Elective Requirements
Electives allow you to explore interests outside of the core BCom program. You can select courses to complement your choice of option/career or to develop expertise in a specific subject area.
Electives
What are electives?
Electives are courses that students can choose to take as part of their degree program but that are not specifically required by the program's core curriculum. These courses offer students the flexibility to explore interests outside of their major or to delve deeper into specific areas within their field of study.
Key points about electives include:
What are my elective requirements?
Elective requirements differ slightly depending on which year you entered the program, which option you choose to complete, and whether you entered as a direct entry student in Year 1 or as a transfer student in Year 2 or Year 3.
To see your elective requirements, select the tab with the year level and session that you entered the programYour specific elective requirements will depend on when you were admitted. Be sure to refer to the correct requirements that apply to you by selecting the year level and session in which you entered the program. For example, if you are currently a Year 2, 3, or 4 BCom student, please select the second tab labelled 'Entry in 2021W and earlier tab'. The 'Entry in 2022W and onwards' tab is only for direct entry Year 1 students starting the BCom program for the first time in 2022W. |
- Entry in 2022W and onwards
- Entry in 2021W and earlier
Entry in 2022W and onwards
If you entered the BCom program before 2022W, please select the 'Entry in 2021W and earlier' tab.
The following elective requirements apply to students who entered the program in 2022W and onwards.
New elective requirement for BCom program
Starting 2022W for Year 1 (direct entry) students, non-Commerce electives must include at least 3 credits in the humanities, and at least 3 credits in science or social science. These elective credits may be completed during any year of your program. Language courses are not eligible for the humanities requirement, but literature courses are. See below for a list of eligible departments and/or courses. BUCS students are exempt and do not have to fulfil the new elective requirements.
Note: COHR courses cannot be counted as non-Commerce electives.
Entry in 2021W and earlier
The following elective requirements apply to students who entered the program in 2021W and earlier.
1 For students who took COMM_V 186E in 2020W and 2021W, the course will count toward Commerce lower-level elective requirements.
2 For students who selected the General Business Management option in or prior to 2021W will have the choice to follow either the previous requirements or the new requirements to complete the option. See General Business Management option for more details.
Note: COHR courses cannot be counted as non-Commerce electives.
Plan your electives early and carefully
When you're planning which electives to take and when to take them, be mindful of prerequisites, co-requisites, and course restrictions. Some senior-level electives (300 or 400-level) may only be taken in Year 3 or 4 and require junior-level prerequisites (100 or 200-level). There are also some courses which do not count for credit in the BCom program (see below).
What courses fulfill the humanities elective requirement?
Click here to see a list of UBC courses that will meet this requirement:
Review eligible courses
If you are unsure if the course you want to take is eligible to fulfill the humanities elective requirement, please email bcomquestions@sauder.ubc.ca.
What courses fulfill the science or social science elective requirement?
Click here to see a list of UBC courses that will meet this requirement:
Review eligible courses
If you are interested in a Science elective, please check the Credit Exclusion Lists before choosing. The Faculty of Science has compiled a list of courses in which there is sufficient overlap that credit may be obtained for only one selection.
If you are unsure if the course you want to take is eligible to fulfill the science or social science elective requirement, please email bcomquestions@sauder.ubc.ca.
Can I use transfer credits to fulfill the new electives requirement?
Yes, this is possible. You can check in a couple of places to see how your transfer credit might apply; check below to see if it falls under the category of general or ‘unassigned’ transfer credit (e.g., ENGL_V 1st) or check at the links above if you have transfer credit for a specific course (e.g., PSYC_V 100).
If you aren’t sure if, or how, your transfer credit counts as elective credit, you can always check with OSAS. You are welcome to email bcomquestions@sauder.ubc.ca to inquire.
What are non-Commerce electives?
Non-Commerce electives include courses in subject areas other than Commerce. Psychology, political science, international relations, economics, science, languages, or any other areas that interest you, are all excellent choices.
Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources courses with a prefix of COHR_V cannot be counted as non-Commerce electives.
Which electives don't count for credit in the BCom program?
The following are courses that do not count for credit in the BCom program because they duplicate other Commerce courses that you are required to take.
Please note that even though the credits for these courses will not count towards the total number of credits required for the BCom program, the grades you earn in these courses will still impact your overall average.