A future-ready BCom for a changing business world

The Gustavson School of Business Bachelor of Commerce program has always been known for its experiential learning, close-knit cohorts and strong connection to industry. With a newly redesigned curriculum launched for incoming first-year students in September 2025, the program is building on that legacy while responding to a rapidly evolving business landscape shaped by technological change, new ways of working and shifting student needs.

We sat down with Kali Wilson Cseke, administrative director of undergraduate programs and Stuart Snaith, academic director of undergraduate programs, to chat about some of the changes reflected in the updated curriculum.

The Gustavson BCom evolves, while staying true to its DNA

The redesign began with a clear commitment to what already works. “It was really important to us as we did the redesign that we protected the elements that we knew students, alum, [and] industry valued,” says Wilson Cseke. “Things that mattered and held value for the people who are attracted to coming to Gustavson in the first place.”Those protected elements include the fourth-year exchange, integrated work experience and the cohorted model that has long defined the Gustavson experience. While the structure and timing of some courses have shifted, and new components are woven throughout, the program’s core DNA remains intact.

The team began with extensive consultation with alumni, industry, employers and students to understand what was working and identify pain points.

Business learning, earlier and more intentionally

One of the most significant changes is when students engage with core business content. In the redesigned program, foundational business learning now happens earlier in the degree.

“Our core experience is now going to be taking place a term earlier across the second and third year,” notes Snaith, giving students more time to apply what they’ve learned and explore their interests. By moving key content forward, students can reflect intentionally on their academic and career goals as they progress through upper-year coursework and experiential learning.

That earlier engagement begins in first year as well, with more business-focused courses now introduced at the start of the program. This shift also supports something that is central to every university student’s experience: community. As Wilson Cseke explains, “I’m really excited for us to have more business-focused content in year one and help students find community and belonging right when they walk in the door with us.”

Flexibility that reflects today’s students and their careers

The redesign also introduces new flexibility, both academically and experientially. Students can now more easily complete a minor alongside their BCom, allowing them to explore interests beyond business while still graduating on time.

“[Perhaps we have students that] start in business and realize that the BCom isn't for them, but they want to do a business minor,” Wilson Cseke said. “They'll easily be able to pivot and vice versa. If somebody starts in the Faculty of Arts and decides that they want to pivot into business and they started with a business minor, they'll be able to do that. We’ve made it easier.”

The close integration between the BCom and the business minor will make it easier for students to pivot—into or out of the program—as their interests evolve. The changes are also expected to broaden the program’s sense of community, particularly for students in their first two years.

“I'm really excited by the community we're going to start to build, not just with business students, but with people who want to do business minors,” says Wilson Cseke. “I think we’re going to have a larger audience and more opportunity for people to find their footing faster.”

Additionally, work-integrated learning remains a cornerstone of the program.  “We have more flexibility in the way co-op work experience can be taken. It could be a full co-op work experience with three work terms, or it could be a two-term work-term experience to allow students to cater their experiences to their needs,” says Snaith. 

This flexibility reflects broader changes in how students move through university and how careers can unfold after graduation. 

New specializations for a changing business landscape

Responding directly to shifts in industry, the BCom has refreshed its specialization offerings, introducing two new areas of focus: AI and Technology Management, and Financial Management, which can be taken as either an accounting or finance stream.

Two of the school’s long-standing specializations, Entrepreneurship and Service Management, got a curriculum refresh and updated names, resulting in a total of four specialization options.

“There’s been lots of change in the workplace post-COVID and with the advent of AI,” says Snaith, “and it felt like it was time for a redesign to reflect the new reality that businesses are facing.” At the same time, the program continues to emphasize the skills alumni consistently cite as critical in their own careers. As Wilson Cseke notes, students need “to be adaptable… to problem solve…to think critically,” and to work effectively with others and within complex systems. These capabilities are reinforced through experiential, team-based learning woven throughout the degree.

Looking ahead

The redesigned BCom reflects a careful balance of honouring the experiences that shaped generations of graduates, while preparing today’s students for a future defined by change.

As Wilson Cseke puts it, “We protected what was working and we’ve made some changes to make some things even better than it was before.”