Business Administration (MBA)
Thank you for your interest in Lakehead's Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. The Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at Lakehead University is a general degree designed to prepare students for success in a wide range of careers in management.
The MBA is a 12–month (3 terms, full time) general degree designed to prepare students for success in a wide range of careers in management. The program helps students to develop a comprehensive and integrated knowledge of business and management functions and a deeper understanding of the business environment. Students develop analytical, decision-making, and communication skills and enhance their abilities to examine ethical considerations in business. This program achieves these goals through intensive and stimulating lectures, energetic class discussions, contemporary and relevant case studies, and experiential learning projects.
The MBA program is offered on a full-time and a part-time basis.
Please pay particular attention to our admission requirements and note that Lakehead University will not assess admissibility of a student until a formal application for admission is received. Faculty of Business Administration accepts both GMAT (including GMAT Focus Edition) and GRE. The Faculty of Business may choose to waive the GMAT test for candidates with excellent academic qualifications (see below for examples). Please do not email the faculty to request a waiver. If you apply without a GMAT, this assessment will be done automatically. There are a number of available GMAT/GRE preparation workbooks, websites and programs to help you achieve better scores. Make sure that official GMAT/GRE scores are available by and sent to Lakehead University in time. We would encourage you to apply if your qualifications reach our admission requirement.
MBA Program Objectives
Students who successfully complete the MBA program will have:
Goal 1. Our graduates should have a comprehensive and integrated knowledge of management functions.
- Our graduates will understand technical business skills and apply them in new and unfamiliar circumstances.
- Our graduates will integrate all the management function areas into a coherent strategic whole.
Goal 2. Our graduates should be analytical decisions-makers
Our graduates will think analytically to identify a problem and apply appropriate quantitative and qualitative analysis to develop workable solutions.
Goal 3. Our graduates should be effective communicators.
- Our graduates will deliver clear and persuasive oral presentations to business audiences.
- Our graduates will prepare clear and persuasive written reports to business audiences.
Goal 4. Our graduates should demonstrate the techniques to become effective business leaders.
- Our graduates will apply ethical resolution techniques to ethical dilemmas to provide recommended course of action.
- Our graduates will work well in teams.
- Our graduates will understand leadership theories.
- Our graduates will understand how globalization and the global environment impact individuals, businesses, and the economy.
NOTE: Full-time students in this program are expected to complete all requirements within three terms (1 year) of continuous registration.
Part-time students in this program are expected to complete all requirements within nine consecutive terms (3 years). The normal and maximum course load per year is 2.5 Full Course Equivalents, with the exception of year one in which students will also take BUS 5010. As part-time MBA study is intended for working professionals, these students will not be considered for financial support.
Admission Requirements for Masters
Applicants for admission must be graduates of a recognized university, college, or institute as well as show evidence of scholarly achievement. Except where otherwise stated in the Admission Requirements of a particular program, degree students must have a four year bachelor's degree or its equivalent with at least second class standing (B) based on their last 20 half courses or equivalent.
For applicants from countries that follow a British-patterned grading system, please note:
- Overall standings are normally reported in lieu of an average. The CGPA can be determined on the basis of annual or overall standings as reported on the transcript or degree certificate.
- A minimum grade of B, or Second Class, Upper Division, is required.
- The National Diploma and Higher National Diploma are not recognized for admission to a graduate-level program.
- Be sure to include a copy of your institution grading scale when uploading your transcripts.
- If in doubt, you may wish to order a WES International Credential Advantage (iCap) report from wes.org
An applicant holding a degree other than one in the discipline area to which admission is sought will be considered on the basis of courses taken and academic standing.
Meeting the minimum requirements does not necessarily guarantee admission. No candidate will be admitted unless the academic unit recommends admission. All applicants will be advised by the Office of Graduate Studies in writing of their admission status.
Program Specific Requirements
In addition to the general admission requirements for Faculty of Graduate Studies programs, the following minimum requirements also apply:
- four year degree or three year degree plus five additional full-course equivalents (10 half-courses at the second year level or higher; a minimum of six courses must be at the third or fourth year level, and not already used for any degree considered for admission into this program),
- GMAT (or GMAT Focus Edition) with recommended minimum score of 500, or a GRE General Exam with recommended minimum score 300. In lieu of the GMAT, students with a conditional offer may apply to the Business Skills Development Program offered by the Faculty of Business Administration.
- Statement of Academic Intent of 750-1000 words, to outline the nature of the academic and work history, the academic and career goals, and the strengths and weaknesses of the applicant,
- Curriculum Vitae.
