Please note:
To view the current Academic Calendar, go to www.sfu.ca/students/calendar.html.
Executive MBA
The executive master of business administration (EMBA) program is for experienced, mid to upper level managers and professionals seeking the confidence and ability to drive a business strategically at the senior management level with the most current and innovative management practices.
The EMBA utilizes a cohort model where students complete courses in the same sequence, and student interaction and co-operation are emphasized. Study groups and project teams are an important aspect of the learning experience. Program options include EMBA, the EMBA Americas Stream, and occasionally Community Cohorts.
EMBA Americas Stream
Students may choose to apply to the EMBA Americas stream for their second year in the EMBA program. Students completing all EMBA Americas stream requirements receive a graduate certificate in business in the Americas in addition to the MBA degree. EMBA Americas stream classes are taught as intensive sessions in partnership with three other institutions at their campuses: Owen Graduate School, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, USA; ITAM, Mexico City, Mexico; FIA, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and one intensive session at 間眅埶AV. Courses in the EMBA Americas stream provide a greater emphasis on international management, and a capstone applied project is required. Students will also participate in company visits and workshops on local cultural and business practices in each of the four participating countries.
Community Cohorts
The EMBA may also be offered as a regional cohort program situated in communities throughout Canada. Community cohorts follow the EMBA requirements while utilizing customized programming and delivery depending on regional needs. Courses from other 間眅埶AV graduate business programs, or special topic courses, may be substituted at the discretion of the academic director. The location and theme of a community cohort will vary, and remains at the discretion of the academic director. Classes are normally scheduled in intensive formats at the program location.
Applicants should also refer to the program website located at .
間眅埶AV Requirements
Applicants must satisfy the University admission requirements as stated in Graduate General Regulations 1.3 in the 間眅埶AV Calendar. 間眅埶AV into this program is competitive; meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee acceptance. Applicants must have an undergraduate degree with a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and a minimum of ten years of business experience. Exceptional managers (as determined by career progression and responsibilities relative to EMBA peer group) who have a CGPA lower than a 3.0/4.33 (B) in their undergraduate degree, or lack a formal degree or professional designation, but have other outstanding qualifications may be admitted into the program. Applicants will also be assessed on volunteer and/or community experience, other achievements, and letters of reference. Only shortlisted candidates will be interviewed.
Program Requirements
This program consists of core course requirements for a minimum of 56 units. Courses from other 間眅埶AV graduate business programs, or special topic courses, may be substituted for courses below at the discretion of the academic director.
EMBA students complete a minimum of 56 units from the following
This course applies contemporary organizational theory to the managerial challenges of entrepreneurial, corporate, public sector and not-for-profit organizations in the areas of organizational structure and change, adapting the organizations to their changing environment, and articulating alternate plans for organizational survival (and where possible, growth). Equivalent Courses: MBA603.
Provides a solid grounding in the principles of business finance. Students are introduced to important financial tools and gain an appreciation of how business decisions impact financial performance and shareholder value. Equivalent Courses: MBA606.
Analysis of strategic issues affecting the success of the total enterprise and its sub-units. The course includes industry analysis, internal analysis of the core competencies and value chains that enable corporate and business level strategies, the evolution of strategy and how that occurs in different environments and organizational types, and implementation issues organizations face when enacting strategies. Equivalent Courses: MBA607.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD | |||
| TBD |
Individual study with a faculty member. The course outline must be approved by the graduate program committee.
Individual study with a faculty member. The course outline must be approved by the graduate program committee.
Individual study with a faculty member. The course outline must be approved by the graduate program committee.
Apply the fundamentals of marketing management including understanding competitive rationality, why competitive advantage needs to be managed as a process, and the creation and evaluation of customer equity. Learn how to formulate and implement offering, pricing, placement and marketing communication strategies that will lead to growth and competitive advantage. Students who have taken BUS 637 and BUS 638 may not take this course for further credit.
A seminar format will be used to discuss the concepts and frameworks essential to the effective management of information technology. Our focus will be on the strategic role that information systems play in organizations, their structure and components, and various perspectives on how to plan and manage this technology. Equivalent Courses: MBA621.
Focuses on the processes by which goods and services are produced and the impact of operations on corporate strategy and elements in the value chain. Students with credit for MBA 632 may not take this course for further credit.
Provides a thorough understanding of the basics of finance and the application of financial frameworks for better managerial decision-making based on financial statements.
Provides a solid grounding in the basics of Corporate Finance, its principles and importance in capital structure issues. Corporate Finance issues are primarily the responsibility of senior management or corporate boards and require strategic high-level understanding that includes knowledge of capital budgeting, cost of capital, valuation, LBO structure, dividend policy and IPO.
Provides an understanding of marketing management through the articulation and application of the fundamentals of marketing management, competitive rationality and creation & valuation of customer equity as well as managing competitive advantage as a process.
