Business

It’s no wonder that more than 250,000 university and 180,000 college students—almost 20 per cent of the collective student body—choose business and management programs. Recent decades have also seen the exponential growth of MBA programs, largely populated with mid-career workers returning to classrooms to enhance their skills. 

While today’s business programs still provide training in the basics, like accounting, finance, human resources and marketing, program offerings have expanded to focus on managerial competence. They’re placing a new importance on soft skills—also known as transferable skills—like communication, networking and teamwork, which business leaders recognize as just as important as proficiency with numbers and organizational charts. Business programs often include collaborative projects that hone these skills—which are applicable even if students land somewhere far from traditional business. These skills will also be useful if the student decides to pursue further education; law schools, grad schools and even med schools often admit business grads. 

The admission requirements for most business programs consist of Grade 12 English and one or more math credits, although specifics vary and students should pay close attention to each school’s particular requirements. Getting into a top-tier business school is competitive, and students often require high grade averages. Many programs also ask for supplemental information, where students can highlight leadership experience, business-adjacent extracurriculars and volunteer work. 

Before choosing the kind of business degree they want to pursue, students should think about what they want to do when they graduate. If they plan to start their own business, a program that focuses on entrepreneurship is a smart move. If they’re strong in math or want to work for an accounting firm or at a bank, a school that specializes in finance or commerce would be a good fit. 

First-year programming typically exposes students to different aspects of the business world, like marketing, accounting, strategy and HR. In later years, students can tailor their specialty to whatever field interests them, whether that’s sales, sports marketing, non-profit strategy or another discipline. 

Practical concerns also factor into where a student pursues a business education. Programs that offer a co-op component—where students get 12 to 16 months of paid work experience before they graduate—are a popular option for people who are eager to kickstart their networking opportunities and develop real-world skills. 

Business programs often let students combine majors and minors across different programs, opening up multiple career pathways. For example, aspiring marketers might choose to minor in psychology, a combination that gives them unique insights into human behaviour. A business degree is even a great foundation for students who might not consider themselves to be the typical business “type.” Creative people hoping to hawk their art or fashion can use a business degree to help market and sell their products. Writers or performers can take their careers to the next level by developing skills in marketing, advertising, management and finance. 

But whether they end up being self-employed or climbing the corporate ladder, business grads all benefit enormously from the career centres and networking opportunities available within these programs. Many fruitful relationships are formed in business school that can continue to pay off for years to come.

Standout Business Programs

University of Toronto

Degree: Bachelor of commerce
Co-op: No

Students at Rotman Commerce are just minutes away from Bay Street in downtown Toronto, offering opportunities to network and engage with some of Canada’s top business leaders and organizations. Students take a range of courses in first year and, by year two, they choose one of three specialist areas: management, finance and economics, or accounting. Students may choose to do a semester or summer abroad at one of 130 exchange partners.

University of British Columbia

Degree: Bachelor of commerce
Co-op: Yes

At the Sauder School of Business, first-year students take all their courses with a cohort of 30 peers, fostering meaningful connections. Students can also take part in unique opportunities, like a concentration in sustainability and social impact and the chance to study global supply chain and logistics management in China and Denmark. According to the school, half of grads are hired for full-time jobs by their co-op employer.

Western University

Degree: Bachelor of business administration
Co-op: No

Western’s Ivey Business School takes a unique approach to undergraduate education. Students can apply and get accepted in high school, but they spend the first two years in a faculty of their choosing before joining the honours business administration program for years three and four. (Acceptance hinges on meeting certain academic requirements.) Students can also apply after they’ve begun their studies at Western. This approach keeps classes small: the entire yearly cohort hovers around 75 to 77 people. Students study and move through the two-year program together, learning about subjects like accounting, marketing and operations largely by analyzing real-world case studies.

Queen’s University

Degree: Bachelor of commerce
Co-op: No

In addition to getting a well-regarded education, students at the Smith School of Business have the opportunity to apply for one of the Commerce Society’s 750 student-led leadership roles. Other offerings include: a certificate in social impact; a dual degree with the faculty of arts and science; a double degree from Peking University in Beijing; and a six-year program where successful candidates gain a B.Com. and a J.D. from Queen’s Law. 

University of Guelph

Degree: Bachelor of commerce
Co-op: Yes

The Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics offers a unique set of majors far beyond the typical accounting, marketing and finance. Students can study real estate, food and agricultural business, sport and event management, and hospitality and tourism management. Minors are available in areas such as entrepreneurship, international business and sustainable business.