Bachelor of Commerce (Finance)
This degree program is designed to provide students with the business and management skills necessary to become effective leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs in today’s competitive economy. The degree offers both a practical management education and enough breadth in complementary academic subjects to prepare students to function effectively in complex private organizations or the public sector.
This concentration is designed for students wanting to take an array of courses to give them more breadth in their management education or who want to focus on a specialized field of their own choosing. Many positions in business require the varied skills that a generalist can offer. This concentration is a wise choice for those students whose interests lie in a number of different areas.
Concentrations in Accounting, Human Resources Management, Information Systems Management, Leadership, Marketing, Public Sector Management, and Technology Management are also available within this degree program.
* This program is available to applicants residing in Canada or outside Canada.
Admission Requirements
Normally, formal admission requires completion of a minimum of 60 applicable credits or a suitable two-year business diploma program. Applicants who do not meet this requirement but possess other post-secondary credits and/or significant experiential learning may also apply and may receive credit for courses taken and/or through Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR). Those assessed as lacking some requirements may be admitted to the degree program provisionally (pending completion of qualifying coursework).
Students who plan to complete a credential through TRU-OL must complete and submit a Program Admission/Transfer Credit form.
Note the following points:
- Those with a recognized two-year college business diploma receive a block transfer of up to 60 credits toward the degree. Other recognized diplomas are also eligible but may receive a reduced block transfer.
- Those with selected BC Institute of Technology (BCIT) business diplomas receive a block transfer of up to 72 credits toward the degree.
- Those with the Certified General Accountants' Association (CGA) foundation, advanced, and PACE levels receive block PLAR of up to 90 credits toward the degree, based on compulsory courses taken in their accounting programs and the association's mandatory practical experience requirements.
- Those who have completed the Certified Management Accountants (CMA) program may apply and are normally awarded a block of 90 PLAR credits for successful completion of the CMA's syllabus, entrance examination, strategic leadership, and experience requirements.
- Those in the process of completing the CMA or CGA program are eligible for provisional admission and may take TRU-OL courses concurrent to their CMA or CGA program.
- Those who completed diplomas prior to 2001 are required to provide documentation of their recent business experience and evidence of their current knowledge of the use of computers in the workplace.
Degree Requirements
As listed below, residency requirements, general education requirements, core knowledge requirements, concentration requirements, and elective requirements must be completed.
120 credits, 45 at the upper (300/400) level, with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 over all courses applicable to the degree but taken outside any block transfer are required.
Minimum grade of C+ is required for all concentration courses (minimum C+ grade requirement is not averaged).
Degree requirements may be met with credits earned by Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR). Refer to PLAR policies or email Business and Management Studies for more information.
Residency Requirements
Minimum 15 credits of TRU coursework (distance or on-campus).
General Education Requirements (18 credits)
(may be met with lower-level or upper-level university courses; refer to general education requirements for disciplines)
3 credits in English (university-level composition and literature, e.g., TRU-OL's ENGL 1001 or 1021 or 1021)
3 credits in Natural Science
6 credits in Social Science/Humanities
6 credits in Arts and Science electives
Core Knowledge Requirements (54 credits)
ACCT 1221, Accounting II (3) or BBUS 2211, Introduction to Financial Accounting (3)
BBUS 2541, Management Accounting (3) (formerly ADMN 232) or approved alternative
BBUS 2721, Organizational Behaviour I (3) or approved alternative
BBUS 3031, Business and Society (3) or approved alternative
BBUS 3121, Financial Management (3) or approved alternative
BBUS 3431, Introduction to Marketing (3) (formerly ADMN 350 or BUSM 151) or approved alternative
BBUS 3621, Analytical Decision Making (3) or approved alternative (BBUS 4251, Advanced Managerial Accounting may be substituted)
BBUS 3811, Introduction to Human Resource Management (3) or BBUS 3841, Labour Relations (3) or BBUS3661, Strategic Human Resource Management (3) or approved alternative
BBUS 3931, Business Law (3) (formerly BUSM 241) or approved alternative
BBUS 4701, Business Policy and Strategy (3) or approved alternative
CMPT at 200 or higher level or approved alternative
ECON 1901, Principles of Microeconomics (3) or approved alternative
ECON 1951, Principles of Macroeconomics (3) or approved alternative
MATH 1071, Business Mathematics (3) or MATH 1091, Business Mathematics (3) or MATH 1101, Finite Mathematics (3) or approved alternative
MNGT 1211, Management Principles and Practices (3)
STAT 1201, Introduction to Probability and Statistics (3) or approved alternative
Two from the following ENGL and BBUS courses in communication:
BBUS 3631, Open Communication (3) or approved alternative
ENGL 1061, Written Communication (3)
ENGL 1071, Business Communication (3)
Elective Requirements (normally 33 credits)
Sufficient academic and/or applied credits to bring the total number of credits to 120, with 45 of the 120 credits at the upper (3000 and/or 4000) level
Concentration Requirements (15 credits)
Finance Concentration
Finance is divided into main fields: Investments and managerial.
