Master in Business Administration

Key Points

  • Work permit while you study

  • Possibility of requesting Post Graduation Work Permit (3 years)

  • Start dates: January, April, July, October

  • Duration: 2 years

  • Type: Full Time
  • Hours: Daytime

  • Tuition Fee: From 18,420 CAD / year

  • Scholarships available

Write to us for more information

UCW’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program will prepare you for leadership on the global stage. This program is accredited by ACBSP. You will take the most challenging situations in stride, apply pragmatic solutions to the problems you encounter, and ultimately drive the success of an organization with your informed decision making.

We collaborate with digital leaders like Salesforce (Trailhead), Tableau, and IBM to add relevant digital components to our courses (see course structure below). This aligns with our digital vision and keeps you up to date with upcoming technology trends.

Program results

  • Respond strategically to business challenges and opportunities.

  • Evaluate the ethical implications of business activities.

  • Develops, implements and evaluates solutions to business problems.

  • Develops, implements and evaluates solutions to business problems.

  • Demonstrates effective skills to collaborate with diverse groups of people.

  • Lead teams through problem solving and successful completion of projects and tasks.

  • Integrate personal values and perspectives in problem solving and take responsibility for decisions.

  • Communicate ideas persuasively (written and oral) as a result of a thorough analysis of information.

  • Collect, analyze and synthesize information for a business context.

Career options

Academica Group has been surveying our MBA graduates 6 months after graduation (which will continue in 2020).
According to data from January 2020 of the graduates who participated in the study:

  • 100% postgraduate employment in 6 months
  • 88% have found a job within 3 months of graduation
  • 67% have found a job within a month of graduation.

Our alumni work for some of the leading organizations in the world such as;

  • Siemens
  • Apple
  • Nestle
  • Scotiabank
  • Telus
  • SoftMoc
  • EmpowerID
  • SAVIA
  • Marketing Kangaroos
  • Sigamlux
  • GPP
  • Danone
  • Oakville Trading
  • RBC
  • Walt Disney World

Learning method

UCW brings together students from around the world, leading to an enhanced learning environment. Students learn not only from program leaders, but from each other. Students present different knowledge about topics, depending on their culture and background.
Our MBA program is taught by a team of dedicated and highly trained professors with many years of experience in the industry. You will learn through a combination of the following methods:

  • Lectures and class discussions.
  • Study academic literature.
  • Taking a closer look at the case studies.
  • Listen to the experiences of classmates.

Program structure

The program is divided into four levels that will progressively develop your skill set, until you are able to handle the most complex problems. Team activities are an intrinsic part of the MBA, reflecting the need for team skills in modern business and providing a collegiate learning environment.

The program has been expanded to allow you to acquire more specific knowledge and skills by choosing your 3 electives from one of the following subject areas: Leadership , Marketing or Finance .

The program ends with a major research project designed to showcase your newly acquired skills in a real world environment.

Through this orientation, students come to understand their academic expectations, requirements, rights, and responsibilities at University Canada West. Students will learn how to access the university services and systems they need to be successful in their studies. Orientation includes practices in information literacy, academic integrity, critical thinking, and academic writing.

Level 1 courses are your entrance to the MBA program. They establish basic college research and writing skills while providing you with a theoretical and practical foundation for what follows in the program.

BUSI 601 – Business environment, ethics and strategy
This course explores the context of strategic analysis and business decision making, including the impact of social, technical, economic, environmental, and political factors on organizational success; and the tactics companies use to respond to those factors. The ethical framework of decision-making in relation to global stakeholders anchors this exploration. You will examine the best business practices around the world.

MGMT 601 – Leadership in the global context
This course incorporates elements of leadership and strategic implementation at all levels within an organization. Students will learn about leadership theories and consider best practices that can differentiate highly successful leaders from others. They will commit to identifying your leadership styles and your potential, with a view to improving your ability to lead teams. Leadership and strategic planning skills will be developed through the knowledge and application of strategic management tools and processes. Students will be challenged to adopt new leadership strategies, skills, and thinking.

