As a future Commerce student at DeGroote, you will be the agent of change in the years ahead, transforming business practices and significantly contributing to Canadian society. With an emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, experiential learning opportunities, and fostering a vibrant sense of community, the DeGroote School of Business will best prepare you for a future in an ever-evolving business landscape.
After completing your first two foundational years within the Commerce program, you will have the opportunity to choose an area of focus. By choosing an area of focus, you may begin to align your course selection towards a specific subdiscipline within the area of business, or, continue learning about business broadly.
You can choose to enhance your education by applying for the Commerce with Internship program at the end of Level II. An internship gives you the unique opportunity to develop hands-on experience with an employer for a work term that lasts between 12 and 16 months. Internships begin anytime between May and September following your third year of studies. The Honours Commerce with Internship pathway extends your degree program by one year.
Throughout your degree, you have the opportunity to take courses from outside the Faculty of Business, creating a degree experience that suits your interests. These courses complement and enhance your business education while learning new skills and perspectives. You may also choose to complete a minor from outside the Faculty of Business, building a unique experience throughout your university career.
With an emphasis on collaboration and fostering a greater sense of community, the DeGroote School of Business will best prepare you for a future in an ever-evolving world of business. You will gain the knowledge, skills, and experiences from all the major business disciplines.
The workplace demands more than the academic knowledge obtained from core business courses. In response, DeGroote has developed the GR0 program. This program complements our curriculum and equips you with vital skills such as creative problem solving, critical thinking, and collaboration. Starting in first-year, you are introduced to the various supports available to you during your time at DeGroote, as well as strategies for academic success, ensuring a successful transition to university and success in the Commerce program.
GR0 has been a consistent part of my experience at DeGroote and reminded me to focus on developing my tactical and soft skills, helping to understand my strengths and weaknesses. It also introduced me to clubs, networking opportunities, and workshops – many of which I looked into and participated in, making my McMaster experience not just about schoolwork.
Students in our internship program make an average of $43,800 per year. Internship positions are secured with the assistance of DeGroote’s Career and Professional Development team.
DeGroote partners with 18 top business schools from around the world for the International Exchange Program.
Only 5% of the business schools in the world attain this standard of excellence.
In your first few years at DeGroote, you will build the foundational knowledge that will allow you to succeed throughout your undergraduate degree. A mix of commerce courses and non-commerce electives will improve your critical thinking skills and enhance your understanding of how the concepts you learn today will impact the business world tomorrow.
Continue expanding your business acumen with a combination of courses focused on core business competencies and additional opportunities to explore non-commerce electives, providing you with a fulsome understanding of the world you will graduate into.
If pursuing Commerce with Internship, you will be required to take the Career Development (2IN0) course, preparing you for your upcoming internship. While not required for non-internship students, we do encourage all students to complete this course.
In your third year, you will focus your studies on the commerce electives that enable you to expand your knowledge in your chosen area of focus, or continue to learn about business broadly.
In your fourth year, you will focus your studies on electives that will give you the specific knowledge and skills you will need to succeed in your chosen career.
After completing your first two foundational years within the Commerce program, you will have the opportunity to choose an area of focus. By choosing an area of focus, you may begin to align your course selection towards a specific subdiscipline within the area of business, or, continue learning about business broadly.
The Accounting area of focus allows you to gain a comprehensive understanding of accounting principles, financial analysis, and management practices. You will be well-prepared for diverse accounting and financial management careers.
Choosing this area of focus helps you work toward earning financial designations such as Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
The Finance area of focus helps you gain expertise in financial markets, investment strategies, and economic principles. You’ll develop the analytical and decision-making skills necessary to succeed in the fast-paced and dynamic world of finance.
Choosing this area of focus helps you work toward earning financial designations such as Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and Certified Financial Planner® certification (CFP® certification).
The Human Resource Management area of focus equips you with essential skills in people management, organizational behavior, and strategic human resource planning. You’ll become an effective leader in dynamic work environments, where managing human capital is crucial to achieving organizational success.
Choosing this area of focus helps you work toward earning the Certified Human Resource Professional (CHRP) designation.
The Information Systems area of focus gives you a strong foundation in technology, data management, and business processes. You’ll learn to leverage cutting-edge technologies and harness data effectively to drive innovation and streamline business operations.
The Marketing area of focus prepares you for today’s dynamic business environment by ensuring you gain thorough comprehension of consumer behaviour, market trends, and effective communication strategies. You’ll become a creative and strategic marketer, capable of driving brand success and meeting customer demands.
The Operations Management area of focus provides you with a comprehensive understanding of managing business operations, optimizing processes, and ensuring efficient production and service delivery. Choosing this area will help you become a skilled operations leader capable of enhancing organizational productivity and achieving competitive advantage.
The Strategic Management area of focus will give you a foundation in business strategy, organizational planning, and decision-making processes. You’ll gain the necessary skills to analyze complex business environments, formulate effective strategies, and lead organizations to sustainable success.
Over $157,186 in-course scholarships (called awards) are given out each year. Some are based on academic and extracurricular achievements; some automatically based on grades, and others require an application.
Bursaries are funding provided by McMaster based solely on financial need. In most cases information from your OSAP application is used to determine your financial need but some students who don’t receive OSAP may still apply for a bursary. Both are non-repayable funding, which means you don’t need to pay it back.
More About Entrance Awards
With AwardSpring, you can complete one common app that matches you with all the aid and award opportunities you’re eligible for. It also tracks the completion of any additional requirements on a user-friendly dashboard. You can even share the same requirements (i.e. a reference letter or statement of interest) across all applications with the same criteria to save you time. There are three new International Entrance Awards available at the DeGroote School of Business.
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Financial aid funding that is based on financial need and not academics/extracurriculars. This includes OSAP and other government loan/grants programs, bursaries and the work program.
The Office of the Registrar can provide information about other McMaster scholarships, bursaries, and financial aid.
Learn MoreRequirements for Canadian and international high school students can be found on McMaster’s admission requirements page. It provides lists of required courses, anticipated grade cutoffs, and more.
Ontario High School Requirements
For information about internal and external transfers, please visit our Apply Page for more information.
We want to know more about you, your life and your interests, beyond academic achievement. Our Supplementary Application is a tool used to help with admissions decisions and to award our scholarships (up to $10,000) for overall excellence. The Supplemental Application is open from December to February, and we encourage you to complete the questions to enhance the strength of your application.
If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact our Student Experience team, or chat with current students.
