Generally stated, commerce describes the acts of buying and selling. When people talk about commerce, they normally are referring to trades that occur on large scales between large corporations and among large populations of consumers. They may also be referring to international trade. To choose the best commerce courses, you should consider what you would like to gain from completing courses, and which courses you are qualified for. Commerce is a broad field, and commerce courses vary greatly among levels of difficulty and areas of concentration. A PhD student who is studying international trade probably considers courses that are different from those considered by an undergraduate who has just begun his or her academic career.
If you are thinking about taking commerce courses as an undergraduate student, you probably should start with some introductory level courses. Most programs offer students the chance to take introductions to economics, finance, and sociology. Each of these subjects can be incredibly important when learning about the practice, history, and philosophies of commerce. Many students who are interested in pursuing careers in business, finance, or economics also take introductory courses in fields such as microeconomics, macroeconomics, and international trade, which can also broaden students' understanding of commerce.
Students looking for the best commerce courses to help them achieve their long term goals, such as entering graduate school or starting careers, should meet with academic advisers. These faculty members talk with students about their aspirations and help them to take courses that put them on the right track. If you are an undergraduate student who is considering a few different graduate programs, read informational resources to find which prerequisites these programs require.
In most graduate programs, students can take commerce courses that help them to completes their theses or dissertations. If you are a graduate student researching international trade between China and the United States, for example, you should take commerce courses that deal with real issues, such as tariffs and other factors that can impact international commerce between these two countries. It is also common for graduate programs to assign each student core courses that they are required to take.
Many people seek commerce courses because they have a recreational interest, but they are not studying for degrees and may not have related career aspirations. If this is the case for you, you might want to consider courses offered by local colleges and universities. Many schools allow individuals to audit classes, meaning that they can take classes without expecting academic credit. Online courses can be a great way to access basic information for no cost.
