What makes this program different?
Gustavson leaves room in the first two years for foundational business, economics, statistics, and study outside business. A more intensive cohort-based commerce sequence begins in the spring of second year.
The program emphasizes integrated business learning, sustainability, international perspective, career coaching, mentorship, applied projects, and paid work experience. One paid work term is required between second and third year, and students can choose additional paid work terms.
Gustavson is distinctive for students who value a smaller cohort, interdisciplinary exploration, paid work experience, global options, and Victoria’s West Coast environment.
Understand the academic threshold.
High-school admission is based primarily on Grade 12 academic courses and overall average. UVic states that meeting the minimum does not guarantee admission when seats are competitive.
- Secondary credentialMeet UVic’s admission standard for your curriculum.
- Required coursesComplete the current senior English and mathematics requirements for BCom entry.
- Competitive averageOffers depend on academic preparation and available seats.
- Program progressionStudents must complete first- and second-year requirements before the cohort sequence.
- Transfer pathwayTransfer applicants must satisfy the year-one course requirements.
Use UVic’s current admission page for your curriculum. Program spaces, averages, prerequisite equivalents, and transfer rules can change.
Apply for the complete four-year structure.
Applicants apply to UVic’s BCom and should understand that the program intentionally combines early exploration, a later cohort, work terms, and upper-year integration.
- UVic application
- BCom program choice
- Academic records
- English-language evidence if required
- Map the year-two spring term
- Review paid work-term expectations
- Compare exchange options
- Budget for Victoria housing
Gustavson is not simply a standard BCom with co-op added. Its timing, cohort, work terms, and international emphasis form one integrated experience that should be compared as a whole.
Foundation first. Direction next.
The structure moves from interdisciplinary exploration into a close commerce cohort and advanced integrative study.
Explore and prepare
Combine foundational business, economics, statistics, and electives across disciplines.
Enter the cohort
Complete remaining preparation before intensive cohort-based business study begins in spring.
Work, integrate, and globalize
Complete business coursework, paid work terms, electives, and exchange or additional UVic study.
Exact course sequencing and work-term requirements should be checked against the current BCom structure and academic calendar.
A minor may be possible with careful planning, but scheduling and degree requirements control feasibility.
The experience is designed around application and relationships.
One paid professional work term is required, and additional paid work terms are available with employer and career support.
Groups of roughly sixty support teamwork, shared courses, and stronger peer connections.
Partner universities allow students to earn credit while studying abroad.
Career coaches, alumni, employer visits, and mentorship connect learning with professional decisions.
Work terms are paid and supported, but students still need to prepare, apply, interview, and meet program conditions. Exchange adds planning and cost considerations.
Turn the degree into a direction.
The broad curriculum can support accounting, finance, marketing, consulting, entrepreneurship, sustainability, HR, operations, technology, international business, and social-impact work.
Official employment figures should be read with their cohort, methodology, and reporting date.
Students interested in CPA or another designation must verify the required course sequence.
Budget the complete experience.
Use UVic’s current fee estimator and housing information. Victoria housing, travel, food, books, work-term timing, and exchange can materially affect the total budget.
A paid work term can offset some costs but should not be treated as guaranteed net income. Employment, wages, housing, and travel vary.
Who might thrive here?
- Want a smaller cohort
- Value paid work experience
- Want interdisciplinary early study
- Care about global and sustainability perspectives
- Would enjoy Victoria
- Prefer direct specialization immediately
- Need a large urban employer centre
- Do not want a sequenced cohort model
- Have not budgeted Victoria housing
- Assume work terms remove all financial pressure
Gustavson combines a close cohort, paid work, interdisciplinary exploration, and global learning more deliberately than many conventional BCom programs. The complete sequence—and Victoria itself—should fit how you want to learn.
Verify before you apply.
Every factual claim was checked against official university material. Requirements, dates, fees, curricula, and outcomes can change.