Considering an MBA or executive MBA? Here’s a guide to Canada’s best programs

Table of contents

Executive MBAs

MBAs

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Executive MBA programs

Overview

Find the schedule that works for you

Do you want your weekends free or to

never leave your house? Here’s how to

choose the right EMBA

online

Sandermoen

(U of Fred)

DeGroote

(McMaster)

Athabasca

University

weekly

one day,

fridays or saturdays

John Molson

(Concordia)

Université de

Sherbrooke

every two weeks

one day,

fridays or

saturdays

saturdays

and

sundays

fridays

and

saturdays

Cornell-

Queen’s

Université

Laval

Telfer (U of

Ottawa)

University

of PEI

Smith

(Queen’s)

Rotman One-

Year (U of T)

Beedie

(Simon Fraser)

Haskayne

(U of Calgary)

Beedie Americas

EMBA (Simon Fraser)

every three weeks

Kellogg-

Schulich

monthly

thursday

to sunday

friday to

sunday

Desautels

(McGill-HEC)

Université

du Québec

à Montréal

University

of Alberta

Ivey

(Western)

Find the schedule that works for you

Do you want your weekends free or to never leave

your house? Here’s how to choose the right EMBA

online

Sandermoen

(U of Fred)

DeGroote

(McMaster)

Athabasca

University

weekly

one day,

fridays or

saturdays

John Molson

(Concordia)

Université de

Sherbrooke

every two weeks

one day,

fridays or

saturdays

saturdays

and

sundays

fridays

and

saturdays

Cornell-

Queen’s

Université

Laval

Rotman One-

Year (U of T)

Telfer (U of

Ottawa)

University

of PEI

Smith

(Queen’s)

Beedie

(Simon Fraser)

Haskayne

(U of Calgary)

Beedie Americas

EMBA (Simon Fraser)

every three weeks

Kellogg-

Schulich

monthly

friday to

sunday

Desautels

(McGill-HEC)

thursday

to sunday

Université

du Québec

à Montréal

Ivey

(Western)

University

of Alberta

Find the schedule that works for you

Do you want your weekends free or to never leave your house?

Here’s how to choose the right EMBA

every two weeks

every three weeks

online

weekly

monthly

Athabasca

University

Kellogg-

Schulich

thursday

to sunday

one day,

fridays or

saturdays

DeGroote

(McMaster)

saturdays

and

sundays

friday to

sunday

Université de

Sherbrooke

Sandermoen

(U of Fred)

Cornell-

Queen’s

Desautels

(McGill-HEC)

fridays

and

saturdays

John Molson

(Concordia)

Ivey

(Western)

Université

du Québec

à Montréal

Université

Laval

University

of PEI

University

of Alberta

Telfer (U of

Ottawa)

Smith

(Queen’s)

Haskayne

(U of Calgary)

Beedie

(Simon Fraser)

Beedie Americas

EMBA (Simon Fraser)

Rotman One-

Year (U of T)

What grads can expect in the three

years after receiving an EMBA

A 14.2%average

increase in compensation

(salary and bonus)

41%also get

a promotion

52%gain new

responsibilities in

their job

What grads can expect in the three

years after receiving an EMBA

A 14.2%average

increase in compensation

(salary and bonus)

41%also get

a promotion

52%gain new

responsibilities in

their job

What grads can expect in the three years after receiving an EMBA

41%also get

a promotion

A14.2%

average

increase in

compensation

(salary and

bonus)

52%gain new

responsibilities

in their job

The schools

Atlantic Canada

Saint Mary’s University

Sobey School of Business

Halifax

Tuition: $53,000

Number of students accepted: 13

Male-female ratio: 70-30

Average work experience: 10 years

Duration: 18 months

GO HERE If you want a fresh take on the EMBA. Sobey put its program on pause for this year as it revamps to better suit the needs of today’s executives (though it will retain its focus on evidence-based management).

TRAVEL ALERT In 2018, students travelled to Ghent, Belgium, to represent eight Nova Scotia companies at the largest food and seafood expo in Europe. In 2017, students went to Vietnam on a trade mission with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

LOCAL FOCUS The Change Lab & Action Research Centre on campus is designed to support Nova Scotia communities to address social and economic challenges.

ACCOLADES It was recently ranked the No. 5 program in Canada by Ivy Exec, and it’s one of the few EMBA programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

University of Fredericton

Sandermoen School of Business

Online

Tuition: $29,500

Number of students accepted: 195

Male-female ratio: 56-44

Average work experience: 16 years

Duration: 30 months

GO HERE If you’re looking for flexibility and choice. Students can access course materials 24-7 and learn from professors and lecturers across North America. Plus, the school offers seven leadership specializations, including global, innovation, health and safety, and social enterprise.

TRAVEL ALERT For their final project, students can travel to an international location to explore global market entry and other core business considerations.

