Global Business Canada – Brock University Experience!

My name is Ciara, and I am a final year Global Business Canada at DCU. After completing the first two years of my degree at DCU, myself and my classmates moved to St. Catharine’s in Canada in September 2021.

Although Brock University adopted a hybrid approach for most of the university year, we really threw ourselves into the Brock community. The Brock campus is modern and spacious, especially the brand-new Goodman School of Business building which was opened in 2019. Although it was daunting at first, the campus is very accessible and easy to navigate. Schmon Tower is home to the ten-story library, so there are plenty of desks, individual study rooms, and group study rooms. Outside of the library, there are lots of desks, couches, and rooms available around campus for more informal meetings or work.

While in Brock, I have been given the opportunity to really expand my knowledge and apply what I have learned to practical scenarios. Outside of our business classes, we have a range of electives to study something outside of the scope of business. I have completed a Canadian Studies course as a humanities credit, and an Astronomy course as a science credit. Lecture halls vary in size, with some as small as a 30-person classroom allowing for enhanced and engaging learning. Classmates are very eager to participate, and lectures generally consist of discussions and participation exercises. Professors are incredibly knowledgeable in their fields and are always open to discuss content or answer questions, both in-person after class or during office hours, or over email. I have always learned hands-on, so this model of class discussion and practical assignments, such as case studies for our marketing classes, has really helped me to engage with the course material.

Brock also has an incredible team of people supporting students and especially international students. They have academic advisors who help to guide us on what courses to take to meet our degree requirements and what courses would suit our interests. The international office hosts a wide range of events during the year, such as tours to local attractions, and informative sessions on more practical elements, such as applying for our Social Insurance Number and the pathways to Permanent Residency here in Canada. Their co-op office was particularly helpful in helping us prepare for our job search. We were each given a Talent Coach, who reviewed our résumés, helped us in identifying our interests, and hosted mock interviews with us, among other things. Changing our Irish CVs into the appropriate résumé format was invaluable in itself! I found their help crucial in securing my co-op in EY this year.

Brock is home to over 110 unique clubs and over 40 sports teams, so there is truly a group for every interest! I got involved with the clubs as soon as I could, working with the Brock Marketing Association, the Business Students Association, and Brock Women in Business. I loved my involvement in these clubs, and am continuing my involvement into my final year. Brock also hosts intermural sports games, which is a great way to get involved in Brock sports (Go Badgers!) and meet new people.

Now for the summer, I have moved to downtown Toronto to complete my co-op placement in EY. After completing my first co-op in PwC Dublin fully virtually, I am excited to be in the office in the beautiful 42-story EY Tower. I am incredibly lucky and grateful to be in a programme as special as Global Business Canada. The opportunity granted to us by both DCU Business School and Brock University’s Goodman School of Business is unparalleled, and I am so looking forward to completing my summer in the city and returning to St. Catharine’s for the fall semester.