Name of the University:
Names of the student:
Exchange semester:
McGill University
Fabian Tønnessen Ljunggren
Spring (winter), 2011
I GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
1. Describe the school and its surroundings – very short
McGill is the oldest university in Montreal and was founded in 1821.
Since then McGill has grown into a large university with two campuses, where the main
campus is located at the foot of Mount Royal in down town Montreal.
Desautels Faculty of management is situated in the Bronfman building at the main campus
(Address: 1001 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal H3A 1G5).
2. Current faculty divisions and special areas.
McGill has 11 faculties and offer more than 340 academic programs.
The faculty BI has an exchange agreement with is Desautels Faculty of management.
3. Number of students - graduate and undergraduate – number of exchange students
In total there are enrolled 37,835 students at McGill where 25938 are undergraduate students
and 8881 are graduate students (fall 2011). The total enrollment in Desautels Faculty of
Management was 2800 in fall 2010.
There are a lot of exchange students at McGill. I couldn’t find an exact number of exchange
students, however, more than 20% of the students are International (non Canadian).
(Source: http://www.mcgill.ca/about/quickfacts/students)
II PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Information before you left
 When did you receive the information package from the University?
I did receive an information package from McGill late October.
 Any difficulties?
No. However, I’ll recommend you to check your McGill student email. I registered my
personal email as a forwarding address but not all emails were forwarded. So by not
checking your McGill email you can miss out on information.
Visa Procedure and travel experiences
 What problems, if any did you encounter?
If you’re staying less than six months a Canadian Study Visa will not be required.
I didn’t have any problems what so ever. The only thing you need to get through the
customs is the letter of acceptance from McGill and your passport.
 How did you order your ticket – any problems?
I did fly with Air Swiss and paid roughly 5500 NOK t/r.
From the airport you can either take taxi or Bus, the airport buss cost 6CAD, I don’t
remember exactly but I think the taxi fare was around 40CAD during rush hour.
 McGill Health incurrence
As a Norwegian exchange student in Quebec, you don´t have to pay the McGill health
Insurance. You will have to submit an online exemption request on Minerva and present
valid documentation proving eligibility to the Service Point. Valid documentation is a
Quebec health insurance card. You get this at “Regie de l’Assurance Maladie” office. You
need to bring a letter confirming that you are a registered student (this letter can be
downloaded from Minerva). You also need to bring your passport and your Norwegian
Health Insurance Card.
Academic Calendar
 Arrival date – introductory week
I did arrive 29 of December.
 First day of the semester?
It was held a meeting for the exchange students 3th January, where practical information
was given and students registered their courses. First day of school was January 4th
 Last day of classes?
My last day of classes was Tuesday 7th April.
 Examination period?
I had my first final exam Thursday 12th April. Last final exam was Thursday 21st April.
 Any special events?
Study pause, one week without classes, was in week 8.
At McGill its normal to have midterms, when picking courses and different classes check
the dates for the midterms, I ended up having 4 midterms in 2 following days, which I
would not recommend to anybody. You can have midterms both before and after study
pause.
Housing
 Did you have housing at your disposal or did you have to find your own housing?
McGill offered me housing. I lived in a single apartment at 3464 Hutchison Street.
This was graduate residence and most other student living there was older than me. My
apartment was quite old and no utensils did follow with it. They are livable but I would not
recommend this residence.
 Any special issues or good ideas for prospective students?
I would ask the Off-Campus Housing Office for help or arrive early and find an apartment
by myself.
Costs
 Describe the most important expenses such as rent, books, food, etc.
I paid $737.00 per month in rent.
Books are more expensive than in Norway, however, (depending on which courses you
are taking) you don’t need as many books. In many courses the required literature is
either distributed thru WebCT or you have to buy a course-pack (which you buy in a little
shop in the basement at Bronfman building, not in the regular McGill book-store).
Prices on consumer goods are in general fairly lower compared to Norway. Dinner at the
cheapest restaurants cost around $6-$10.
Social Activities
 How is your relationship with other students?
Good. People are friendly and outgoing.
 How is the relationship among the exchange students?
My relationship whit other exchange students was great. I ended up spending most of my
spare time with other exchange students,
 Is there a student organization, and if so, are the exchange students part of it?
The main student organization for exchange/international student is MISN (McGill
International Student Network). MISN arrange organizes trips and other social activities. I
would recommend you join their Facebook group.
McGill has a vast amount of other student organizations/clubs, just contact whichever
who fits with your interests.
 Are there any special activities and gatherings for exchange students?
MISIN arrange social activities and trips.
Culture and Language
 Do you have any language problems with the faculty or other students?
None. The school is an English speaking school and the faculty and students speak
English. Some of the students may prefer French but in my experience everyone speaks
English.

How are the possibilities to experience the country and the culture?
The possibilities are good. You can for example either join the MISN trips or you can
arrange trips with your friends. The best ways to get around is probably by bus or plane
(for longer trips). It is also easy to rent a car. If renting a car you should get a student
discount, either unlimited miles reduced.
Cultural and Social Effects from the Exchange Experience
 How do you think the exchange experience will affect you from a cultural and social point
of view?
I learned and experienced a lot during the exchange which I think I never would have the
chance to if not going on exchange. I would at least say that I now have a broader view
and of course; friends from all over the world.