University of Prince Edward Island

Charlottetown

Tuition: $33,900

Number of students accepted: 17

Male-female ratio: 40-60

Average work experience: 10

Duration: 20 months

GO HERE If you’re interested in learning how to leverage research findings to make more informed decisions – the program is a pioneer in evidence-based management.

SPECIALIZATIONS Innovative management; biotechnology management; and entrepreneurship.

WHAT TO EXPECT Students take four courses at a time, spending nine hours per course per week, plus another 15 to 20 hours a week for course and team work.

QUEBEC

Concordia University

John Molson School of Business

Montreal

Tuition: $75,000

Number of students accepted: 20

Male-female ratio: 60-40

Average work experience: 17 years

Duration: 20 months

GO HERE If you’re looking for a family-friendly schedule (just one day a week), with a distributive learning format and applied courses with cases, simulations and games.

TRAVEL ALERT Students take a seven-to-10-day study trip at the end of the second semester to meet with captains of industry and Canadian expats in relevant sectors.

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS Each cohort is assigned a champion—a well-respected business leader who remains in contact throughout the program. Champions have included Andrew Molson, vice-chair of Molson Coors, and France Chrétien Desmarais.

WORK-STUDY Students work on a specific project for a corporation throughout the two-year program.

McGill University/HEC Montréal

Desautels Faculty of Management

Montreal

EMBA McGill-HEC Montréal

Tuition: $89,000

Number of students accepted: 46

Male-female ratio: 50-50

Average work experience: 18 years

Duration: 15 months

GO HERE If you speak French (the program is bilingual) and you’re looking to rub elbows with execs: More than 50% of students are vice-president or above; one-quarter are president, CEO or general manager.

TRAVEL ALERT For the so-called Worldly Mindset module, students spend eight days abroad to learn about managing under uncertainty. Last year’s class went to Argentina.

ENCOURAGING DIVERSITY McGill offers two scholarships for non-profit managers and two for Indigenous managers, each worth $50,000.

MINTZBERG ALERT Management thinker Henry Mintzberg, whose research forms the foundation of the program, is a regular lecturer.

Université de Sherbrooke

Longueuil

Tuition: $49,200

Number of students accepted: 15

Male-female ratio: 60-40

Average work experience: 15+ years

Duration: 18 months

GO HERE If you’re looking for a competency-based approach to learning. Instead of standardized courses, candidates receive a customized curriculum focused on developing the skills they need for their role as managers.

TRAVEL SURPRISE The program includes four off-site residencies, with a twist: Students receive no information about destinations in advance; the surprise effect is part of the learning experience.

Université du Québec à Montréal

Montreal and 11 other countries

Tuition: $8,400 (Quebec residents), $9,500 (rest of Canada)

Number of students accepted: 92

Male-female ratio: 60-40

Average work experience: 9 years

Duration: 24 months

GO HERE If you’re looking for a program with an international flavour. Students can earn a second diploma from Université Paris-Dauphine and take courses at one of 12 partner institutions in 11 countries, including Algeria, Cameroon, China, Peru and Vietnam. Since its inception in 1979, more than 10,000 students worldwide have graduated from the program.

TRIPLE THREAT The case-based program is offered in English, French and Spanish.

COOL COURSE The summer course on strategic and competitive intelligence, which takes place during one intensive week in Montreal, draws students from all over the globe.

ACCOLADES Eduniversal ranked UQAM’s program No. 1 in eastern Europe in 2016 and tops in France for 2018.

Université Laval

Quebec City

Tuition: $19,500

Number of students accepted: 35

Male-female ratio: 60-40

Average work experience: 16 years

Duration: 18 months

GO HERE If you’re looking for a flexible program—students spend just 45 days in the classroom.

TRAVEL ALERT Candidates can spend a week studying at Babson College in Massachusetts, which is ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for entrepreneurship.

BONUS One-quarter of graduates get a promotion, and 30% find a new job. Plus, graduates' average salaries are $10,000 higher.

NICHES Social responsibility; green accounting; IT governance; and international trade missions.

ONTARIO

McMaster University

DeGroote School of Business

(EMBA in Digital Transformation)

Burlington

Tuition: $89,000

Number of students accepted: 30

Male-female ratio: 68-32

Average work experience: 16 years

Duration: 14 months

GO HERE If you’re looking to advance your career in organizations that value digitally driven strategy and insight. DeGroote offers the first EMBA in the world focusing on digital transformation.

NOTEWORTHY PROF Karel Vredenburg, director of IBM Design, teaches the interactive innovation leadership by design course, where future leaders learn how to overcome barriers to disruptive innovation.

TRAVEL ALERT The second residency is held in Silicon Valley and features site visits, tours and speakers from an array of organizations (the 2018 trip included Google, Facebook, Wells Fargo and Salesforce).

