Frequently Asked Questions

If this program makes you excited about the change you want to make in your community, if you are looking to build your tools and skills, if you want to build networks, then yes, you are the right person for this program. 

Typical Applicants

SFU Community Economic Development takes a very personal approach to recruitment and review of applications to the program. Our program attracts students from across a large swath of roles in community and economic development including:

• First Nations’ government officials and community members;
  
• Staff or volunteers in economic development organizations such as Community Futures or regional economic development entities;
• Chambers of Commerce or Business Improvement Associations;
• Employees in the corporate sector where there is interest in community participation and corporate social responsibility
• Staff or volunteers in non-profit sector organizations with a CED focus such as credit union foundations, anti-poverty organizations, environmental organizations, and housing societies;
• Government employees who have economic development in their portfolio, such as regional officers at the Ministry of Rural Development, etc.;
• Social entrepreneurs & staff of social enterprises;
• Elected and administrative officials from the local, provincial, and federal levels. Recent alumni have included a diverse array of officials from the Chief Administrator of the Village of Telkwa to the Member of Parliament for Courtenay—Alberni.

Our goal is to ensure this program is the best fit for your needs: we don't turn away anyone who has a good understanding of what they want to achieve, however, it helps us help you to hear about who you are. 

1. Your educational background. (We encourage applicants with diverse educational backgrounds; this includes lived experience.)
2. Your computer software familiarity. (Yes, most have it these days, but as we're fully online, we want to be able to help where needed.)
3. Your CV. And if that answers questions 4, 5 and 6, then just say "see CV". You can email your CV to us at ced-info@sfu.ca.
4. Your role in the community or your work.
5. Any challenges in your community you are trying to address.
6. Any experience you've had working in your community to effect change.
7. Your learning goals.
8. Anything else you'd like us to know.

NOTE: The first time you apply to a program, you’ll be asked to create a student account by completing a simple profile and setting a password. You’ll need to log in to this account to complete any future transactions, including review your courses, schedule and grades online. We recommend you use your personal email account for this purpose.

Tuition is $4,995, plus a non-refundable $75 application fee. Tax forms for tuition are issued in February of the year following enrollment. 

Bringing your team? Talk to us about group discounts at ced-info@sfu.ca

Note that Foundations (our five-course introduction to CED) costs $1,750. 

Your place in the program is not secured until you have paid your tuition in full.

Many of our students have found some help with the tuition from a variety of sources. These include employer contributions, band sponsorship, special educational funds, and approaching funding institutions directly.

Additionally, you may be eligible for one or more of the following:

• Scholarships of $3,000 for Indigenous students through the NIEEF program sponsored by Cando. 
• Columbia Basin Trust’s Training Fee Support Program, up to $1,000 or $7,500, depending on eligibility.
• The BC Employer Training Grant is a possibility for employers providing training to current and new employees. Under the Workforce Training Stream eligible employers can apply for 80% of tuition and textbook costs up to $300,000 per employer. Bring your entire team along for the learning journey and make a considerable impact in your community!
• Canada Job Grant, in conjuction with the provinces and territories: 
  • Alberta
  • Yukon
    
  • Nunavut
  • Manitoba
  • Ontario
  • New Brunswick
  • Nova Scotia
  • PEI
  • Newfoundland and Labradour

Feel free to contact us if you would like some help brainstorming ways to find some financial help.

The Certificate Program for Community Economic Development is a part-time program built to give you maximum learning and hands-on experience, while still giving you the ability to balance your other life obligations.

Currently the program is composed of online courses that you can complete primarily on your own time. Each month you usually have two courses. For each course there is about six hours of video content you can watch on your own, one live "lunch and learn", and then associated discussion topics and a quiz. There are no required readings, though there are some optional readings if you are interested. If you keep a steady pace, you might spend five hours per week on the program; assignments have a set deadline to help you keep pace. 

Throughout the program, you will work on a community project or your choosing (we'll help you along the way). This will add time to your schedule, but how much is mostly dependent on you. It could be as little as two or three hours per week if you are strategic  with your work.  

We're currently planning our next steps and will post them here when they're confirmed. 

Yes! We are offing Fall Foundations 2023 starting September 22. Details here.

If you decide to take the full certificate, you'll be able to count any individual courses towards it. 

To earn the Certificate in Community Economic Development you must:

• maintain a B+ average - earn a minimum of a C+ in each of the courses
• attend 100% of online, live courses

(Certificate Programs are governed by the Senate and require a minimum of 120 instructional hours.)

We expect all students will be able to complete the certificate program within the 8-months of the program duration. 

Yes! At the moment, the only post secondary institution who officially accepts our courses as transferable is Cape Breton University. Click here for more information about this arrangement. However, if you are thinking of continuing in another institution, we recommend you talk to them directly about your plans.

Yes! See their pages for the specifics. 

• Cando
• EDAC
• CCUA

Each course has its own grading formula. The grading formula is included in the syllabus. Some of the courses are graded based solely on your participation. Read each course syllabus and know the grading scheme before the course begins.

Excellent performance:

• A+ 95 – 100%
• A 90 – 94%  

Good performance:

• A- 85 – 89% 
• B+ 80 – 84% 
• B 75 – 79% 

Satisfactory performance:

• B- 70 – 74% 
• C+ 65 – 69% 

Marginal/Unsatisfactory performance:

• C 60 - 64% C- 55 – 59% 
• D 50 – 54%

Fail or did not complete course requirements:

• F < 50% 
• W Withdraw: student officially withdrew from class