Elective Courses | Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics

Elective Courses

All B.Comm students are required to complete two different types of electives; Free Electives and Liberal Education Electives. There is a third type called Restricted Electives, but they are specific to your major.

Free Electives

As the name implies, you are free to take courses that are of interest to you. They can be from any year level and any subject area. There are some conditions though -- first year students are advised to choose courses that are offered at the first year, 1000 level (see the list below for suggestions). Some courses may also have restrictions or prerequisites that you need to satisfy before you can register for the course. The number of free electives you need to complete is determined by your major.

Liberal Education Electives

The same as above, but with two important additions;
** All B.Comm students must complete 1.5 credits (3 courses) of Liberal Education Electives before they can graduate.
** Courses that start with the following prefixes cannot be used to satisfy the Liberal Education Requirement:

  • ACCT Accounting
  • BUS Business
  • ECON Economics
  • FARE Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics
  • HROB Human Resources and Organizational Behaviour
  • HTM Hospitality and Tourism Management
  • MGMT Management
  • MCS Marketing and Consumer Studies
  • REAL Real Estate and Housing

The Liberal Education Requirement is designed to expose you to disciplines outside of business. It includes the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Mathematical & Natural Sciences.

When your schedule of Studies indicates that you are to take an elective, e.g. “Semester 4 – Winter...1.0 electives”, it is referring to either a Free or Liberal Education Elective.

Restricted Electives 

Most, but not all B.Comm majors have these. If your major requires them, you will be given a list from which to choose. The number of restricted electives you need to complete is determined by your major and will be specified in your Schedule of Studies.

Elective FAQs

Where do I find a list of Electives?

The Course Descriptions section for the Undergraduate Calendar. This is a listing of all courses offered by the University. The courses are grouped by subject area so you will need to click on the subject to see a list of the courses that are offered. They are also listed in ascending order, so 1st year courses are listed first. We have included a sample of some 1st year courses below.

Is there a recommended elective that Business students should take?

Not really. Electives are about exploring your interests. What intrigues you? What would you like to know more about?

You are encouraged to use your electives as an opportunity to explore your interests in areas other than business. You career path may change, so the broader your knowledge base, the better your opportunities will be. That’s why electives are important!

Choosing an elective is a personal choice so B.Comm Program Counsellors do not recommend specific courses. Regardless of which elective you choose, it is important to spend as much time on your electives as you do on your required courses—there are no “easy” electives!

Can I use Electives towards a minor or certificate?

Yes. Free and Liberal Education electives can be used towards a minor or certificate. There are some conditions, so be sure to read over Changing Majors and Adding Minors for details.

Some 1000 level courses for you to consider:

The list below is by no means definitive. Feel free to browse all offerings via the Course Descriptions section of the Undergraduate Calendar. Note: depending upon your major, some of the courses listed below may also be required for your program, either as core courses or as restricted electives. Remember; you cannot double count a course as both a major requirement and an elective.

Some of these courses may be offered only once a year, i.e. Fall or Winter. An ‘F’ or ‘W’ to the right of the course title in the Course Description section will indicate this.

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