Queen's University and Cornell University

Smith School of Business and Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management

(Cornell-Queen’s EMBA Americas)

Kingston and Ithaca, New York

Tuition: $137,794

Number of students accepted: 158

Male-female ratio: 70-30

Average work experience: 13 years

Duration: 17 months

GO HERE If you want two degrees on your wall, and the cred of having attended one of the top-ranked programs in the world. Plus, classes are shared by Canadian, Latin American and American participants, meaning students finish the program with a fat Rolodex of international contacts.

TRAVEL ALERT The team-based global business project takes students to an international destination of their choice to work on a real business issue or opportunity for a client organization.

Queen's University

Smith School of Business

Kingston and other cities

Tuition: $101,000

Number of students accepted: 77

Male-female ratio: 70-30

Average work experience: 14 years

Duration: 16 months

GO HERE If you’re looking for a top-tier EMBA program available anywhere in Canada. Students can attend classes in major cities across the country or virtually from their couch—er, home office.

COACHES 'R' US Each student has a support group that includes a team coach, a career coach, an executive coach and a lifestyle coach.

DOUBLE DOWN Students can work toward a Project Management Professional designation.

TRAVEL ALERT As part of the team-based global business project, students travel to an international destination of their choosing to work on a real international issue or opportunity for a client organization.

University of Ottawa

Telfer School of Management

Ottawa

Tuition: $75,000

Number of students accepted: 35

Male-female ratio: 66-34

Average work experience: 15 years

Duration: 21 months

GO HERE If you want to move up. In the most recent cohort, 80% of students reported making a shift or progression within 12 months of graduation.

TEAM SPIRIT Before the program even starts, Telfer divides each class into teams of five to seven members, who remain together for the duration.

SPECIALIZATION Consulting is an integral part of the program. For its Signature Series of Six Business Consulting Projects, students consult with one of 60 client organizations. Candidates can also begin working on a Project Management Professional designation.

TRAVEL ALERT One of Telfer’s consulting projects takes students to Silicon Valley to work with a tech startup. Another takes students overseas; last year’s trip was to Vietnam.

ACCOLADES Telfer’s EMBA has been named No. 1 Global EMBA by CEO Magazine for two years running, and it’s one of just two schools to hold the triple crown of international accreditations (AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS).

University of Toronto

Rotman School of Management

(Global EMBA)

Toronto

Tuition: $107,000

Number of students accepted: 27

Male-female ratio: 70-30

Average work experience: 12 years

Duration: 18 months

GO HERE If you’re looking to develop expertise and contacts in global markets. Students must travel to 11 cities on five continents, including Shanghai, Hong Kong, New Delhi, Mumbai, Budapest, San Francisco, Santiago, Johannesburg and Dubai.

LEADERS WANTED The Leadership Development Practicum offers personal assessment, one-on-one coaching, and a plan to create “emotionally intelligent” and effective leaders.

NICHE STUDY Entrepreneurship; innovation; and personal leadership

University of Toronto

Rotman School of Management

(One-Year EMBA)

Toronto

Tuition: $113,775

Number of students accepted: 63

Male-female ratio: 59-41

Average work experience: 15 years

Duration: 13 months

GO HERE If you want to become a better leader. Rotman’s Leadership Development Practicum offers personal assessment, one-on-one coaching, and a plan to create “emotionally intelligent” and effective leaders.

ENTREPRENEUR ALERT Students can apply to the nine-month Creative Destruction Lab program, one of the world’s fastest-growing venture labs, where founders are paired with experienced entrepreneurs and investors.

GLOBAL EXPERIENCE ALERT Students can take one international exchange elective course with the Bocconi School of Management (Italy) or International Business School of Suzhou (China).

University of Toronto

Rotman School of Management

(Global EMBA for Healthcare and the Life Sciences)

Tuition: $113,775

Number of students accepted: N/A

Male-female ratio: N/A

Average work experience: N/A

Duration: 18 months

If you want a program tailored for health-care and life sciences providers, scientists, regulatory professionals and suppliers. This brand new program—located in the centre of Toronto’s medical discovery district—gives students hands-on experience in three key health-care clusters: Toronto, San Francisco and Singapore.

Western University

Ivey Business School

Toronto

Tuition: $110,000

Number of students accepted: 115 (two intakes, fall and winter)

Male-female ratio: 69-31

Average work experience: 15 years

Duration: 15 months

GO HERE If you like a hands-on and practical learning approach, and want a top-rated general management and leadership program.

NOTEWORTHY GUESTS Former prime minister Stephen Harper and Maple Leaf Foods CEO Michael McCain have delivered lectures in the past.

TRAVEL ALERT Students can spend a week in China, India or Vietnam working on a project with members of their own class and professionals from other top global EMBA programs. The entrepreneurship course takes students to Silicon Valley, and the sustainability course heads to Mexico City to attend an annual conference focused on entrepreneurial solutions to poverty.

CEOS 'R' US Alumni include Linamar CEO Linda Hasenfratz (1997), TD Ameritrade CEO Tim Hockey (1997), former HBC vice-chair Bonnie Brooks (2008) and Stacey Allaster (2000), head of professional tennis for the U.S. Tennis Association.

