Each year, many high school students approach our Educational Consultants with an interest in studying Business, Commerce, or Management at a Canadian university. However, few are aware of the different, often unique specializations or concentrations that these programs offer. Though most students wish to pursue Accounting, Finance, or Marketing, part of our role is to expand knowledge and help applicants explore equally engaging and rewarding avenues.
Gianluca Agostinelli has compiled a list of 15 lesser-known pathways and specializations that are worth putting on your radar if you are planning on becoming a successful businessperson. Check out Part One below, and catch Part Two later this week!
- Bishop’s University – Bachelor of Business Administration – Business Technology and Analytics (Sherbrooke, Quebec)
Set to launch in 2023, this new program in the Williams School of Business combines business acumen with technological savviness. Organizations increasingly rely on data and sophisticated analytical tools to make effective strategic decisions and thus look not only for technical specialists but for all business professionals with a data-driven mindset that can take an active role in manipulating and analyzing data to improve decision-making. The skills acquired in this program will prepare students for positions of leadership in organizations spanning all sectors of the economy. This specialization can be paired with Bishop’s International Business Minor.
- University of Guelph – Bachelor of Commerce – Sport and Event Management (Guelph, Ontario)
Housed in the esteemed Gordon S. Lang School of Business & Economics, this popular Bachelor of Commerce major prepares students for professional and leadership roles in sports, media, and event management. With a strong foundation in finance, marketing, and communications, students examine key aspects of diverse sports industries, including sponsorship, interactive media, event hosting, stakeholder engagement, and organizational leadership. Through case studies, in-class simulation, and co-op opportunities, students at the University of Guelph can grow their network while applying their skills and adding valuable work experience to their resumes.
- Dalhousie University – Bachelor of Management and Bachelor of Science in Recreation (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
This unique program—the first of its kind in Canada—is offered jointly by Dalhousie’s School of Health and Human Performance and the Faculty of Management. After five years, students will graduate with two degrees and a strong background in both the recreation and management fields. Students will have the business know-how and recreation management skills needed to start an exciting career in the growing recreation and leisure service industry. Dalhousie’s alumni and practicing professionals help guide the curriculum, which means that students will receive the skills and knowledge that employers are currently seeking.
- University of Western Ontario – Bachelor of Management – Consumer Behaviour (London, Ontario)
Consumer Behavior is a specialization designed for students interested in understanding the multiplicity of factors that determine what consumers buy, when and where they buy, and more importantly, why they buy. These factors include information use and decision-making, personality and lifestyle, perception, learning, self-concept, attitudes and values, demographics, and society and culture. This knowledge is combined with the various techniques employed to attract and serve customers, thus forming the basis for strategic marketing decisions. Check out the Management & Legal Studies specialization, as well!
- University of Calgary – Bachelor of Commerce – Energy & Professional Land Management (Calgary, Alberta)
This concentration—the only one of its kind in Canada and one of 11 in the world—prepares students for careers in the Canadian oil and gas industry. Because Canadian oil and gas leases are primarily on government (crown) lands, the EPLM courses have been carefully constructed for Canadian content. Within the EPLM concentration, there are three streams: Professional Land Management, Energy Management, and a combination of the two. Students will take courses in petroleum economics, land management policy, and energy business law. UC has many interesting specializations, including Supply Chain Management, Real Estate Studies, and Risk Management and Insurance.
- University of Alberta – Bachelor of Commerce – Entrepreneurship & Innovation (Edmonton, Alberta)
Dynamic socioeconomic systems encourage and support the creation of new businesses and social enterprises, as well as the entrepreneurial renewal of and innovation in existing organizations. The Entrepreneurship and Innovation major aims to help students develop an entrepreneurial mindset. With this specialization, students will develop more informed answers to such career-defining questions as “Do I have what it takes to become an entrepreneur?”, “Do I want to launch a new venture to solve a major social or economic problem?”, “How do I create and build a new entrepreneurial organization?”, and/or, “How do I foster an entrepreneurial orientation within a new or existing firm?”
- Simon Fraser University – Bachelor of Business Administration – Management Information Systems (Burnaby, British Columbia)
Management Information Systems (MIS) applies our understanding of business processes and business strategy to creating value from digital technologies. MIS focuses on understanding how digital technologies can make organizations more agile, effective, and efficient, can disrupt traditional industries, and create positive social change. Students will learn to manage project teams, design and build systems to support business processes, and use digitized information for decision-making. This concentration appeals to students interested in business analysis, managing change through projects, and software system implementation. Graduates are prepared to help people interact, and use technology and information in ways that make them more productive.
Our Educational Consultants are always happy to help discuss any program, so contact us today!
