Note: Admissions to the Certificate in Effective Business Practices and Leadership Skills is administratively suspended as of 2025-2026. Students currently enrolled in the program will be allowed to continue.
Get Paid Work Experience
Expand your professional network with the Certificate in Effective Business Practices & Leadership Skills (CEBPLS). Participate in a 4-month (non-credit) paid* work internship, while completing your degree and certificate requirements.
*Students will actively review and apply to job postings available on UTMBusinessConnect. If accepted into the Certificate, you will receive individualized coaching and attend professional development activities catered to CEBPLS students to help with the process.
Program Benefits
Industry Connections+
Step outside of the classroom and into the boardroom. Build a robust professional network. Connect with industry professionals while completing your education.
Career Guidance
Receive specialized career coaching and support. Easily access career planning and job search tools you need to successfully transition from your program to your career.
Focused Reflections
Connect theory and work. Participate in reflective exercises through online modules. Create a cumulative report and deliver a poster presentation to stakeholders.
Fully Immersive
Complete this program concurrently with your degree and gain a competitive advantage. No additional year of study required. You will graduate with your friends, with much more.
Program-Level Outcomes
By the end of this program, you will have demonstrated the ability to:
- apply quantitative and qualitative methodologies learned in the classroom to solve real-world business problems and make evidence-based decisions;
- produce effective business communications and reports, in both oral and written form, for an audience of business professionals;
- demonstrate effective problem-solving, decision-making, and leadership skills;
- demonstrate professional responsibility, including self-awareness in individual and group settings.
How it Works
> If you're applying for the CEBPLS in 2024, please see program requirements for 2024 applicants below.
If you have applied for the CEBPLS in 2023 and will complete the program in April 2025, please click here.
> For frequently asked questions, please click here.
Program Requirements for 2024 Applicants
2nd year: By the end of your second year:
- Complete MGT231H5
- Attend PSDP events worth at least 5 points
- Submit your application
- Interview with UTMM
3rd year: By the end of your third year:
- Complete MGT262H5* (Note: you have the option to complete the MGT262H5 course in your third year or fourth year).
- Complete MGT300H5
- Actively review and apply to job postings available on UTMBusinessConnect.
- Receive individualized coaching and attend professional development activities catered to Certificate in Effective Business Practices & Leadership Skills students to help with the process
- Interview with prospective employers
- Attend workplace preparation workshops and activities
- Continue accumulating Professional Skills Development Program (PSDP)points
- Attend the Career Investment Planning session (CIPS)
In the summer after your third year:
- Take the MGT010H5 Capstone course
- Work through your internship, and do the online reflections
- Submit the final report and poster presentation
4th year:
- If you didn't complete the MGT262H5 course in your third year, you can complete it in your fourth year.
- If you didn't accumulate at least 15 PSDP points in your third year you can continue accumulating them in your fourth year.
- If you didn't attend the CIPS, you can complete it in your fourth year.
- Select and take a prescribed 400-level course. Graduate with professional work experience!
What you need to do to get into the program
1. Concurrent enrolment in one of the following programs:
Human Resource Management, Specialist (BBA);
Management, Specialist (BBA);
Management, Major (HBA or HBSc);
Commerce, Specialist (BCom);
Commerce: Accounting, Specialist (BCom);
Commerce: Finance, Specialist (BCom);
Commerce: Marketing, Specialist (BCom); or
Commerce, Major (HBA)
2. Have a minimum of 7.0 credits and meet the CGPA cutoff. Students must have a minimum CGPA of 2.5, but the CGPA varies from year to year based on the applicant pool.
3. Complete the following course:
- MGT231H5 – Business Finance I
4. Complete at least 5 points prior to the admission deadline in the Professional Skills Development Program (Please see the PSDP Sessions chart below for more information about this requirement.)
5. Complete one of the following mandatory sessions:
a. Resume Critique; or
b. Mock/ Practice Interview (Please see the PSDP Sessions chart below for more information about these requirements.)
6. Submit an application to the Department of Management (UTMM).
7. Participate in an enrolment interview.
Students receive specialized coaching to support them in securing a paid work internship. Students must apply for opportunities and must receive an offer of employment to complete the certificate. The Department of Management cannot guarantee that students will secure a paid work internship.
What you need to do to successfully complete the program and graduate
- Complete MGT231H5, MGT262H5, MGT300H5, and MGT010H5 courses (NOTE: MGT010H5 is a zero-credit course)
- Complete 0.5 credit from 400-level course: MGM464H5 or MGT430H5 or MGT433H5 or
MGT434H5 or MGT437H5 or MGT455H5 or MGT463H5 or MGT491H5 or MGT492H5 or MGT493H5 or MGT494H5
- Accumulate 15 Professional Skills Development Program points. Must include Career Investment Planning Session. (Please see the PSDP Sessions chart below for more information about these sessions.)
