McMaster University Continuing Education

What McMaster University Continuing Education does

McMaster Continuing Education is the continuing education division of McMaster University, a publicly chartered Ontario research university headquartered in Hamilton, Canada. It delivers fully online, self-paced and live virtual programs to working professionals, mature students, and corporate clients across five program verticals: Business, Health and Social Services, Marketing and Communications, Technology and Data, and Professional Development. The portfolio is structured into stackable credentials ranging from individual courses through microcredentials to certificates and diplomas, with five admission-gated programs (Health Informatics, Health Information Fundamentals, My OWN McMaster, Nursing Concepts in Continence Care, and Professional Addiction Studies) carrying a $59 non-refundable application fee.

The division operates on a direct-to-consumer, open-enrollment model for most courses, with formal applications required only for admission-gated credentials. Revenue is generated primarily through per-course tuition (typically $533.55-$785.00 per course, with each course carrying 1.5 units) plus application fees, with payment due in full at enrollment via credit card, debit card, bank transfer, or Google Pay. A separate Corporate Training channel sells bespoke workforce upskilling solutions to employers. Go-to-market relies on the McMaster University brand, organic social media, email newsletters, webinars, paid remarketing via Google, and inbound traffic through the parent university's website.

The underlying technology stack centers on the Avenue to Learn LMS (shared with the broader university), Microsoft Office 365 for student productivity, and standard payment processing integrations. Course delivery formats include Virtual Classroom (live, scheduled sessions), Online Asynchronous (weekly content), Online Self-Study (self-paced with deadlines), and Experiential Learning (industry-partnered projects). The operation is integrated into McMaster's broader academic ecosystem, including registrar, calendars, and student support services, while the continuing education division itself has no separate venture or private ownership.

Name

McMaster University Continuing Education

Legal name

McMaster University

Website

https://continuing.mcmaster.ca

Company type

Public

Founded year

1887

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

McMaster Continuing Education is the online continuing education division of McMaster University, delivering stackable courses, microcredentials, certificates, and diplomas across business, health, marketing, technology, and professional development to working professionals, mature students, and corporate clients in Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Continuing Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workforce Development & Continuing Education Divisions (Noncredit) (EDAHADAG), Digital Skills & Tech Upskilling (Noncredit) (EDAAAEAE)

Keywords

• Continuing education
• Professional development
• Online learning
• Microcredentials
• Corporate training

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamilton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Course Tuition Fees: Students pay course fees at enrollment. Fees vary by course (e.g., ACC 829 Preparatory Mathematics at $533.55, HDA 103 Communicating with Data at $604.00, OSI 102 Python for Basic Collection at $785.00). Payment is made in full at enrollment via credit card, debit card, or bank transfer.
2. Application Fees: Five programs with specific admission requirements charge a $59 non-refundable application fee. These include Health Informatics, Health Information Fundamentals, My OWN McMaster, Nursing Concepts in Continence Care, and Professional Addiction Studies.
3. Program Fees: Learners can work toward microcredentials, certificates, or diplomas. Program costs vary based on credential level and program duration, with per-course pricing as the base unit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

McMaster University Continuing Education delivers fully online career-focused programs across Business, Health and Social Services, Marketing and Communications, Technology and Data, and Professional Development. Learners enroll in individual courses or stack credentials (microcredentials, certificates, diplomas) and consume them via Virtual Classroom, Online Self-Study, Online Asynchronous, or Experiential Learning formats on the Avenue to Learn LMS. Corporate Training solutions are also offered to organizations for workforce upskilling.

Product overview

McMaster University Continuing Education is a comprehensive continuing education platform offering career-focused programs across five main categories: Business, Health and Social Services, Marketing and Communications, Technology and Data, and Professional Development. The portfolio includes both individual courses and structured credentials (microcredentials, certificates, and diplomas). Programs are delivered through four flexible online learning formats: Virtual Classroom (live sessions at scheduled times), Online Self-Study (self-paced with deadlines), Online Asynchronous (weekly content without fixed login times), and Experiential Learning (real-world projects with industry partners). Corporate Training services are also available for organizations seeking custom workplace solutions. The platform uses Avenue to Learn as its primary learning management system and Microsoft Office 365 for student productivity tools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Programs Career-focused business programs covering Accounting, Business Analysis, and related professional development courses designed to build skills for roles in finance, management, and business operations.
• Health and Social Services Programs Programs focused on health informatics, health information management, professional addiction studies, clinical research, and nutrition/wellness, preparing learners for roles in the healthcare and social services sector.
• Marketing and Communications Programs Programs covering digital marketing, content marketing, social media strategy, and brand management for professionals seeking to advance in marketing and communications careers.
• Technology and Data Programs Programs in data analytics, data science, big data programming, data governance, Python programming, and AI/machine learning fundamentals for technology career advancement.
• Professional Development Continuous professional development courses across disciplines including human resources management, project management, risk management, and leadership to help professionals stay current in their fields.
• Corporate Training Custom workplace training solutions for organizations, including needs assessments and professional development programs delivered to employees.
• Microcredentials Individual courses and stackable credentials that allow learners to gain specific skills and earn recognized qualifications at their own pace, with options ranging from single courses to certificates and diplomas.
• My OWN McMaster Degree Pathway A degree pathway program for mature students (typically aged 21+) who have not attended secondary school or college on a full-time basis for at least two years, providing an accessible route to undergraduate degree completion through continuing education.
• Virtual Classroom Live online classroom format where classes are held at scheduled times each week in the Eastern Time Zone, combining real-time sessions with independent learning activities, typically 3 hours of live instruction per session.
• Online Self-Study Self-paced online learning format where learners work through course material within a set timeframe, with assignments, quizzes, and exams due on specified dates throughout the course.
• Online (Asynchronous) Online courses with weekly readings, videos, discussion boards, quizzes, and assignments, with no required login at specific times but maintaining weekly interaction with instructors and peers.
• Experiential Learning Hands-on learning through real-world study and resolution of complex issues, problems, and challenges in collaboration with business and non-profit partners, providing marketable experience and professional brand building.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/McMasterContEd
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/McMasterContEd
• Facebookfacebook.com/McMaster.Continuing.Education
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mcmastercontinuingeducation
• Instagraminstagram.com/mcmasterconted

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about McMaster University Continuing Education