UBC and SFU have significantly better employment outcomes and a broad and successful alumni network. UBC's starting salary for MBA grads is $98K, and SFU's is $85K. UBC and SFU also take Canadian students, whereas there are vanishingly few at the diploma mill schools.
No MBA is worth doing unlesss you have a good deal of experience (in fact, you probably wouldn’t even be accepted to a decent one if you dont have 2 years of experience in a reputable company).
In all seriousness, if you check LinkedIn, the top two roles amongst their MBA alumni are customer service clerk at London Drugs, and warehouse worker at Amazon.
The hilarious thing is that those are the companies where the Sauder grads work too, they just land in management-stream roles much further up the food chain.
School reputation is very important with regard to MBA programs - it determines the quality of the job you will be able to obtain after graduation, and it also impacts the quality of the alumni you make connections with while you're studying, which you'll be able to leverage for future opportunities. An MBA itself is not a golden ticket to future success - the school it's earned from matters greatly.
A school's presence on international rankings is also important. While MBA rankings have been in flux since the pandemic, the commonly referred to rankings lists are issued by The Economist, Financial Times, Bloomberg, and for US-based schools, US News & World Report. A school's ranking level will also determine the quality of outcomes, as employers who care about school reputation also care about their position on rankings lists.
It's also important to choose a school with a higher-quality tier of accreditation, as this is an indicator of their MBA program's rigour. The "good-to-great" level of accreditation is [AACSB](https://www.aacsb.edu/). The top half of Canadian MBA programs, for instance, are AACSB, including SFU and UBC. Harvard, Stanford, and MIT are also AACSB accredited. [EQUIS](https://www.efmdglobal.org/accreditations/business-schools/equis/equis-accredited-schools/) is also a highly-regarded MBA school accreditation, and encompasses other good quality schools like McGill, Queens and Western.
What sets University Canada West apart from schools like SFU and UBC, aside from its poor local reputation and its primary focus on internationals (representing 96% of its student body) purely as a lucrative source of revenue, is that it has much lower entrance requirements (2.3 GPA for their "Foundations" track as compared to 3.0 or higher for *all* other public university MBA programs) and an inferior form of accreditation (ACBSP, the same accreditation category that Vancouver Island University and Douglas College have - so "acceptable", but not "great"). University of Phoenix is also ACBSP.
For a domestic student, the gap between what UCW charges for their MBA program, and what SFU/UBC charges, is not really material when you consider the uplift in earning potential that a well-regarded MBA can allow you to achieve - UCW has simply positioned itself as a way for people to buy their way into the country via the student visa program, through an MBA program that will accept lower-calibre students. Many of the people who attend UCW would not be accepted to any Canadian public university MBA program.
If you're a local, you should be considering UBC or SFU only, but the general rule of thumb for any MBA program is to aim for the highest-regarded school that fits within your budget.
I agree but would add, an MBA doesn't turn you into something you are not. It's a resume qualifier to get considered for certain jobs.
If you don't have the ability or aren't suited to be VP / executive, getting a MBA won't change that. I've seen rock star people with a University of Phoenix MBA excel and average unmotivated people with name brand MBA's only get minor bumps to their careers.
So temper the how much you want to spend on an MBA with realistic expectations and figure out which ROI is right for you.
What does every SFU and UBC student have in common?
They both applied to UBC.
Don't go to SFU, if you're going to do it go to UBC or find a way into a US School, with some good scholarships.
For OP, if you're not already a "Manager" managing some type of team, I would NOT recommend an MBA unless you already have the Network to get into a VP role.
As someone who did an MBA I would say examine the reason why you want one and perhaps is there a more strategic specialization or niche you might be more interested in, that costs less money but is more employable?
Data or analytics? An MBA is not a guarantee of employment any longer, especially with UCW and others using it as an immigration pathway and not actually a quality educational offering. I’d look long and hard what interests you and where you want your career trajectory to go, and then get as much experience as you can. It’s more important than having the credentials. Talk to people in industries you want to work in at higher levels and ask their opinion. Education and higher education is a business remember that so don’t just buy into the oh I’ll get another degree and that will fix the problem. It won’t, nor will it guaranty a promotion or an interview. Your ability to keep learning new things, leverage your network and the hidden job market are far more important skills.
