You’ve just come off the high of graduating high school and enjoying summer. Now, you’re thrust into a new city, a new school and plenty of new faces. After the chaos of frosh and O-Week have passed, you’re eager to start your management career off on the right foot. Luckily for you, I’ve compiled a guide to help you survive your first year at McGill’s Desautels Faculty of Management.
For the 120-credit program, there are four required management courses to be taken in your U0 year. The rest of your schedule will be filled out with approved complementary courses and electives (listed here). Let’s review your required courses:
1. BUSA 100 Introduction to Management
This course is exactly that: an introduction to the management field. Each week, you’ll have guest lecturers introduce you to different functional areas of business. You’ll have one week focused on finance, the next week on accounting, another on marketing, and so on.
Your guest lecturers will consist of McGill BCom graduates and Desautels professors. My tip for you? Network. Of all faculties, the management faculty is notorious for its emphasis on networking. Participate in class, ask your guest lecturers questions and get to know them. You never know when these connections will come in handy when you’re on the job hunt.
2. BUSA 250 Expressive Analysis for Management
In this course you’ll learn the significance of effective business communication skills across different mediums. You can expect a multitude of readings, challenging assignments, and stiff grading. The course may be a bit of a toughie, but an A is always within reach if you put in the effort. Also, participation is worth about 10-15% of your grade. I recommend taking notes on assigned readings beforehand to ensure you have valuable points to contribute to each class discussion.
3. MATH 122 Calculus for Management and MATH 123 Linear Algebra and Probability
As MATH 122 is a prerequisite for MATH 123, these courses are often taken in consecutive semesters. Here you’ll build a solid foundation of mathematics skills for use in select U1 Management courses. 75% of your grade is determined by the final exam, so make sure you’re able to keep up with the material each week.
There are usually two sections for each math course. If you can, I highly recommend registering for Trudeau’s section. Students often sit in on Trudeau’s class even if they aren’t registered in his section because (a) he’s funny and (b) he’s considered to be much better at explaining the material.
Remember, the first year program is designed merely to give you an introduction to the management faculty. Enjoy it while you can! Meanwhile, take advantage of everything McGill has to offer by joining clubs that interest you or playing an intramural sport. Not only does this provide you with a creative outlet when you’re stressed, but it also helps you build your experience.
Bonne chance, and may the odds be ever in your favour.
Images obtained from:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/husseinabdallah/4862179668/
http://www.wisegeek.net/what-are-the-best-college-study-tips.htm