Overall, Canadian universities are well known for their quality of education and their excellence in developing and nurturing students who become leaders in their field. In this article I will discuss the Top 5 undergraduate Business schools in Canada. Please note that this is Part 1 of a 5 Part series. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5.
Wilfrid Laurier University:
Two Facts about Waterloo, Ontario:
- More than 500 tech companies call Waterloo home, this includes the inventor of the BlackBerry (Research in Motion), IBM, Google, and more.
- New York’s Intelligent Communities Forum declared Waterloo as the “2007 Intelligent Community of the Year”
Laurier’s location allows the school and its students to network and mingle with individuals who are creating the next BIG thing. This creates a culture of enthusiasm for students who are interested in Business beyond the classroom.
Business Programs:
Laurier Business programs have high academic benchmarks and attract students from all over the globe. It offers world class programs and quality teaching approaches to challenge students. Through case
simulations, class discussions, presentations by top level business execs and utilizing the best technology Laurier develops students to be prepared for the corporate challenges they will inevitably face.
Wilfrid Laurier offers various undergraduate Business programs. These include:
- Honours Bachelors of Business Administration (4 Years)
- Honours Bachelors of Business Administration, combined with BSc Computing and Computer Electronics (5 Years)
- Honours Bachelors of Business Administration, Honours FinMath (5 Years)
- Honours Bachelors of Business Administration, Honours BMath (University of Waterloo) (5 Years)
- Honours Bachelors of Business Administration, Honours BCompSci (University of Waterloo) (5 Years)
Furthermore, these programs allow a student to specialize within the following concentrations:
- Accounting
- Insurance and Risk Management
- Brand Communication
- International Business
- Finance
- Marketing
- Supply Chain Management
- Entrepreneurship
- Human Resource Management
Innovation:
The school has an eye for innovation, for example Laurier was the first business school in Canada to incorporate the BlackBerry into its programs. Laurier understands the importance of social networking and has taken this step to accommodate that.
“Our goal is to supply the technology sector with a new generation of leaders who will be better prepared to bring innovation to their organizations,” Ginny Dybenko, Laurier’s dean of business and economics
This move also enhances team work and cooperation when working with other students. It provides students the ability to get instantaneous access to course information.
“By delivering content through BlackBerry, we improve our students’ productivity and organization, and help them to build an enhanced sense of community.” Hugh Munro, Director Laurier school of business and economics
The use of this technology will easily allow students to learn on the go, and develop the ability to make accurate decisions on a timely basis. Important skills that employers are always looking for.
Through initiatives like these Laurier demonstrates that it wants to be ahead when it comes to having the best technology, best infrastructure, best teachers and the best students. An important part of business is always driving innovation and staying ahead of the curve (ex: Apple), this is a concept that Laurier teaches and unlike other schools they practice what they preach.
Co-op Program:
This is the defining characteristic of excellence in Laurier’s Business program. Students get the opportunity to work and get paid at a leading organization that develops and nurtures their leadership, organization and decision making skills.
Click Here for WLU’s Co-op Program and Salary Information.
5 Benefits of doing a Co-op/ Internship Program:
A Co-op or internship position gives much needed experience to university students in their respective fields. This kind of position
provides a student with a wealth of practical on the job training with a respectable compensation. The compensation is not what’s important here though, it’s the experience and network connections a student can gain while working inside an organization that is invaluable. In today’s employment market, it is especially important to set yourself apart from your peers who are also looking for jobs. Moreover, in an economy where companies are cutting back on special training programs – employers are looking for candidates that not only have the theoretical knowledge but also the practical experience to do the job. This kind of candidate allows companies to save on training costs. As a student it can be especially difficult to meet those criteria because getting a job can be trivial if you don’t have any experience, although to gain experience you must first find a job. It’s a malodorous circle but a Co-op/ Internship is an excellent way to get around it.
Click here for the full article – 5 Benefits of doing a Co-op/ Internship Program:
Laurier’s Business programs provide Co-op internship to its students, as described in the above article that this can have numerous benefits to students who want to have an advantage after graduation. This is one of the reasons why Wilfrid Laurier University is considered to be a top university in Canada.