 How do you think the exchange experience influences your future career possibilities?
I think the exchange will have a positive impact on my future career possibilities. My
English skills improved a lot and I feel more confident now when I speak to foreigners.
I think my future employer will recognize that I am not afraid of taking chances and go
with what’s unfamiliar.
III ACADEMIC INFORMATION
The Teaching situation
 In which language are the courses taught? Any problems?
McGill is an English school and al courses are thought in English.
One of my professors had a really strong Indian accent and I struggled a little in the
beginning to understand everything he was saying, but it was not a problem and after a
couple of classes I did understand him perfectly.
 How would you evaluate the level of study in relationship to the level at BI?
Roughly the same as BI.
 Are the professors using cases, group work or lectures (or a mix)?
A mix.
 How is the workload compared to that at BI?
I would say that the workload at McGill is far heavier than at BI.
I did find McGill a lot more intensive. Most classes consist of mandatory group projects,
presentations, individual assignments, cases, mid-term exams, evaluation of your in-class
participation and evaluation of homework, and on top of that you have a shorter
semester. It is manageable when working continuously throughout the entire semester,
but at least I had to lay down a lot of effort to take 5 courses.
If you find the workload at BI heavy you should consider taking less than 5 courses
depending on the level of difficulty of the courses you choose.
 How is the relationship between faculty and students?
It is friendly and more personal than BI. The professors will try to get to know you.
 What is the relationship between the students in the classroom?
It depends on class size. It’s not sure you have breaks between
Required Literature
 Is the literature in English?
Yes.
 How do you estimate the level of the literature?
The same as BI or harder.
 Is the literature used for detailed knowledge or a broad overview?
Depends on the course.
 Is exam based on the literature or on the lectures?
Both.The lectures covered the main topics witch you will be tested in on the exam.
Exams
 What types of exams were you given?
Written exams and multiple-choice.
 What knowledge level was required to pass the exams?
It is hard to say but at least an understanding of the main topics in lectures.
Other
 Do students have easy access to the library and it’s resources?
Students have easy access to library and it’s resources. Management students have an
own library in the Bronfman building.
The library staff was in my experience excellent. They are very friendly and helpful, and
also very competent. They were very helpful with relevant literature and statistics for
cases and individual assignments.
 How is the access to the computers?
The access for computers are good enough, it is a computer park in the basement of the
Bronfman building.
 How is IT used in the teaching or as a distributor of information?
IT is used a lot as distributer of information; at McGill they used something called WebCT
(which is kind of like It’s Learning here at BI). At this site you will get all course related
information. Minerva is used as Banner student web.
Description of Courses
FINE 441 Investment Management (3 credits)
Overview: Application of investment principles and security analysis to the selection and
comparison of equity and fixed income securities in the current economic and financial
environment. Also covered are: determinants of stock prices, growth models and portfolio
diversification.
Prerequisite: (MGCR 341) Finance 1
Course Evaluation:
10% Homework
10% Class participation
15% Group projects (cases)
25% Midterm (written)
40% Final (written)
MGCR 472 Operations Management (3 credits)
Overview: Design, planning, establishment, control, and improvement of the
activities/processes that create a firm's final products and/or services. The interaction of
operations with other business areas will also be discussed. Topics include forecasting,
product and process design, waiting lines, capacity planning, inventory management and total
quality management.
Prerequisite: (MGCR 271) Business Statistics
Course Evaluation:
15% (2*7.5%) 2 Problem Set Assignments
10% Case Study Report
5% Game Report
25% Midterm Exam (written)
45% Final Exam (written)
MGCR 382 International Business (3 credits)
Overview: An introduction to the world of international business; Economic foundations of
international trade and investment. The international trade, finance, and regulatory
frameworks. Relations between international companies and nation-states, including costs
and benefits of foreign investment and alternative controls and responses. Effects of local
environmental characteristics on the operations of multi-national enterprises.
Prerequisite: None
Course Evaluation:
12% Assignment 1
3% Participation (throughout 1st half of semester in class)
35% Midterm
5% Assignment 2
45% Final Exam (Multiple Choice)
MGCR 360 Social Context of Business (3 credits)
Overview: This course examines how business interacts with the larger society. It explores
the development of modern capitalist society, and the dilemmas that organizations face in
acting in a socially responsible manner. Students will examine these issues with reference to
sustainable development, business ethics, globalization and developing countries, and
political activity.
Prerequisite: None.
Course Evaluation:
50% Participation and Professionalism
50% Final project
BUSA 356 Management in Global Context (3 credits)
Overview: Contemporary issues in international management illustrating unique challenges
faced in IB, including legal and political foundations of international management, crosscultural awareness, global mind-set, global leadership, building effective international
workforce and operations.
Prerequisite: None
Course Evaluation:
10% Required Readings Briefing (throughout 1st half of semester)
30% Mid Term Exam (written exam)
10% Class Participation and Attendance (1st half of semester)
5% Term Project Proposal
10% Presentation
20%Report
15% Class Participation and Attendance
In the start of each semester you have an add/drop week. I would recommend you to add as
many courses as possible. Keep the courses you find most interesting/fits best your schedule
and drop the rest.
Feel free to contact me, I would be happy to answer any questions you may have!
Fabian Tønnessen Ljunggren
Mail: FabianTL@gmail.com
Phone: +47 95006009