Honours Business Administration BBA

Applicant Information:
Choose Laurier: High School Applicant Inquiries

Program Counselling: bbaadvising@wlu.ca

The BBA program is based on the concept that a general education involving an exposure to the liberal arts and sciences is essential for a career in management and for the complete development of an individual. The management portion of the BBA program emphasizes two main objectives for its students: first, on graduation, to prepare for meaningful responsibility immediately and second, to build a foundation for a career in management. The BBA program consists of 20.0 credits (or equivalent). There are 11.0 business credits of which 8.5 are required and 2.5 are BU or ENTR electives. Of the remaining 9.0 credits, 2.5 are required non-business credits, 5.0 are non-business electives and 1.5 is comprised of BU or non-BU electives.

Probation: refer to the Academic Regulations section of the Undergraduate University Regulations chapter. Students completing Year 1 are not eligible for probation.

Progression and Graduation Requirements for the BBA Program: refer to the Progression section of the Undergraduate University Regulations chapter.

Honours Business Administration BBA Program Requirements

Honours Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
Year of Program Required
Business Courses
Required Non-Business Courses Electives Academic Regulations
1 BU111
BU121
BU127
EC120
EC140
MA129 or 
MA103
2.0 non-BU elective credits or equivalent

GPA requirements for both Business and non-Business courses must be achieved by August 31 for progression into Year 2. Total course repeats may not exceed a maximum of 1.0 credit. All credits taken during Year 1 will be included in the GPA requirements for progression into Year 2. A total of 5.0 credits must be completed by August 31 for progression to Year 2. ENTR courses cannot be included in the 5.0 credits.
2 BU231
BU247
BU275
BU283
BU288
EC255;
EC250 or EC260
1.5 non-BU elective credits. If both EC250 and EC260 are taken, one may be used as a non-BU elective.
The required Business and Economics courses in Year 2 are an integrated set which must be taken concurrently and as assigned. A minimum of 5.0 credits must be taken in each of Year 1 and Year 2. ENTR courses cannot be included in the 5.0 credits. A total of 10.0 credits must be completed by August 31 for progression to Year 3.
3 BU352
BU354
BU362
BU375
BU393
BU398
None 1.5 non-BU elective credit;
1.5 BU or non-BU elective credit;
2.5 BU or ENTR elective credits to be taken during Years 3 and 4 of the program.
The required Business courses in Year 3 are an Integrated set which must be taken concurrently and as assigned.  Students are required to take a total of 20 half-credits during Year 3 and Year 4 of the program. Of the 11 half-credit electives, a minimum of three and a maximum of six half-credit courses must be non-Business. The remainder would be BU courses.

A minimum of 5.0 credits must be taken in each of Year 3 and Year 4. A total of 15.0 credits must be completed by August 31 for progression to Year 4. Refer to the Progression section of the Undergraduate University Regulations chapter.
4 BU481
BU491
BU415 or BU486

Program Notes and Regulations

  1. Students should familiarize themselves with the Registration and Academic Regulations of Wilfrid Laurier University. Both the university regulations and the school/department regulations must be adhered to.
  2. Upon completion of Year 2 in the BBA program, a student in good standing in the program may take up to a maximum of 1.0 additional Business or non-business elective credit. The additional elective may be taken in Year 3 and/or Year 4 of the program and does not require the approval of the BBA director. The additional elective will count in the GPA, unless the student has declared the elective an 'extra' course, and is subject to any restrictions currently in the Undergraduate Calendar.
  3. A student wishing to take seven courses in a term requires a GPA of 9.00 (B+) and approval of the BBA director.
  4. A student's program that seeks to depart from normal course content or sequence requires approval, in advance, from the BBA director.
  5. No more than 3.0 irregular credits may be counted towards an Honours BBA degree. An irregular course is defined as a course offered under a Business seminar heading or the BU480, BU490* or BU499° course code. No more than 1.0 credit may be BU480 or BU490* and no more than 0.5 credit may be BU499°.
  6. ENTR courses are considered BU electives but are included in the non-BU GPA.
  7. BBA students are excluded from registering in Leadership (OL) courses and may not complete the Leadership Option nor the Leadership Minor.
  8. BU elective credits cannot be used for progression during Year 1 or 2. However, as an additional elective credit, the elective will count in the GPA.
  9. The Honours BBA program is not available as a sequential degree

 
Leave of Absence from the Program

A student may apply to withdraw from the BBA program for one, two or three academic terms. The application should indicate the length of leave requested, include the reasons for the requested leave of absence, and be submitted to the BBA director or designate. The leave of absence, if granted, will permit the student to re-enter the program at the beginning of the designated academic term without the necessity of review by the SBE Admissions Committee. Leaves of absence, when granted, are conditional upon the student being in good academic standing (all Undergraduate Calendar requirements have been met) at the time the leave is to become effective.

