Student Report
Name of University: McMaster University, DeGroote School of Business, Hamilton,
Canada
Exchange semester: Fall 2015
I.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Before leaving Norway
All students at McMaster University, including exchange students, need to pay UHIP
insurance (University Health Insurance Plan). However, as a Norwegian student you are
excluded from this as long as you are covered by HELFO, which means the Norwegian
government will cover your medical costs in case anything happens while you are abroad.
The documentation that shows you are covered by HELFO should be sent automatically to
you by mail after applying for your student loan at “Laanekassen” before going on exchange.
Applying for a Visa
As a Norwegian student studying in Canada, you are able to stay in Canada for six month
without a visa. To enter Canada you only need the admission letter from McMaster
University, which is sent to you once the application is approved.
If you plan on travelling through the states however, it is important that you apply for an
ESTA. This is a visa waver program which means you don’t have to apply for a regular
American visa. You apply for ESTA online, and this should be pretty straightforward.
Travel
We travelled by plane some time before the semester started to Toronto Pearson International
Airport. There are several airlines that fly here. From the airport in Toronto you can choose
between taking the bus or a taxi to Hamilton. Taking the bus is the cheapest alternative. One
option is to take the 40 bus (towards Hamilton GO Centre) to Square One, and then take the
47 bus that goes directly to McMaster University. Taxi will cost you CAD 100 (NOK 650).
Housing
If you are going to McMaster for a semester only, you will not have the opportunity to live on
campus. Living on campus is much more expensive than finding a place off campus anyways.
Also, living off campus will give you the opportunity to get to know some “local” Canadians.
You will have to find housing on your own. There are some websites that are helpful
(Kijiji.ca). I found a room for rent through a facebook group called “McMaster Student
Housing Postboard”. I recommend every exchange student to find a student house around
main campus. Rent in a student house is typically between CAD 350-600 (NOK 2500-4000).
Costs
Canadians pay tax every time they purchase something, but the tax is not included on the
price tag, so the actual price is always higher than what it says on the price tag.
Books are very expensive, ranging from CAD 40-200 (NOK 250-1300). You should wait a
couple of weeks before purchasing books to see if you really need them or if you only need to
read the slides from lectures. A lot of courses are less dependent on books and more on what
is said in class. At the end of the semester you are able to sell the books back to the university
bookstore, but for a much lower price.
Food at the grocery store (Fortinos or Metro) is a bit cheaper than in Norway. Eating at a
restaurant or ordering take-out is cheaper than in Norway. You have to remember to give tips
for services, ranging from 10-20%.
As an undergrad you get a free bus pass from the school that works in all of Hamilton. If you
lose the bus pass you have to pay a fee of CAD 100 (NOK 650). Otherwise, the bus fare is
only CAD 2,75.
You will have to pay more for phone in Canada than in Norway. Phone bills range from CAD
60-80 (NOK 350-500) a month. Try Fido, Bell, or Rogers.
There is an on-campus gym that cost CAD 80 (NOK 500) for 4 month.
Culture and language
All the professors, students and inhabitants are fluent in English, as this is their native
language, so as long as your English is alright, you will get by just fine. Some of the
professors may have a strong Chinese or Indian accent, which makes it a little hard to
understand them sometimes. The Canadian culture is similar to the Norwegian and American
culture. Compared to Norway, Canadians are much less reserved, and they are interested in
getting to know new people.
Hamilton is a great location in close proximity to cool places in both Canada and the US. We
got the chance to travel to a lot of places because of this (Niagara Falls, Toronto, Montreal,
New York City, Chicago…)
II.
ABOUT THE SCHOOL
McMaster’s main campus is situated west of central Hamilton. The area seems suburban, and
consist mostly of students. There are student bars everywhere, but the best ones are Emerson
Bar and Snooty Fox, and house parties are also frequent. There is also a lot of nightclubs
downtown Hamilton. Hess Village, Club 77 and Motown Wednesdays is something you
ought to experience. Downtown Hamilton is not too much to brag about, but there are cozy
shops and cafés around the streets Augusta St. and Locke St. I would definitely recommend to
experience the city though, cause you will find hidden treasures along the way. If you are
looking for malls, it is only a bus ride over to Lime Ridge, and there you will find everything
you might need. Toronto is also just an hour away with the GO bus #16. Toronto is an
amazing city, with a lot of stuff to see. You will find everything the average big American
city has to offer, but in a much better and more beautiful environment. We would recommend
going to a lot of sports games if you chose to study here. In Toronto you can see basketball,
baseball, American football, hockey etc.
The Canadian study structure is very different from the study structure at BI. As a student you
have a lot of group work and presentations in many of the courses. Participation in class
matters and you will get many tests during the semester that count to your final grade. There
is a lot of interaction and discussions in class. All tests and midterms are usually multiplechoice questions. Overall, it feels like a heavy workload in some of the courses, as we are not
used to this structure with all the tests and presentations. It’s not hard to pass a course, and
you will probably already have passed it before the final exams.
