A tour of Canada’s executive MBA programs
Options to study in blocks and online—and to travel abroad— are on offer in business schools across the country
full time part time COURSE LEGEND British Columbia BEEDIE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Simon Fraser University, VANCOUVER 25 months | 10 years’ work and 4 years’ management experience required | $56,100
Launched in 1968, this program is the longestrunning executive MBA in Canada, and has graduated over 1,500 people into leadership positions locally, nationally and internationally. It offers a small-classroom learning environment, where the cohort’s 40 students are divided into leadership teams that work together to solve business problems. For an additional $8,000 to cover travel and accommodation, an optional second-year elective on the Americas looks specifically at management issues between Canada, Brazil, Mexico and the U.S.
SAUDER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS University of British Columbia, VANCOUVER 24 months | 2 years of work experience required | $48,400
Sauder offers a professional MBA (PMBA) very comparable to executive programs, with experience-based, in-person learning that has a focus on leadership, strategy, business development and negotiations, ethics, and sustainability. Sauder was an early adopter of EI (emotional intelligence, the strongest success predictor) and helps students strengthen and fine-tune core EI-related skills. Professional MBA students complete three eight-day residencies for immersive learning with guest speakers, exclusive events and networking opportunities. All exams can be completed online.
The Prairies UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA EDMONTON 22 months | 7 years of work experience required (and three years of management preferred) | $67,000
EMBA students at the University of Alberta use the school’s executive coaching program, a resultsoriented process tailored to drive individual and personal growth. A roster of coaches—with a variety of approaches and styles—are matched with students accordingly. A recently revamped in-class schedule explicitly accommodates commuters; students need only be on campus once a month for a four-day block of classes (Thursday through Sunday), and enjoy two months off for the summer. In 2020, program students will head to Brazil for an international study tour; in 2019, students went to China.
HASKAYNE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS University of Calgary, CALGARY 22 months | 7 years of professional work experience (10 years without a 4-year bachelor degree) | $77,500
Classes start in January or August at Haskayne, where students in the executive MBA program combine alternating Friday and Saturday sessions, one
intensive week per semester, and an international study tour at the program’s end. Students choose from two streams (finance or general), and electives include business negotiations, business law and strategies for sustainable development. Grads consistently report the program’s major strength as forging lasting relationships amongst its students and with faculty in the bustling Western economy. Recent years have also seen an increased focus by the school on students’ health and wellness, quality food and organized exercise.
LEVENE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS University of Regina, REGINA 18 months | 5 years of work experience required | $51,900
To accommodate commuters over the long winter months in Saskatchewan, Levene only requires students to be on-site twice monthly (both Friday and Saturday), which also appeals to working professionals. This is an intensive, condensed program, comprised of 12 broad modules covering topics such as accounting, negotiation, marketing and finance, that attracts top managers from a variety of professional backgrounds. Course work culminates in a customized capstone project that can be presented to peers, faculty and invited guests, and students take an international study tour at the end of the program.
Ontario DEGROOTE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS McMaster University, HAMILTON 14 months | 7 years of work/management experience required | $92,000
DeGroote’s EMBA program equips McMaster grads to manage and lead through an era of digital disruption by focusing on digital transformation. As part of the program, students spend eight days immersed in communities thriving in this field; past visits have included Google, Apple, Facebook and IDEO. Students complete four in-person residencies, while all other programming is predominantly online. Based on recent feedback from students and alumni, the school is currently strengthening its coaching component by adding access to a career coach and additional resources for job seekers.
IVEY BUSINESS SCHOOL Western University, LONDON 16 months | 8 years of work experience required | $115,000
New on this year’s EMBA curriculum at the internationally acclaimed Ivey Business School are two hands-on opportunities: a trip to Silicon Valley for those studying entrepreneurialism, and to Mexico City for students of sustainability, in addition to the already existing week-long discovery expedition to Asia. The trips are all part of Ivey’s emphasis on experiential, face-to-face practical learning. Classroom discussions primarily use the case method approach and problem-solve by dividing a class of more than 100 into smaller learning teams.
ROTMAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT University of Toronto, TORONTO 13 months | 8 years of work and 3 years of management experience required | $113,800
Tailored for senior working professionals, the Rotman one-year EMBA program teaches business fundamentals and strengthens leadership skills by fostering self-awareness. The school’s international reputation offers exchange privileges with partner schools in Italy and China, plus all students participate in the Leadership Retreat, an experiential off-site workshop. Students can also participate in the entrepreneur-based Creative Destruction Lab to collaborate with the country’s more successful entrepreneurs. New courses include Business Design and the soon-to-launch Power and Influence for Executives course.
SCHULICH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS York University, TORONTO 18 months | 8 years of work and 5 years of management experience required | $113,000
The 80 students enrolled in York’s EMBA program are part of the Kellogg Global Network of EMBA programs, which connects nearly 500 students from around the world. Partner schools give students ample choice and flexibility to customize their experience from over 40 specialized elective courses (among them: Advertising Strategy, B2B Marketing and Game Theory). The KelloggSchulich Executive MBA has been ranked No. 1 in Canada by the and the
Economist TimesofLondon. Financial SMITH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Queen’s University, KINGSTON 16 months | 3 years of management and 8 years of work experience required | $102,000
To mimic the workplace, students of Smith’s EMBA are assigned to small teams for the duration of the program to collaborate on assignments, presentations and projects. Each team has a coach, who provides feedback and evaluates the team’s effectiveness as they undertake a comprehensive analysis of a real global business issue somewhere outside of North America, to which they travel to conduct field research. (Smith also offers a joint EMBA Americas program with Cornell University, the only one of its kind, in which grads earn an MBA from both Queen’s and Cornell.)
SPROTT SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Carleton University, OTTAWA 16 months | 5 years of work/management experience required | $31,000
This is the inaugural year for the Sprott School’s PMBA (professional MBA, rather than executive), the programming for which is founded on years of faculty expertise and content developed in Carleton’s highly successful international MBA program. Thirty-five students will comprise the first cohort, which will gather every other weekend on Friday and Saturday (with Sundays free, along with March Break and a three-week summer). Catering to working professionals, no additional work placement is required.
TELFER SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT University of Ottawa, OTTAWA 21 months | 5 years of work/management experience required | $75,000
An intimate cohort of almost 30 focuses on highly coveted soft skills, such as communication and adaptability, necessary for teamwork and emotional intelligence. Self-leadership and career transformation are consistently described as outcomes of the program by alumni, who have the chance to build lasting relationships through a series of six client consulting projects (integrated into the curriculum, two are global in focus and require international travel). Program staff focus on service excellence to ensure candidates are fully supported throughout the 21-month experience.
Quebec DESAUTELS-HEC MONTRÉAL McGill University/HEC Montréal, MONTREAL 15 months | 10 years of work experience and 5 years of management experience required | $89,000
This joint bilingual program, a partnership between McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management and HEC Montréal, brings together top fac
ulty and facilities from both schools. Classes are a fluid mix of French and English, and assignments may be submitted in either language. The final paper is a report on a topic of the student’s choice— many choose a field they want to gain expertise in or a problem that needs solving at their organization. 2019 saw the introduction of a new module, the Future-Ready Organization, which equips participants to anticipate future economic, technological or environmental challenges.
JOHN MOLSON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Concordia University, MONTREAL 20 months | 5 years of work experience required (management preferred) | $75,000
Concordia’s EMBA program is comprised of four terms over two years (with ample breaks of up to five months). Classes are held once a week, on alternating Fridays and Saturdays, making this program ideal for anyone with limited time to spend away from work or home. Thanks to the Leadership Effectiveness and Development (LEAD) team, Concordia students can also expect significant amount of one-on-one time with leaders and CEOs in order to build lasting relationships (a new addition is “Lunch with a CEO,” which is exactly as it sounds). Classes start in September, with an international study trip in May, at the end of the second term.
UNIVERSITÉ LAVAL QUEBEC CITY 22 months | 5 years of work/management experience required | $20,000 (Quebec residents), $29,000 (out of province)
Two cohorts of 30—all working professionals— complete Laval’s hybrid program (online and inperson) every other Saturday and over two fiveday intensive weeks: one for teamwork management and another near Boston at Babson College, the top American school in entrepreneurship. Laval’s online program permits instant communication with professors, virtual presentations, quizzes and simulations. New course topics this year include negotiation and human resources management. Class projects often stem from the student’s day job.
UNIVERSITÉ DU QUÉBEC À MONTRÉAL MONTREAL
24 months | 4 years of management experience required | $8,400 (Quebec residents); $18,700 (out of province)
To cater to busy professionals, this executive MBA program offers a once-per-month, Friday-to-Sunday class schedule. Elective summer options include an intensive summer course in Montreal, where students conduct real-world business with executives (the 2019 session saw execs from Air Canada in attendance). Programming now runs in Laval as well as in Montreal, and the school has partnerships with universities in Algeria, Poland, China, Mexico, Peru and elsewhere. In September 2019, the school introduced a new two-day preparatory seminar to help students meet and make friends before school starts.
UNIVERSITÉ DE SHERBROOKE LONGUEUIL 18 months | 10 years of work experience (including 5 years in management) | $49,200
Sherbrooke’s EMBA program is offered at the school’s Longueuil campus in Montreal and hosts a small cohort of students on alternating Fridays and Saturdays, plus four off-site residencies. The curriculum starts with a personalized assessment of strengths and capabilities which helps inform individual development plans. Students benefit from individual coaching sessions with a focus on health and wellness, and even receive catered meals and enjoy an on-site gym.
Atlantic UNIVERSITY OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND CHARLOTTETOWN 20 months | 3 years of work/management experience required | $37,800
A recognized pioneer in evidence-based management, the EMBA program at UPEI teaches students to leverage research to make better decisions. An intimate class of just 30 relies on peer-to-peer learning combined with dedicated faculty, who emphasize developing global perspectives for international business. Two new streams of study are Innovative Management and Biotechnology Management and Entrepreneurship.
SOBEY SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Saint Mary’s University, HALIFAX 16 months | 5 years of work experience required | $52,000
Launching in January 2020, the new Sobey EMBA at Saint Mary’s in Halifax will specialize in the growing field of evidence-based management, which uses six As (ask, acquire, appraise, aggregate, apply and assess) to define and solve problems. Sobey is also the first school in Canada to pursue official certification from the International Center for EvidenceBased Management. Students attend two days of classes every three weeks and otherwise use selfbased learning modules online. In the past, groups of 30 Sobey students have travelled together to Vietnam, Belgium and Poland to tour production facilities and meet with trade officials and diplomats.
Online ATHABASCA UNIVERSITY EDMONTON 30 months | 3-8 years of management experience required | $44,600-$48,865
More than 600 students study almost entirely online for this EMBA program—just one five-day in-residence course is required at Athabasca. Otherwise, students complete one course at a time at their own pace (within scheduled start and end dates), and can individually tailor their noncore curriculum from an ample array of electives, including Project Management, Entrepreneurship, Human Resources, IT Management, Leadership, Operations Management, Finance and Governance and International Business.
SANDERMOEN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS University of Fredericton, FREDERICTON
29 months | 5 years of work and 3 years of management experience required, plus an undergraduate degree | $30,400
Sandermoen offers one of the only EMBAs in Canada that can be done fully online. More than 500 people attend a weekly vClass, collaborate on group projects and network in an entirely virtual environment. Students looking for face-to-face time can participate in an international field study as part of their global capstone project, travelling to an international destination to attend specialized workshops and meet foreign business leaders. A new Sales Management and Leadership stream launched in 2019.