York University and Northwestern University

Schulich School of Business and Kellogg School of Management

(Kellogg-Schulich EMBA)

Toronto and Chicago

Tuition: $125,000

Number of students accepted: 45

Male-female ratio: 70-30

Average work experience: 15 years

Duration: 18 months

GO HERE If you’re looking to expand your global network. EMBA candidates, who complete a two-week residential stay at Kellogg’s Executive MBA campus in Chicago, have the opportunity to meet and study alongside nearly 400 business leaders from around the world.

ACCOLADES It’s the top-ranked EMBA program in Canada, according to both Financial Times and The Economist (which puts it at No. 55 in the world).

TRAVEL ALERT Students can take electives at partner schools in Germany, Tel Aviv, Beijing and Hong Kong.

DO-GOODERS 'R' US Alumni include Free the Children founder Craig Kielburger (2009); Nobel Prize winner Ellie Farahani (for her work, along with Al Gore and others, on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change); and Dr. Narendra Singh (2017), who won the Meritorious Service Medal for Guyana Help the Kids, which helped reduce infant mortality in his native country by more than 40%.

ALBERTA

Athabasca University

Online

Tuition: $27,253–$48,865

Number of students accepted: 231 (three intakes per year)

Male-female ratio: 57-43

Average work experience: 9 years (managerial)

Duration: 19–36 months

GO HERE If you want work-school-life balance. Athabasca’s 24-hour online program has been around since the Internet’s prehistoric age (okay, 1994), and allows students to set their study hours, with one mandatory in-residence course that can be completed at sites across Canada and internationally. Plus, there are three intakes per year, in January, May and August.

BONUS CPAs can earn transfer credits. And if you’ve done a business undergrad in the past decade, you could qualify for an accelerated program.

University of Alberta

Alberta School of Business

Edmonton

Tuition: $67,000

Number of students accepted: 24

Male-female ratio: 60-40

Average work experience: 12.5 years

Duration: 22 months

GO HERE If you want to broaden your horizons and enhance your leadership capacity while building a strong personal network. Students also have access to the Alberta School of Business’s Executive Coaching program, which is designed to drive individual and purposeful growth, and sustained performance enhancement.

LEARN WHILE YOU EARN Students bring their company into the classroom with the capstone project. EMBA candidates work on a multifaceted business issue from their workplace and develop a practical, tangible and implementable solution.

TRAVEL ALERT Students spend two weeks in China seeing first-hand how multinational and Chinese companies operate.

SCHMOOZE ALERT Students can hear from local leaders and broaden their network through the program’s Executive Speaker Series.

NICHE STUDY Leadership; strategy; and global business.

University of Calgary

Haskayne School of Business

Calgary

Tuition: $69,000

Number of students accepted: 60

Male-female ratio: 70-30

Average work experience: 14 years

Duration: 22 months

GO HERE If you’re looking to be the boss – leadership is a central theme across the program’s core curriculum.

TRAVEL ALERT Students participate in an international study tour (past locations have included Buenos Aires and Santiago, and Hong Kong and Tokyo), where they will visit headquarters, schmooze with industry and government leaders, and compare Canadian and international business and operational practices.

ENERGY BOOST Half of last year’s class worked in the energy sector – and one-fifth came from the nonprofit sector.

TEAM SPIRIT Students have free access to an executive coach, who can help hone their leadership style (or offer a shoulder to cry on as they juggle work, home and school).

BONUS Students can participate in workshops offered in conjunction with the Canadian Centre for Advanced Leadership in Business.

NICHE STUDY Finance, where topics include mergers and acquisitions, problems in financial management, and derivatives and financial risk management.

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Simon Fraser University

Beedie School of Business

Vancouver

Tuition: $55,000

Number of students accepted: 47

Male-female ratio: 67-33

Average work experience: 18 years (including 10 years of management experience)

Duration: 20 months

GO HERE If you want to be a better team player. Beedie offers small classes with simulated leadership teams that work together to solve business problems. Candidates can expect to work on the same teams for the first year.

PROGRAM CRED Beedie is the longest-running EMBA in Canada – it’s celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

TRAVEL ALERT Students who opt for the second-year Americas EMBA stream attend four nine-day sessions at SFU, Vanderbilt University (Nashville), ITAM (Mexico City) and FIA (São Paulo).

Simon Fraser University

Beedie School of Business

(EMBA in Indigenous Business and Leadership)

Vancouver

Tuition: $55,500

Number of students accepted: 30

Male-female ratio: 40-60

Average work experience: 20–25+ years

Duration: 25 months

GO HERE If you’re interested in Indigenous economic development, First Nations building and collaboration. Students explore contemporary business issues, while recognizing and respecting that traditional knowledge, cultural protocols and history play a significant role in decision-making in Indigenous communities. So far, 50 Indigenous people have graduated from the program.

