Academic Calendar

Legal Studies in Business - Bachelor of Commerce

Overview

Knowledge of the commercial legal environment in which business operates is an increasingly important facet of business education. In today’s business environment, virtually every aspect of business decision-making and operation is affected by legal considerations. A wide range of topics of study are available: intellectual property law, real estate law, administrative and regulatory law, creditor and debtor law, legal research and analysis, real estate transactions, civil litigation and dispute resolution, and ethics and the law.

The Bachelor of Commerce

School of Business
MacEwan.ca/BCom

The Bachelor of Commerce focuses on the development of basic business and managerial competencies combined with an understanding of globalization and its implications. The program is structured to provide comprehensive preparation for management positions with both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations as well as the public sector.

The degree provides students with knowledge and critical understanding of commerce and management, and the ability to gather, review, evaluate and interpret information relevant to business and management. Key professional skills are taught: ethical business practices and sustainability, business communication skills, teamwork, business analytics and technology, global and local mindsets, critical thinking and research, including the opportunity to engage in independent research and practice. These skills are integrated across all courses in the program.

The program consists of three types of courses: core, major/minor and elective. Core courses develop fundamental skills and abilities in business and management. Upon completion of core courses, the student will choose one of seven majors: Accounting, Human Resources Management, International Business, Legal Studies in Business, Management, Marketing or Supply Chain Management. The courses in the majors deepen knowledge of business within a focal area and the elective courses broaden education beyond business and tailor the degree to the student’s interests. Co-operative Education streams are also available. Students may explore their options in completing a second major, one or two minors, or a double major with a non-business minor. The program will prepare students for graduate studies in related fields.

All newly admitted students are admitted as “Undeclared”.  This means a student has not yet chosen a major which focuses a good portion of their degree on a specific discipline and area of study.  Students generally declare their Major and Minors after they have completed a minimum of 45 credits.  The declaration deadlines for competitive and non-competitive majors and minors can be found on the Academic Schedule. Information about Majors and Minors is available to students via email and newsletters and further assistance with this decision is available from the academic advisors in their program.

Commerce Disciplines

Discipline Major Minor Honours
Accounting ⦿ ⦿ ⦿
Human Resources Management ⦿ ⦿ ⦿
International Business ⦿ ⦿ ⦿
Legal Studies in Business ⦿ ⦿ -
Management ⦿ ⦿ ⦿
Marketing ⦿ ⦿ ⦿
Supply Chain Management ⦿ ⦿ -
Business Intelligence - ⦿ -
Finance - ⦿ -
Innovation & Entrepreneurship - ⦿ -
Property Management - ⦿ -

Out of School Minors

Discipline Minor
Anthropology ⦿
Cybersecurity Studies ⦿
Digital Experience Design ⦿
Economics ⦿
French ⦿
History ⦿
Journalism ⦿
Political Science ⦿
Psychology ⦿
Sociology ⦿
Spanish ⦿
Statistics ⦿

Career Potential

Graduates of the Bachelor of Commerce program have a wide variety of options: they could choose to work in corporations, governments, not-for-profit organizations or perhaps start their own businesses. Careers in disciplines such as finance, marketing, accounting, banking, business consulting, management information systems, human resources management, team and organizational development, small business management, international business, operations management, purchasing, or logistics are available. Another option is to continue their education by completing a graduate degree, such as an MBA or PhD, which could lead to an academic or research career.