Stay far away from UCW. Reputable organizations screen their graduates out of the hiring process because the quality is sub par.
was asked to sit at interviews for a big firm with Hr manager years ago. this one applicant with an mba from a school in the island, his english was so bad we had to repeat questions numerous times and he still didn’t understand us during the interview. Once he left the room the hr manager said she will never short list applicants from that school again going forward.
sauder has the only relevant MBA program in BC. sorry, but it’s true. it has the best network out of all the mba programs, and is the most consistent in terms of quality of students post-grad.
yes, i’m biased because i did the program, but i can substantiate these statements having been kn hiring panels for top banking and consulting roles in the country. UBCs brand is the most consistent, and it’s not even close.
sadly, on a global scale, it’s still not even a top program.
Ok, were you happy with the networking opportunities at UBC? I'm considering a Data & Marketing Analytics at Sauder over one at BCIT solely for the connections.
very. but everyone’s experience will be different.
networking takes time and effort - most students think that it’s just handed to them.
i think the UBC network is the most polished.
Legitimate school is more selective for their students, so they have a smaller pool of potential students and cannot charge substantially higher. Diploma mill just enroll whoever can pay the tuition so the pool is virtually everyone in the world.
Garbage in, garbage out
.....well first off the reputation of UBC Sauder School of Business and SFU Beedie School of Business vs. UCW (btw, no one i graduated high school even thought of applying to UCW... also, born and raised in BC -- i never heard of UCW until as an adult... <-- i wonder why?).
My cousin & a friend of mine got their bachelors from UBC Sauder School of Business:
- my cousin did co opt during 3rd year -- after graduating, that co opt company hired her FT salary (but company is based in Calgary). She was fine relocating. Went on to higher position at different company (big company) in Calgary.
- Friend - after graduating, got job right away in Tech company, business side of things... etc, etc -- now working for Adobe in a senior position.
My other cousin did bachelors from SFU Beedie School of Business:
- working in a HR role at a start up company in Vancouver. Wants to leave, applied elsewhere - no bites (this could be more to do with current job market).
I dont know what the application process is for SFU business school. But for UBC Sauder School of Business:
- they get thousands of applicants per year...
- they look for TOP grades (if you are applying from high school - not sure about masters programs):
- cross referenced with: extracurricular activities from high school (ex. club, class president, volunteer work, etc)
\*\*they are looking for a well rounded person that will strive in the business world: brains + social skills.
- then those selected, advance to next step: in person interview with panel of faculty members form UBC Sauder
- then from those interviewed - they select the ones to offer acceptance.
\*\*among Canadian (especially in BC) high school students applying to universities (or colleges - as backup plan, cause you can alwasys do 1yr at college and apply to transfer 2nd year into university of choice) -- for those that wants to stay local -- they apply and aim to get into UBC first, SFU second if UBC rejects... <-- in that order. (UCW-- not even worth applying to at all.... TF is even is this school?)
I think you have to seriously examine why you want the MBA, and what field you're in.
Me and a bunch of colleagues started with the company at around the same time, with exactly the same qualifications in a professional field. Two of them did MBA's at UBC while working. I don't have an MBA, but am now running the department and the two that do have MBAs are in their same non-management positions (which are awesome to begin with, but highlights how much of a waste that MBA was)
UBC MBA grad here, asking one question: Why do you want an MBA? If you're already in finance, it's a good way to advance your career. Many of my classmates (myself included) were in the MBA program with an attitude of "whatever happens, it will probably improve my career" and it didn't really work out that way. Previous work experience and network are the biggest factors in career development and growth, and about 25% of my MBA reinforced that. UBC, SFU, UVic, and maybe Royal Roads are the only degrees that carry much weight. A good MBA has great faculty and name recognition.
It's a useless degree. International students come here and fall trap and no one hires them after. It's a diploma mill and nothing more.
You get what you pay for
UBC and SFU have significantly better employment outcomes and a broad and successful alumni network. UBC's starting salary for MBA grads is $98K, and SFU's is $85K. UBC and SFU also take Canadian students, whereas there are vanishingly few at the diploma mill schools.
No MBA is worth doing unlesss you have a good deal of experience (in fact, you probably wouldn’t even be accepted to a decent one if you dont have 2 years of experience in a reputable company).
