Program Requirements
The B.Com.; Major in General Management; Managing for Sustainability Concentration focuses on conceptual and analytical skills needed to formulate and implement organizational policies that contribute to ecologically sustainable and socially responsible economic development.
The main themes of courses in the Concentration include: organizational implications of the interlinked economic, social and ecological challenges of sustainability; the integration of sustainability into traditional business functions; and leadership, stakeholder management and managing change required to achieve sustainability.
Required Course (6 credits)
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MGPO 440 Strategies for Sustainability (3 credits)
Overview
Management Policy : This course explores the relationship between economic activity, management, and the natural environment. Using readings, discussions and cases, the course will explore the challenges that the goal of sustainable development poses for our existing notions of economic goals, production and consumption practices and the management of organizations.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Melville, Donald (Fall) Robitaille, Jad (Winter)
Restriction: Open to U2, U3 students only
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MSUS 402 Systems Thinking and Sustainability (3 credits)
Overview
MSUS : Examines interconnected dynamics of organizations and social, economic, and ecological systems. Introduces systems thinking principles to foster learning, inform organizational decision-making, and solve real-world problems. Covers problem diagnosis and resolution of organizational and societal sustainability issues through causal loop diagrams, stock-and-flow mapping, group model building, computational simulations and case studies.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Kim, Anna; Khoury, Joseph (Fall)
Restriction: Open only to U2 and U3 students.
Complementary Courses (9 credits)
3-9 credits from the following:
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ACCT 401 Sustainability and Environmental Accounting (3 credits)
Overview
Accounting : Developing measures of corporate environmental performance, assessing their reliability and reporting to external stakeholders. Using sustainability metrics in strategic and operational business decisions. Implementing and utilizing Environmental management systems and standards. Managing corporate environmental risks and accounting for environmental costs. Environmental auditing.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Tan, Hongping (Winter)
Prerequisite: MGCR 211
Open only to U2 and U3 students.
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FINE 465 Sustainable Finance
(3 credits)
Overview
Finance : Exploration of the financial implications associated with climate change and the transition to a low carbon economy. Topics covered include the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations into the decision-making process of investment managers and corporate financial managers, including conducting a sustainability analysis for a company in an investment context.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Yavuz, Begum Ipek (Winter)
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INSY 455 Technology and Innovation for Sustainability (3 credits)
Overview
Information Systems : The role of information and other technologies in the size and nature of an organizationâs environmental âfootprintâ. Achieving sustainability through strategic innovation, such as digitization, recycling, reuse of materials, sustainable design, LEED certifications, smart grids and energy metrics. Analyzing the environmental benefits and hidden costs of novel technologies.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Tayyab, Syed Muhammad Usman (Winter)
Restriction: Open only to U2 and U3 students.
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MGPO 438 Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation (3 credits)
Overview
Management Policy : Explores key concepts associated with social entrepreneurship and social innovation â the application of principles of entrepreneurship and innovation to solve social problems through social ventures, enterprises and not-for-profit organizations. Focuses on the social economy, including how the market system can be leveraged to create social value.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Perez-Aleman, Paola; Jalan, Rohini (Fall) Billou, Niels (Winter)
Restriction(s): Open to U2 and U3 students.
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MGSC 488 Sustainability and Operations (3 credits)
Overview
Management Science : Social and environmental impacts of an organizationâs operations. Regulatory environments, eco-efficiency concepts and measurement systems. Lifecycle analysis and exploring impacts linked to: product design, sourcing, production, distribution, sales, and end-of-life recovery & treatment. Frameworks and best practices for reducing negative consequences and increasing positive ones.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Gopalakrishnan, Sanjith (Winter)
Restrictions: Open only to U2 and U3 students.
