The convenience
of online study.
Graduate Diploma in Business Administration
Curriculum
This online program is open to international students but does not qualify for a study permit or post-graduate work permit. Please see program requirements for more information.
We built our curriculum around solving real-world business problems using conceptual frameworks. You are encouraged to bring business challenges you’re facing into the discussion. You, your peers and your instructors can collaborate on solutions, learning from each other in the process.
Orientation
All students attend a 14-day orientation before starting classes. This GDBA orientation prepares you to learn in an online, graduate-level business program. It ensures that everyone has the same foundational learning skills and program expectations. You’ll learn by doing, completing a series of activities that challenge you intellectually while developing your facility with online tools and methods. During the orientation, you will also:
- Meet instructors and classmates
- Learn to use the online learning tools and access university resources
- Complete learning activities using the online Learning Management System
- Develop a personal study plan that aligns with your career goals and MBA aspirations
GDBA Course List
To level up your leadership skills, participate in a carefully curated set of courses, designed to introduce you to leadership and teamwork fundamentals as well as the case analysis process.
Managing People and Organizations
Gain an understanding of how individuals and teams function effectively in work situations. Learn how organizational behaviour themes, such as emotions, motivation, and group dynamics, relate to functional issues such as job design, salary structures, and recruitment.
Financial and Managerial Accounting
Move beyond accounting fundamentals and processes. Learn to make business decisions in support of broader organizational objectives that are based on sound analysis of financial information.
Business Ethics (half course)
Professional decision-making involves moving from complexity and ambiguity to action. Build an integrated set of ethical and analytical reasoning tools for addressing the challenges that arise in real-world decisions.
Managerial Economics
Gain an introduction to the basic concepts in economics, and explore the relevance of economic reasoning to tactical and strategic managerial decision-making. Study the importance of economic concepts, economic models and quantitative applications, and understand how they apply to common problems managers encounter.
Managerial Finance (Prerequisite: Financial/Managerial Accounting)
Gain a practical understanding of managerial finance and the role of the financial manager. Learn to apply financial statement analysis, valuation techniques, capital budgeting, project analysis, and other financial tools. Explore a wide variety of subjects, including:
- Maximizing shareholder wealth
- Agency conflicts
- Ethical corporate behaviour
Business Analytics
Explore the key concepts of probability and statistics that provide the basic tools to approach statistics critically. Focus on the use of quantitative or statistical techniques in managerial decision-making and learn to apply them in business settings.
Marketing Management
Get an overview of the marketing process, including learning how to analyze data and make decisions on pricing, product design, promotion and distribution as part of developing a comprehensive marketing plan. The course concludes with a collaborative online marketing simulation.
Special Topics
Business and Indigenous Peoples
The purpose of this course is to help students understand the issues involved when companies are operating, or intend to operate, in the traditional territories of First Nations and other Indigenous peoples. The course will also examine the role that Indigenous people play in Canada's economy including entrepreneurship and community-owned businesses.
MBA Transferable Credits
Want to work toward one of our three MBAs? These courses will help get you there.

Students proceeding to one of the MBA programs should be aware that not all courses may be waived. In particular, University policy specifies that no more than 50% of a program’s credit requirements may be waived.
*Students must achieve a grade of at least 3.0 GPA (B) for the course to be transferable and subject to successful admission to an MBA program.**GDBA courses are valid to be eligible to transfer to an MBA program, for up to 3 years after completion.
***Students who achieve a CGPA in their GDBA courses (14 credits) of at least 3.50, will receive a GMAT waiver.
Full course: 4 credits
½ course: 2 credits
Credits required to apply to ladder into the MBA: 14 credits
Credits required to complete the GDBA: 24 credits

Connect with our team
Our admissions team is more than happy to answer your questions so you know what you can expect before, during, and beyond your program.