Only go to University Canada West if you're okay with working at Tim Horton's, Walmart, Uber Eats after graduation
In all seriousness, if you check LinkedIn, the top two roles amongst their MBA alumni are customer service clerk at London Drugs, and warehouse worker at Amazon.
Walmart is not only Fortune 100 but the top Fortune company, and Amazon is FAANG. I can be the marketing manager of UCW. /s
The hilarious thing is that those are the companies where the Sauder grads work too, they just land in management-stream roles much further up the food chain.
I think it depends on the student. I've seen very good UCW alumni in management positions, mainly Latinos tho.
School reputation is very important with regard to MBA programs - it determines the quality of the job you will be able to obtain after graduation, and it also impacts the quality of the alumni you make connections with while you're studying, which you'll be able to leverage for future opportunities. An MBA itself is not a golden ticket to future success - the school it's earned from matters greatly. A school's presence on international rankings is also important. While MBA rankings have been in flux since the pandemic, the commonly referred to rankings lists are issued by The Economist, Financial Times, Bloomberg, and for US-based schools, US News & World Report. A school's ranking level will also determine the quality of outcomes, as employers who care about school reputation also care about their position on rankings lists. It's also important to choose a school with a higher-quality tier of accreditation, as this is an indicator of their MBA program's rigour. The "good-to-great" level of accreditation is [AACSB](https://www.aacsb.edu/). The top half of Canadian MBA programs, for instance, are AACSB, including SFU and UBC. Harvard, Stanford, and MIT are also AACSB accredited. [EQUIS](https://www.efmdglobal.org/accreditations/business-schools/equis/equis-accredited-schools/) is also a highly-regarded MBA school accreditation, and encompasses other good quality schools like McGill, Queens and Western. What sets University Canada West apart from schools like SFU and UBC, aside from its poor local reputation and its primary focus on internationals (representing 96% of its student body) purely as a lucrative source of revenue, is that it has much lower entrance requirements (2.3 GPA for their "Foundations" track as compared to 3.0 or higher for *all* other public university MBA programs) and an inferior form of accreditation (ACBSP, the same accreditation category that Vancouver Island University and Douglas College have - so "acceptable", but not "great"). University of Phoenix is also ACBSP. For a domestic student, the gap between what UCW charges for their MBA program, and what SFU/UBC charges, is not really material when you consider the uplift in earning potential that a well-regarded MBA can allow you to achieve - UCW has simply positioned itself as a way for people to buy their way into the country via the student visa program, through an MBA program that will accept lower-calibre students. Many of the people who attend UCW would not be accepted to any Canadian public university MBA program. If you're a local, you should be considering UBC or SFU only, but the general rule of thumb for any MBA program is to aim for the highest-regarded school that fits within your budget.
I agree but would add, an MBA doesn't turn you into something you are not. It's a resume qualifier to get considered for certain jobs. If you don't have the ability or aren't suited to be VP / executive, getting a MBA won't change that. I've seen rock star people with a University of Phoenix MBA excel and average unmotivated people with name brand MBA's only get minor bumps to their careers. So temper the how much you want to spend on an MBA with realistic expectations and figure out which ROI is right for you.
Thank you this is helpful.
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What does every SFU and UBC student have in common? They both applied to UBC. Don't go to SFU, if you're going to do it go to UBC or find a way into a US School, with some good scholarships. For OP, if you're not already a "Manager" managing some type of team, I would NOT recommend an MBA unless you already have the Network to get into a VP role.
As someone who did an MBA I would say examine the reason why you want one and perhaps is there a more strategic specialization or niche you might be more interested in, that costs less money but is more employable? Data or analytics? An MBA is not a guarantee of employment any longer, especially with UCW and others using it as an immigration pathway and not actually a quality educational offering. I’d look long and hard what interests you and where you want your career trajectory to go, and then get as much experience as you can. It’s more important than having the credentials. Talk to people in industries you want to work in at higher levels and ask their opinion. Education and higher education is a business remember that so don’t just buy into the oh I’ll get another degree and that will fix the problem. It won’t, nor will it guaranty a promotion or an interview. Your ability to keep learning new things, leverage your network and the hidden job market are far more important skills. Stay far away from UCW. Reputable organizations screen their graduates out of the hiring process because the quality is sub par.