Contact Information

T: 780-497-5162
E: Business@MacEwan.ca

Bachelor of Commerce Requirements

Program Element Description Credits
Core Business 39
Core Non-Business 18
Total Core Requirement Credits 57
Primary Major Majors range from 21 to 30 credits with a minimum of 21 credits at the senior level and 12 of those credits at the 300 or 400-level. Majors are comprised of both required courses and a selection of options. 21-30
Non-Business Electives Students must complete 15-21 credits of Non-Business electives and may use these credits to fulfill the requirements of a minor(s) or second major. 15-21
Open Electives Students must complete 6-15 credits of Open electives and may use these credits to fulfill the requirements of a minor(s) or second major. 6-15
Business Electives Students must complete 6 credits of Business electives and can use these credits to fulfill the requirements of a minor(s) or second major. 6
Minor(s) or second major Students have the option of completing one or two minors, or a second major from the Bachelor of Commerce, provided they can satisfy their requirements for Business, Non-Business and Open Electives with that same coursework. Minors are comprised of 15 credits of senior-level coursework. Students are limited to one minor from outside the School of Business. 15-30
Total Required Minimum Core, Major and elective credits for the degree 120

The minimum passing grade for a course at MacEwan University is a D unless otherwise noted next to the appropriate course in the program of study.

Core Business Courses

ACCT 311Introductory Accounting3
ACCT 322Managerial Information and Control Systems3
BUSN 201Introduction to Sustainable Business3
BUSN 450Strategic Management3
FNCE 301Introductory Finance3
LEGL 210Business Law I3
MARK 301Fundamentals of Marketing3
MSYS 200Introduction to Management Information Systems3
MGTS 103Introduction to Business Statistics3
MGTS 312Data Driven Business Analytics3
MGTS 352Operations Management3
ORGA 201Introduction to Management3
ORGA 316Contemporary Organizational Behaviour and Theory3

Core Non-Business Courses

ECON 101Introduction to Microeconomics3
ECON 102Introduction to Macroeconomics3
ENGL 102Analysis and Argument3
Select 3 credits of university ENGL 13
PROW 210Advanced Business Writing3
Select 3 credits from the following: 3
Introduction to Quantitative Decision-Making
Elementary Calculus I
Basic Linear Algebra I
1

 not including ENGL 108 or ENGL 111 

Course Substitutions

Program Requirements

Legal Studies in Business Major

Legal Studies in Business Minor

Bachelor of Commerce - Legal Studies in Business Major

Major Requirements – Complete 21 senior-level credits (7 courses) from this list:

LEGL 308Administrative Law and the Regulatory Environment3
LEGL 315Business Law II3
LEGL 320Law of Business Organizations3
Choose 6 credits (two courses) from the following:6
Legal Aspects of International Business
Law of Business Transactions
Legal Issues in the Workplace
Real Estate Law
Choose 6 credits (two courses) from the following:6
Intellectual Property Law
Ethics and the Law
Law of Corporate Finance
Legal Issues in Indigenous Business Relations
Jurisprudence
Special Topics in Legal Studies in Business
Independent Studies in Business Law
Elective Requirements
Business Electives6
Non-Business Electives21
Open Electives15
Total Credits63


Bachelor of Commerce - Legal Studies in Business Minor

Minor Requirements - Complete 15 senior-level credits (five courses) from this list:

Note: At least three LEGL credits must be at the 400-level.

LEGL 315Business Law II3
Choose 12 credits (four courses) from 300 or 400-level LEGL courses12
Total Credits15

Program Regulations

Students are strongly encouraged to seek advice from the academic advisors about program planning, whether for completing degree requirements at MacEwan University.

Academic Residency - Credit Requirements

Further to the Academic Residency regulation requirement, Policy C2100, the Bachelor of Commerce program requires that the 60 credits must include a minimum of 12 credits in a major with six of those completed at the 400 level.

Core and Major Requirements

The Bachelor of Commerce program consists of 120 non-duplicative credits. The core program requirements include 57 credits, comprised of 39 business credits and 18 non-business credits. Each major includes 21-33 credits of specific coursework requirements. Refer to the Program of Study for each major for specific requirements.  

Declaration of Major and Minor

Students are required to declare a major upon the completion of 60 credits and by published deadlines. As completion of one major is a graduation requirement, students are strongly encouraged to consult with an academic advisor prior to declaration of their major. If students change their major following their declaration, additional coursework may be necessary to fulfill the requirements of the new major.