ORGB 601 – Human interfaces
Understanding human dynamics in an organizational context, including individual, group, and organization-wide interactions, is critical to productivity and performance in the workplace. Students will analyze sources of tension and conflict within organizations and learn strategies for harnessing positive energy and productivity.

RSCH 600 – Research and consultation methodologies
The course will focus on basic research methods (quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods) and developing the skills that will be required to write effective research articles throughout your MBA program. Topics include understanding the ethical considerations of conducting research, developing and refining research topics, developing a problem statement, and formulating research questions and hypotheses. Students will assess and critique the quality of published literature by employing critical thinking skills, writing abstracts for individual entries in a literature review, and / or writing full abstracts of articles for a literature review. Students will also practice writing the various sections of a research paper, such as the abstract, introduction and theoretical background, problem statements, etc.

Level 2 courses begin to explore the functional areas of organizational operations. These courses expect a more advanced level of study than Level 1.

ACCT 621 – Managerial Accounting
This course investigates the use of accounting information in decisions made by management during the planning and control process. Includes: systems that measure the cost and profitability of products and services, the implications of the change in investment, cost reduction strategies and financial reporting guidelines, both formal and informal requirements, and their effect on managerial judgment . In particular, the focus will be on internal control mechanisms. This will include the implication of changes in accounting policy on investment, operation and financing options.

Prerequisites: completion of level 1

MRKT 621 – Marketing Management
Marketing principles that will help students implement a marketing strategy for an organization. They include: the marketing environment, segmentation, positioning, consumer behavior, customer service, market research, branding, pricing, distribution, and innovation. Emphasis is placed on an analysis of changes in the market that affect the future of an organization.

Prerequisites: completion of level 1

OPMT 620 – Operations Management
Operations management seeks to implement and monitor processes to help ensure that quality products and services are delivered in a timely and cost-effective manner to customers. The course includes information technology and decision support systems using production and operations management software. Statistical methods and state-of-the-art concepts are discussed as part of comprehensive management practices.

Prerequisites: Level 2 completion

HRMT 620 – Canadian Human Resources Management
This course will explore how to develop strategies, policies, procedures, systems and structures to manage human resources in a Canadian business context. Students who complete the course will master the issues companies face in this environment, critically examine key HR tools for success, and define a set of business “best practices” to support and advise managers and leaders to have success in these settings.

Prerequisites: completion of level 1

HRMT 621 – Human resources management in the global environment
This course will explore how to develop strategies, policies, procedures, systems and structures to manage human resources in a global and multicultural business context. Students who complete the course will master the problems companies face in this environment, critically examine key HR tools for success, and define a set of business “best practices” to support and advise managers and leaders to have success in these settings.

Prerequisites: completion of level 1

Level 3 courses will give you the in-depth knowledge necessary to become a qualified professional in the field.

FNCE 623 – Financial management
This course analyzes the impact of internal and external financial decisions on the organization. Introduces the topic of financial markets and how financial reporting relates to business success, especially with regard to the ability to raise capital. A discussion of the different instruments and institutions used during the process will be included. Some strategies to evaluate and minimize risk will be presented. Behind much of the analysis will be the concept of the theory of the value of money in time. The role and expectations of shareholders will be presented. In the end, it will be clear that most decisions within an organization have significant financial implications, explicit or not. These must be understood and managed well.

Prerequisites: Level 2 completion

BUSI 640 – Consulting practice
This course is designed to develop skills regarding internal and external client relationships. Topics include: contracts, requests for proposals, customer attachment, role expectations, intervention models, process consultation, organizational learning, detachment, and related concepts. This is a basic course for the Research / Consulting Project.

