BFPC PROGRAM

BFPC (Business Fundamentals with Practicum & Co-op)

*This program has been approved by the Private Training Institutions Regulatory Unit (PTIRU) of the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. ** Graduating from this program does not make you eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit.

The Business Fundamentals with Co‑op (BFC) is an immersive 88‑week diploma offered by Gastown Business College. It’s designed to give students a deep foundation in business essentials through an equal split of academic instruction and paid, real-world co‑op experience.

Career Opportunities: Students will be prepared to work as general office Support Worker. In addition, they have opportunities to take on customer service roles.

Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this program, the successful student will have reliably demonstrated the ability to:

  • Build and deliver boardroom quality presentations.
  • Research for and engage in formal and informal debates.
  • Complete a business resume.
  • Develop a market-ready strategy for a service or product.
  • Complete a variety of work-related writing tasks including business letters, business reports, and emails.
  • Contribute meaningfully to business conversations.
  • Complete a range of tasks related to administrative support
  • Conduct market surveys and various other research tasks
Total Program Duration: 88 weeks

(excludes holidays and/or approved leave of absence)

In-Class Training: 88 weeks + Co-op (24 weeks)

Curriculum

Course Details

Fundamentals I (4 Weeks)

  • Effective Communication

  • Presentation Skills

  • Resume Writing

  • Email Writing

  • Self Marketing

  • Business Documents

  • Time Management Systems/Attitudes

  • Working Styles

  • Networking

  • Workplace Cultures

  • Transferable Skills

Essential Business (6 Weeks)

  • Interview Skills

  • Workplace Communication

  • Debate Skills

  • Advanced Networking

  • Business Meetings

  • Report Writing

  • Negotiation Skills

  • Canadian Workplace/Culture

Business Development (6 Weeks)

  • Product Development

  • Market Research

  • Market Segmentation

  • Marketing Mix Fundamentals

  • Employee Engagement

  • Performance Management

  • Organization Structures

  • Recruitment & Retention

Fundamentals II (4 Weeks)

  • Telephone Skills

  • Self-Marketing

  • Advanced Business Concepts

  • Company Research

  • Practicum Preparation

  • Working Styles

Hospitality Fundamentals (Online & in- Class – 6 Weeks)

  • Introduction to Hospitality: Hotel Industry

  • Introduction to Hospitality II: Food & Beverage

  • The Forces of Competition

  • Introduction to Hospitality III: Cruise Lines & Casinos

  • Introduction to Travel & Tourism/Airlines

  • Customer Service Management

  • Business Communications & Module Project

  • Co-op Placement Skills & Preparation

Pioneer (Online Classes – 2 weeks)

  • Personality Types

  • Leadership Styles

  • Team Building Strategies

  • Change Management

  • Organizational Culture

  • Final Projects

Business Case Studies & Advanced Communications (Online Classes – 4 weeks)

  • The course on Business Case Studies and Advanced Communications offers students the opportunity to immerse themselves in real-world business case studies, aiming to enhance their professional communication skills for career advancement. This course centers around the examination and analysis of actual business case dilemmas, allowing students to develop a comprehensive understanding of complex scenarios.

Work Experience (4 weeks)

  • The practicum (unpaid, 6 weeks) & Co-op (paid, 24 weeks) work experience is a required part of the BFPC program in which the student obtains practical skills relevant to the learning objectives of the program.

* The above outline may be subject to change without notice.

Delivery Method

Combined: 50% in-person and 50% distance

Program Start Dates

  • 06-Jan-25
  • 27-Jan-25
  • 03-Feb-25
  • 03-Mar-25
  • 07-Apr-25
  • 26-May-25
  • 23-Jun-25
  • 21-Jul-25
  • 18-Aug-25
  • 15-Sep-25
  • 17-Nov-25

Scheduled Academic Breaks

December 22, 2025 – January 2, 2026

Admission Requirements

  • High school graduate or 19 years of age or older at start of program
  • Successful completion of entrance assessment
    • (A) International students and non-native English speakers are required to pass a written entrance exam and an interview in English in order to demonstrate appropriate English proficiency – English written assessment: Students must obtain a minimum of 60% – Verbal English interview: Students must receive a score of 2.5 out 5 for English fluency to be admitted to GBC. Additionally, Students must achieve a minimum score of 3 out of 5 on the “Attitude and Demeanor” and “Clarity of Practicum and CO-OP Objectives” sections as stated in the GBC Student Assessment
    • (B) Applicants may be exempt from the English Assessment if they have the following: TOEFL IBT Score 50; PBT 465; CBT 145; ITP 460 or TOEIC Score 650 or IELTS Score 5 or Certificate or Transcript for written and spoken English from a recognized English language school that states Intermediate English Proficiency (successful completion of an ESL Program).

Please note: – Students who are exempt from the English assessment must obtain a minimum score of 3 out of 5 in the “Attitude and Demeanor” and “Clarity of Practicum and CO-OP Objectives” sections as stated in the GBC Student Assessment (exempt from the English assessment) form

Tuition Fees

International

Tuition: $16,500 Application Fee: $250 Course Materials: $700 Other: $8

Domestic

Tuition: $16,500 Application Fee: $250 Course Materials: $700 Other: $8