Business

Business

Why study this program?

The Faculty of Business offers programs leading to the degrees of Master of Business Administration, Master of Financial Management, Master of Accounting, and Doctor of Philosophy. In addition to the standard MBA program, specializations are available in International Business, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Natural Resources, Energy and the Environment, Finance, Public Policy and Management, and Sustainability. PhD specializations are Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Operations & Information Systems, and Strategic Management & Organization.

Entrance Requirements

Master’s programs:


MBA programs:


For MBA programs except the Fast Track MBA and Executive MBA, the Faculty’s minimum admission requirements are an undergraduate degree with an admission GPA of at least 3.0 on the 4-point scale from the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification and standing from a recognized institution.

The admission GPA will be calculated on the last 60 units of graded coursework completed, or on the equivalent of the last two years of full-time graded coursework.

All applicants are required to write the Graduate Management Admission Test, and have their scores forwarded to the Associate Dean – Master’s Programs. Although no arbitrary standard is employed, a score above 550 is desirable. The GMAT will be waived for graduates of the Alberta School of Business, Bachelor of Commerce program with a GPA of 3.0 or higher over the last 60 credits.

Where applicable, applicants must provide proof of English Language Proficiency (refer to English Language Requirement ). Any one of the following is acceptable:

  • A minimum TOEFL score of 100 with a minimum band score of 21 (internet-based) or equivalent
  • an equivalent score on an English Language Proficiency test approved by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research

Where degree programs offered by the Faculty of Business are approved to be delivered in a language other than English, the English language proficiency requirement may be waived.

For MBA programs, applicants are required to submit the following

  • A statement of purpose explaining how the MBA program relates to the applicant’s career goals,
  • Two letters of reference
  • A resume outlining past work experience,
    • a minimum of two years’ work experience is desirable;

Selected applicants will be required to complete the MBA interview process.

Fast Track MBA:


For Fast Track MBA programs, the Faculty’s minimum admission requirements are an undergraduate degree in business or management with an admission GPA of at least 3.2 on the 4-point scale from the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification and standing from a recognized institution.

The admission GPA will be calculated on the last 60 units of graded coursework completed, or on the equivalent of the last two years of full-time graded coursework.

For Fast Track MBA programs, a minimum of three years of full-time work experience after the undergraduate degree is required.

All applicants are required to write the Graduate Management Admission Test, and have their scores forwarded to the Associate Dean – Master’s Programs.  Although no arbitrary standard is employed, a score above 550 is desirable. The GMAT will be waived for graduates of the Alberta School of Business, Bachelor of Commerce program with a GPA of 3.0 or higher over the last 60 credits.

Where applicable, applicants must provide proof of English Language Requirement (refer to English Language Requirement ). Any one of the following is acceptable: 

  • A minimum TOEFL score of 100 with a minimum band score of 21 (internet-based) or equivalent
  • an equivalent score on an English Language Proficiency test approved by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research

For Fast Track MBA programs, applicants are required to submit the following

  • A statement of purpose explaining how the program relates to the applicant’s career goals;
  • Two letters of reference;
  • A resume outlining past work experience;

Selected applicants will be required to complete the MBA interview process.

For Fast Track MBA programs, admission for those whose degree was completed more than ten years ago are considered on a case by case basis.

Executive MBA:


For Executive MBA programs, the Faculty’s minimum admission requirements are an undergraduate degree with an admission GPA of at least 3.0 on the 4-point scale from the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification and standing from a recognized institution. 

The admission GPA will be calculated on the last 60 units of graded coursework completed, or on the equivalent of the last two years of full-time graded coursework.

For Executive MBA programs, a minimum of seven years of work experience is required.

All applicants are required to write the Graduate Management Admission Test, and have their scores forwarded to the Associate Dean – Master’s Programs.  Although no arbitrary standard is employed, a score above 550 is desirable. The GMAT will be waived for applicants to the Executive MBA program with an admission GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Where applicable, applicants must provide proof of English Language Proficiency (refer to English Language Requirement ). Any one of the following is acceptable:

  • A minimum TOEFL score of 100 with a minimum band score of 21 (internet-based) or equivalent
  • an equivalent score on an English Language Proficiency test approved by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research

For Executive MBA programs, applicants are required to submit the following

  • A statement of purpose explaining how the program relates to the applicant’s career goals;
  • Two letters of reference;
  • A resume outlining past work experience;

Selected applicants will be required to complete the EMBA interview process.

