Academic Calendar - Western University

HONOURS SPECIALIZATION IN URBAN DEVELOPMENT/HBA
Faculty of Social Science - Geography and Environment

This is a Combined Program also featured at the following pages:

Western Main Campus - Geography and Environment - HONOURS SPECIALIZATION IN URBAN DEVELOPMENT/HBA
Western Main Campus - Geography and Environment - HBA/HONOURS SPECIALIZATION IN URBAN DEVELOPMENT

The combined degree programs are administered on behalf of the Richard Ivey School of Business and the Department of Geography and Environment in the Faculty of Social Science.

The combined program is a five-year program leading to a BA in Honours Business Administration (HBA) and a BA with Honours Specialization in Urban Development (Geography and Environment). In Years 1 and 2 students are registered in the Department of Geography and Environment and follow the normal curriculum for the Urban Development module. In Year 3, students are registered in the HBA program. Students are registered in the combined program in Years 4 and 5. Admission requirements for the combined program are outlined below.

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for consideration for admission to the combined program, in the first two years students must complete a minimum of 10.0 courses including Business Administration 2257. In Year 1 they must complete the admission requirements as specified in the current Academic Calendar for entry into the Honours Specialization module offered by the Department of Geography and Environment.

In Year 2 students must enrol in the Honours Specialization in Urban Development in the Department of Geography and Environment and satisfy the minimum progression requirements for the second year of that Honours Specialization. Under certain conditions, students who in Year 2 enrol in a Major in Geography and Environment may be eligible for admission to the combined degree program, but they will have to transfer into the Honours Specialization in Urban Development module in the Department of Geography and Environment if they are accepted into the combined degree program. Such a transfer is only possible if they have received the marks needed to transfer into the Honours Specialization module and are able to complete all the requirements of the combined degree program for the module.

In the first two years, students must attain a minimum weighted average of 78%, a minimum mark of 70% in Business Administration 2257, and no mark less than 60%. They must also gain admission to the HBA program through the regular application process. In addition, students must normally attain a minimum weighted average of 78% in the first year of the HBA.

Students apply for the combined degree program during the HBA 1 year, typically their third year of University. Applications to the combined program must be made in writing to the Undergraduate Program Advisor of the Department of Geography and Environment and to the HBA Program Office by the deadlines published by the Richard Ivey School of Business. Entrance to the program may be limited.

Module/Program Information

Year 1
Completion of 5.0 first-year courses with no failures. Students must have an average of at least 75% and no mark below 60% in the 3.0 principal courses.

Principal Courses:

1.0 course* from Geography and Environment 1100, Geography and Environment 1200A/B, Geography and Environment 1300A/B, Geography and Environment 1400F/G, Geography and Environment 1500F/G, Environmental Science 1021F/G, (with Geography and Environment 1400F/G recommended).
1.0 course from Economics 1021A/B and Economics 1022A/B.
1.0 course numbered 1000-1999.

* If upper-year students have not completed 1.0 courses listed above, they may select one or two courses from: Geography and Environment 2131A/B, Geography and Environment 2132A/B, Geography and Environment 2133A/B, Geography and Environment 2152F/G, Geography and Environment 2153A/B, Geography and Environment 2160A/B, and/or Geography and Environment 2162A/B in making up the 1.0 admission requirement, as long as they were completed with a grade of at least 60%. Senior qualifying entry course(s) cannot be counted for subsequent program credit.

Students are required in Year 1 to take at least 1.0 course from either Category B or C. However, it is strongly recommended that students include in their Year 1 course selection 1.0 course from Category B and 1.0 from Category C in order to meet the breadth requirements of their degree. If not covered in Year 1, the breadth requirements will need to be completed in upper years.

Recommended Category B courses include but are not limited to: Classical Studies 1000, World Literatures and Cultures 1030, Digital Humanities 1011A/B, Art History 1641A/B, Art History 1642A/B.

Recommended Category C courses include but are not limited to: Actuarial Science 1021A/B; **Mathematics 0110A/B, Mathematics 1600A/B; Calculus 1000A/B, Calculus 1301A/B or Calculus 1501A/B, the former Calculus 1100A/B; Computer Science 1025A/B, Computer Science 1026A/B, Computer Science 1032A/B.

**If Economics 2150A/B or Economics 2151A/B are selected in the module, one of MVC4U, Mathematics 0110A/B, Calculus 1000A/B, Calculus 1500A/B, Mathematics 1225A/B is required for registration.

Year 2
5.0 courses:

* In cases where an antirequisite statistics course has been taken instead, an additional 0.5 course numbered 2200 or above in Geography and Environment must be taken to make up the courses required for the module.
** Business Administration 4450A/B is an antirequisite.

