You are now in the main content area

Retail Management (BComm (Hons))

Lead the transformation of retail

Imagine choosing the latest styles to feature in a luxury retail assortment, planning the social media strategy for a new organic grocery chain or launching a startup to run your own e-commerce business. Join the next generation of leaders in a dynamic and evolving sector of the global economy.

Retailing is constantly developing new solutions and technologies for the changes and challenges that face all consumers. Working with industry, your Bachelor of Commerce in Retail Management prepares you for a leadership role in this dynamic, diverse industry.

Why Retail Management?

Retail is the top employment sector in the country, with almost 2 million Canadians working in the industry. Almost 600,000 of those employees hold tactical or managerial positions.

Retail involves planning, evaluating and overseeing the operations of various elements of retail establishments and the companies that support them. This includes understanding how to lead a changing retail workforce, evolving customer needs and changes to where and how we shop with innovations like digital mirrors in stores, mobile apps everywhere and voice-controlled shopping assistants in our homes.

 

Our experiential learning opportunities include field-based projects, international case competitions, certification options and field trips, not to mention Retail Week and a Retail Conference – events designed to connect students directly with industry leaders.

Study trips to China, New York and Montreal will expose you to the global brands and leaders who are driving the success of top bricks-and-mortar and online/mobile retail companies.

Complete a summer internship following your third year or apply to co-op and complete a total of four paid work terms in roles from store management to buying, marketing and more. 

Admission information

Tuition and fees 2023-2024

For detailed fees information, visit tuition and fees by program.

Full-time format 2023-2024:

Ontario students fees range: $10,239 - $10,295
Out-of-province students fees range: $10,967 - $11,023
International students fees range: $38,432 - $38,488

First-year courses

Here is a preview of first-year courses based on the available undergraduate calendar information.

1st Semester

REQUIRED:

  • CMN 279 Introduction to Professional Communication
  • GMS 200 Introduction to Global Management
  • MHR 523 Human Resources Management
  • QMS 110 Applied Mathematics for Business
  • RMG 100 Issues and Innovations in Retailing I

2nd Semester

REQUIRED:

  • ACC 100 Introductory Financial Accounting
  • ITM 102 Business Information Systems
  • MKT 100 Principles of Marketing
  • QMS 210 Applied Statistics for Business
  • RMG 200 Introduction to Retail

Your future

  • Buying
  • Merchandising
  • E-commerce
  • Category or brand management
  • Marketing
  • Public relations
  • Certification as a category analyst or in Google Ads
  • Product display design
  • Customer analysis
  • Social media trend analysis
  • Graduate studies including a master of science in management (MScM) with a research focus on retail, or become a Certified Professional Category Analyst (CPCA) at the only Canadian university to offer this certification

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent with a minimum of six Grade 12 U or M courses including the following program-specific requirements.

Typically, a minimum overall average of 70% establishes eligibility for admission consideration; subject to competition individual programs may require higher prerequisite grades and/or higher overall averages:

  • English/anglais (ENG4U/EAE4U preferred)
  • Mathematics (one of Calculus and Vectors [MCV4U], Advanced Functions [MHF4U] or Mathematics of Data Management [MDM4U])
  • MCV4U is the preferred mathematics course
  • Note: The minimum grade(s) required in the subject prerequisites (normally in the 65-70% range) will be determined subject to competition

Academic admission requirements for all other applicants are available at: Admission Requirements.

One of the following two-year or three-year diplomas with a minimum 3.0/B/70% cumulative GPA:

  • Fashion Business and Fashion Business Management programs from Seneca College
  • Fashion Management program from George Brown College
  • Fashion Merchandising and Fashion Marketing and Management programs from Fanshawe College
  • Fashion Arts and Fashion Arts and Business programs from Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning

Applicants will be considered for admission to second year, and will be required to complete some courses from first year. At this time, the co-op option is not available to Direct Entry students.

"A degree in Retail has really meant an advantage when first looking for jobs out of school. So, having specific courses around buying and strategy for retail really set me apart from a lot of other students.

Jennifer Hileman, Retail Management, 2011

Your future career

 
  • Buyer or Planning Manager
  • Shopper Insights Analyst 
  • Social Media Strategist
  • Category Manager
  • Retail Consultant 
  • District or Store Manager 
  • Digital Experience Lead
  • Space Planning Specialist
  • Business Development Manager
  • Visual/Online Merchandiser
  • Entrepreneur