In some cases, students without an undergraduate degree, but who have 15 years of significant work experience are admissible.

Master of Accounting:


For the Master of Accounting program, the Faculty’s minimum admission requirements are an undergraduate degree with an admission GPA of at least 3.0 on the 4point scale from the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification and standing from a recognized institution. 

The admission GPA will be calculated on the last 60 units of graded coursework completed, or on the equivalent of the last two years of full-time graded coursework.

Applicants should have relevant business or professional experience and a relevant undergraduate degree.

Where applicable, applicants must provide proof of English Language Proficiency (refer to English Language Requirement ). Any one of the following is acceptable: 

  • A minimum TOEFL score of 100 with a minimum band score of 21 (internet-based) or equivalent
  • an equivalent score on an English Language Proficiency test approved by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research

Applicants must also submit

  • A list of accounting courses completed, 
  • two letters of reference, 
  • a statement of purpose explaining how the MAcc relates to the applicant’s career goals.

Selected applicants will be required to complete the MAcc interview process.

Master of Financial Management:


For the Master of Financial Management program, the Faculty’s minimum admission requirements are an undergraduate degree with an admission GPA of at least 3.0 on the 4-point scale from the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification and standing from a recognized institution. 

The admission GPA will be calculated on the last 60 units of graded coursework completed, or on the equivalent of the last two years of full-time graded coursework.

Applicants should have relevant business or professional experience and a relevant undergraduate degree.

Where applicable, applicants must provide proof of English Language Proficiency (refer to English Language Requirement ). Any one of the following is acceptable: 

  • A minimum TOEFL score of 100 with a minimum band score of 21 (internet-based) or equivalent
  • an equivalent score on an English Language Proficiency test approved by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research

Where degree programs offered by the Faculty of Business are approved to be delivered in a language other than English, the English language proficiency requirement may be waived.

Applicants must also submit

  • two letters of reference, 
  • a statement of purpose explaining how the MFM relates to the applicant’s career goals.

Selected applicants will be required to complete the MFM interview process.

Doctoral Programs:


For the PhD in Business the minimum admission requirements are an undergraduate degree with an admission GPA of at least 3.0 on the 4-point scale from the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification and standing from a recognized institution. The admission GPA will be calculated on the last 60 units of graded coursework completed, or on the equivalent of the last two years of full-time graded coursework. Completion of a Master’s degree is not a requirement.

An academic background in business is not required; demonstrated aptitude for conducting research and familiarity with a scholarly discipline are valued credentials.

Applicants to the Accounting specialization must provide evidence of accounting expertise, such as a professional accounting designation.

Where applicable, applicants must meet the minimum English Language Requirement.

All applicants are required to submit their scores from the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Scores must be from a test taken within the past five years; scores above the 90th percentile are desirable.

Applicants are also required to provide:

  1. A current resume or curriculum vitae;
  2. Three letters of reference;
  3. A statement of purpose identifying what specific topics within the area of specialization they are interested in and why; relevant skills and past experiences; and tentative plans upon completion of the program. The applicant should also identify appropriate faculty members as potential supervisors.
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Program Information:
Business Program

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Faculty:
Alberta School of Business

Delivery Mode:
On Campus

Program Type:
Course Based, Thesis Based

Degree Level:
Master's, Doctoral, Certificate

Program Requirements

Master’s Programs

Doctoral Programs

Combined Degree Programs

Certificates


Courses

Graduate courses in Business can be found in Course Listings , under the following subject headings:

Accounting (ACCTG)
Business (BUS)
Business Economics (BUEC)
Business Technology Management (BTM)
Finance (FIN)
Human Resources Management (HRM)
Management Science (MGTSC)
Marketing (MARK)
Organizational Analysis (ORG A)
Operations Management (OM)
Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Management (SEM)

Tuition and Fees

For Master’s programs, a limited number of bursaries and scholarships are available.

For Doctoral programs, the Faculty of Business normally offers funding for four years (in exceptional cases for five years) made up of several kinds of support. Tuition is normally paid for the first four years. A number of fellowships are available (see Graduate Financial Support  section of this Calendar).

For general information, please visit the Tuition and Fees page on the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research site.
Scholarships and Financial Support

The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research administers over $29 million each year in scholarships, awards, and financial support for graduate students, as well as financial and loan advising. Additional scholarships are also available for specific faculties and programs.

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Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (FGSR)
Killam Centre for Advanced Studies
2-29 Triffo Hall
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E1