NOTEWORTHY LECTURERS Former national chief Phil Fontaine; former prime minister Paul Martin; Stephen Cornell, founder of the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development; plus various chiefs and representatives of First Nations organizations.

TRAVEL ALERT Students can travel to the Native Nations Institute at the University of Arizona (and can even earn a certificate from the school). Beedie is also exploring study tours with the Maori in New Zealand and the Aborigines in Australia.

Open this photo in gallery:

MBA programs

Overview

Average cost of graduate

programs for Canadians

2016-’17 and2017-’18

$50,830

EMBA

$51,891

MBA

$28,532

$29,293

Math,

computer

science

$7,727

$7,906

$7,077

Engineering

$7,226

$4,647

$4,734

Humanities

$7,077

$7,226

Dentistry

Average cost of graduate

programs for Canadians

2016-’17 and2017-’18

$50,830

EMBA

$51,891

MBA

$28,532

$29,293

Math,

computer

science

$7,727

$7,906

$7,077

Engineering

$7,226

$4,647

$4,734

Humanities

$7,077

$7,226

Dentistry

Average cost of graduate programs for Canadians

2016-’17 and2017-’18

$29,293

Engineering

Math,

computer,

science

$7,077

MBA

$7,226

$51,891

$7,727

$28,532

Humanities

$7,906

$4,674

EMBA

$4,734

Dentistry

$50,830

$7,077

$7,226

Average tuition costs for MBAs

across Canada

British

Columbia

$35,286

Prairies

$34,534

Ontario

$47,100

Quebec

$21,860

Atlantic

Canada

$22,139

Average tuition costs for MBAs across Canada

British

Columbia

$35,286

Prairies

$34,534

Ontario

$47,100

Quebec

$21,860

Atlantic

Canada

$22,139

Average tuition costs for MBAs across Canada

Ontario

$47,100

Prairies

$34,534

Quebec

$21,860

British

Columbia

$35,286

Atlantic

Canada

$22,139

The schools

ATLANTIC CANADA

Cape Breton University

Shannon School of Business

Sydney, Nova Scotia (full-time); Toronto, Kingston, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Calgary, Whitehorse (weekend program)

Tuition: $25,016 (full-time)

Number of students accepted: 158

Male-female ratio: 48-52

Average work experience: 3 years

Duration: 12–24 months

GO HERE If you want to help change communities. This is the only MBA program in the Americas with a focus on community, offering electives like peace-building, First Nations, sustainability and international business.

Dalhousie University

Rowe School of Business

Halifax

Tuition: $36,610–$49,500

Number of students accepted: 75 (full-time); 210 (part-time)

Male-female ratio: 55-45

Average work experience: 1 (full-time); 10+ (part-time)

Duration: 22–84 months

Employment after graduation: 97% within 6 months

GO HERE If you’re a new grad with no work experience. Six months into Dalhousie’s program, candidates can begin an eight-month corporate residency, where they’re immersed quickly and intensely into the real business world.

Memorial University

St. John’s

Tuition: $5,718–$7,434

Number of students accepted: 56

Male-female ratio: 63-37

Average work experience: 5.7 years

Duration: 24 months

GO HERE If you want to be on a winning team. Memorial boasts an impressive track record in the 37-year history of the John Molson MBA International Case Competition.

Saint Mary's University

Sobey School of Business

Halifax

Tuition: $29,546

Number of students accepted: 60

Male-female ratio: 40-60

Average work experience: 5 years

Duration: 16 months

Employment after graduation: 93% within 3 months

GO HERE If you’re looking for a program committed to responsible management. The Sobey School signed the UN’s Principles of Responsible Management Education, which encourages deeper discussions of social and environmental responsibility, and a commitment to ethical practices.

University of Fredericton

Sandermoen School of Business

Online

Tuition: $24,500

Number of students accepted: 146

Male-female ratio: 51-49

Average work experience: 10 years

Duration: 42 months (accelerated option, 21 months)

GO HERE If you’re looking to accelerate your career. Students often climb up the professional ladder while still studying as they apply their knowledge in real time.

University of New Brunswick

Fredericton

Tuition: $22,131

Number of students accepted: 102

Male-female ratio: 81-19

Average work experience: 3 years

Duration: 16 months

GO HERE If you want to apply your knowledge and skills to real-world business challenges throughout your MBA. Candidates can get hands-on experience through UNB’s startup venture, Activator, or manage an $8-million fund through the Student Investment Fund.

University of New Brunswick

Saint John

Tuition: $29,500

Number of students accepted: 74

Male-female ratio: 54-46

Average work experience: 5 years

Duration: 12 months

Employment after graduation: 64% graduates from class of 2017 secured job offers locally

GO HERE If you want to specialize—students can focus on entrepreneurship and technology management, international business, project management or research. Candidates are required to complete a nine-week business-consulting project to apply what they’ve learned.