An examination of how knowledge of an organization's customers, competitors and collaborators as well as its competencies enable those who direct marketing strategy to decide on the organization's target markets, and in turn formulate and implement offering, pricing, placement and marketing communication strategies that will lead to growth and competitive advantage.
Provides an understanding of the linkages between financial statements such as annual reports and prospectuses including the three principal financial statements (balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement) and how useful information about a company can be extracted from them.
Provides theoretical and practical knowledge of how to use accounting information for strategic planning and decision making from a variety of stakeholder perspectives.
An overview of entrepreneurial thinking and action important to entrepreneurs or persons who want to exhibit an entrepreneurial spirit, including: opportunity discovery; entrepreneurial strategy and implementation; and innovation in the context of uncertainty, ambiguity and risk.
Provides a thorough understanding of how venture capital works and what an entrepreneur or potential investor in start-ups needs to know about business plans, opportunity assessment, valuation, financing, structuring and due diligence.
Comprehensive exam.
Addresses the theory and practice of the management of innovation in order to improve the innovative capacity of a firm, including strategy and tools to help firms create and capture value from innovation under conditions of technology and/or market uncertainty.
Facilitates the understanding of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship by providing conceptual tools which can be used to launch and run a business as a startup or within an existing company.
Focuses on the matters involved when businesses are operating, or intend to operate, in the traditional territories of First Nations or other Indigenous Peoples. Cases where Indigenous relations were significant factors in the success or failure of businesses or major products will be examined, and a sense of potential challenges and opportunities with regard to Indigenous engagement will be explored.
A holistic view of corporate responsibility encompassing the social, ecological, and economic responsibilities of organizations. Integrative approaches will be used to learn about topics such as philosophies of corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability, sustainable business models, corporate transparency and reporting, embedding corporate responsibility into organizational cultures, and responsible leadership.
The application of modern microeconomic theory to problems of managerial decision-making. The importance of both economic models and quantitative applications are explained. Topics include demand, cost and productivity analysis; the analysis of market structure and firm strategy, international competition and trade; organizational economics; and the analysis of risk, uncertainty and information. Equivalent Courses: MBA651.
Course content varies from term to term. Specific course outlines must receive prior approval of the graduate program committee.
Course content varies from term to term. Specific course outlines must receive prior approval of the graduate program committee.
Course content varies from term to term. Specific course outlines must receive prior approval of the graduate program committee. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
Negotiation is the art and science of securing agreements between two or more parties that are interdependent and who are seeking to maximize their outcomes. The central issues of this course deal with understanding behaviour of individuals, groups and organizations in the context of competitive situations. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD |
Course content varies from term to term. Specific course outlines and bibliographies must receive prior approval of the graduate program committee.
The challenge in business today is to move away from functional silos and adopt an innovative, cross-functional approach to problem-solving. Consistent with this challenge, our focus will be on entrepreneurship, or the "pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled".
Course content varies from term to term. Specific course outlines and bibliographies must receive prior approval of the graduate program committee.
Examines the rationale for and nature of government intervention, and the impact of public policies on business. Students with credit for MBA 691 may not take this course for further credit.
* BUS 699 is a prerequisite for all courses in this program
EMBA Americas Stream
Students in the EMBA Americas stream complete the same curriculum in first year as EMBA students. In second year, EMBA Americas stream students complete all of
Analysis of strategic issues affecting the success of the total enterprise and its sub-units. The course includes industry analysis, internal analysis of the core competencies and value chains that enable corporate and business level strategies, the evolution of strategy and how that occurs in different environments and organizational types, and implementation issues organizations face when enacting strategies. Equivalent Courses: MBA607.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD | |||
| TBD |
Negotiation is the art and science of securing agreements between two or more parties that are interdependent and who are seeking to maximize their outcomes. The central issues of this course deal with understanding behaviour of individuals, groups and organizations in the context of competitive situations. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
| Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD |
Students will undertake a strategic firm analysis or public policy analysis (public sector students). Students may undertake other types of projects with permission of the academic director. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
And special topics courses taken at the partner universities
FIA
ITAM
Vanderbilt
Graduate Certificate in Business in the Americas
The EMBA Americas stream includes four special topics courses in addition to those required for the EMBA. These four additional courses are required for the graduate certificate. Courses are relevant to business in the Americas covering a variety of business disciplines. Students will also participate in company visits and workshops on local cultural and business practices in each of the 4 participating countries.
The certificate is open to students enrolled in the EMBA Americas stream. Students must complete all stream requirements including those included in the graduate certificate.
Further details about the EMBA Americas stream are provided at
Program Length
Students are expected to complete the EMBA in five or six terms, depending on their stream or cohort requirements.
Academic Requirements within the Graduate General Regulations
All graduate students must satisfy the academic requirements that are specified in the Graduate General Regulations, as well as the specific requirements for the program in which they are enrolled.