- Complete one of the following mandatory sessions (please see the PSDP Sessions chart below):
- Resume Critique or
- Mock Interview
- Attend the Workplace Preparation workshops and activities, and the Internship Orientation session.
- Participate in a Work-Integrated Learning Experience (minimum 10-week internship in summer term).
Note: This certificate must be completed concurrently with any Department of Management program and will take 3 years to complete.
| Event | Points | How To Register | Dates & Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Career Investment Planning | One point | Located under "Know Yourself" on UTMMcentral. | Career Investment Planning Sessions (open to second-year UTMM students) For specific dates, please visit UTMMcentral. |
| Mock / Practice Interview | No points | First-year students: please visit the Career Centre. In-program students: please book your appointment on UTMMcentral. | Students will schedule a 1:1 meeting with PDLC (check availability on UTMMcentral). |
| Resume Critique | No points | First-year students: please visit the Career Centre In-program students: please book your appointment on UTMMcentral. | Students will schedule a 1:1 meeting with PDLC (check availability on UTMMcentral). |
For more information please contact margie.casallasartunduaga@utoronto.ca.
Frequently Asked Questions
Apply for the Business Certificate at the end of your second year (i.e. at the end of your first year officially in Commerce or Management program.)
You will need 7.0 credits to apply to the program. Typically, students earn about 4.0-5.0 credits in their first year and another 4.0-5.0 credits in their second year. Keep in mind, by the time you submit your application and apply via ACORN you will not have completed your Winter (S) or Yearlong (Y) credits. As such, we will need to wait until all S/Y grades have been submitted to review applications. In other words, we will count your 2nd year credits as part of the mandatory 7.0 credits.
The CGPA cut-off is determined annually and is based on the applicant pool each year. So, we won’t know the cut-off until all applicant information has been reviewed. Nonetheless, you must have a minimum CGPA of 2.5.
There are pre-set questions, and your answers should stand out from the other candidates. Include information related to your academics, plus your extra-curriculars. Describe any volunteering you’ve done and are currently doing or maybe even your part-time job. You can also describe different ways that you’ve been engaged on campus (i.e. student clubs, attending available PSDP events, etc.) This strengthens your application.
The MGT010H5 – Certificate in Effective Business Practices & Leadership Skills Capstone is a zero-credit course taken in the summer of your 3rd year. Although this course will appear on your timetable, there is no designated class time for this course each week.
10 - 15 students will be accepted to the program.
Usually during the summer of your 3rd year of the Certificate program. However, it would be the 2nd if you were admitted to the Commerce or Management program earlier, after your second year.
The UTMM team works diligently to provide you with the resources needed to help you secure a 4-month paid work internship over the Summer term. The program will coach you to network and build meaningful connections with industry partners in order to set yourself up for future career success. You will be invited to attend professional development activities and 1:1 sessions over the course of your 3rd year to support the process. Ultimately you will have to demonstrate your skills and value in the job search process. We will support you in developing yourself to be able to showcase your value in the best light.
Students will be able to apply for jobs through UTMBusinessConnect. Our in-house experts will help you get prepared for the interview process with resume critiques and mock interviews.
You must receive a job offer from an employer to successfully complete the Certificate program.
You can opt to find your own internship but it must be vetted by the UTMM Team. The internship must meet specific criteria outlined by UTMM. This ensures that you will have a quality internship experience.
The UTMM team provides business certificate specific postings and has direct connections to employer partners to increase the likelihood of interviews. We also provide opportunities to interview with and network with industry professionals through mock networking and mock interview workshops. You have exclusive opportunities to receive 1:1 and group career coaching. Ultimately you are still responsible for tailoring resumes for fit, networking and building meaningful connections, but the program supports you in building your confidence in order to be more successful in these areas.
Provided the student has a Canadian social insurance number, we encourage everyone to apply. Direct any questions about your permit to the International Education Centre (IEC).
Unfortunately not, but consider connecting with the Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology (ICCIT) to learn about their experiential opportunities. The Certificate program is available to students enrolled in
• Human Resource Management, Specialist (BBA);
• Management, Specialist (BBA);
• Management, Major (HBA or HBSc);
• Commerce, Specialist (BCom);
• Commerce: Accounting, Specialist (BCom);
• Commerce: Finance, Specialist (BCom);
• Commerce: Marketing, Specialist (BCom); or
• Commerce, Major (HBA)