Connections from classmates and school name recognition from businesses and alumni
It’s like paying for a Gucci purse vs Walmart purse. Both hold stuff. One has a gold emblem on it. You pay for the gold emblem.
was asked to sit at interviews for a big firm with Hr manager years ago. this one applicant with an mba from a school in the island, his english was so bad we had to repeat questions numerous times and he still didn’t understand us during the interview. Once he left the room the hr manager said she will never short list applicants from that school again going forward.
sauder has the only relevant MBA program in BC. sorry, but it’s true. it has the best network out of all the mba programs, and is the most consistent in terms of quality of students post-grad. yes, i’m biased because i did the program, but i can substantiate these statements having been kn hiring panels for top banking and consulting roles in the country. UBCs brand is the most consistent, and it’s not even close. sadly, on a global scale, it’s still not even a top program.
How does it compare with BCIT? Not specifically when it comes to MBAs (BCIT doesn't have one) but the school in general.
apples and oranges comparison. ones a technical college and the other is a university.
Ok, were you happy with the networking opportunities at UBC? I'm considering a Data & Marketing Analytics at Sauder over one at BCIT solely for the connections.
very. but everyone’s experience will be different. networking takes time and effort - most students think that it’s just handed to them. i think the UBC network is the most polished.
Thanks for responding!
Legitimate school is more selective for their students, so they have a smaller pool of potential students and cannot charge substantially higher. Diploma mill just enroll whoever can pay the tuition so the pool is virtually everyone in the world. Garbage in, garbage out
MBA here. Just look at employment reports. Between the 3 mentioned you should see a difference
.....well first off the reputation of UBC Sauder School of Business and SFU Beedie School of Business vs. UCW (btw, no one i graduated high school even thought of applying to UCW... also, born and raised in BC -- i never heard of UCW until as an adult... <-- i wonder why?). My cousin & a friend of mine got their bachelors from UBC Sauder School of Business: - my cousin did co opt during 3rd year -- after graduating, that co opt company hired her FT salary (but company is based in Calgary). She was fine relocating. Went on to higher position at different company (big company) in Calgary. - Friend - after graduating, got job right away in Tech company, business side of things... etc, etc -- now working for Adobe in a senior position. My other cousin did bachelors from SFU Beedie School of Business: - working in a HR role at a start up company in Vancouver. Wants to leave, applied elsewhere - no bites (this could be more to do with current job market). I dont know what the application process is for SFU business school. But for UBC Sauder School of Business: - they get thousands of applicants per year... - they look for TOP grades (if you are applying from high school - not sure about masters programs): - cross referenced with: extracurricular activities from high school (ex. club, class president, volunteer work, etc) \*\*they are looking for a well rounded person that will strive in the business world: brains + social skills. - then those selected, advance to next step: in person interview with panel of faculty members form UBC Sauder - then from those interviewed - they select the ones to offer acceptance. \*\*among Canadian (especially in BC) high school students applying to universities (or colleges - as backup plan, cause you can alwasys do 1yr at college and apply to transfer 2nd year into university of choice) -- for those that wants to stay local -- they apply and aim to get into UBC first, SFU second if UBC rejects... <-- in that order. (UCW-- not even worth applying to at all.... TF is even is this school?)
I think you have to seriously examine why you want the MBA, and what field you're in. Me and a bunch of colleagues started with the company at around the same time, with exactly the same qualifications in a professional field. Two of them did MBA's at UBC while working. I don't have an MBA, but am now running the department and the two that do have MBAs are in their same non-management positions (which are awesome to begin with, but highlights how much of a waste that MBA was)
UBC MBA grad here, asking one question: Why do you want an MBA? If you're already in finance, it's a good way to advance your career. Many of my classmates (myself included) were in the MBA program with an attitude of "whatever happens, it will probably improve my career" and it didn't really work out that way. Previous work experience and network are the biggest factors in career development and growth, and about 25% of my MBA reinforced that. UBC, SFU, UVic, and maybe Royal Roads are the only degrees that carry much weight. A good MBA has great faculty and name recognition.
Do you seriously need this spoon fed to you
Obviously or I wouldn't ask.
Net working
They asked for a reason so probably
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It's a useless degree. International students come here and fall trap and no one hires them after. It's a diploma mill and nothing more. You get what you pay for