University of Prince Edward Island

MBA in Global Leadership

Charlottetown

Tuition: $20,000

Number of students accepted: N/A

Male-female ratio: N/A

Average work experience: N/A

Duration: 12 months

GO HERE If you’re embarking on a career in international business. The program is designed to prepare students for the challenge of entering new markets, working in other cultures and navigating diverse business environments.

QUEBEC

Concordia University

John Molson School of Business

Montreal

Tuition: $5,900–$13,300

Number of students accepted: 115

Male-female ratio: 69-31

Average work experience: 5 years

Duration: 16–42 months

Employment after graduation: 85% employed within 3 months

GO HERE If you want experiential learning options. Candidates (who can attend part- or full-time) can participate in co-op programs domestically or abroad, case competitions, the Concordia Small Business Consulting Bureau and community service initiatives.

HEC Montréal

Montreal

Tuition: $8,000–$17,000

Number of students accepted: 102

Male-female ratio: 69-31

Average work experience: 6.6 years

Duration: 12 months

Employment after graduation: 84%, with average salary of $95,593

GO HERE If you’re bilingual. The French-language university offers a bilingual setting for students looking for an experiential and collaborative learning environment.

McGill University

Desautels Faculty of Management

Montreal

Tuition: $79,500

Number of students accepted: 62

Male-female ratio: 55-45

Average work experience: 5 years

Duration: 22 months

Employment after graduation: 84% within three months, with average base salary of $93,145

GO HERE If you’re looking for a solid foundation in management, with the opportunity to specialize in finance, marketing, business analytics, or global strategy and leadership. Plus, each core module in the first semester is taught by a team of professors from different disciplines—no other MBA program offers this collaborative approach.

Université de Sherbrooke

Sherbrooke

Tuition: $7,500

Number of students accepted: 69

Male-female ratio: 56-44

Average work experience: 7 years

Duration: 16–36 months

Employment after graduation: 100%

GO HERE If you want to focus on practice-based training. Candidates analyze real cases and work on a company-sponsored strategic mandate during the last semester. Plus, students do a four-month paid internship to build their skills and knowledge relevant to their future career paths.

Université du Québec à Montréal

(MBA conseil en management)

Montreal

Tuition: $4,190–$9,360

Number of students accepted: 50

Male-female ratio: 60-40

Average work experience: 8 years

Duration: 24 months

GO HERE If your focus is management consulting. Students in this part-time program work on projects in which they analyze and solve complex management situations.

Université du Québec à Montréal

(MBA sciences comptables)

Montreal

Tuition: $4,190–$9,360

Number of students accepted: 50 (two intakes per year)

Male-female ratio: 60-40

Average work experience: N/A

Duration: 24–48 months

GO HERE If you’ve completed your DESS in Accounting Practice (CPA), DESS in Accounting Science or CPA Professional Education Program—students who hold these accreditations can receive credits toward their MBA.

Université du Québec à Montréal

(MBA sciences et genie)

Montreal

Tuition: $4,190–$9,360

Number of students accepted: 50 (two intakes per year)

Male-female ratio: 50-50

Average work experience: 3 years

Duration: 24 months

GO HERE If you studied science or engineering during undergrad. The program—the only one of its kind in Quebec—is designed for STEM students.

Université Laval

Quebec City and online

Tuition: $4,500

Number of students accepted: 510

Male-female ratio: 58-42

Average work experience: 4 years

Duration: 16 months

Employment after graduation: 92% at graduation

GO HERE If you want a specialized degree. ULaval offers students 20 specializations, including a new MBA in entrepreneurship and SME management. Most programs are in French, but the Global Business MBA is offered in English.

ONTARIO

Brock University

Goodman School of Business

St. Catharines

Tuition: $27,000

Number of students accepted: 68

Male-female ratio: 57-43

Average work experience: N/A

Duration: 16 months (plus four-month co-op)

Employment after graduation: 94%, with average salary of $72,857

GO HERE If you want to specialize in business analytics; operations; finance; HR management; or marketing. You can also specialize in CPA/accounting to gain advanced standing in the CPA Professional Education Program. Non-accounting grads can pursue an MBA and an accounting designation at the same time.

Carleton University

Sprott School of Business

Ottawa

Tuition: $22,037

Number of students accepted: 59

Male-female ratio: 44-56

Average work experience: 3.3 years

Duration: 16 months

Employment after graduation: 100% within 1 year

GO HERE If you want a project-based, experiential and integrated curriculum. Students are introduced to strategic business concepts, and market and business strategy through case studies, interactive simulations and real-time, client-based projects. Plus, Sprott now offers a professional MBA with weekend classes.

Lakehead University

Thunder Bay

Tuition: $20,619

Number of students accepted: 54

Male-female ratio: 50-50

Average work experience: 5 years

Duration: 12 months

GO HERE If you want to work on community-based projects. The general MBA program lets students apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to real-life situations in the community.