Preference will be given to applicants with more than two years of general work experience.
Applicants with experience greater than 5 years at a middle or upper level managerial position, or professional designations such as CA, CMA, CGA, CFA, CHRP AND CFP and other recognized designation will be looked on favourably and may be considered in cases of less than required undergraduate average or GMAT/GRE score.
Graduates of the Lakehead University Faculty of Business Administration with an excellent academic record will be considered for a waiver of the GMAT/GRE requirement.
GMAT/GRE Waiver
The GMAT/GRE may be waived for some students. Decisions on waivers will be made in the context of a complete and submitted application. While no two applicants are the same, these are some of the qualifications in which applicants will be looked favourably upon:
Graduates of Canadian postsecondary institutions (members of Universities Canada) with an excellent academic record.
https://www.univcan.ca/universities/member-universities/Graduates holding a prior masters or doctoral degree with an excellent academic record (Students of 3-year undergraduate programs with a master’s degree may not qualify for a waiver).
Students with a professional designation may also be considered (e.g. P.Eng, CFA level 3, CPA, ACCA, CHRP).
Meeting one of these thresholds does not guarantee waiving of the GMAT. Students will automatically be considered for a waiver once they apply and do not need to make an additional application or statement.
The application deadline is February 1. Late applications will be considered for admission, but may not be eligible for funding. Meeting the above minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program(s).
Academic Fees and Important Payment Information
Graduate Funding
At Lakehead University, we realize the importance of financial support for graduate students.
Therefore, financial assistance opportunities are available in several forms and are generally awarded to students by individual programs on the basis of academic promise and financial need.
The different funding options available include:
For your convenience, a searchable database of graduate scholarships, bursaries, and awards is provided below. Award eligibility, criteria, and application procedures for graduate funding is indicated for each award. Please use the general search tool to find available funding by program. Alternatively, you may also click the advanced search link to specify available funding by program level, award category and/or award amount.
Although financial support cannot be guaranteed to all graduate students in all programs, we encourage you to inquire about financial assistance with your Graduate Coordinator in your program of study. You may also contact the Graduate Funding Officer in the Faculty of Graduate Studies to learn more about your graduate funding options.
Conditions of Graduate Awards
Graduate scholarships are based on academic merit. Graduate bursaries are based on financial need, although there may be a merit component to the bursary. Where the award designates that an application is required, only those students who have submitted the specified application by the deadline will be considered for those awards. Late and/or incomplete applications will not be considered. Only successful applicants will be notified.
Recipients of scholarships, awards and bursaries must be registered in order to receive funding. Graduate awards are applied to any outstanding balance on the student's account. Students are entitled to their awards only after their fees are paid in full. Only students with credit account balances will be refunded the balance of the overpayment. Overpayment refunds of these awards will be issued at the end of September, January and May each year.
The University reserves the right to make changes without prior notice to the terms, conditions and award values listed in this section and in the University Calendar.
The most up-to-date internal awards and applications are on our new award system MyAwards
Graduate Studies Funding Database
Required Application Documents
Applicants for admission must be graduates of an accredited university, college, or institute as well as show evidence of scholarly achievement. Except where otherwise stated in the admission requirements of a particular program, domestic degree students must have a four year bachelor's degree or its equivalent with at least (B) based on their last 20 half courses or equivalent. We recommend that International applicants have an overall standing of Second Class - Upper Division or higher.
Meeting the minimum application requirements does not guarantee admission. The Faculty of Graduate Studies will advise all applicants in writing of admission decisions once they are received from the program. Applicants are encouraged to regularly monitor their Lakehead University email and application portal for the most current information.
The first step in the application process is to complete the online graduate studies application form.
After you have submitted the online form along with the required $125 CAD application fee, you will be provided with an online account where you can complete the remaining steps of the application process which include uploading the required supporting documents and monitoring the status of your application.
Click here to Apply to Graduate Studies
After you have applied
After you have submitted the online application form, you can access your account here. Any change in your application status will be reflected in this portal.
References are optional for the MBA program; however, you will be able to upload reference letters in support of your application.
- For a list of program specific documents, please see this program's Additional Application Information section (if required, see above)
- For information about English test results, please see our Academic Calendar
Additional Application Information
- Official GMAT or GMAT Focus Edition (view note) or GRE Score (view note) - We prefer tests to be taken in-person at a testing centre.
- Statement of Academic Intent of 750-1000 words, to outline the nature of the academic and work history, the academic and career goals, and the strengths and weaknesses of the applicant
- Curriculum Vitae (view note)