Year 3 (HBA1)

The third year of the undergraduate program in Business Administration consists of an integrated set of courses (7.5 courses) designed to give a basic understanding of the functions and the interrelationships of the major areas of management, as well as to develop problem-solving and action-planning skills.

All students will take: Business Administration 3300K, Business Administration 3301K, Business Administration 3302K, Business Administration 3303K, Business Administration 3304K, Business Administration 3311K, Business Administration 3316K, Business Administration 3321K, Business Administration 3322K, Business Administration 3323K.

Years 4 and 5 (HBA and Geography and Environment)

HBA: Requirements can be taken over Year 4 or 5 (except that Business Administration 4569 must be taken in Year 4)

5.0 courses:

0.5 course: (International Perspective Requirement) Business Administration 4505A/B.
0.5 course: (Corporations and Society Perspectives Requirement) At least one 0.5 course from Business Administration - Corporations and Society designated electives offered during the academic year (Business Administration 4538A/B, Business Administration 4539A/B, Business Administration 4588A/B, Business Administration 4625A/B)or other business elective as determined and approved by the HBA Program Director to satisfy this requirement.
0.5 course: Managerial Accounting Requirement: Business Administration 4624A/B.
1.0 course: (Applied Project Requirement) Business Administration 4569.
2.5 additional business elective courses. (These must be taken at the Business School and cannot be substituted with other Western courses.)

* Recommended electives include but are not limited to: Business Administration 4450A/B, Business Administration 4439A/B, Business Administration 4443A/B, Business Administration 4486A/B, Business Administration 4554A/B, Business Administration 4565A/B, Business Administration 4567A/B, the former Business Administration 4455Q/R/S/T.

Geography and Environment: Requirements can normally be taken over Year 4 or 5 (as long as prerequisites are met)
6.0 courses:

* Business Administration 4613A/B is an antirequisite.
** Business Administration 4450A/B is an antirequisite.

Note: To complete the program in five years, students must take a 1.0 course overload in Year 4 or Year 5, or a 0.5 overload in both Years 4 and 5.

Note: Students wishing to pursue Graduate Studies are encouraged to take Geography and Environment 4900E.

Program Requirements

Students registered in the combined program are expected to abide by all guidelines associated with each of the individual programs.

Progression

Students in the combined program must meet the progression standards of each Faculty or School. Students enrolled in HBA1 (Year 3) must attain a minimum weighted average of at least 78%. In Years 4 and 5, students must attain a minimum weighted average of 75% in their 4000- level HBA courses. They also must attain a minimum average of 75% in their Honours Specialization in Urban Development module and meet all other progression requirements of the module.

Failure to Meet Progression Standards

A student who fails to meet the combined program progression standards in any year must withdraw from the combined program. However, a student who has met the progression standards of either the HBA or Geography and Environment program will be allowed to proceed to the next year of that program. If the progression standards of both individual programs have been satisfied, the student may continue in either program and may petition the School or Faculty whose program was not selected for permission to complete that program at a later date. A student who is required to withdraw from the combined program and wishes to pursue either of the individual programs or both programs through a combined degree, must complete all the degree requirements of the individual program or combined programs in order to graduate from that/those program(s).

Dean's Honour List

At the Richard Ivey School of Business, students are considered for the Dean's Honour List during their first year of HBA. Students enrolled in Years 4 and 5 of the combined program are considered for the Dean's Honour List in Year 5 only. Only grades obtained in 4000-level Business courses will be used in calculating averages for the purposes of determination of Dean's Honour List standing. Courses taken outside the Business School are excluded. Calculations for Ivey Scholar and Gold Medals are completed in the same way.

In Social Science, students will be considered for the Dean's Honour List in the usual way in Years 1 and 2, and at the end of Year 5 by considering all Social Science courses that have been taken in Years 4 and 5. Students who take at least 2.0 Social Science courses in Year 4 will be considered for the Dean's Honour List in that year on the basis of those courses.

Related Information

Graduation

Upon completion of this combined program, students will receive a BA with an Honours Specialization in Urban Development (Geography and Environment) and a BA in Honours Business Administration.

Graduation with Distinction

Eligibility to graduate "With Distinction" for each degree is determined by each Faculty.

International Exchange Programs

Students in the combined HBA/Urban Development degree program may be eligible to participate in academic exchange programs. Interested students should discuss exchange options with the HBA Program Office and Geography and Environment Undergraduate Program Advisor.

Fees

Students pay the prevailing fees as determined by the University policy on combined programs. Contact the Office of the Registrar for details.

Academic Calendar - 2026

Western University Academic Calendar. - 2026

HONOURS SPECIALIZATION IN URBAN DEVELOPMENT/HBA Faculty of Social Science - Geography and Environment