Students have the option of completing a second major from existing majors in Commerce, or one or two minors, provided they can satisfy their requirements for Business, Non-Business, and Open electives with that non-duplicate coursework. Minors are comprised of 15 senior-level credits and are not a graduation requirement. Only one minor from outside the School of Business is permitted.

Depending on the courses or specializations in which a student chooses to enrol, meeting the requirements of a double major may require the completion of more than 120 credits. Further, students admitted into the Bachelor of Commerce via Block Transfer cannot complete a minor.

Electives and Options

The Bachelor of Commerce has specific requirements for elective and option credits.

The four categories are:

  1. Options – a choice of courses from a list specified in the requirements for some majors
  2. Business Electives – a choice of any baccalaureate level course from the School of Business which is not a required core or major course in the student’s primary major. Students may use Business Electives to meet minor or second major requirements.
  3. Non-Business Electives – a choice of any baccalaureate level course outside the School of Business which is not a required core or major course in the student’s chosen major. Students may use Non-Business Electives to meet minor requirements inside and outside the School of Business.
  4. Open Electives – a choice of any baccalaureate level course which is not a required core or major course in the student’s primary major. Students may use Open Electives to meet minor or second major requirements.

Maximum 100 Level Courses

A maximum of 39 credits at the 100-level are permitted in completion of the Bachelor of Commerce degree. Additional credits at the 100 level will be declared extra to the degree. The required 100 level language credits for students in the International Business major are exempt from this limit.

Progression of Studies 

Students are responsible for ensuring they meet the prerequisite and/or co-requisite requirements as noted on all courses that may fulfill Bachelor of Commerce program requirements.

Students who interrupt their program and who must apply for readmission to the program will be required to comply with any new regulations upon resumption of their studies

Subsequent Baccalaureate

This degree does not offer Subsequent Baccalaurate programs of study to graduates of the Bachelor of Commerce degree.

Bachelor of Commerce Co-operative Education Programming

The co-operative education program component is competitive as there are limited co-op placements. Students interested in this program are encouraged to speak with a co-op advisor and visit the website for up-to-date information: MacEwan.ca/Co-op.

Co-operative Education Degree Regulations

All students who apply and are accepted into the Co-operative Education stream will be subject to MacEwan Policy C2065 Co-operative Education and the Bachelor of Commerce Co-operative Education Degree Regulations.

Applying to the Co-Operative Education Stream 

Once students are admitted to the Bachelor of Commerce program and meet eligibility criteria for the Co-operative Education Stream they may apply. International students are eligible to apply but are responsible for obtaining any visas or work permits that are required.

Withdrawal from the Co-operative Education Stream 

A student who fails to report to a work placement, or is dismissed from a work placement, may be assigned a failing grade for that work placement. Any student who leaves a work placement without university approval will receive a failing grade for the work placement and may be prohibited by the Chair or delegate from continuing in the Co-operative Education Stream. The university reserves the right, at any point during the work placement, to remove a student from situations in which students, clients, or other individuals are placed at risk, or when the student engages in behaviour that is contrary to the professional requirements of the work placement.

Additional Core Requirements

All co-op students must complete the following four courses in addition to the 120 credits required to graduate from the Bachelor of Commerce degree:

COOP 290Co-op Pre-employment Seminar0
COOP 295Co-operative Education: First Work Experience (360 hours)0
COOP 395Co-Operative Education: Second Work Experience (360 hours)0
COOP 495Co-Operative Education: Third Work Experience (360 hours)0

As part of these courses students will create learning objectives, complete a work placement report and be evaluated by their employer.

Prior to the start of a work placement students are required to sign a declaration stating that they have read and understood their responsibilities to both their employer and the university.

Work Placements and Timing 

Each work placement will consist of a minimum of 360 hours of paid employment in a job that is relevant to the student’s program. The student must have no more than two academic terms remaining when the final work placement is completed; and the student’s last term in the program must be an academic term.