Prerequisites: Level 2 completion

MGMT 640 – Project Management
Increasingly, organizations use project teams as a central operating process. This is the result of increasing internal and external complexity. It examines the need for greater and deeper involvement of teams in the operation of organizations, and the requirement to understand how teams operate and the different forms of related structures and reward systems. This course investigates the role of project teams and their management.

Prerequisites: completion of level 1

Electives
MBA Level 3 students must also take two electives from the Level 3 elective group.

Optional work experience

WORK 600 – Preparation for the work experience
This course is designed to prepare MBA students for their MBA work experience. Students will examine their competencies, skills, attitudes, and work, volunteer, and educational experiences in order to prepare for the job search and work. Students will develop a resume and cover letter and develop networking and interview skills. Students will understand business expectations of employees. (One hour per week) Grading on a pass / fail basis.

JOB 610 – MBA I work experience
The work experience is designed to provide supervised practical experience in a place where students can apply the skills learned in the MBA program. (35 hours a week for 12 weeks) Pass / Fail grade.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of WORK 600 and a CGPA of 3.33 or better.

JOB 611- MBA Work Experience II
The work experience is designed to provide supervised practical experience in a place where students can apply the skills learned in the MBA program. (35 hours a week for 12 weeks) Pass / Fail grade.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of WORK 610

Level 4 courses are the final step of your program. They provide the opportunity to integrate and polish your knowledge. Include a major consulting or primary research project that demonstrates your ability in a field of interest to you.

MBAR 661 – Consultancy / Research Project
The Consulting / Research Project, the final stage of the MBA degree, is completed independently under the direction of an assigned academic supervisor. Students will be assessed on the quality of the final work and their ability to conduct practical research (typically field research) and analyze the results and implications of this research. The project will be important not only for advancing and applying what you have learned in the MBA program, but also for the value it brings to the sponsoring organization, be it the student’s own workplace or another organization. Students must make an oral presentation of their consulting / research work to invited members of the university community. MBAR 661 must be completed in 2 consecutive academic terms. There are no extensions for this course.

MGMT 661 – Strategic Management
Strategic management focuses on formulating the strategy and actions taken by top management using the organization’s resources in a synergistic way to improve the performance of internal and external environments. The course serves as an opportunity to develop skills for analysis and strategic thinking, leadership, communication, teamwork, and cross-functional integration. Students learn about business and corporate planning, as well as about implementing organizational change through structures, systems, and people. The approach taken includes lectures, case analysis, and active learning through group efforts.
Prerequisites: completion of level 3

Now you have a choice. You can select electives from different groups of electives as you progress through your study program. You can select three electives from one of the elective groups in Marketing , Finance or Leadership , to gain specialized knowledge and skills. The following elective courses are currently available:

Leadership

MGMT 643 Change Management
This course will investigate the theory of intervention around the dynamics of change. Methods will be included to align organizational structures with strategy within environmental vagaries. Change agent models will be discussed and data collection, content analysis, and feedback mechanisms will be described to help the organization achieve risk reduction by leveraging a creative and proactive response.

Prerequisites: Level 2 completion

MGMT 645 negotiations
Negotiation is the art and science of reaching agreements between two or more interdependent parties. Students who complete this course will understand negotiation theory and processes as practiced in a variety of settings, will understand the components of effective negotiation, and will be able to analyze their own negotiation behavior. The course will be largely experiential, giving students the opportunity to develop their skills by participating in negotiation exercises and integrating their experiences with the principles presented in assigned readings and class discussions. This course will be eligible for the Leadership specialization.

MGMT 660 Leadership and decision making
Four core competencies support successful leaders: the ability to communicate vision and strategy in simple, direct, and relevant language; live and refine a consistent leadership philosophy; be critically reflective and aware of how individual biographies shape our behaviors and relationships; and constant experimentation with creative and innovative ways of decision making and problem solving. In this final course, students will engage in active learning experiences where they will build on their learning from the MBA program and develop their leadership skills through a series of weekly exercises, a paper and / or computer based business simulation and case studies.

Prerequisites: completion of level 3

Marketing management

MRKT 623 Digital Marketing Strategy
This course provides an overview of digital marketing and a framework for developing marketing strategies in digital environments. Students will learn how to develop integrated digital marketing strategies in pursuit of long-term marketing goals. The course will include an introduction to the wide range of ever-changing digital channels that are critical to building a message or brand. Topics include: digital channels, social media, online advertising, mobile responsive design, international channels, digital marketing optimization, digital marketing strategy, and ethical, social, and legal issues in digital marketing.

Marketing promotion MRKT 625
This course will introduce students to the field of advertising and promotions from an Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) perspective. A primary goal is to allow students to develop a deep understanding of the communication function within the company’s marketing mix. This course will include the study of promotional strategies and tactics, the design of promotional materials, and the implementation and evaluation of promotional campaigns.

MRKT 627 International Marketing
This course builds on concepts learned in other marketing courses and allows students to practice applying these concepts in a foreign market context. Students will learn how foreign cultural, economic, and political conditions affect the needs of global consumers, the design and implementation of the marketing mix, and go-to-market strategies. In addition, students will learn how to assess the market potential of a country and conduct a business and competitive risk assessment. This course will also allow students to develop an understanding of international logistics and import / export procedures.

Financial management

FNCE 625 Investment analysis and management
Students who complete this This course will understand investment concepts and security features and will be able to apply these concepts when analyzing various types of investment securities and understanding how an investment portfolio is managed. Topics covered include investment alternatives, equity markets, securities trading, risk and return offsets, fixed income securities, equities, derivatives, SWAP, analytical approaches, and portfolio selection and management. This course will be eligible for the specialization in Financial Management.

FNCE 627 Personal Financial Planning
Students will be introduced to financial planning issues and strategies to achieve long-term financial planning goals with a focus on retirement planning. Topics include RRSP, RRIF, LIF, products such as investments, insurance, pension and annuity plans, the functions of taxes, the time value of money, and risk in financial and estate planning. This course will be eligible for the specialization in Financial Management.

FNCE 629 Management of global financial institutions
Students will learn about the financial institutions industry, the risks involved in the industry, the regulatory framework for financial institutions, and approaches to monitoring and managing risks (Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) and the regulatory environment in Canada already world level This course will be eligible for the specialization in Financial Management.

Admission requirements

A Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university officially translated into English, with a cumulative GPA of 3.00 on a scale of 4.33 (or equivalent) or better and have one of the following:

  • Acceptable score on a Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Registration Exams (GRE) written in the last five years.
  • An appropriate Canadian professional designation or equivalent international designation (for example, CPA, CA, CGA, CMA, CHRP, or P.Eng).
  • A Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) or Commerce (BComm) or equivalent.
  • A minimum of three (3) years of documented professional or managerial experience.

Applicants who do not meet all of the above academic and professional requirements may also qualify to enter the MBA program after completing the MBA Foundation program.

Via MBA-ACCA
ACCA students can now complete their ACCA qualification at the same time they earn their University Canada West MBA. Students who have passed or have exemptions for the first nine ACCA jobs are now eligible to directly join the MBA program and / or complete their ACCA Strategic Professional Qualification consecutively.

Completing the ACCA itinerary requires students to take 13 exams. There is faster MBA completion, with credit transfers for up to three UCW courses.

Fluency in English
English is the language of instruction at University Canada West. If your first language is not English, you must take proof of English proficiency, such as an academic IELTS score of 6.5 or better with a minimum of 6.0 in the writing band, or equivalent. More information is available in the English Proficiency section of this website.

You can complete English courses (University Access Program) to meet the English proficiency requirements of the MBA / MBA Foundation program.

Learn more about our educational offer

Request your quote

An advisor will contact you by phone and email within the following hours

    Master in Business Administration