Honours Bachelor of Business Administration (HBBA)

Leverage your BBA to specialize in accounting, analytics, or marketing

This Honours Bachelor's degree program is designed to give you solid foundational knowledge in general business administration while building toward a specialty in one of three areas: accounting, business analytics, or digital marketing. Through business cases, simulations, and workshops taught by industry experts, you’ll explore all the functional areas of business while discovering what specialized area interests you most. 
 
Get career-ready with a mandatory full-semester paid internship with businesses in the provincial and national community!

Program highlights

• Complete your degree as a business generalist or specialize in either accounting, analytics, or digital marketing 
• Blend of foundational knowledge and on-the-job-learning
• Paid 14-week internship with leading businesses  
• Gain real-world experience with an applied learning project in the final semester 
• Accounting courses are recognized by the Chartered Professional Accounts of Ontario (CPA Ontario) prep courses for admission to the CPA Professional Education Program (CPA PEP)
• Pathway opportunity for general business and business accounting diploma holders to earn a degree in as little as two years through specialized workshops and courses (additional cost may apply) 
• Chance to study abroad at partner universities in locations such as Austria, Finland, or Ireland 

Program of study for 2025-26 Academic Year

In the first two years of study, the program of study is the same for all specializations. After the second year, students will be given the opportunity to select a specialization in accounting, business analytics, digital marketing, or continue on as a business generalist.  The program of study for semester 5 on-ward are outlined under Program Streams.

¹

Students must select a total of three (3) degree breadth electives from at least two (2) different categories as part of the Honours Bachelor of Business Administration program.  Two (2) breadth electives must be an advanced/upper-level course (represented by course codes beginning in 39xx).  These upper-level courses are only available in Year 3 or 4 of the program.  For more information regarding degree breadth electives, click here.

²

Students must take a total of eight (8) elective courses as part of the program.  These electives are divided into three specializations: Accounting, Data Analytics and Digital Marketing.  Students can take all eight (8) of their electives in a specific area and receive a specialization with their degree.  Conversely, they can take a variety of electives from different areas and graduate without a specialization.  For more information on specializations, click here.

³

Students must complete a paid internship prior to commencing Year 4.  This internship will be delivered in semester 7 in the Spring (between semester 6 and semester 8). For more information on program delivery, click here. 

Specializations

After two years of study, students will specialize their studies by selecting one of the following streams to further their understanding in Accounting, Data Analysis or Marketing; or they may continue to develop a more rounded skill set across multiple electives in the General specialization.

General (HBBA)

Program of study for semesters 5-9

For students entering in semester 5 from the GEBU and BUAP pathways, the following courses will also be required. For course descriptions please see semester 1 to 4 on the Program of Study tab.  Additional course overload fees may apply. Some additional courses from GEBU and BUAP studies may be eligible for transfer credits.

GEBU Pathway

BUAP Pathway

Accounting (HBBC)

Program of study for semesters 5-9

Data Analysis (HBBD)

Program of study for semesters 5-9

Marketing (HBBM)

Program of study for semesters 5-9

^{1 Students must select a total of three (3) degree breadth electives from at least two (2) different categories as part of the Honours Bachelor of Business Administration program.  Two (2) breadth electives must be an advanced/upper-level course (represented by course codes beginning in 39xx).  These upper-level courses are only available in Year 3 or 4 of the program.  For more information regarding degree breadth electives, click here.}

^{2 Students must take a total of eight (8) elective courses as part of the program.  These electives are divided into three specializations: Accounting, Data Analytics and Digital Marketing.  Students can take all eight (8) of their electives in a specific area and receive a specialization with their degree.  Conversely, they can take a variety of electives from different areas and graduate without a specialization.  For more information on specializations, click here.}

^{3 Students must complete a paid internship prior to commencing Year 4.  This internship will be delivered in semester 7 in the Spring (between semester 6 and semester 8). For more information on program delivery, click here.} 

Admission requirements

To be eligible to enter the Honours Bachelor of Business Administration/Bachelor of Business Administration program, graduates of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD; 30 credits)(or equivalent) must complete at least six grade 12 U/M courses (or equivalent) with a minimum overall average of 65%. Alternatively, applicants must meet mature student status. The following are the program-specific prerequisite requirements:

• Any grade 12 English (U)
• Any grade 12 mathematics (U)*

* Students who have not completed grade 12 mathematics (U) but have grade 11 mathematics (C) or (M), must complete BUS1211 - Business Mathematics with a passing grade of 65% or greater to meet admission requirements
 

Additional admission requirements

Applicants with transcripts from institutions where the language of instruction is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency with a minimum test score on one of the following language proficiency tests or equivalent scores from another internationally recognized English language test:

• IELTS overall band of 6.5 with no band less than 6.0
• TOEFL iBT 88
• CAEL 70, no sub-test band score less than 60
• PTE Academic 58

Program delivery

2025-2026

Fall term start

Year 1

SEMESTER 1: Fall 2025
SEMESTER 2:  Winter 2026

Year 2

SEMESTER 3:  Fall 2026
SEMESTER 4:   Winter 2027

Year 3

SEMESTER 5:  Fall 2027
SEMESTER 6:  Winter 2028
SEMESTER 7:   Spring 2028 (Internship)

Year 4

SEMESTER 8: Fall 2028
SEMESTER 9:  Winter 2029

Business Accounting and General Business Pathways Students

Business Accounting and General Business pathways students receiving direct entry into Year 3 of HBBA in Fall 2025 will progress through the following terms:

Year 3
 
SEMESTER 5: Fall 2025
SEMESTER 6:  Winter 2026
SEMESTER 7:  Spring 2026 (Internship)

Year 4

SEMESTER 8: Fall 2026
SEMESTER 9: Winter 2027

Specific program pathways

Cambrian College will grant advanced standing to graduates from Cambrian College's Business (GEBU) and Business – Accounting (BUAP) diplomas within the past five years. Students with a minimum GPA of 2.5 will be eligible to apply to enter the fifth semester (year three) of the Honours Bachelor of Business Administration program. Applicants should apply to HBBP at OCAS. 

Graduates from Cambrian College's Business Administration (BUAD) and Business Administration – Accounting advanced diplomas could be eligible for further transfer credits that will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Students granted advanced standing will have to take specialized workshops as well as some additional courses over the additional study period that may come at an additional cost.

Students graduating with an Ontario College Diploma or Ontario College Advanced Diploma in business or a related field from another Ontario College may be eligible for transfer credits towards the HBBA program.

For further details regarding the advanced standing pathways, please contact the program coordinator.

Graduates of Cambrian College’s BBA program may also be eligible for applying to MBA (Master of Business Administration) programs or other related master’s programs globally where the admission requirements include the completion of a degree program.

College or university degree opportunities  

If you are a graduate of this program, you may continue your studies at a college or university and you may receive credit(s) for your prior college education. Refer to Cambrian's college and university agreement details for further information. 

Employment opportunities

The HBBA program will prepare graduates for entry level positions and some graduates may be well poised for management roles in varied organizations based on their work-integrated learning and applied learning projects. Potential employment opportunities include:

• Financial Managers
• Financial Auditors
• Accountants
• Communication Specialists
• Digital Marketers
• Marketing Managers
• Data Analysts
• Business Intelligence Analysts