UofC

Master of Business Administration (MBA) - thesis-based

MBA Specializations:

• Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• Finance
• Global Energy Management and Sustainable Development
• Marketing
• Project Management
• Real Estate Studies

Interdisciplinary Specialization:

• Energy and Environmental Systems (See the Calendar section on Interdisciplinary Specializations for further information)

In addition to the Faculty of Graduate Studies requirements for Admission, the program requires:

a) A Bachelor of Commerce with a minimum grade point average of 3.30 on a four-point scale.

b) For applicants required to prove proficiency in English, a minimum TOEFL score of 580 (paper-based test), or 97 with no section less than 20 (Internet-based test), or an IELTS score of 7.0 with no section less than 6.0. This requirement can also be met by completing Tier III of the International Foundations Program with a minimum grade of "B" on Academic Writing & Grammar III, "B" on Reading Comprehension & Proficiency III, and "B" on Listening Comprehension & Oral Fluency III.

c) A current résumé.

d) A 250-word response to each of the following questions: “How, considering your career progress to date, does an MBA fit in with your future career goals?” and “When thinking of your own personal successes, were they a result of your own personal skills or your ability to work with others? Please describe”.

e) Completion of the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT*) with a recommended minimum score of 550 or an equivalent Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for the Haskayne MBA with high scores on both verbal and quantitative subcomponents. It is recommended that applicants should place above the 70th percentile on overall test scores. A minimum GMAT score of 600 or an equivalent GRE is required for the thesis program.

f) Two reference letters.

g) Applicants may be interviewed by a member of the Admissions Committee as part of the application screening process.

*Consult the Haskayne School of Business about the Graduate Management Admission Test.  

See the Future Students website: ucalgary.ca/future-students/graduate/explore-programs/management-master-business-administration-thesis-based.

See Advanced Credit section in this Calendar.

a) A minimum of 24 units (4.0 full-course equivalents selected by the student in consultation with their supervisor. Among these 24 units (4.0 full-course equivalents), a course in research methods (Management Studies 773), Business and Environment 777 and Strategy and Global Management 601, or 795 are required. MBA Thesis students are also invited and encouraged to take one or more doctoral-level courses as part of their programs.

b) Approval of each individual's program by the Director, MBA (thesis-based) Program.
Students who lack courses in one or more of the functional disciplines in management (i.e., accounting, business technology management, finance, organizational behaviour and human resources, operations management, marketing) may be required to take courses in those areas in partial fulfillment of their program either as part of, or in addition to, the normal 24 units (4.0 full-course equivalents) requirement.

Attendance at an orientation session is mandatory for all incoming students in all MBA program options.

Credit for undergraduate courses taken prior to admission may be granted based on the approval of the Associate Dean (MBA Program).

Five years.

MBA (thesis-based) students are required to have secured a permanent supervisor within the first twelve months of their program.

Thesis Examination

MBA thesis students will complete an oral thesis examination at the end of their programs. The student presentation portion of the thesis examination is public. In addition to Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations for Thesis Examinations, the program requires:

Scheduling of the Examination
All members of the Supervisory Committee must have reviewed the student’s research, including a relevant written sample of the materials related to the thesis, before an examination can be scheduled.

Composition of the Committee
The Internal Examiner may be internal to the home program.

Students whose research involves human subjects must receive approval from the Haskayne School of Business and from the University of Calgary Conjoint Faculties Research Ethics Board before beginning data collection. MBA (Thesis) students must secure approval from the supervisor before beginning thesis research.

Financial assistance may be available to qualified students. For information on awards, please see the Awards and Financial Assistance section of this Calendar.

MBA Thesis students applying for scholarships must submit their applications to the Program Director by January 15.

All admitted full-time MBA students will be automatically considered for Business scholarships.