SAIT debuts Canada’s first “FinTech” major within Bachelor of Business Administration program
MEDIA RELEASE
Calgary, AB (Thursday, April 25, 2024) — The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) has launched a unique new major, Financial Technology (FinTech) and Innovation, within its Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program. The first-of-its-kind business major in Canada will equip students with the skills and knowledge to thrive in the rapidly evolving world of FinTech.
“This program is unique across Canada so students will have the chance to demonstrate they have the skills to be a part of this industry as it evolves,” says Grace McKenna, Associate Dean, SAIT School of Business.
With strong engagement from industry, the program will fill an education gap in an identified economic growth sector, explains McKenna. “We have connected with about 40 different members of industry — from small startups to big banks and tech companies — over the development of the major and I have never seen so much enthusiasm to support student success.”
The major is designed for highly creative, growth-minded and innovative, life-long learners interested in tech and AI.
“FinTech spans a lot of different industries — accounting, ITS, financial services, cryptocurrencies — areas people might be familiar with,” says Kristene Coller, Academic Chair with the BBA program. “But FinTech is also involved in real estate, HR and payroll and benefits. This isn’t as narrowly focused as what people anticipate, and we know there’s going to be industry demand.”
Students can expect to learn about financial products and services solution architecture, business analysis, innovation and design thinking, as well as the regulatory ecosystem of FinTech. Graduates will have familiarity with programming languages, such as Python, so they are well-equipped to speak to full-stack developers as clearly as they would business professionals.
This year, SAIT’s School of Business, western Canada’s largest business school, ranked #1 in Canada and #49 in the world by CEOWORLD Magazine, solidifying its reputation for excellence in business education. This commitment to innovation continues with the launch of the new major and will provide SAIT students the skills to be future-ready to shape the economy of tomorrow.
Applications for SAIT’s new FinTech major are now open for domestic students, until June 28.
About SAIT
Established in 1916, SAIT was the first of its kind, publicly funded technical school in North America. As a global leader in applied education and research — serving nearly 40,000 students annually — SAIT offers certificate, diploma, post diploma, apprenticeship and applied degree programs, baccalaureate degrees, corporate training and more than 1,000 continuing education courses, along with four dedicated, award-winning areas of research and capacity for new and emerging research. Curriculum and research priorities are developed through industry partnerships to ensure graduates have the skills and knowledge required to fulfill the demand for talent. SAIT is honoured to be recognized by Mediacorp Canada Inc. as one of Alberta’s Top Employers for 2024, and to be ranked fourth by Research Infosource Inc. in the Top 50 Research Colleges in Canada for 2024. CEOWORLD Magazine ranked the SAIT School of Business #49 on the list of Best Business Schools in the World for 2024, and the School of Hospitality and Tourism placed #14 on their list of Best Hospitality and Hotel Management Schools in the World for 2024.
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SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.
We are situated in an area the Blackfoot tribes traditionally called Moh’kinsstis, where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. We now call it the city of Calgary, which is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta.