Business Administration, M.B.A.
I.H. Asper School of Business
Dean: Dr. Bruno Silvestre
Associate Dean(s): Dr. B. Biscontri, Dr. S. Gagnon, Dr. L. Neville, Dr. S. Sivaramakrishnan, Dr. Z. Wu
Head: Dr. S. Gagnon
Campus Address/General Office: 501 Drake Centre
Telephone: 204-474-6732
Email Address: aspergradadvisor@umanitoba.ca
Website: umanitoba.ca/asper
Academic Staff: Please refer to the Asper website for academic staff information.
Asper M.B.A. Program Information
The Asper Master of Business Administration is a tightly integrated 60 credit hour program, led by internationally-recognized academics and professionals, and conducted in an interactive and dynamic face-to-face learning environment.
Admission Information
Admission to the Faculty of Graduate Studies
Application and Admission Procedures are found in the Academic Guide.
Admission requirements for Master’s students are found in the Master’s Degrees General Regulations section of the Guide.
Asper MBA Admission Requirements
The Asper MBA program has two intakes: January and August. Applicants require:
- At least a 3-year Bachelor degree from a recognized educational institution in any discipline
- 3.0 GPA on the last 60 credit hours of university level study. Under circumstances where managerial and/or professional work experience and/or community involvement have demonstrated strong business leadership potential, a lower entry GPA, but not one below 2.5, may be considered for regular admission
- 2 years professional work experience required
- 550 GMAT preferred or equivalent GRE (500 minimum)*
- Asper MBA Language Proficiency in English requirements are (one of):
- IELTS 7.0 (no band score less than 6)
- TOEFL 100 (internet)
- MELAB 85
- CAEL 60
- PTE (A) 65
- CanTEST 4.5 in all four sections
- AEPUCE 85%, if entering AEPUCE with an IELTS of 6.0
*MBA applicants who graduated from the B.Comm. degree program at University of Manitoba in the last 5 years with a degree GPA of 3.5 are exempt from the GMAT requirement.
*MBA applicants with a degree GPA of 3.5 or higher who have graduated from the University of Manitoba with a B.Sc. in the last 5 years and have a grade of B+ or higher in Math 1230, 1500, 1501, 1510, 1520 or 1690 or another course in calculus with permission of the Asper School of Business MBA Admissions Committee and a grade of B+ or higher in Statistics 1000, 1001 or 1150 or another course in statistics with permission of the Asper School of Business MBA Admissions Committee would be exempt from the GMAT/GRE requirement.
Application Information
Students should complete and submit their online application with supporting documentation by the date indicated on the Asper MBA program of study page.
Applicants who are Canadian citizens/Permanent Residents of Canada with transcripts from universities or colleges in countries other than Canada and the United States are strongly advised to apply at least two months prior to the standard deadlines.
Degree Requirements
Boot Camps and Workshops
Mandatory preparatory boot camps and workshops help develop the necessary skills to succeed in the Asper MBA program and in the business world. The Asper School of Business MBA has three regularly offered pass/fail auxiliary courses (X):
- MSCI 5110 (Math Boot Camp) – online number crunching primer (challenge exam option available).
- MIS 5120 (Information Technology Boot Camp) – online course that provides you with the basics of common productivity software packages used in the business world, with particular focus on Excel (challenge exam option available).
- IDM 5120 – develop the “soft skills” you need to advance your career, such as business etiquette, networking, resume-building and behaviour-based interview skills.
Program Core
The Program Core consists of 30 credit hours of business fundamentals and strategy, and a foundation in leadership, decision-making methods, and contemporary themes that inform decisions in today’s business world.
Business Foundations
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GMGT 7200 | Critical and Creative Thinking | 1.5 |
| ACC 7010 | Accounting Fundamentals | 3 |
| FIN 7000 | Managerial Economics | 1.5 |
| FIN 7020 | Corporate Finance | 3 |
| GMGT 7220 | Managing People in Organizations | 3 |
| OPM 7120 | Operations and Supply Chain Management | 3 |
| MKT 7010 | Marketing Management | 3 |
| ACC 7020 | Managerial Accounting | 1.5 |
| MIS 7120 | Management Information Systems | 1.5 |
| GMGT 7210 | Strategy | 3 |
| Total Hours | 24 | |
The Strategy Capstone Course, to be taken in the last term of the program, provides a holistic perspective on managing an organization or business by integrating all the functional areas and themes explored in the Program Core.
Leadership
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| IDM 7120 | Executive Leadership and Responsibilities | 3 |
| IDM 7510 | Strategic Leadership and Managing Change | 1.5 |
| Total Hours | 4.5 | |
Business Themes
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| IDM 7130 | Contemporary Themes in Business | 1.5 |
| Total Hours | 1.5 | |
Contemporary Themes in Business focuses on three themes: International and Emerging Markets, Sustainability, and Entrepreneurship and Innovation. These themes also inform the two Leadership courses and the Strategy Capstone Course. Together, they prepare you for the realities of business – and give you a distinct advantage in today’s competitive job market.
Concentrations and Themes
Tailor your MBA to your passion, your experience and the career you want. Half of the program (30 credit hours) is made up of electives, allowing a world of options to customize your program. Focus your studies on two functional areas, two themes, or a combination of area and theme. You can earn up to two concentrations/themes – the choice is entirely yours. Students can obtain a concentration by taking 12 credit hours of electives in that area or theme.
Specialized Concentration
- Financial Analyst
Functional Concentrations
- Finance
- Leadership and Organizations
- Marketing
- Supply Chain Management
Themed Concentrations
- International and Emerging Markets
- Sustainability
- Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Interdisciplinary Concentrations
- Health Administration
- Management of Public Enterprises
- Individual Interdisciplinary Studies
General Management Option
- Choose any combination of Asper MBA electives to suit your personal and professional goals.
An Experiential Course is a mandatory component of each of the three themes. It provides hands-on integrated business-related experience through opportunities such as an international study trip, a domestic industry project, stock market simulation, or launching a business.
*Please note: Not every combination of two themes and/or concentrations may be achieved in any given year/12 month program. GMGT 7210 constitutes the comprehensive examination. The course must be completed at the University of Manitoba normally in the final term of a student’s program, or once all the course pre- and co-requisites are satisfied.
Readings Courses and Industry Projects - With the approval of the MBA Program Committee and the academic area involved, a student can choose to undertake an industry (consulting) project or a readings course. The industry projects and readings courses count as three credit hours of elective coursework. Normally, a student is allowed up to two readings courses, two industry projects, or one readings course and one industry project during the program. An industry or readings course proposal must be submitted to a faculty supervisor and the MBA Program Committee for approval prior to registration for the course. Projects and reading courses can normally only be taken within the Asper School of Business, and normally cannot be counted towards a concentration.
No thesis option is available.
MBA Co-op Program
MBA students have an option to enrol in the MBA Co-op Program and complete a co-op work term as an elective in their program (IDM 7140 – 3 credit hours). The course consists of a work term assignment of a minimum of 420 hours in business, industry, or government.
To apply for a co-op work term, MBA students must have a degree GPA of at least 3.00 and normally would have completed all 30 credit hours of MBA core courses; at a minimum, students must have completed at least 27 of their program credit hours, including successful completion of IDM 5120. An interview with the Graduate Co-op Office personnel will be required for admission to the Asper MBA Co-op Program and applicants for the MBA Co-op Program will be evaluated based on a complete application.
Expected Time to Graduate: 1 - 6 years.
- Full Time: 12 months or up to 2 years.
- Part Time: Take up to six years (the average is three).
- Exemptions: You may qualify for a number of course exemptions, reducing your program course load and cost, if you:
- Completed a business or management degree (or economics major) in a recognized university degree program, or courses in another MBA program, within the last five years, or
- Have certain professional designations within a field where you are active and practicing.
Progression Chart
| Years 1-6 | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| MIS 5120 | Spreadsheet Skills for Management (AX) | 1 |
| MSCI 5110 | Basic Quantitative Analysis for Management (AX) | 1 |
| IDM 5120 | Career Development Seminar (AX) | 1 |
| GMGT 7200 | Critical and Creative Thinking | 1.5 |
| IDM 7130 | Contemporary Themes in Business | 1.5 |
| FIN 7000 | Managerial Economics | 1.5 |
| FIN 7020 | Corporate Finance | 3 |
| GMGT 7220 | Managing People in Organizations | 3 |
| MKT 7010 | Marketing Management | 3 |
| IDM 7120 | Executive Leadership and Responsibilities | 3 |
| ACC 7010 | Accounting Fundamentals | 3 |
| OPM 7120 | Operations and Supply Chain Management | 3 |
| IDM 7510 | Strategic Leadership and Managing Change | 1.5 |
| ACC 7020 | Managerial Accounting | 1.5 |
| MIS 7120 | Management Information Systems | 1.5 |
| GMGT 7210 | Strategy (program capstone course; ideally completed in the last term of the program) | 3 |
| GRAD 7300 | Research Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| GRAD 7500 | Academic Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| Elective Courses | ||
| Select 10-14 Elective Courses 1 | 30-42 | |
| Co-op for Professional Graduate Programs 2 | ||
| Hours | 63-75 | |
| Total Hours | 63-75 | |
| 1 | Selections will vary for individuals, depending on chosen concentration(s) – see calendar entry. Total credits hours for the degree is 60 (max 72). |
| 2 | IDM 7140 MBA Co-op elective can be completed any time past the half way point of the program (after 30 credit hours). |
Registration Information
Students should familiarize themselves with the Faculty of Graduate Studies ‘GRAD’ courses applicable to their program. If you have questions about which GRAD course(s) to register in, please consult your home department/unit.
Regulations
Students must meet the requirements as outlined in both Supplementary Regulation and BFAR documents as approved by Senate.
Supplementary Regulations
Individual units may require specific requirements above and beyond those of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, and students should consult unit supplementary regulations for these specific regulations.
Bona Fide Academic Requirements (BFAR)
Bona Fide Academic Requirements (BFAR) represent the core academic requirements a graduate student must acquire in order to gain, and demonstrate acquisition of, essential knowledge and skills.
All students must successfully complete:
- GRAD 7300 prior to applying to any ethics boards which are appropriate to the student’s research or within the student’s first year, whichever comes first; and
- GRAD 7500 within the first term of registration;
unless these courses have been completed previously, as per Mandatory Academic Integrity Course and Mandatory Research Integrity Online Course.
Students must also meet additional BFAR requirements that may be specified for their program.
General Regulations
All students must:
- maintain a minimum degree grade point average of 3.0 with no grade below C+,
- meet the minimum and not exceed the maximum course requirements, and
- meet the minimum and not exceed the maximum time requirements (in terms of time in program and lapse or expiration of credit of courses).
Courses
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship and enterprising behaviour with an emphasis on the identification and evaluation of viable new venture concepts and their development into successful enterprises.
General Management
Supervised readings in one of the areas of business administration including human resource management, industrial relations, organizational behaviour, policy and environment.
Research in any one of the areas of administrative studies.
Principles of research design and data collection with examples drawn across the areas of marketing management, industrial relations, policy analysis, etc. Both cases and computer-based exercises are used.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: MSCI 5100.
A study of the goal-setting and decision-making processes in organizations and the implications for the growth and survival of such organizations.
An examination of theories of interpersonal behaviour and processes as they apply to managerial situations. Emphasis upon individual behaviour and change, group dynamics, leadership behaviour, and communications.
Analysis of the environmental factors within which a business operates.
An examination of personal, interpersonal and organizational power in the context of organizational politics. Topics covered include rational versus political models of organizations, the accumulation and management of personal power, the politics of decision-making, the politics of managerial succession, the politics of budgets, authority, intergroup conflict, and bargaining and negotiation processes.
This course introduces students to different ways of thinking about cognitive dimensions of organizational leadership. Approaches include the creative (divergent perspective), the critical (convergent perspective) and the holistic (systems-perspective) with special emphasis on understanding the nature and appropriateness of different forms of cognition in organizational leadership.
Students will integrate and apply concepts from various functional areas in analyzing organizational resources and capabilities, and environmental opportunities and threats. Students will study evolving strategic management problems and practices, and examine issues of formulation and implementation.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisites: ACC 7010 (or ACC 6050), FIN 7020 (or FIN 6072), GMGT 7200, GMGT 7220 (or one of HRIR 7450 and GMGT 6030), MKT 7010 (or MKT 6080), and OPM 7120 (or OPM 6090). Pre- or Co-requisites: FIN 7000 (FIN 7120 or IDM 7720), ACC 7020 (or ACC 6060), MIS 7120 (or MIS 6150), IDM 7120 (or IDM 7060), IDM 7130, and IDM 7510.
This course examines strategies and methods for the management of people in organizations, their implications for organizational effectiveness, and both the challenges and opportunities they present to managers within the Canadian context and beyond.
This course helps familiarize students with the principles of integrative and distributive bargaining as a tool for decision-making and conflict resolution. It draws on theory and research from psychology, economics, and conflict management, and allows students to apply these principles in simulated negotiation contexts.
Topics in one of the areas of business administration including human resource management, industrial relations, organizational theory and behaviour, and business policy and strategic management.
This course will operate in a seminar format with two goals. The first goal is to provide an environment in which the student can develop and manage to successful conclusion a project in which they have significant intrinsic interest. The second goal is to improve the student's understanding of the inner life of an organization by increasing his/her ability to discriminate between the organizational "ropes to skip and the ropes to know."
An examination of organizational design characteristics in the context of a competitive international perspective. Emphasis is on an organizational and technological innovation to facilitate the development of new products or processes or to implement change in existing products or processes. Topics covered include Canadian experience and policy, facilitators and inhibitors in the creative process, diffusion of innovations, and the aims of the patent process.
An examination of theory and research from the social and administrative sciences that focuses on the interaction between organizations and their environments. The evaluation and synthesis of theoretical and empirical work in this area will be emphasized.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: admission to the Ph.D. program in Management (Organizational Behaviour) or approval by instructor.
An examination of theory and research from the social and administrative sciences that is relevant to the behaviour of individuals and groups within organizations. Emphasis will be placed on evaluation and synthesis of theoretical and empirical work in this area.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: admission to the Ph.D. program in Management (Organizational Behaviour) or approval by instructor.
The major goal of this course is to familiarize students with central schools of thought within organization theory. As with other theories in the social sciences, these schools of thought tend to be based on differing assumptions about the nature of the organizational world, the operation of causality, epistemology, and the role of human actors.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: admission to the Ph.D. program in Management (Organizational Behaviour) or approval by instructor.
An examination of the role of the manager as a change agent and processes associated with strategic vision and change. Analysis of factors affecting strategic decisions and how organizations adapt to their environment. Emphasis is upon the role of leaders: transformational leadership, charisma, organizational design and managing organizational culture change.
An examination of strategies and development of skills for effective oral, written, non-verbal, interpersonal, group, cross-cultural, and ethical communication in management.
An examination of current issues in areas which could, for example, include: organizational behaviour, organizational theory, strategy, human resource management, and industrial relations.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
Principles of research design and data collection appropriate for the areas of marketing, management, industrial relations, policy analysis, finance, management science, etc. Research problems and issues will be discussed from a number of perspectives. Conceptual material, statistical analyses, theoretical material and the utilization of statistical application software are used as the bases for seminar discussion.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: admission to the Ph.D. program in Management or approval by instructor.
Focus is on the interpersonal, intergroup, and intra-organizational communication skills required for effective leadership, and the objectives are to assist the participants in the following: increasing the clarity, correctness, and effectiveness of written and oral communication; recognizing and analysing communication dynamics at work in personal, group, and organizational interactions; increasing combination flexibility and proficiency in times of corporate challenge, change, and crisis.
To provide an awareness of key components of the economic/business environment. Identifies critical indicators that affect decision-making and suggests strategies for forecasting future conditions. Topics covered include critical demographic trends, the change technological frontier, international trade, finance, and investment trends, and trends in interest rates and exchange rates. A theoretical overview will precede the discussion of business conditions indicators.
Focuses on the logic of political-economic-business relations. The point of view is that of the manager. Specific tools of analysis are discussed that assist managers in understanding and working with aspects of public policy which interface with their private sector decisions.
Human Resources Management / Industrial Relations
An in-depth analysis of various topics in industrial relations and human resource management.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite or co-requisite: GMGT 7220.
This graduate seminar provides an understanding of the staffing function of HRM. It focuses on how recruitment, selection, performance and retention management, function within an organization to gain a competatitve advantage through the management of work and people. Pre-or
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
co-requisite: GMGT 7220.
This graduate seminar provides an understanding of the training and development functions of HRM. The course focuses on how to design, implement , and evaluate a training program, and employee development and career management.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite or co-requisite: GMGT 7220.
A review of the major concepts and design of compensation systems such as:strategy, external competitiveness, rewarding individual contributions, performance incentives, employee benefits, government regulations, union role in compensation, budgets and administration. Pre-or
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
co-requisite: GMGT 7220.
An examination of the systems of labour and employee relations in Canada as it compares with the systems of other countries. Emphasis upon understanding and managing labour and employee relations in a changing economy. Not to be held with HRIR 7500. Pre-or
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
co-requisite: GMGT 7220.
Equiv To: HRIR 7500
The labour management relations in the negotiation and administration of the collective agreement. The analysis of conflict and the application of bargaining theories.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Pre- or co-requisite: GMGT 7220.
Interdisciplinary Management
Supervised study and research of a problem opportunity in business or management. Specific course requirements determined by the faculty member assigned to be the course coordinator. In addition, each project will be supervised by a faculty member expert in the area. Projects consist of written report(s) containing substantive, practical evidence and analytically structured comments, academic materials, and bibliographical references. Pass/Fail basis only.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: completion of all 600-level MBA courses (or equivalent experience) and consent of MBA program director.
Strategic issues related to the manager's role in sustainable development, including enterprises in the renewable and non-renewable resource sectors, life-cycle analysis, and full cost accounting. Emphasis is placed on environmental management control systems, environmental performance measurement, reporting, and the impact of environmental management on strategic management decisions.
An experiential project examining issues related to economically and/or socially disadvantaged individuals and groups with emphasis on corporate social responsibility. This course is graded pass/fail.
Preparation in computer, technical, interpersonal, and team-building skills for MBA MANITOBA program. This course is graded pass/fail.
A supervised international experience to examine the relationship between corporations, senior managers, and social institutions in selected countries. Examination of the interplay between culture, economic development, management systems and strategies in other countries. Emphasis upon establishment of business networks on an international basis.
Series of seminars covering fundamental topics essential for modern management including business ethics and managing diversity.
Series of seminars covering fundamental topics essential for modern management including such topics as: aboriginal business, managerial law, situational leadership, creating shareholder value, developing a business plan, and career management.
This is a graduate-level MBA course on a very specialized topic and is offered on an infrequent basis. Course content will be an examination of specialized topics or issues which may cross-pollinate with other business related areas. The overall aim of the course is to provide solid practical knowledge about a developing subject, to understand both implications and potential applications for organizations and their leadership today and in the future. Some topics could, for example, include Global Social Enterprise, Global Sales Distribution, Channel Management, Big Data and the Corporation, Infrastructure and Real Estate, and Coaching International Teams. Students may not hold credit for IDM 709 and IDM 7092 with the same topic title.
Equiv To: IDM 7092
This is a graduate-level MBA course on a very specialized topic and is offered on an infrequent basis. Course content will be an examination of specialized topics or issues which may cross-pollinate with other business related areas. The overall aim of the course is to provide solid practical knowledge about a developing subject, to understand both implications and potential applications for organizations and their leadership today and in the future. Some topics could, for example, include Global Social Enterprise, Global Sales Distribution, Channel Management, Big Data and the Corporation, Infrastructure and Real Estate, and Coaching International Teams. Students may not hold credit for IDM 709 and IDM 7092 with the same topic title.
Equiv To: IDM 7090
This course explores the nature of the challenges inherent in senior leadership. After contemplating the generic challenge of responsible executive leadership, students engage in extended dialogues with several executives concerning their experience in leading organizations with special attention to selected program themes. Not to be held with IDM 7060.
Mutually Exclusive: IDM 7060
This course exposes students to salient themes found in the modern business environment. Students will develop a broad appreciation for the challenges and opportunities presented by these contemporary themes (e.g. International and Emerging Markets: Sustainability: Entrepreneurship and Innovation).
Work assignment in business, industry, or government for students registered in an Asper School of Business Professional Graduate Co-operative Education Program. For Asper Professional Graduate students only.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: Written permission from the Asper School of Business Professional Graduate Co-operative Education Program, IDM 5120, a current degree GPA of 3.00 or higher, and completion of at least 27 credit hours in the current degree program.
An examination of the role of the manager as a change agent and processes associated with strategic vision and change. Analysis of factors affecting strategic decisions and how organizations adapt to their environment. Emphasis is upon the role of leaders: transformational leadership, charisma, organizational design and managing organizational culture change.
International Business
Comparative study and evaluation of management philosophy and practices in cross-cultural setting; the cultural, economic, and political environment which influence management decision-making. Not taught every year.
Equiv To: INTB 7150
The examination of dilemmas and opportunities that managers face when they work in a cross-cultural setting. The purpose of this course is to develop the necessary understandings and skills to effectively manage problems arising from the interaction of people from different cultures in work settings. Not to be held with INTB 7030.
Equiv To: INTB 7030
Develop an appreciation of business decision-making in an international/global context. Learning activities are focused towards developing intellectual and interpersonal skills in order for managers to function more effectively in international markets.