are involved in managing the organizational affairs of their areas that include handling public enquiries, managing computer and paper files, organizing schedules, arranging meetings of senior staff, as well as providing strong customer service and problem-solving skills.

The Office Assistant program is ideal as a foundation for other careers or as a complement to prior training and experience. It runs for 12 months, ending with a field placement. It is a comprehensive program that offers students the opportunity to specialize in one of the following three majors:

  • Administrative
  • Legal 
  • Medical

The program is well suited for individuals with strong organizational skills, familiarity with computers and software, a professional manner, and excellent verbal and written communication skills. Graduates are often required to work independently and in a team environment, so students who are positive and self-motivated do exceptionally well. The program has built a solid reputation with employers, resulting in a high job placement rate.

Contact Information

T: 780-497-4400
E: office@macewan.ca

Program Requirements

Core Courses:
OADM 110Office Procedures3
OADM 114Office Technology I3
OADM 115Business Communication I3
OADM 116Business Math3
OADM 117Bookkeeping & Accounting3
OADM 125Business Communication II3
OADM 128Office Technology II3
OADM 131Office Assistant Field Placement 13
OADM 135Business Communication III3
WRIT 101First Year Writing3
Required courses for Legal Major:
LEGL 100Introduction to Law I3
LEGL 104Introduction to Law II3
OALS 115Corporate Procedures in the Law Office3
OALS 116Legal Office Documents I3
OALS 126Legal Office Documents II3
Total Credits45
1

Students can register for the field placement (OADM 131) in their final term of study.

The minimum passing grade for a course at MacEwan University is a D unless otherwise noted next to the appropriate course in the program of study.

Course Substitutions

 

Admission Requirements

Applicants may be admitted to one of the following:

Regular Admission

To be evaluated through the Office of the University Registrar

Applicants must have ELA 30-1 or ELA 30-2 with a minimum grade of 65 percent (or equivalent).

Mature Admission

To be evaluated through the Office of the University Registrar

Applicants must be 20 years of age or older and have been out of full-time high school at least one year by the beginning of the intake term. Applicants must have ELA 30-1 or ELA 30-2 with a minimum grade of 65% (or equivalent).

Applicants with nine or more post-secondary credits must also present a minimum Admission Grade Point Average (AGPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Additional Admission Criteria

All applicants must meet the following:

1. English Language Proficiency

To be evaluated through the Office of the University Registrar

Applicable to All Admission Categories

All applicants must meet an acceptable level of English language proficiency. We will require official documents such as high school or post-secondary transcripts or proof of successful completion of standardized language evaluation. Full details are available in MacEwan University’s academic calendar or online at MacEwan.ca/ELP.