Laurentian University

Sudbury and online

Tuition: $13,000+

Number of students accepted: 15

Male-female ratio: 40-60

Average work experience: 13 years

Duration: 11+ months

Employment after graduation: 90% within 6 months

GO HERE If you want to set your own schedule. With no on-campus requirement, candidates can study when and where they want.

McMaster University

DeGroote School of Business

Burlington

Tuition: $25,000–$57,500

Number of students accepted: 166

Male-female ratio: 60-40

Average work experience: 2.5 years

Duration: 8–28 months

Employment after graduation: 97% within 9 months, with average salary of $69,178

GO HERE If you want flexibility. DeGroote offers three options: traditional, accelerated and co-op. Students who choose the co-op program get three terms of paid work experience at some of Canada’s most recognizable companies.

Queen's University

Smith School of Business

Kingston

Tuition: $83,000

Number of students accepted: 80

Male-female ratio: 64-36

Average work experience: 5 years

Duration: 12 months

Employment after graduation: 98%

GO HERE If you work well with others. Queen’s offers a team-based experience that provides students with the best practices for successful team building and teamwork. Candidates are assigned to a team for the core of the program and can expect a significant portion of your overall grade to be derived from teamwork.

Royal Military College of Canada

Online

Tuition: $15,490–$18,900

Number of students accepted: 100

Male-female ratio: 77-23

Average work experience: 10 years

Duration: 12–24 months

GO HERE If you want a program that combines the perspectives of the military, government and commercial sectors.

Ryerson University

Ted Rogers School of Management

Toronto

Tuition: $21,265

Number of students accepted: 125

Male-female ratio: 66-33

Average work experience: 5 years

Duration: 12 months

Employment after graduation: 91% within 6 months, with an average salary increase of 42%

GO HERE If you’re a sports fan. A new specialization in sport business allows candidates to tap into the Toronto sport marketplace, where they focus on sport strategy, consulting and innovation.

University of Guelph

Guelph and online

Tuition: $44,450

Number of students accepted: 120

Male-female ratio: 60-40

Average work experience: 10 years

Duration: 24 months

GO HERE If you’re a mid-career professional who wants to focus on hospitality and tourism management, food and agribusiness, or sustainable commerce—three areas for which the school is renowned.

University of Ottawa

Telfer School of Management

Ottawa

Tuition: $30,943

Number of students accepted: 70

Male-female ratio: 58-42

Average work experience: 11.2 years

Duration: 12–24 months

Employment after graduation: 100% within 3 months

GO HERE If you want to learn through a competency-based approach. Telfer’s program is organized according to four competencies of high-performing managers: strategize, work with data, work with people, and deliver results. Some 14% of graduates have gone on to start their own business.

University of Toronto

Rotman School of Management

Toronto

Tuition: $104,380

Number of students accepted: 350

Male-female ratio: 60-40

Average work experience: 4.3 years

Duration: 16 months (plus optional 4-month paid internship)

Employment after graduation: 85% within three months

GO HERE If you’re into experiential learning. Students have access to Self-Development Lab workshops on personal development, plus the Creative Destruction Lab.

University of Windsor

Odette School of Business

Windsor

Tuition: $30,000

Number of students accepted: 45–50

Male-female ratio: 65-35

Average work experience: 4 years

Duration: 14 months

Employment after graduation: 95% within 1 year

GO HERE If you want to brush shoulders with leaders of companies like Fiat Chrysler, Crayola and Avis. Through the Advanced Program for Experiential Consulting, students work on real-world challenges with the leaders of partner companies.

Western University

Ivey Business School

London

Tuition: $92,500

Number of students accepted: 134

Male-female ratio: 72-28

Average work experience: 5 years

Duration: 12 months

Employment after graduation: 91% within 3 months, with average compensation of $103,560

GO HERE If you’re in a hurry. Ivey’s one-year program is delivered using case-method learning, where students engage in immersive case discussions on real issues to make and defend decisions.

Wilfrid Laurier University

Lazaridis School of Business

Waterloo

Tuition: $35,000

Number of students accepted: 55

Male-female ratio: 50-50

Average work experience: 4.5 years

Duration: 12 months

Employment after graduation: 92.9% within 1 year

GO HERE If you’re a team player. The program focuses on case-based learning, leading to in-depth discussions, lively debates and plenty of collaboration with peers.

York University

Schulich School of Business

Toronto

Tuition: $77,700

Number of students accepted: N/A

Male-female ratio: 61-39

Average work experience: 6 years

Duration: 16 months (accelerated option, 8 months)

Employment after graduation: 89% within 3 months

GO HERE If you’re looking for international opportunities. Schulich has campuses in Hyderabad, India, and Beijing, and more than 80 exchange partnerships with schools globally.

MANITOBA

University of Manitoba

Asper School of Business

Winnipeg

Tuition: $36,761

Number of students accepted: 60

Male-female ratio: 70-30

Average work experience: 6 years

Duration: 12–72 months

GO HERE If you’re looking to customize your MBA. Asper’s curriculum has fewer core courses and expanded elective options, so students have the flexibility to tailor their degrees.