Investments deal with the accumulation of surplus funds in the economy for transfer to individuals and businesses in need of acquiring additional capital. Professionals spend their time designing, pricing and trading investment instruments such as term deposits, stocks, bonds and asset-backed securities, to aid the flow of funds.
Some of our economy’s biggest corporations, including banks and insurance companies, serve as intermediaries in this process.
The other side of the industry is managerial finance. Professionals arrange the financing required for an organization’s daily operations and future growth. Sources of capital such as lines of credit, corporate paper, term loans, mortgages, bonds, leases, venture capital and initial public offerings, are used to finance seasonal build-ups in working capital and major asset purchases.
Many finance concentration graduates will go on to complete a professional designation such as the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Certified Financial Planner (CFPO) or Associate of the Institute of Canadian Bankers (AICB). Note that students interested in the CFA Track may wish to take courses, unavailable through the TRU, -OL, via Nipissing University distance courses. Nipissing University is a member of the Canadian Virtual University consortium , thereby permitting TRU-OL students to register in Nipissing courses via a simplified letter of permission. Registration information may be found at: www.cvu-uvc.ca/LOP.html
Required Courses (15 credits)
BBUS 3151, Investments (3)*
BBUS 4151, Investments 2 (3)
BBUS 4171, Risk Management and Financial Engineering (3)
And at least two of the following**
BBUS 3221, Taxation (3)
BBUS 3451, Professional Selling (3)
BBUS 4130, Advanced Financial Management (3) TRU on-campus course) or Nipissing University’s ADMN 3117, Financial Management II (3)*** (distance course)
BBUS 4180, International Financial Management (3) ( TRU on-campus course) or Nipissing University’s ECON 3127, International Financial Management (3)*** (distance course)
BBUS 4190, Financial Institutions Management (3) (TRU on-campus course) or Nipissing University’s ADMN 2116, Management of Financial Institutions (3)*** (distance course)
*It is strongly recommended that students complete STAT 1201 Introduction to Probability and Statistics and BBUS 3121 Financial Management prior to taking BBUS 3151, Investments.
** It is recommended that students interested in the following credentials select courses based on the following list:
CFA Track – BBUS 4180, BBUS 4190
CFP Track – BBUS 3451, BBUS 3221
AICB Track – BBUS 4130, BBUS 4180, BBUS 4190
Students are responsible for consulting with their TRU-OL program advisor to ensure that courses selected are appropriate for the program of study or to meet future educational goals. Students require a Letter of Permission before registering in a course (not listed on the website) at any other post-secondary institution to complete the credential. Students who proceed without approval may find that a particular course does not meet requirements and may be subject to transfer credit assessment fees.
Email Student Services for more information.
***TRU-OL students who wish to take Nipissing distance courses
do not have to pay the admission fee at Nipissing. Please see the CVU Visiting
Student Admission Form at www.cvu-uvc.ca/LOP.html
for details.