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DeGroote School of Business MBA ranked among Canada’s top 10

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BY Andrew Baulcomb

August 9, 2016

Some of the brightest and most accomplished grad students in the country are flocking to the DeGroote School of Business, and for good reason.

DeGroote has once again been named to Canadian Business magazine’s prestigious Canada’s Best MBAs list, joining the likes of the Rotman School of Management, Queen’s School of Business and Ivey Business School in the top 10.

DeGroote landed in the ninth spot on the national reputation ranking, which is determined by assessing a school’s name recognition and perception of quality, among other factors. More than 40 Canadian universities currently offer MBA programs.

Approximately 1,000 people were surveyed for this year’s rankings, including prospective MBA students and their parents, MBA graduates, HR professionals and corporate recruiters.

“We’re very pleased with this result,” says Sue McCracken, Director of DeGroote’s MBA program. “To continuously be ranked among the top 10 business schools in Canada speaks volumes about our national reputation.”

The School’s co-op MBA, which received high praise in the Canadian Business survey, offers students three four-month work terms during a 28-month program. These co-op placements “enable participants to gain on-the-job insights and expertise while studying,” the survey stated. DeGroote is the only Canadian business school that offers three work terms.

Last year’s graduating class of 108 co-op MBA students commanded an average starting salary of $68,982, while full-time and accelerated graduates earned an average starting salary of $62,500.

The survey also highlighted a number of specializations available to MBA students – including Health Services Management; Management of Innovation and New Technology; Strategic Business Valuation; and Strategic Management – and cited the BizX Exchange Program as a valuable international learning opportunity.

Welcome to the “New DeGroote MBA”

DeGroote is in the midst of a “building phase” when it comes to the School’s MBA offerings, McCracken says. The ultimate goal is to climb even higher in the national MBA rankings and increase the School’s profile on the world stage, especially when it comes to recruitment.

This year, a number of exciting advancements are being implemented:

  • Cohort classes will be offered during first year, running from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday, with networking, career advancement, and professional development every Friday and occasional evenings throughout the week.
  • Five foundation weeks will expose students to the full spectrum of business within the themes of Analysis, Data & Decisions, Application, and Reflection.
  • Nine weeks of five core courses will be offered, based on themes and integrated cases for more effective learning.
  • A three-week integrated project during second term, at the end of first year, will also be offered.

Beginning in September, DeGroote will also welcome its first cohort for the new Executive MBA in Digital Transformation.

Anchored by four residential modules held in Burlington, Ontario and Palo Alto, California, the 13-month program teaches students how to manage and use digital systems to make data-driven decisions, lead complex and diverse teams in digital environments, and recruit new talent.

Students will learn from faculty instructors in the classroom and from a wide variety of industry experts on site. These experts include senior executives from key corporate partners: theScore, CIBC, IBM, and SAS.