SASKATCHEWAN

University of Saskatchewan

Edwards School of Business

Saskatoon

Tuition: $30,006

Number of students accepted: 32

Male-female ratio: 59-41

Average work experience: 5 years

Duration: 12–36 months

Employment after graduation: 92.1% employed with average base salary of $83,976

GO HERE If you’re looking for work-placement opportunities. Candidates can apply for an eight-month internship in first year that allows them to practise their new knowledge and skills while testing out their career direction.

ALBERTA

University of Alberta

Edmonton

Tuition: $28,438

Number of students accepted: 59

Male-female ratio: 76-24

Average work experience: 4 years

Duration: 20 months

GO HERE If you’re looking for a career coach. All students are required to take a course in career management skills, and receive one-on-one coaching and career planning.

University of Alberta

Fort McMurray

Tuition: $45,000

Number of students accepted: 39

Male-female ratio: 59-41

Average work experience: 5.5 years

Duration: 33 months

GO HERE If you’re pursuing a career in energy. Students can complete the three-year program in person at Keyano College with University of Alberta instructors.

University of Calgary

Haskayne School of Business

Calgary

Tuition: $32,463

Number of students accepted: 60

Male-female ratio: 60-40

Average work experience: 4.5 years

Duration: 20 months

Employment after graduation: 70% within 3 months, with average salary boost of 20%

GO HERE If you’re looking to specialize—students can focus on entrepreneurship and innovation; global energy management and sustainable development; marketing; finance; project management; and real estate. Haskayne also offers evening and accelerated programs.

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Royal Roads University

Victoria and online

Tuition: $41,850

Number of students accepted: 63

Male-female ratio: 49-51

Average work experience: 16 years

Duration: 18–31 months

GO HERE If you’re an experienced manager who wants a program delivered through blended learning—both online and via on-campus residencies.

Simon Fraser University

Beedie School of Business

Vancouver

Tuition: $39,000

Number of students accepted: 51

Male-female ratio: 47-53

Average work experience: 4.5 years

Duration: 16 months

Employment after graduation: 98% within 3 months, with average salary boost of 39%

GO HERE If you’re looking for smaller class sizes where you can take risks in a collegial, supportive environment.

Thompson Rivers University

Kamloops and online

Tuition: $21,437+

Number of students accepted: 135

Male-female ratio: 52-48

Average work experience: N/A

Duration: 12 months

GO HERE If you want flexibility. Students can complete their MBA through course-, project- or thesis-based options, and can pursue their degree on campus, online or a combination of both.

Trinity Western University

Langley and Richmond; and Tianjin, Shanghai and Beijing

Tuition: $34,425–$36,225

Number of students accepted: 165 (B.C.); 94 (China)

Male-female ratio: 47-53 (B.C.); 57-43 (China)

Average work experience: 8–10 years; 2+ (international students in Canada)

Duration: 14–22 months

Employment after graduation: 95% within 2 months

GO HERE If you’re a wannabe entrepreneur (and looking to attend a private, evangelical university). Small class sizes mean students have plenty of opportunity to schmooze with professors who have extensive leadership experience, often of an entrepreneurial nature.

University of British Columbia

Sauder School of Business

Vancouver

Tuition: $47,500

Number of students accepted: 99

Male-female ratio: 57-43

Average work experience: 5 years

Duration: 16 months

Employment after graduation: average salary of $85,289 at graduation

GO HERE If you’re looking to learn about global business and culture first-hand. Through the mandatory Global Immersion Experience, students consult on business problems for local organizations and learn about the cultural implications of business decisions.

University of Northern British Columbia

Vancouver and Prince George

Tuition: $38,050

Number of students accepted: 64

Male-female ratio: 65-35

Average work experience: 10 years

Duration: 21 months

GO HERE If you’re short on time or a busy working professional. The program is tailored to working professionals, which means classes are taught in blocks of one weekend every month over five semesters.

University of Victoria

Peter B. Gustavson School of Business

Victoria

Tuition: $33,724

Number of students accepted: 48

Male-female ratio: 60-40

Average work experience: 4.5 years

Duration: 17 months

Employment after graduation: 86% within 3 months

GO HERE If you want to focus on a more sustainable approach to business. From curriculum to culture, the Gustavson program incorporates triple-bottom-line thinking: profits, people, planet.

Vancouver Island University

Nanaimo

Tuition: $21,200–$24,500

Number of students accepted: 200 (two intakes per year)

Male-female ratio: 56-44

Average work experience: 4.2 years

Duration: 14–16 months

GO HERE If you want to build a rapport with your professors. Small classes ensure close relationships and the ability to tailor your MBA. Plus, VIU offers a dual degree: Students can earn a master’s in international management from the University of Hertfordshire in the U.K.