Legal risk and compliance, ethical decision-making, consumer rights, client trust—every aspect of business decision-making and operations is affected by legal considerations. When you major in legal studies in business, you become an integral part of any business team.
The commercial legal environment covers a wide range of business law topics, including:
- Intellectual property law
- Real estate law
- Administrative and regulatory law
- Creditor and debtor law
- Legal research and analysis
- Real estate transactions
- Civil litigation and dispute resolution
- Ethics and the law
While Bachelor of Commerce graduates may apply to the law school of their choice, this major is not part of any law school curriculum or considered preparation for law school course work.
What to expect
In the first two years of the Bachelor of Commerce, you learn the principles that shape general business decisions. As you progress through the program, you gain the knowledge and skills you need to ensure businesses and organizations comply with regulatory and legal requirements, thereby building client trust and a strong reputation. In your third year, you take required foundational courses and gain practical legal knowledge regarding a range of commercial transactions, such as financing transactions, employment and services contracts, consumer transactions, international business transactions, real estate transactions, leases, mortgages and shareholder agreements.
In the final year of the program, you delve more deeply into an area of particular interest, such as intellectual property law or Indigenous business relations, or you can conduct independent or applied research with one of your professors.
Hands-on learning and industry connections
Conferences and field trips, co-op placements and classroom assignments based on real-world scenarios—experiential learning sets our program apart, teaching you to recognize the legal risks associated with particular activities, anticipate legal and ethical issues and manage legal risk effectively.
Your future
Managers and entrepreneurs are looking for employees who can help them understand, navigate and manage the legal and ethical aspects of a business. With a legal studies in business major, you can do just that.
Throughout the program, you build on or develop your ability to:
- Think critically
- Reason logically
- Lead strategically
- Communicate complex ideas clearly and articulately
As well, you possess a solid working knowledge of all major legal topics and are able to:
- Conduct legal research to substantiate legal opinions
- Structure operations to remain in compliance with best practice
- Recognize when your business needs to engage external legal expertise
With a legal studies in business major, you can apply for a wide range of positions, including:
- Bank manager/supervisor/loans officer
- Commercial real estate agent
- Contract specialist: negotiation, administration and management
- Trade specialist
- Customs broker
- Employment standards officer
- Land/real estate developer
- Mortgage underwriter
- Policy development administrator
- Property manager, lease contract manager
- Risk analyst/manager
- Workers’ compensation agent/representative
We recommend these resources to learn more about legal studies in business:
- Careers and Experience: Career counselling and support from MacEwan career development specialists
- Canadian Institute of Actuaries: Information about the actuarial profession
- Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM): Dedicated to improving public policy and management
- Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC): Canada’s leading professional organization for public service employees
The Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS) has detailed occupational profiles, salary survey data, trend reports and assessment tools to help you choose and plan a career that matches your skills and interests.
Program of study
MAJOR | BACHELOR OF COMMERCE
This program of study is open to students in the Bachelor of Commerce. Courses for your major are only one component of your degree. You must complete all courses and requirements outlined in the academic calendar for the year you declare or re-declare your major and minor or the year you are accepted into an Honours program.