A student who withdraws from the BBA program without having obtained a leave of absence and who later wishes to continue with the BBA program must apply to the SBE Admissions Committee for readmission. A leave of absence made during a current term must adhere to University course withdrawal dates.

A student may take non-business electives only for degree credit during the period of a leave of absence.

 
Residence Requirement

Any student desiring to obtain a BBA degree must fulfill the minimum requirement as a full-time student in Year 2 and Year 3 of the program. Normally, all required business courses and all non-business required courses must be taken in-class and at WLU (Waterloo Campus) for the first attempt.

 
Transfer Students into Year 2 of BBA

The Lazaridis Admissions Committee will consider applicants from other faculties or recognized universities based on the following criteria:

  1. An applicant must have successfully completed Year 1 of an undergraduate program. The courses in that program should be similar to those required within the BBA program.
  2. Students will be considered based upon their overall academic record in Year 1 of undergraduate study. The level of achievement must be no less than a 9.00 GPA (77%) overall, including a minimum of a 9.00 GPA (77%) for all BU courses, to apply.
  3. It is expected that applicants complete a full course load each term of Year 1. Normally, a total of ten 0.5‐credit courses (or equivalent) must be completed by May 1 for consideration. Course repeats are not reviewed favourably.
  4. Space is limited, where the number of applicants with minimum qualifications exceeds the number of places available candidates will be rank‐ordered on the basis of academic record.

Inquiries concerning a transfer into the Honours BBA program should be made through the Lazaridis Undergraduate Programs Office. Application for transfer into Year 2 of the Honours BBA program should be made through your LORIS account in May for current Year 1 Laurier students.  External students should contact the Admissions Office.

Credit held in courses that are exclusions to BBA core courses may be lost upon acceptance to the program (i.e., OL140, ENTR100) .

 
BBA Transfer Students into Year 2 of BBA/BMath or BBA/CS (UW)

BBA students requesting transfer to a double degree program with the University of Waterloo (UW), BBA/BMath or BBA/CS, must meet the following criteria:

  1. An applicant must have successfully completed Year 1 of the BBA program. The courses in that program should be similar to those required within the BBA/BMath (UW) or BBA/CS (UW) program.  Enrolment in UW courses can only be made if a student has a 10.0 GPA in the first term of Year 1 (1A). Consult with an Academic Advisor.
  2. Students will be considered based upon their overall academic record at the end of Year 1. The level of achievement must be no less than a 10.00 GPA (80%) overall, including a minimum of a 10.00 GPA (80%) for all BU courses, to apply.  For Math and Computing courses, each respective department will determine their minimum grade requirements.
  3. It is expected that applicants complete a full course load each term of Year 1. Normally, a total of ten 0.5‐credit courses (or equivalent) must be completed by May 1 for consideration. Course repeats are not reviewed favourably.
  4. Space is limited, where the number of applicants with minimum qualifications exceeds the number of places available candidates will be rank‐ordered on the basis of academic record.

BBA students requesting transfer to BBA/BMath (UW) or BBA/CS (UW) must use the online Program Selection Form available through Enrolment Services.  All admission decisions will be made jointly between the Lazaridis Undergraduate Programs Office and the respective Department from the University of Waterloo.

 
BBA Transfer Students into Year 2 of BBA/FinMath or BBA/BSc (WLU)

BBA students requesting transfer to the BBA/FinMath or BBA/BSc (WLU) double degree program must meet the following criteria:

  1. An applicant must have successfully completed Year 1 of the BBA program. The courses in that program should be similar to those required within the BBA/FinMath or BBA/BSc (WLU) program. Consult with an Academic Advisor.
  2. Students will be considered based upon their overall academic record in Year 1 of undergraduate study. The level of achievement must be no less than a 9.00 GPA (77%) overall, including a minimum of a 9.00 GPA (77%) for all BU courses, to apply.  For Math and Computing courses, each respective department will determine their minimum grade requirements.  Consult with an Academic Advisor from the appropriate Department.
  3. It is expected that applicants complete a full course load each term of Year 1. Normally, a total of ten 0.5‐credit courses (or equivalent) must be completed by May 1 for consideration. Course repeats are not reviewed favourably.
  4. Space is limited, where the number of applicants with minimum qualifications exceeds the number of places available candidates will be rank‐ordered on the basis of academic record.

BBA students requesting transfer to BBA/FinMath or BBA/BSc (WLU) must use the online Program Selection Form available through Enrolment Services.  All admission decisions will be made jointly between the Lazaridis Undergraduate Programs Office and the respective Department from the Faculty of Science.

 

Senate/Editorial Changes

Senate Committee Revision April 15, 2019: Note #7 added; effective September 1, 2019.