McGill University School of Continuing Studies

What McGill University School of Continuing Studies does

McGill University School of Continuing Studies (SCS) is a continuing-education division of McGill University, a public research university founded in 1821 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The school offers undergraduate and graduate certificates, diplomas, professional development certificates, and continuing education units across more than a dozen disciplines including accounting and finance, applied marketing, public relations, public administration, translation (English/French and legal), information technology, data analytics, data science and machine learning, healthcare management, and law-related specialties such as comparative law and air and space law. It also operates the McGill Executive Institute, which delivers executive education including an AI Essentials course. Programs are delivered in-person at the downtown Montreal campus (680 Sherbrooke Street West), online, and in hybrid formats, with program administration handled through McGill's Minerva (credit) and Athena (non-credit) student portals.

The school serves working professionals seeking career advancement or reskilling, lifelong learners pursuing personal enrichment and credentials, and international students targeting Canadian-recognized qualifications. Customer segments span healthcare practitioners, accountants, marketers, translators, IT professionals, and public-sector employees. Tuition is the primary revenue stream, with fees varying by program type (certificate, diploma, graduate degree completion, professional development) and credit value, billed annually on a subscription-style cadence. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via the mcgill.ca/continuingstudies website, supported by organic social (LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook), email/newsletter, and a B2B channel for customized corporate professional development programs. SCS does not operate a public-facing API; core technology is the institution's shared learning management and student information systems.

Name

McGill University School of Continuing Studies

Legal name

McGill University

Website

https://mcgill.ca

Company type

Public

Founded year

1821

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

McGill University School of Continuing Studies is the continuing-education division of McGill University, offering undergraduate and graduate certificates, diplomas, and professional development programs to working professionals, lifelong learners, and international students in Montreal and online.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Continuing Education / Professional Development

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Educational Services (611), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Professional & Applied Skills Noncredit Certificates (Non-licensure) (EDAAAEAD), Language & Communication Continuing Education (EDAAAEAF)

Keywords

• Continuing education programs
• Professional certificate programs
• Graduate diploma programs
• Professional development courses
• Lifelong learning programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Program Fees: Revenue is generated primarily through tuition fees charged for credit and non-credit programs, certificates, diplomas, and professional development courses. Students pay per course or program fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

McGill University School of Continuing Studies delivers credit and non-credit continuing education programs, including undergraduate and graduate certificates, diplomas, and professional development courses across accounting, finance, marketing, public relations, information technology, data analytics, translation, public administration, and healthcare management. Programs are offered online, in-person, and in hybrid formats at the Montreal campus, with separate executive education delivered through the McGill Executive Institute.

Product overview

McGill University School of Continuing Studies (SCS) offers a diverse portfolio of professional certificates, diplomas, and graduate credentials across multiple disciplines. The offerings include undergraduate and graduate certificates in fields such as accounting and finance, marketing, information technology, translation, public administration, healthcare management, and law. The school provides both credit and non-credit programs, with some courses and certificates offered through the Executive Institute and the School of Information Studies. Programs range from short professional development certificates to graduate-level credentials, designed for career advancement and skill development across various professional sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Certificate in Computers and Information Technology An undergraduate certificate program in computers and information technology offered through McGill School of Continuing Studies, designed for adult learners seeking foundational IT credentials.
• Professional Development Certificate in Data Analytics for Business A professional development certificate focusing on data analytics skills applied to business contexts, delivered through McGill SCS for working professionals.
• Professional Development Certificate in Data Science and Machine Learning A professional development certificate covering data science and machine learning concepts and applications, offered by McGill SCS.
• AI Essentials An introductory AI course offered through the McGill Executive Institute covering fundamental artificial intelligence concepts for executives and professionals.
• Certificate in Translation: English to French Option An undergraduate certificate in translation specializing in English-to-French translation, offered through McGill SCS.
• Certificate in Translation: French to English Option An undergraduate certificate in translation specializing in French-to-English translation, offered through McGill SCS.
• Graduate Certificate in Legal Translation A graduate-level certificate in legal translation covering specialized legal terminology and translation practices, offered through McGill SCS.
• Certificate in Public Administration & Governance An undergraduate certificate in public administration and governance, offered through McGill SCS for professionals in or entering the public sector.
• Certificate in Applied Marketing An undergraduate certificate in applied marketing covering marketing principles and practices, offered through McGill SCS.
• Diploma in Applied Marketing A diploma program in applied marketing offering more extensive training than the certificate, offered through McGill SCS.
• Certificate in Public Relations and Communication Management An undergraduate certificate in public relations and communication management, offered through McGill SCS.
• Diploma in Public Relations and Communications Management A diploma program in public relations and communications management, offered through McGill SCS.
• Certificate in Accounting and Finance An undergraduate certificate in accounting and finance covering financial principles and practices, offered bilingually through McGill SCS.

Quantifiable outcome

• Top-ranked university in Canada for 21 consecutive years (Maclean's)

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• UCLA Extension: UCLA's continuing education and professional studies division, one of the largest continuing education operations in North America, comparable in scale and breadth to McGill SCS.
• Stanford Continuing Studies: Stanford's non-credit continuing education program providing professional certificates and personal enrichment courses to adult learners—a direct peer in format, audience, and academic-brand-driven model.
• Columbia University School of Professional Studies: Columbia's division delivering graduate-level certificates and professional degrees to working professionals; comparable in graduate/professional credential mix and brand-led positioning to McGill SCS.
• Harvard Extension School: Harvard's continuing education arm offering certificates, degrees, and professional development on a top-tier university brand—directly comparable to McGill SCS in mission, learner profile, and credentialed programming.
• University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies: Canada's closest domestic peer: a leading Canadian university's continuing studies school offering certificates, diplomas, and professional development in the same regulatory and competitive environment as McGill SCS.
• NYU School of Professional Studies: NYU's continuing education school offering graduate certificates and diplomas for working professionals in business, marketing, healthcare, and translation—mirroring McGill SCS's professional credential portfolio.
• MIT Professional Education: MIT's short programs and professional certificates targeting working professionals and industry practitioners, overlapping directly with the executive and graduate certificate offerings of McGill SCS.
• Yale Continuing Education: Yale's continuing education unit offering professional advancement and personal enrichment programs; comparable in mission and elite-brand-leveraged delivery to McGill SCS.

Emerging players

• Coursera: Online platform aggregating university-branded certificates and professional credentials at scale, competing with McGill SCS on price and accessibility for self-directed adult learners.

Broad incumbents

• University of Oxford Department for Continuing Education: Oxford's continuing education department offering part-time and online programs to adult learners; a global incumbent peer with similar long-form continuing education and professional development offerings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/McGillSCS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/mcgilluniversity
• Facebookfacebook.com/mcgillscs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mcgill-university-school-of-continuing-studies
• Instagraminstagram.com/mcgillu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries8 records

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 McGill University School of Continuing Studies