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BUSINESS 020
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The course is delivered using Ivey's renowned case study method, which challenges students to learn by doing, within an active class environment of no more than 85 students.
Students explore real business issues, make management decisions, defend their position, and take action.
What is the case study method?
A case is a description of an actual business situation involving a decision faced by a person in an organization. You step figuratively into this real-life business situation as the decision-maker.
How will my Business 1220E classroom experience differ from my other classes?
Unlike most of your first-year courses where lectures are given in lecture halls of 200 to 600 students, Business 1220E is taught in specially-designed "case" classrooms that hold up to 85 students only.
In Business 1220E classes, students are expected to prepare the class assignment ahead of time and to participate in the class discussion on a regular basis (only a few "mini-lectures" are given in the course).
Faculty act primarily as facilitators of the class discussion and the classroom synergy from students' active participation in class can be exciting!
Faculty will get to know you by name. You are graded (worth 10%) on your day-to-day involvement in the classroom, so pictures are taken in September so that your instructor can learn your name, call on you in class, and record your participation in class.
The case method approach encourages you to keep up to date on your school work. This eliminates the need to "cram" for tests or exams; instead, most students review their notes in preparation for tests or exams.
One piece of the course requires group work and a group presentation in class. You learn about group dynamics and how to work effectively in a group. Those students who present in class are exposed to presentation skills needed for any future career.
How will I be evaluated in Business 1220E?
Is Business 1220E a prerequisite or required course for any programs at Western?
Who should take Business 1220E?
Business 1220E is a survey course open to all students from all faculties and is a highly valuable experience for non-business students interested in learning the "basics." Below are specific answers for student in specific situations:
I have AEO status. Do I have to take Business 1220E?
No, Business 1220E is not required; however, Ivey strongly recommends that those AEO students who want to be exposed to the case study method of learning may want to take Business 1220E before entering Ivey's HBA program.
For the many AEOs who are also considering other areas of concentration, you may want to take Business 1220E since it most closely replicates the case method of learning and the classroom environment in the HBA program.
Business 1220E is structured for first-year student who want to gain some exposure to business and the management side of business. Although it is not a required course for Ivey's HBA program, Ivey recommends that you take Business 1220E to help you confirm your interest in business studies and the case method of learning used at Ivey.
Although anecdotal, students who have taken Business 1220E have said that they found it much easier to handle the workload expectations and participation in Business 2257 (a required course for the HBA program).
I am in MOS. Why would I consider taking Business 1220E?
Business 1220E and the two half-courses (1021 a/b and 1023 a/b) in BMOS are not duplicate offerings.
Business 1220E concentrates on the "how" (the analysis of the problem and making the most appropriate decisions) instead of the "what" (the accumulated knowledge gained from a social science perspective that can be applied to business problems).
In addition to the case study method of learning, other differences include: class size, breadth and depth of material, topic coverage, methods of evaluation, practical vs. theoretical curriculum, and interactive learning vs. lecture style.
I am not in MOS and I want to take a course in business.
If you are not registered in MOS, Business 1220E is the only other first-year course offered in Business.
I am not interested in going to the Ivey Business School. Why should I take Business 1220E?
Foundational business skills are an excellent complement to any course of study. There are few organizational roles or industries where some level of business knowledge wouldn't be valuable.
Many students who are not interested in business as a career take Business 1220E because they want exposure to business, and this is the only opportunity at Western to participate in Ivey's unique learning experience.
Students have enjoyed learning in a classroom of no more than 85 students using the case study method. Business 1220E added variety to their studies and the classroom experience offered a change from their everyday lecture classes.
Many students are still exploring different areas of concentration, and they take this course to discover whether they would like Business. If they do, then they know to take Business 2257 in their second year to be eligible for the HBA program.
How do I find out about the HBA program at the Richard Ivey School of Business?
Who do I contact if I have administrative questions about Business 1220E?
