The 2017 Top EMBA Programs in Canada

The US has not cornered the market on top executive MBA programs.

Our neighbors to the north have a number of strong programs particularly for those in the energy industry. In addition to world-renowned faculty and fantastic international travel opportunities, these Canada-based programs are often half the cost of their top American counterparts.

This year, Ivy Exec awarded the top spot on our Canada rankings to the Rotman One-Year Executive MBA program at the University of Toronto. Clocking in at just 13-months, the program packs a turbo-charged curriculum into a very short time window. Specifically, the Rotman EMBA came in first in the region in our metrics for prestige, curriculum and global experience.

In second place is the Queen’s EMBA—The National Program at the Stephen J.R. Smith School of Business at Queen’s University. The 16-month program has a strongly international cohort with 53% of the class hailing from outside of Canada.

In third place is the Ivey EMBA Program at the University of Western Ontario. This program impressively came in #1 for our career advancement metric. The 15-month program offers a healthy post-graduation salary boost of around 41%.

But to help you go beyond the top three, we’ve compiled a spotlight list of our favorite programs in Canada that are worth a closer look.

Sobey Executive MBA at Saint Mary’s University

The Sobey Executive MBA is celebrating its 25^th year of enriching impressive industry professionals. Located in Halifax on Canada’s Atlantic Coast, the Sobey EMBA is focused on giving seasoned executives a chance to pursue their higher education without sacrificing their dedication to their current jobs or their family obligations. Class is in session on Fridays and Saturdays every other week during the academic year from September to April. Program participants are never expected to spend any nights away from home for a campus-based residency project and do not have any classes scheduled through the summer months. The summer months, however, are not wasted. Instead, students complete a major thesis project in which they develop a business plan for their companies or write a research paper on a topic of their interest.

At the end of the program, Sobey students conduct an international trade mission where they travel overseas to work with companies in an emerging economy that are looking to develop an export line of business. Past missions have included trips to Poland, Brazil and Ecuador. In 2017, the Sobey cohort will take its trade mission to Vietnam.

“The [trade] mission takes the students outside their comfort zone and pushes them to their limits, teaching them to keep calm and to perform under intense pressure,” Dr. Mark Raymond, Professor of Economics at Sobey says of the unique program capstone.

Upon returning to Canada, all EMBA program participants must complete a formal debrief with a partner on their lessons learned overseas.

Global Energy Executive MBA at the University of Calgary Haskayne School of Business

Executives flock from all around the world to participate in the Global Energy EMBA at Haskayne. With 45-percent of the cohort made up of international students, the program promises to elevate a rising energy executive’s career trajectory. With a fast-evolving industry responding to global changes, students in this program will find themselves particularly equipped to manage and weather the market fluctuations. The curriculum is delivered in 20-months and combines working residencies in Calgary as well as in five other energy centers around the globe—along with continuous web-based programming. Typical overseas modules include intensive learning in Doha, Qatar as well as London and Beijing.

The Alberta Haskayne Executive MBA at the University of Calgary and the University of Alberta

Also based in Calgary at Haskayne, this joint program offers an intensive, Canada-based learning experience with a capstone international study tour. The 23-month program is a relative bargain at $53,000 with an average salary boost upon graduation of 36%. This program is also a strong choice for energy executives as half of the class is in the industry. In particular, this program prides itself on its emphasis on entrepreneurial thinking. With core courses in this skill, the program seeks to equip its graduates with the kind of nimble problem-solving skills that will give them a leg up in the modern marketplace.

The Executive MBA Americas at Cornell University and Queen’s University

This North American partnership between Cornell and Queens University in Ontario combines the best of the Ivy League with one of Canada’s top universities. The 17-month program offers an average salary boost upon graduation of about 53%. EMBA program participants can expect to study in their choice of 22-cities across North, South and Central America: from Ottawa to Monterrey, Peru to Dallas, Texas. The program focuses on collaborative, team-based learning experiences that mimic the real-world boardrooms where students will go on to be lifelong leaders.