CBE launches flexible major in management, minor in HR – 2019 entry

With the changing needs of today’s workforce and student expectations, the U of G’s College of Business and Economics has refreshed their major in Management, providing students with a flexible and versatile major for a wide variety of career options.

University of Guelph’s College of Business and Economics has updated their leadership and organizational management major to create a versatile and flexible offering that is relevant to today's modern workforce. Beginning in September of 2019, the major in Management will offer undergraduate students a unique blend of core BComm courses, specialized management courses and 13 elective courses. This structure allows students to customize their education by adding minors or certificates to their degree or pursue international exchange opportunities.

“This is a critical step in providing a transformative learning experience for our undergraduate students. This major is incredibly versatile, allowing students to gain a solid base of transferable business skills, equipping them to pursue a number of different career paths.”

Dean Julia Christensen Hughes

Skills to meet industry needs.

Today’s business leaders need to get the most out of their teams in an efficient and sustainable way. Students in this major will gain strategic leadership and management skills that will enable them to work as an organizational leader in a wide range of industries.

“Students will explore broad management topics such as project management, decision making, team motivation, negotiation, and conflict management, and they will the flexibility to explore courses in other business disciplines,” says Associate Dean (Academics) Sara Mann. “This major is ideal for those who want a strong foundation in business with an emphasis in leadership and management studies.

Co-op in all majors.

The Management major will feature a co-op option for students who meet the desired cutoff. Co-op provides students with the opportunity to obtain real-world work experience and prepare them for careers with impact. All majors within the BComm program now offer a co-op option.

“With all of our BComm majors now offering co-op, we are continuing to offer relevant, active learning opportunities for our students,” says dean Christensen Hughes.

Minor in HR

With the changes to this major, any student enrolled in the Bachelor of Commerce program can now complete a minor in Human Resources (HR). For example, a student wishing to pursue a leadership role in public services can major in Public Management and elect to minor in HR. Students can also complete a Certficate in Leadership, giving them additional communication and leadership skills to their resume. The Certificate teaches students how to apply modern leadership theories and models to real life problems.

“For students who wish to work as a Certified Human Resource Leader (CHRL) and pursue a traditional HR career path, it is encouraged they apply to the Management major and elect to minor in HR,” says Mann.

Students who are currently enrolled in the leadership and organizational management, and wish to transfer to the new management major, should contact the BComm Counselling Office.