Full-Time Sobey MBA Program

Students in the full-time program come from many different countries - about 35% of our students are international students. The program prepares students for a variety of career choices ranging from management positions in multinational corporations, financial analysts or even entrepreneurs.

Program Duration: The full-time program typically takes two years (16 to 20 months) to complete. The program is 60 credit hour program or twenty courses. A half semester course is equal to half a credit or three credit hours.

Advanced standings for the foundation courses will be assessed for all students at time of admission. Excellent grades and an in-depth understanding of a field must be demonstrated. To qualify for advanced standings, there must be at least 80% overlap between previous courses and foundation courses at Saint Mary's University. Advanced standings will be assessed at time of admission. They may also be eligible for the accelerated program.

Program Start: Full-time students can start the program only in September each year.

Learning Goals

Consistent with the purpose of the Sobey School of Business as a leading provider of management education, the MBA program provides an integrated, multi-disciplinary education to prepare graduates for leadership and management positions in a wide range of organizations. Listed below are the learning goals for the MBA Program

1. Communication.
   Communication includes specific skills and techniques designed to persuade an audience of the merits of one’s case in a business situation through the use of writing and speech. Effective oral communication is clear, logical and shows purpose. Written communication is effective when it has purpose and logic. The ability to clearly communicate complex issues and be influential in organizational contexts requires superior communication skills.

2. Leadership.
   Leadership is enacting a path toward a goal such that others enthusiastically follow. MBA graduates will find themselves in many positions where leadership must be exercised, as well in positions where different leadership styles are used.

3. Critical and Strategic Thinking.
   Critical thinking involves the ability to understand the complex nature of organizational environments while solving managerial problems. It also includes the ability to apply quantitative tools in support of strategic analysis and action. Being able to systematically evaluate problems and substantiate recommendations is a requirement in managerial/executive positions.

4. Ethical Awareness.
   Ethical thinking in a business situation means that prospective managers can solve problems in a dynamic environment, yet appreciate moral and ethical issues that impact upon their decisions. MBA graduates are expected to understand the consequences of one’s decisions on others, and balance the responsibilities facing the organizations with which they are associated.

Orientation and Team-Building: Orientation sessions are held throughout the first week of classes. New students will have the opportunity to meet and interact with the Dean, Associate Dean, Managing Director, Faculty and senior students.

Curriculum: The full-time program is divided into the foundation and advanced years. Those with advanced standing may be able to compress the two years and shorten the program.

Foundation Year: The foundation year builds a foundation in different areas of business.  The emphasis is on building leadership skills as well as analytical, problem solving and decision making skills.  A combination of company projects and a week-long case competition are part of the first year experience.

Fall Courses:

• Financial Accounting
• Statistics for Managers
• Managing Information and Technology
• Managerial Economics and Decision Analysis
• Leadership and Behavioural Process

Winter Courses:

• Managerial Accounting
• Operations Management
• Organizational Behaviour
• Business Finance
• Marketing Management

Professional Skills Development:

As part of the first year requirements, students participate in a variety of events that link them to the business community.

These non-credit components are intended to develop managerial and decision-making skills. They augment the learning and developing process.

• Executive Speaker Series: On several Fridays each term, distinguished executives from the business community will address the students.
• Career Development Workshops: A series of career development workshops are held on Fridays or as a lunch-and-learn series during the week throughout the year. Two panel discussions, involving senior managers, during the year provide students invaluable insights into career planning strategies.
• Integrative Case Competition: At the conclusion of the exam period for first year students, teams compete against each other for first prize in the annual year-end case competition. This is the final requirement of the first year of the program. It is an opportunity for all students to integrate the skills and knowledge gained from their experiences to date and to put them to work in front of a panel of judges from the business community. The winners of the competition are announced at the final reception which is also a celebration of the year in review.

For additional information on Career Services please see the Career Services Section.

Summer Program: (Optional)
Internship or
Foreign Exchange /Study, or
Elective courses

Advanced Year: The second year of the program or the advanced year is made up of ten half-credit courses and is intended to:

• Offer an opportunity for focused study or specialization in one area
• Provide an opportunity for applying the knowledge in a practical setting through a supervised consulting project
• Provide further opportunities for honing the skills acquired in the foundation year by possibly including a concentration

Advanced Year Courses:

• Strategic Management
• Integrative Management Exercise
• Economics of Global Policy
• Masters Research Project (1.0 credit) or Management Consulting Project (0.5 credit)
• Five or Six Electives

Electives

Five or six (2.5-3.0 credits) 6000-level elective courses are selected to support generalist or specialist study in a functional or interdisciplinary area of management. The number of electives depends upon whether the student opts for the Management Research or Management Consulting Project.

Areas of Focus :

Sobey MBA Students can focus in an area or take courses in each discipline. 

• Finance
• Management Consulting
• Human Resource Management
• Information Systems
• International Business
• Marketing

The Sobey School of Business has a unique partnership with the Canadian Association of Management Consultants (CAMC). By completing the required courses in our Program and certain specified electives, students can complete the academic requirements for the CMC designation. Those interested in a Management Consulting career will find this option very attractive. Follow this link for a description of the Management Consulting Specialization.

The following are some of the courses offered in each area. Not all courses in this list are offered each year. Course offerings vary based on demand.

Advanced Program - Year 2 - Electives

Finance Financial Management Corporate Finance Mergers and Acquisitions Capital Markets Investments and Portfolio Management Fixed Income Securities Financial Institutions International Finance and Banking CFA Level 1 Preparation   Human Resource Management Strategic Human Resources Management Performance Management Staffing and Training Organizational Development and Design Industrial Relations Negotiations International Business International Business Management International Finance and Banking International Accounting Multinational Marketing Doing Business in the USA Approved Course from International Development Studies

Management Consulting: Management Consulting Essentials of Management Consulting Strategic Human Resources Management Project Management A fourth 6000 level course in a functional area that relates to consulting (for example, negotiations, strategic marketing, etc.)   Marketing Consumer Behaviour Strategic Marketing Marketing on the Internet Services Marketing Marketing Communications Brand Management Market Research Applications Marketing Channels Multinational Marketing Information Systems Advanced MIS Decisions Support Systems Database Management Electronic Commerce Intelligent Data Mining Small Business Information Systems