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MRKT 351 Marketing and Society (3 credits)
Overview
Marketing : The social issues and concerns affecting marketing management are examined and the two way relationship between marketing and social change is explored. Particular attention is paid to consumerism, government regulation in marketing, corporate social responsibility, social marketing and marketing role in a conserve society.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Mookerjee, Sid (Winter)
Prerequisite: MGCR 352
0-6 credits from the following:
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BUSA 451D1 Creating Impact Through Research (3 credits)
Overview
Business Admin : The development of community impact initiative projects. Emphasis is placed on hands on experience related to integrated management and research activities aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Research projects are supervised by university professors.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Dhir, Sabine (Fall)
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.
Students must register for both BUSA 451D1 and BUSA 451D2
No credit will be given for this course unless both BUSA 451D1 and BUSA 451D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms
Only open to students enrolled in the Desautels Integrated Management Student Fellowship. Not open to students who have taken or are taking BUSA 450. Not open to students who have taken MSUS 434 or BUSA 434 when the topic was "Managing for Impact" or "Managing for Sustainability".
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BUSA 451D2 Creating Impact Through Research (3 credits)
Overview
Business Admin : See BUSA 451D1 for course description.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Dhir, Sabine (Winter)
Students must register for both BUSA 451D1 and BUSA 451D2
No credit will be given for this course unless both BUSA 451D1 and BUSA 451D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms
Only open to students enrolled in the Desautels Integrated Management Student Fellowship. Not open to students who have taken or are taking BUSA 450. Not open to students who have taken MSUS 434 or BUSA 434 when the topic was "Managing for Impact" or "Managing for Sustainability".
Prerequisite: BUSA 451D1
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INDR 294 Introduction to Labour-Management Relations (3 credits)
Overview
Industrial Relations : An introduction to labour-management relations, the structure, function and government of labour unions, labour legislation, the collective bargaining process, and the public interest in industrial relations.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Westgate, Chantal (Fall)
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INDR 492 Globalization and Labour Policy (3 credits)
Overview
Industrial Relations : Exploration of contemporary labour policies around the world in the context of globalization. Topics include labour market functioning, international trade, technological change, flexibility, employment standards, protective legislation, employment practices.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Prerequisite: INDR 294
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MGPO 365 Business-Government Relations (3 credits)
Overview
Management Policy : The political environment in which business organizations operate: how governments control, regulate, promote, and compete with the private sector and how corporate policy responds to, and seeks to influence, these activities.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Restriction(s): U2 & U3 students only
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MGPO 430 Practicum in Not for Profit Consulting (3 credits)
Overview
Management Policy : This course is designed around a pro bono consulting experience. It is meant to connect students to both the NGO community as well as the consulting world. The students go through the entire process of researching potential NGOs, writing and getting a Letter of Proposal Signed off, undertaking the first hand research and analysis, presenting the project results to the Board of the NGO, and finally presenting it to both the professor and the office of the partnering consulting firm. Students are put into teams whose structure is meant to mimic that of a real consulting team.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Melville, Donald (Winter)
Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken MGPO 434 when topic course was âNot for Profit Consultingâ . Permission of instructor.
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MGPO 435 The Origins of Capitalism (3 credits)
Overview
Management Policy : This course covers the evolution of modern business institutions from their roots in the early middle ages to the modern era. Covering economic issues in the context of arts and culture, it offers a "distant mirror on globalization."