Students benefit from their work placement experience by being exposed to the work setting in more than one season of the year. They are strongly encouraged to choose work terms in more than one season, unless it can be demonstrated that their work is of a purely seasonal nature.

Course Load During Full-Time Co-Op Work Terms 

Co-op work and study are designed to be engaged in full time. Students may not be enrolled in any other credit coursework concurrently when registered in a Co-op work term. This regulation applies to students registered in any one of COOP 295, COOP 395 or COOP 495.

Under certain circumstances, students may obtain consent to register in one, three-credit course for which credit can be recognized in the MacEwan University Bachelor of Commerce degree, while registered in one of the three COOP work experience courses. Students will submit a written request to the attention of the department chair (or delegate), care of BCom, student services, explaining compelling reasons to enrol while on Co-op work term. Submissions must be hand delivered, dated and signed by the student. Permissions may be granted based on individual circumstance. If students register in course(s) while being registered in one of COOP 295, COOP 395 or COOP 495 without obtaining written consent, they will be automatically removed from the Co-op placement.

Responsibility for Obtaining a Work Placement 

The university will facilitate the assignment of students in work placements. However, students are ultimately responsible for finding their own work placements, and all work placements must be approved by the University. The University cannot guarantee students’ co-op employment, because labour market conditions are variable and beyond university control. A student’s failure to find a work placement may result in the student being required to withdraw from the Co-op stream.

Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirements 

The student must maintain good academic standing (a grade point average of at least 2.0) to enrol in co-op work placements. Failure to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 will result in the student being withdrawn from the Co-op stream.

School of Business Degree-Level Program Learning Objectives

Each graduate of the Bachelor of Commerce program will be able to: 

1. KNOWLEDGE OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

Outcome: Apply knowledge of business and management within and across functional areas of an organization.

2. DECISION MAKING AND SUSTAINABILITY

Outcome: Apply analytical and critical thinking skills, as well as qualitative and quantitative methods, to develop sustainable solutions to address organizational issues.

3. ENTREPRENEURSHIP, INNOVATION, AND CREATIVE THINKING

Outcome: Think creatively, innovatively, and develop an entrepreneurial mindset as well as applied business research to support organizational development.

4. GLOBAL MINDSET AND LOCAL EXPERTISE

Outcome: Integrate local, national, and international perspectives, while demonstrating cultural mindfulness of inclusion, equity, and diversity, notably as it relates to Indigenous cultures including an understanding of Indigenous peoples.

5. PROFESSIONALISM, ETHICS, AND SELF-DEVELOPMENT

Outcome: Demonstrate professionalism, personal integrity, and ethical behavior, while engaging in reflective practices for ongoing professional and personal development.

6. LEADERSHIP AND TEAMWORK

Outcome: Lead and participate effectively in teams in various roles and contexts, through a variety of leadership approaches.

7. COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY

Outcome: Communicate effectively, respectfully, and meaningfully; and use existing and emerging technologies to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of business processes.

8. JOB READINESS AND FUTURE READINESS

Outcome: Acquire meaningful hands-on experience and practical know how via various forms of work-integrated learning to be job-ready and future-ready.