Course registration
Course registration is quite comprehensive and tricky, so start early. You first get courses
approved by the international office, then register it on Mosaic (like @bi). Before you choose
courses, make sure you get a lot of information about the courses and that you know the time
you can apply, the most popular courses goes first, and they go FAST, like within an hour or
two. Make sure you watch the instruction videos you’ll be sent at your mail from McMaster,
so that you don’t mess up trying to get the courses. You can check on Mosaic if the courses
you want will be available the semester you are going, before the course enrolment opens
(usually mid June). This is smart, as you then can send the International Office at BI any
changes you might want to do, and make sure you get them approved, before you enroll.
Make sure that BI approve the courses and list as many as possible on your learning
agreement (LA). It is possible to change courses after the semester has started, and you have
about a week to do so. Also, keep in mind that some courses that was full before may open up
spaces when the semester starts, and the academic advisors MAY be able to squeeze you into
some courses sometimes if you really want it. Aim for level 3 courses, as the level 4 courses
can be demanding.
Academic calendar (for students, Fall 2015)
Arrival date:
First day of the semester:
Welcome week
Last day for course changes
Examination period:
Any special events/holidays:
Last day of classes
September 1st
September 8th
Aug. 29th – Sept. 6th
September 16th
Dec. 9th – Dec. 22nd
Reading week Oct.
12th – Oct. 19th
Dec. 8th
Arrival
The school administration was well prepared for our arrival, and they were very friendly and
welcoming. They had a welcome day in the beginning of the welcome week where they
introduced you to everything worth knowing. The rest of the week, M.I.X. McMaster
International & Exchange Club, hosted activities every day for us to get to know the other
students, the campus, and the treasures of Hamilton. The week contained hikes to different
places, like waterfalls, and there were parties, concerts, information meetings etc. M.I.X.
hosts events during the whole year, everything from trips to Niagara Falls to bowling nights.
Do not be shy during the welcome week; this is where you meet the people that you will
probably spend the rest of the semester with. Remember, everyone is in the same situation.
The International Office
The International Office at home and the BizX at McMaster help you with any issues. They
are always helpful and will answer any questions you may have by email. They usually get
back to you quickly, but remember that they’re really busy during the start of the semester.
Promoting BI and Norway
We did not get an opportunity to promote Norway and BI, as we had classes and presentations
during the presentation the school hosted. We did talk a lot about both Norway and our school
when we got the opportunity though. People are genuinely interested in hearing what it’s like
in Norway, and how our school works.
Social activities
We all lived with Canadians, and all of us also established good friendships with them. We
also were introduced to their friends, and each other’s roomies, so we actually got a lot of
Canadian friends. Canadians are very friendly, and easy to get a long with. We would really
recommend living with Canadians! To get to know other Canadians you may also participate
in student groups on campus, there are so many groups, and you will definitely feel
connection to some of them. There was always events for the exchange students, so getting to
know the other people from exchange was not hard, but you should really participate in the
Welcome Week activities, as most people tend to stay with the people they get to know then.
As mentioned earlier, the M.I.X. McMaster International & Exchange Club arrange special
activities and gatherings for exchange students almost every week, and they also have a
Facebook group where other people also post if they want to do anything and need people to
join, like paintball etc. Another popular group for McMaster students is the McMaster
Outdoor Club, also worth checking out on Facebook. They arrange trips and hiking tours in
Canada, and some of them that are amazing! Would recommend joining the Algonquin trip if
you get the chance. That group is a good mix of both Canadians and exchange students. Both
of these groups are good ways to meet people and to explore what Hamilton and the rest of
Canada has to offer.
III.
ACADEMICS
In the classroom
The teaching style at McMaster compared to BI is a bit different. The lectures are informal
and classes are usually small, with around 40-45 students in them. For each lecture you are
expected to come prepared. You can also expect several group works and presentations, and
your participation in all classes will be graded. How formal you have to be when addressing
your professor depends on the professor; some prefer that you address them by surname
and/or title, while others do not mind being addressed by their given name. As an
undergraduate student there is no dress code, however for presentation you may be expected
to wear business casual.
The workload in the different courses highly depends on each course. Most of them have the
same workload as BI, however there are some courses with a really heavy workload where
they expect a lot from you.
Course materials
The material used was standard hard copy books and power points made by the professors,
though in some courses you could choose to buy an online book instead of the hard copy. In
some courses you can also expect to get some online articles.