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Mantere, Saku (Winter)
Restriction: Restricted to U2 and U3 students
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MGPO 450 Ethics in Management (3 credits)
Overview
Management Policy : An examination of the economic, legal and ethical responsibilities of managers in both private and public organizations. Through readings, case studies, discussions and projects the class evaluates alternative ethical systems and norms of behaviour and draws conclusions as to the right, proper and just decisions and actions in the face of moral dilemmas. The focus of this course is on the decision process, values and consistency of values of the individual and on the impact of systems control and incentives on managerial morality.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Holmgren, Lindsay (Fall)
Restriction: U2 and U3 students only
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MGPO 469 Managing Globalization (3 credits)
Overview
Management Policy : This course explores economic and social consequences of globalization, focusing on the most pertinent issues at the time. Topics include the existing global imbalances; the opportunities and risks presented by large cross border capital flows; and the role of institutions, and organizational and policy responses in crisis hit countries.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Obukhova, Elena (Fall)
Recommended: MGCR 423
Restriction: Open to U2, U3 students only
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MGPO 475 Strategies for Developing Countries (3 credits)
Overview
Management Policy : Strategic management challenges in developing and emerging economies. Focus on strategies that foster both firm competitiveness and economic development, including: technological capabilities, new forms of organization, small and large firms, global production, social impact, global standards and governance.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Perez-Aleman, Paola (Fall)
Restriction: Open to U2, U3 students only
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MGSC 483 Analytics-Based Community Project (3 credits)
Overview
Management Science : Aiding a host community organization in the application of analytics, with the aim of helping to improve the community's operations for the good of society.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor
Restrictions: Open to U2 and U3 students.
This interdisciplinary experiential-learning course will partner students with an NGO to draw on that organizationâs knowledge in sustainability or analytics. During these projects, students will implement AI and analytical tools to, for example, study the health of bee colonies, track microplastics in the ocean, help micro-farming initiatives, or develop compost optimization. Students will earn credits from McGill University by developing experiential, all while living on a natural reserve in Costa Rica located steps away from Playa Conchal.
There is an additional fee of $3050 that covers accommodation for 10 nights in Costa Rica, all ground transportation, entrance to national parks and natural reserves, most meals, and all course infrastructure and materials.
**Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Course Add is the fourth lecture day.
**Web ADD only.
**No web drop allowed.
**Web withdrawal not applicable.
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MSUS 401 Sustainability Consulting (3 credits)
Overview
MSUS : Designed around a pro bono consulting engagement, provides real-world experience in applying management consulting theories and tools to plan and implement projects that move organizations towards sustainability. Topics include: consulting as an industry; different types of sustainability consulting; implementing change in organizations; and project management.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: PĂŠladeau, Simon (Winter)
Restrictions: Open to U2 and U3 students.
Prerequisite: MGPO 440
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MSUS 434 Topics in Sustainability 1 (3 credits)
Overview
MSUS : An advanced topic in sustainability.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Restriction: Open only to U2 and U3 students.
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ORGB 321 Leadership (3 credits)
Overview
Organizational Behaviour : Leadership theories provide students with opportunities to assess and work on improving their leadership skills. Topics include: the ability to know oneself as a leader, to formulate a vision, to have the courage to lead, to lead creatively, and to lead effectively with others.
Terms: Fall 2024, Summer 2025
Instructors: Westgate, Chantal (Fall) Westgate, Chantal (Summer)
Prerequisite: MGCR 222 or permission of Instructor and approval of the BCom Program Office.
Restrictions: Restricted to U2 and U3 students.
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ORGB 325 Negotiations and Conflict Resolution (3 credits)
Overview
Organizational Behaviour : A conceptual framework to guide participants through negotiation and conflict resolution process.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025, Summer 2025
Instructors: Reyt, Jean-Nicolas (Fall) Reyt, Jean-Nicolas (Winter) Reyt, Jean-Nicolas (Summer)
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ORGB 421 Managing Organizational Change (3 credits)
Overview
Organizational Behaviour : Organizational change theory and techniques are examined with an emphasis on techno-structural interventions such as Quality-of-Work-Life approaches. Through simulations and case-studies, the course explores initiatives in organizational change, primarily in contemporary Canadian organizations. It also includes opportunities for "hands-on" experience in work and organization redesign.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Saunders, David (Winter)
Prerequisite: MGCR 222
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RETL 410 Sustainable Retail and Entrepreneurship (3 credits)
Overview
RETL : Stages of developing a business concept in sustainability and retail. The experiential learning component culminates in a competition where student teams will pitch their business ideas to a panel of external business experts.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Lamothe, Marie Josee (Fall)
Restrictions: Open to U2 & U3 students.
Or any related undergraduate topics course (with approvals from the Program Mentor and the BCom Office.)
