MBA in Canada

Studying an MBA in Canada

From general and executive MBAs to MBAs focusing on specific subjects – the business courses on offer in Canada give students variety, quality and a truly international learning experience.

An MBA course in Canada can last between ten months and two years and will fall in one of three categories: generalised, specialised or combined.

Generalised degrees are typically two years in length and cover the basics of business in the first year, with students choosing to concentrate in a specific area in the second. Specialised degrees are often one year or less and give students the chance to become experts in their particular field of study. Combined degrees last up to four years and allow students to simultaneously get their degree in business and another field, for example business and architecture or business and law.

Some of the core modules you can expect to take will include areas such as marketing, accounting, management, finance, entrepreneurship, international management and leadership. These classes will give you a solid base from which to build your MBA.

International study in Canada

The diversity of the student body for MBA courses in Canada gives a strong international feel to the programme and brings out the importance of understanding international business. Around 43% of students are international, giving an important mixture of global management styles from both the faculty and students.

As an international student studying your MBA in Canada you will pay higher tuition fees than a Canadian student. As well as tuition fees you must also take into account the cost of books, accommodation, health insurance, and general living expenses. To give you an idea of tuition fees the average cost of one year of tuition is CAD$20,000- $30,000 (£12,700-£19,000), with the cheapest school coming in at $15,000 (£9,500) and the most expensive at $78,940 (£50,000) per year. There is a wide range of scholarships and bursaries international students can apply for to help out with the costs.

Most MBA courses do not allow you to apply to them unless you have a minimum of three years experience in business or a relevant field. This is so that you can take real world experience with you into the classroom and use it to get more out of your MBA course. With this in mind many students return to their previous jobs once they have completed their MBAs.

MBA graduates who are new to the job market or are looking for a new company have a significantly increased chance of finding work. The average employment rate for MBA graduates in Canada six months after graduation is 93.9% - undoubtedly a good statistic. Not only do employers favour candidates who have chosen to further their education but companies very often recruit straight from MBA programmes, giving students the first option on jobs. Your university will help you increase your career prospects by offering help with your resume, as well as with networking and interviewing.

Work in Canada

As an international student who has studied for an MBA in Canada it is possible to stay and work after graduation. In order to be able to work you need to apply for a visa and work permit, as you cannot just stay there on your student visa.

The visa application process is complicated so you must apply for it as soon as you know you will be staying in Canada. Many students find it beneficial to find work with a company and then get that company to sponsor them for their visa. This means they are more likely to have it approved as they have work and a means to support themselves.

You need to apply to the Canadian embassy in your home country for a permanent visa to live and work abroad. If you are going to work in Quebec you need a certificate of acceptance from the Quebec government. You can find out all you need to know about visas from the Canadian Visa website. 

Related Articles

• Why do an MBA?
• Recent years have witnessed a rapid growth in the UK and international MBA market, with an increasing demand for training in what is now routinely accepted as the premier graduate qualification in the world.
• Distance Learning MBA, Full Time Programmes at all Levels
• Distance Learning MBA. There are various approaches to learning. Full time programmes at all levels require a career break of some sort. This may be acceptable especially for short courses or where you get leave of absence but you also have to consider access, location, timing, the quality of the group and of the deliverer. Local courses may be of restricted quality and you may not be able to afford overseas courses.
• Online MBA programs
• The online MBA is a relatively new development and as such there are very few business schools that are offering an MBA program entirely online. Many online programs still require students to attend mandatory residential courses as part of their syllabus. The length and frequency of these "contact" sessions vary depending on the school and program.
• MBA Rankings, Are a Great Way for Perspective Students to Select
• MBA Rankings. MBA rankings are a great way for perspective students to select between the best business programs offered at reputable universities. With future students in mind four main sources, The Financial Times, Business Week and The Economist publish a list of universities that offer the best program to earn a Master's in Business Administration. Taking the MBA rankings into account, perspective students will have a general idea of the status and value of their future degree in the business world. When selecting a school students should be aware of these rankings, even though they are debatable since they are seen by so many hiring companies.
• MBA Rankings, Business Week and U.S. News & World Report
• MBA Rankings. The ranking of business schools has been a controversial subject for a number of years. It is only recently, however, that they have become popular with the press, publicized and generally accepted. As a matter of fact, one of the principal reasons for the rankings has been the ability of the articles to boost the circulation of the magazines.

Related Courses

• Full-time MBA
• A global MBA with an Asia Pacific focus. Students can choose an Asia specific track such as China, Japan or Vietnam. Hawaii’s only AACSB accredited MBA program. The cohort format fosters teamwork and peer learning
• Full-time MBA
• The Full-time MBA is an intensive one year programme, which offers a rigorous and challenging process of personal and management development.
• Part-time MBA
• The Part-time MBA is a 3 year part-time programme, designed for those working in a wide variety of managerial, technical and professional roles.