uwloo

ARBUS 300Practical Business Skills

Units
0.50
Faculty
Arts
Subject
Arts and Business

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 6 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 4 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

This course will introduce students to important and relevant business skills that will assist them as they prepare for successful careers. The course will supplement contemporary theories with appropriate case studies.

Prerequisites

Antirequisites

None listed.

Leads to

Fall 2026 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 001351951 / 60MW 16:00–17:20
LEC 002352057 / 60MW 14:30–15:50
LEC 003404531 / 60Th 18:30–21:20

Winter 2027 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 00132220 / 60M 18:30–21:20
LEC 00232830 / 60MW 16:00–17:20
LEC 00334440 / 60TTh 16:00–17:20
LEC 701122990 / 9999Online or by arrangement

Reviewed on UW Flow

41% liked it81% easy52% useful

From 64 ratings and 9 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • I started this class thinking, "Hey. The prof looks kinda like Lorelai Gilmore from Gilmore Girls! This can't be too bad... Can it?" OF COURSE NOT.
    That is... If you want to engage in riveting conversions about what a resume is (no joke), Miley Cyrus's public image, and other similar, high-thinking intellectual debates in the complex world of business... this is the class for you.
    Additionally, you have the exciting privilege of engaging in seemingly simple assignments that have a dozen different documents explaining the instructions. The more you read, the more you realize you have no idea what to do. It's AMAZING! Then, a group of TAs who have been 'trained to understand the rubric'…

    Feb 2017 · didn’t like it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Give someone your student # / iClicker and then you never have to go to a pointless Practicum again.

    Jul 2014 · liked it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • As said by other reviewers, this class is just review from ARBUS 200. It is super easy and chill. You get some good info about job searches, leadership skills, and practice through case studies. There was 2 group projects, so pray you get a good group! There was one assignment where you had to interview a manager or mentor in your life, and it was kind of daunting for me, not sure if it will continue or happens with other profs. The case studies were good, and the final assignment you get to choose your own to do individually. My prof was Rob McLean, super awesome guy!!!

    Nov 2025 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Boring class that repeats concepts from past ARBUS courses. Felt very useless/unnecessary.

    Oct 2025 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Do not take this course once a week. Very boring class with mandatory class participation. Case studies every week are marked by a TA that wants to act like a dean the way things were being marked. Has a group case study and presentation as well so good luck with that as well. Quizzes were the easiest part of this course.

    Apr 2025 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

20 posts and comments in 17 threads mention ARBUS 300, February 2016 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.

Winter 2024

Fall 2023

Spring 2023

Fall 2022

Winter 2021

Fall 2020

Fall 2019

SPCOM204 F'19 5 points, 6 comments

“They're going to change the course like the structure, new prof's and new TA's. This course has been around for 5 years and was a compromise course of spcom223 and from first it was fine but the last …”

u/luckedout45: “As a former TA for the course, I really hate bullshit posts like this. As you can see from the syllabus, most of the course relies on understanding some communication models and applying them to …”

u/chaoticonmain: “… See you on reddit when ARBUS300 hits”

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Fall 2018

Anybody tried using Tutor Connect? 2 points, 7 comments

u/dorito_bag: “and can share some of their experiences? Are the tutors reliable and helpful enough, or are there tutoring alternatives outside of school I should be aware of too? Thanks! The courses I’m looking for help on are psych101, Arbus 300, and Econ 101, if that’s relevant.”

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Winter 2018

Honors Arts and Business vs Honors Arts? 2 points, 13 comments

“Does the Honors Arts and Business just focus more on the business aspect?”

u/BasedGodTaskForce: “As someone finishing ARBUS, I would recommend against it if youre in a arts major that offers co-op on its own (like econ). Can talk about it more if you're curious”

u/BasedGodTaskForce: “… For example, classes like ARBUS 300 (“practical business skills”) had a prof teaching about the most basic stuff like how to shake a hand and how to act in an interview, which may have been useful in first year but this was a 3rd year class so everyone in co-op had already done …”

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Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar