FAQs

The MBA is an immersive full-time study experience for early to mid-career professionals; the program is structured to enable students to explore career opportunities through a summer internship between the first and second year.

The Haskayne Evening MBA is a flexible program designed for working professionals. The program typically takes students around 32 months to complete but can be accelerated or extended over a longer time if the student’s personal and / or professional situation changes. Note that minimum admission criteria are the same for both programs; international (visa) students are not eligible to join the Evening MBA.

The MBA program has a strong reputation locally, nationally and internationally. Visit our At A Glance page to see our rankings.

The Haskayne School of Business is an AACSB accredited business school, a recognition awarded to less than 5% of business schools worldwide. Our MBA program is internationally recognized by independent bodies.

We also have a very strong local reputation with employers, as 85% of our alumni remain in Calgary and the surrounding area.

Many students are seeking to make a career transition or accelerate their career through their MBA. In addition to enhancing your critical thinking skills and business knowledge there are a myriad of opportunities to expand your leadership capacity. Students benefit from networking opportunities with other MBA students and alumni, faculty and local business leaders. 

Click here to see statistics on job placement rates and salaries for the graduating class.

Students in the MBA program have the option to specialize in one of eight areas:

• Business Intelligence and Data Analytics
• Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• Finance
• Global Energy Management and Sustainable Development
• Management Analytics
• Marketing
• Project Management
• Real Estate Studies

For more information, see Specialization Opportunities.

Alternatively, students can fully customize their MBA program by selecting from across the broad range of electives available.

The typical composition of the class is as follows:

• 3.2 average GPA
• 600 average GMAT
• 6 years’ average work experience
• 35% female and 65% male
• 40% of the class has an international background or work experience

Several classes will be completed with a cohort, which will help you form meaningful connections with your classmates. You will also have the chance to take some required courses and electives with a mix of individuals from different cohorts, expanding your networking opportunities.

Over the two years, you will have the opportunity to get to know every individual in your cohort through class sessions and activities and by working in different study teams. The executive speaker series provides the opportunity for high quality interactions with senior leaders in the business community. The networking opportunities extend beyond the duration of the program as there is a very active MBA alumni community.

The first 2 semesters of the Daytime program are designed to be intensive, allowing you to graduate faster. However over the spring/summer and second year of the program, the course load is lighter making the schedule much more flexible.

During the first 8 months of the Daytime program, working is not recommended due to the intensive course load. However, many students opt to work over the spring and summer months, as well as during the second year of the program, as the course load is lighter and scheduling is more flexible.

In addition to class sessions we recommend that you plan to study for at least 20 hours each week; some of this will be individual study and some will be with your study team.

The Haskayne Daytime MBA program is a classroom based program; faculty may choose to provide supplemental tutorials online through our learning management system as part of class preparation or review.

There is one intake of the Haskayne Daytime MBA program each year, commencing in Fall.

The program duration is typically 20 months; there are accelerated options available for students who previously completed an undergraduate business degree in Canada or the US.

During the first year of the program, students are in class full-time during the daytime with a block week at the start of each semester and 6 semester based classes. In the second year, students complete their studies through a combination of block week and evening classes.

Upon successful completion of the program, students are awarded a Masters’ Degree in Business Administration; if an individual fulfills the relevant requirements, their specialization will also appear on their parchments and transcripts.

No. There are a broad mix of educational disciplines represented in the program.

Yes. The minimum admission criteria for both the Daytime MBA and Evening MBA include a 4 year undergraduate degree. International students can check degree equivalencies on the UCalgary International Students page.

If you do not hold a 4 year undergraduate degree from an accredited institution you may be eligible to apply the Haskayne Executive MBA.

Yes, Our minimum GMAT score, assuming a 3.0/4.0 GPA, is 550; in addition to the overall score, we review the individual components of the GMAT.

If your GPA is between 2.5 and 3.0 (out of 4.0) please contact our Admissions Team to discuss the minimum required GMAT score which will be accepted.

If you hold an undergraduate degree in business, issued within the last 10 years, with a GPA of 3.2/4.0 or higher from a Canadian or an American university, you may be eligible to apply for a GMAT waiver.

We accept GMAT scores within 5 years of the test date.

Yes. Please contact the admissions team to confirm the required score on the GRE.

Ideally, we would prefer at least one of the references to come from an individual to whom you have directly reported. Both references should be well-placed to comment on your strengths, areas for development and leadership potential.

There is no need to submit more than two references; we will accept a third reference if you deem it necessary.

Of the 200 applicants each year, 50 - 60 are admitted. Whilst we review applicants holistically, the vast majority of the students admitted exceed our minimum criteria.

The Haskayne Daytime MBA admits students and awards scholarships on a rolling basis. Therefore please apply as early as possible to maximize your chances of being successful.

The application deadlines are as follows:

Fall Entry

• Deadline to apply (International applicants): March 1
• Deadline to apply (Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents): June 15

For International applicants:
Admission to Haskayne is selective. Due to the complexity of the evaluation process, international applicants are encouraged to apply early in order to have sufficient time for the transcripts and the supporting documents to arrive in our office.
Also, if admitted, the international students need enough time to complete their student permit and travel arrangement.

Applications will not be evaluated until such time as all official transcripts, and other necessary documents are received.

No, please only apply to one program (daytime or evening). Select the option that is the best fit for you at the time of applying. Please make a note on your application form that you are considering both evening and daytime, and then contact our office after you have submitted your application at mba@haskayne.ucalgary.ca.

The tuition for the Haskayne Daytime MBA includes course instruction only; you will also be required to pay general fees which are set annually by the University. Visit Graduate Studies Fees site for more information.

Students should expect to spend approximately $1,500 to $2,000 each year on books, cases and supplies. If moving to Calgary, students can expect to pay $1,100 to $1,500 each month in living expenses.

The government views this program as full-time for student loan and tax purposes. The program can provide a letter in support of your loan application if required. You will receive a tuition tax receipt (T222A) each year from the University.

Based on our graduate surveys, our alumni recover their investment in the program within 2.2 years of graduating on average.

Yes. Please refer to the University of Calgary's Tuition Support Program page for more information.

Yes. Please refer to the University of Calgary’s International Student Services for more information.

As per a special arrangement, applicants holding a three-year bachelor’s degree in business from India may be eligible for our program if the following conditions are met: The degree is from a university that holds a rating of ‘A’ with the National Assessment and Accreditation Council of India. The accreditation and rating of ‘A’ must be within the last five years. The GPA must be at least 8/10 or first class/division. This agreement allows the applicant from India to substitute their three-year business degree in place of the four-year bachelor’s degree requirement. All other three-year degree holders must also present a Masters degree. All other admission requirements including TOEFL, GMAT, work experience, and minimum grades must be met.

*Please note, this arrangement is with applicants educated in India only.

If English is not your first language you are required to write the TOEFL/IELTS. If you have previously studied at a post-secondary level in English or have worked for significant periods in an English speaking country, please contact our admissions team to confirm this requirement.

We accept TOEFL / IELTS scores within 2 years of the test date.

Please refer to the University of Calgary’s International Student Services for more information.

No. The Haskayne Daytime MBA program is designed for early to mid-career professionals who already have at least two years’ of professional work experience.
In exceptional circumstances we waive this requirement for students completing a combined MBA degree.

Candidates who have previously completed a business degree at a Canadian or an American university may be eligible for up to 5 core course waivers.  Please contact our admissions team for more information.

No. This program does not accept transfers.
Candidates who have been accepted into the Evening MBA program but have not yet commenced their studies may be able to transfer to the Daytime MBA program depending on capacity.