Get a post-graduate work permit for up to three years if you are a full-time UBC international student graduating from a bachelor’s degree program and meet all eligibility criteria.
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Visit the Faculty of Land and Food Systems website to learn more about Business and Markets.
View full program detailsProgram information
Business and Markets provides training in applied economics to help you understand how market structures, business practices, and international trade impact food supply and security worldwide. The program also addresses interactions between the food sector and major environmental challenges such as climate change and biodiversity.
Program overview
- Campus
- Vancouver
- Program length
- 4 years
- Honours This option has additional requirements compared to those required in a Major specialization. Students must maintain high academic standing and may have to write a graduating thesis.
- No
- Co-op Co-op is an optional program where students alternate between academic terms and paid work terms. It’s an opportunity to gain relevant job experience while completing your degree.
- Yes
- Faculty
- Faculty of Land and Food Systems
- Degree
- Bachelor of Science in Food and Resource Economics
What you'll learn
Global hunger has increased in recent years and yet 30% of all food produced goes to waste. How can food supply chains provide more food without sacrificing the environment, especially in light of climate change? What is the impact of government policies such as carbon taxes on food market outcomes? What are the benefits and costs of various green business initiatives?
At the end of this program, you will have the economic and business skills to address such questions. You will learn how to collect and analyze data, and be able to employ economic and business models for addressing real world food challenges.
After gaining a strong core foundation in applied economics and data analytics, you will take upper-year courses in food markets, international trade, and business from FRE, the Vancouver School of Economics, and the Sauder School at UBC. This program will also provide interdisciplinary breadth, exposing you to science-based courses such as FNH 200 (Exploring our Food) and GEOB 270 (Geographic Information Science).
Experiential learning and research
Students are encouraged to use FRE 497 (Directed Studies in Food and Resource Economics) to immerse themselves in a professor-supervised research project such as the economic and environmental implications of the rapidly expanding market for palm oil. In this program you’ll have access to the talents and diverse perspectives of instructors in the Food and Resource Economics (FRE) group, the Vancouver School of Economics, and the UBC Sauder School of Business. Flexible electives and opportunity are key strengths of the program.
Program advantages
In this program you’ll have access to the talents and diverse perspectives of instructors in the Food and Resource Economics (FRE) group, the Vancouver School of Economics, and the UBC Sauder School of Business. Flexible electives and opportunity are key strengths of the program.
Courses
There are hundreds of courses you can take within Business and Markets. Here are a few you might like.
Communicating concepts of food systems and links to human and environmental health through writing, elements of argumentation, evaluating evidence, and searching for and citing references to back up claims; small-class experience.
Introduction to tools needed for data analysis of the economic, ecological, health, and scientific components of land and food systems.
Roles of government and business in the Canadian economy, emphasizing interactions with the environment and society, including Indigenous communities. Ethical foundations of government, business and personal decision-making.
Market failure and gains from trade in the presence of environmental externalities; multilateral trade and environmental agreements; case studies, including biological invasions, transport emissions, climate-induced migration, carbon leakage, ivory trade, food miles.
Outcomes
An undergraduate degree in Food and Resource Economics prepares you for a wide range of jobs. Those with a major in the Business and Markets program will have opportunities to work within:
- Companies which trade, process, and market food;
- Agri-business financing;
- Local NGOs and government departments in the areas of food and the environment.
Options for graduate study at UBC include UBC’s Masters of Food and Resource Economics (MFRE) and Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs (MPPGA) and the Masters of Business Administration (MBA). Students are also well trained to apply for graduate school in agricultural and resource economics at other universities.
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Program requirements
Choose application type:
English-language requirements
English is the language of instruction at UBC. All prospective students must demonstrate English-language competency prior to admission. There are numerous ways to meet the English Language Admission Standard.
General admission requirements
IB Diploma Programme
- Completed IB Diploma, including at least three Higher Level courses.
IB Certificate Courses
- IB Certificate courses (Standard and Higher Level) may be used in an admissions average if you are graduating from a recognized high school curriculum that can be used as your basis of admission.
- IB Math Applications and Interpretations SL, or IB Math Studies, do not satisfy the math requirement for admission to UBC’s science-based programs, the Faculty of Management, the UBC Sauder School of Business, or the Vancouver School of Economics.
Degree-specific requirements: Food and Resource Economics
- IB Math Analysis and Approaches SL or HL, or IB Math Applications and Interpretations HL. (IB Math Applications and Interpretations SL, or IB Math Studies, are not acceptable.)
Related courses
The following subject categories are particularly relevant for this degree. Consider taking courses in these areas in your junior (Grade 11) and senior years.
- Language Arts
- Mathematics and Computation (will consider Chemistry and Physics in this category)
- Social Studies
Want to get a feel for campus?
If you’re unable to visit UBC in person, or you just want to get a sneak peek at your new home campus before you arrive, take one of our virtual tours. Current UBC students walk you through UBC’s residences, study spots, recreational facilities, lecture halls, academic buildings, and more.
Related programs
Want to learn more?
Visit the Faculty of Land and Food Systems website to learn more about Business and Markets.
View full program detailsGet a post-graduate work permit for up to three years if you are a full-time UBC international student graduating from a bachelor’s degree program and meet all eligibility criteria.
Want to learn more?
Visit the Faculty of Land and Food Systems website to learn more about Business and Markets.
View full program details