Exams
The exams were based on both course materials and lectures. Additionally, the exams in a few
of the courses were also based on group presentations throughout the semester. Not every
course has final exams, however the ones that had only counted between 20 and 35 percent
and where either written or multiple-choice. Some courses may have a home exam as final
exam. All the courses also had multiple-choice midterms. Throughout the semester you were
also graded on written assignments, frequent group work and group presentations and
participation. Your participation grade mostly counted around 10% of your final grade, but
there are exceptions. You should also be aware that most of the professors take attendance,
and skipping class will affect your participation grade. The only graded activities done outside
the classroom as we experienced, was a business simulation game done in groups.
Library and technology
As a business student you have access to all libraries at school, and there are four on the main
campus; Mills, Thode, Innis and Health Sciences. Innis is the library located in the business
building DSB (DeGroote School of Business). All of the libraries offer computers, a silent
area and group rooms. The group rooms can be booked online through the libraries web
pages. Personally I preferred studying at Mills because it is the biggest library with most
space.
Description of courses
Course code &
name
Master/
Bachelor
Exam form
Prerequisites
Approved
as
Comments
4PA3 –
Business Policy
and Strategic
Management
Bachelor
- 1 Home exam
- CAPSIM
- 1 Midterm
- 1 Assignment
- 1 Test
- 1 Presentation
Marketing
Mandatory
A very demanding course
with a huge workload,
mostly because of
participation and CAPSIM
(simulation game).
However it was really
interesting and relevant.
4MC3 – New
Product
Marketing
Bachelor
- 3 Tests (2
mandatory)
- 1 Final group
project
-3
Presentations
Marketing
Mandatory
There was a lot to read,
however it was easy to
keep up, and very relevant
for marketing students.
4SA3 –
International
Business
Bachelor
- Final exam
- 1 Midterm
- 1 Assignment
- 2 Presentation
- 1 Group handin
Marketing
Elective
Good professor.
Interesting and relevant
course where you get an
international view through
Canadian eyes.
4FR3 –
Insurance and
Risk
Management
Bachelor
- 1 Assignment
- 2 Tests (1 is a
midterm)
Introduction
To Finance
Elective
Kind of boring course,
where you learn about
Canadian insurance and
risk. It can not be applied
to Norwegian business.
3SO3 –
Management
Skills
Development
Bachelor
- 1 Final exam
- 1 Midterm
- 2 assignments
- 1 Group
assignment
None
Elective
Learning about personal
skills and how to be a
good manager. Easy
course.
3FA3 Managerial
Finance
Bachelor
- 2 Midterms
- 1 Final exam
Finance
Mandatory
An interesting finance
course where you got to
learn about basic literacy
in the problems and
methods of modern
business finance. If you
get the old exam package,
you will have no problem
passing this course.
3MB3 Consumer
Behaviour
Bachelor
- 2 Assignments
- 1 Presentation
- 1 Midterm
- 1 Final exam
None
Elective
The course is about
commercials and
consumers, and it is not
too difficult. The teacher is
very nice! Easy course.
2OC3 Operations
Management
Bachelor
- 5 Assignments
(which you can
choose to do)
- 2 Midterms
- 1 Final exam
None
Mandatory
About how to create and
deliver goods and services
to customers. Very fun and
interesting course. Would
recommend it!
4FL3 - Personal
Financial
Management
IV.
Bachelor
- 2 Midterms
- 1 Final exam
Finance
Mandatory
A very hard course. The
professor was funny, but
not good. The course is
about personal financial
management for
Canadians, so not relevant
for Norwegians.
SUMMARY
We all had a wonderful experience in Canada and got memories for life. There was a lot to do
at school, but when you just need a passing grade you don’t have to put too much effort in it.
Join as much as you can, and try to plan in advance to combine travelling with school. Try not
to have lectures on Fridays or Mondays, as you will be able to travel a lot more then. Join
everything you possibly can, and try to be structured at school so that you don’t have to be
sitting at home working late nights while everyone else is having fun. McMaster is really the
place you should go for the ultimate University / College experience, with Homecoming, the
house parties with the red cups etc. The whole experience is very intense and there is always
something happening. We really hope you will enjoy your stay just as much as us!
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact any of us through the International Office
at BI. We are more than happy to answer the questions you may have.
McMaster:
We all had a wonderful experience in Canada and got memories for life. There was a lot to do
at school, but when you just need a passing grade you don’t have to put too much effort in it.
Join as much as you can, and try to plan in advance to combine travelling with school. Try not
to have lectures on Fridays or Mondays, as you will be able to travel a lot more then. Join
everything you possibly can, and try to be structured at school so that you don’t have to be
sitting at home working late nights while everyone else is having fun. McMaster is really the
place you should go for the ultimate University / College experience, with Homecoming, the
house parties with the red cups etc. The whole experience is very intense and there is always
something happening. We really hope you will enjoy your stay just as much as us!
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact any of us through the International Office
at BI. We are more than happy to answer the questions you may have.