Legal Studies Major Learning Objectives

1. Apply legal principles and best practices to commonly encountered business transactions.

2. Analyze the impact of the legal environment on business activities.

3. Facilitate compliance with ethical, regulatory, and legal environments.

4. Manage legal risk associated with particular business activities.

5. Manage legal risk associated with particular business activities.

6. Conform to legal and ethical standards of conduct in all aspects of business activity and decision-making.

Student Plan

  • Suggested Course Sequencing
  • Minors, double minors, and double majors must be completed using required electives.
Year 1Credits
BUSN 2013
ECON 1013
ECON 1023
ENGL 1023
LEGL 2103
MGTS 1033
Choose 3 credits (1 course) from this list:3
Choose 3 credits (1 course) from any ENGL course3
Non-Business Electives: Choose 6 credits (2 courses) from any subject outside business.6
 30
Year 2Credits
ACCT 3113
ACCT 3223
FNCE 3013
MARK 3013
MGTS 3123
PROW 2103
ORGA 2013
Non-Business Electives: Choose 9 credits (3 courses) from any subject9
 30
Year 3Credits
LEGL 3083
LEGL 3153
LEGL 3203
MGTS 3523
MSYS 2003
ORGA 3163
Business Electives: Choose 3 credits (1 course) from any business course.3
Non-Business Electives: Choose 6 credits (2 courses) from any subject outside business.6
Open Electives: Choose 3 credits (1 courses) from any subject3
 30
Year 4Credits
BUSN 4503
Option Requirement: Choose 6 credits (2 courses) from this list:6
Option Requirement: Choose 6 credits (2 courses) from this list:6
Business Electives: Choose 3 credits (1 course) from any business course.3
Open Electives: Choose 12 credits (4 courses) from any subject12
 30
Total Credits 120
 

Admission Requirements

Applicants may be admitted to one of the following:

Regular Admission

To be evaluated through the Office of the University Registrar

Applicants must have a minimum overall average of 65 percent, with no course grade lower than 50 percent, in the following high school courses:

  1. ELA 30-1
  2. Mathematics 30-1 or Mathematics 30-2
  3. Three subjects from Group A, B, C, or D

Notes:

  • Applicants are strongly encouraged to present a broad range of subjects in order to benefit from the breadth of learning and to increase flexibility of future program and course choices.
  • A maximum of two Group B subjects may be presented; they must be from different disciplines.
  • A maximum of one Group D subject may be presented. Group D subjects used for admission must be 5-credit or any credit combination of at least 5 credits (e.g., two 3-credit subjects).

Applicants with nine or more post-secondary level credits must also present a minimum Admission Grade Point Average (AGPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Mature Admission

To be evaluated through the Office of the University Registrar

Applicants must be 20 years of age or older and have been out of full-time high school at least one year by the beginning of the intake term. Applicants must have a minimum overall average of 65 percent, with no course grade lower than 50 percent, in the following high school courses:

  1. ELA 30-1
  2. Mathematics 30-1 or Mathematics 30-2

Applicants with nine or more post-secondary level credits must also present a minimum Admission Grade Point Average (AGPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Previous Post-Secondary Work 

To be evaluated through the Office of the University Registrar

Admission in this category does not imply or guarantee the transfer of any coursework and/or credential unless a block transfer agreement (internal or external) is in effect and published in the calendar by the Office of the University Registrar. In addition, transfer of coursework does not imply or guarantee that an applicant will be admitted.

Applicants must have successfully completed one of the following with a minimum Admission Grade Point Average (AGPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale from a recognized institution:

  • A business diploma (minimum 60 credits).

OR

  • A non-business diploma (minimum 60 credits) and must have completed the English and Math requirements listed under the Regular or Mature Admission category.

OR

  • A minimum of 24 university-level credits and must have completed the English and Math requirements listed under the Regular or Mature Admission category.

Additional Admission Criteria

All applicants must meet the following:

1. English Language Proficiency

To be evaluated through the Office of the University Registrar

Applicable to All Admission Categories

All applicants must meet an acceptable level of English language proficiency. We will require official documents such as high school or post-secondary transcripts or proof of successful completion of standardized language evaluation. Full details are available in MacEwan University’s academic calendar or online at MacEwan.ca/ELP

2. Other Admission Criteria

To be evaluated through the Office of the University Registrar

Applicable to All Admission Categories

Applicants who have been assigned two unsatisfactory academic records within the past five years will not be considered for admission or re-admission to the program until a minimum three years from the date of the assignment of the last unsatisfactory academic record. For the purpose of admission or re-admission, an unsatisfactory record is defined as a transcript with the notation ‘required to withdraw’ or equivalent.