Is Math a Requirement to Study Business in Canada?

Canadian universities love Math as is evident from it being an admission requirement for most Business programs. So, what if you are an international student who doesn’t have Math in your senior year? Does it mean you can’t study in Canada? You can still take a Business degree in Canada. So how do you circumvent the Math requirement that most Canadian universities ask for?

Business Programs that Don’t Require Math

A look at the admission requirements for a Bachelor of Business degree at the University of Waterloo and Trent University show that Mathematics at your senior level is required for admission. But these same universities also have Business programs that do not require senior Math courses.

Trent’s BBA requires grade 12 Math, but for the international student that doesn’t have Grade 12 Math, they also have a programs called Business & Arts. The only subject requirement is English which all students will have. Even O level English will be considered as meeting the English requirement. Students in this Arts program delve into Business courses and take up Arts subjects that are of interest. It’s a great combination of two majors as business is needed in every discipline. Students also get to benefit with hands on experience through the Business Administration program, internships.

Trent also offers a Business Communication degree which can give you the edge on how to communicate effectively in organisations and other work-related entities. Applicants require English at the senior level, but otherwise most other high school subjects will be considered for admission. Math is not an admission requirement for this program. Graduating from this kind of program will surely land you a job in the Canadian marketplace.

Waterloo is one of Canada’s top universities and it is so into Math that it has a Faculty of Mathematics; the only university in North America with a Faculty of Mathematics. It’s just not a department but a whole faculty. With a high focus on Math, you would think all their business programs would have an admission requirement of Math. And while 90% of their business programs do ask for Mathematics at the Senior level, they have 3 programs where you don’t need Math - Honours Arts & Business, Global Business & Digital Arts and Environment and Business. With paid Co-op work experience from these programs, you will be job ready and employable when you graduate from this Canadian university.

Economics programs at most Canadian universities do not require Mathematics at the Grade 12 level. If you have 5 senior subjects or 3 A level subjects, you will be considered for admission. But make sure to check the university website for admission requirements because some universities do ask for it.

University Admission to a BBA without Math

I have discussed several programs where Math is not required, but some Canadian universities will admit a student into their Bachelor of Business Administration program without Math in Grade 12.

UNBC, one of Canada’s top primarily undergraduate universities will offer admission to their Bachelor of Commerce without a Senior Math course but students will be given a Math Assessment and may be required to take Pre-Calculus Math during the student’s first year. Another university is Thompson Rivers which also admits students into their BBA without Pre-Calculus Math but again, the student will be required to take a math assessment to determine if they need to take a Pre-Calculus Math course in their first year.

Memorial University, at their Grenfell Campus will consider a student for admission into their BBA program without grade 12 Math. There is no requirement of a Math Assessment or taking a Pre-Calculus course in the first year. Students in the regular Pakistani system who take I Com will be considered for admission based on their Business Math. This is perhaps the only Canadian university that will consider I Com Intermediate students for admission.

BBA at College Can Be a Good Option

Douglas College, Canada’s #3 college has several Bachelor of Business Administration options. For all disciplines a student who has only O level Math will be considered for admission. There is no requirement for A level Math. Students in other curricula may not necessarily get admission if they do not have equivalent to Grade 11 Math. In this case, it is best to consult Go 2 Canada Education Services for admission requirements.

NIC (North Island College), located on beautiful Vancouver Island will accept students into their Bachelor of Business Administration programs without a Senior Math course. This college also recognises the Intermediate I Com’s Business Math for admission eligibility.

Keyano College in Alberta offers a 2-year Business Administration diploma and university transfer programs. For both of their programs, grade 10 Math is considered sufficient for admission. That means that I Com, Pre-Med students will be considered as will the O level student who doesn’t have A level Mathematics.

Seneca College in Toronto, Canada’s #1 college offers Business degrees and diplomas. If you want into their bachelor’s programs, then a Senior Math is required. But O level Math is sufficient for their Diploma programs. A diploma program is the pathway to a degree and Seneca College is one of the largest pathway colleges in Canada, having connections or agreements with Ontario universities and abroad.

Study Math at a Canadian Virtual High School

If you have your heart set in applying to one of Canada’s top universities that requires Math for admission to their Commerce programs, then you can take Grade 12 Math at an Ontario Virtual School. Universities such as Waterloo, Windsor, Western and others will accept Grade 12 Math from the Ontario School Board (OSSD).

Conclusion

While Math at the Grade 12 level is the requirement for studying Business at most Canadian universities, there are institutions that will accept you based on a grade 10 or 11 Math mark. Know that there is a place for you at a Canadian college or university even without Intermediate Math or an A level Math course.

Make sure to contact us today for admission requirements for the universities listed here.

Photo courtesy of Yan Krukau