Master of Science in Business
Halifax Regional Municipality, Canada
DURATION
16 Months
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
03 Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
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STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Introduction
The Dalhousie MSCB:
The Master of Science in Business at Dalhousie is a research-oriented graduate thesis program that provides you with enhanced opportunities to enter a PhD program in business administration or boost your career in industry with skills in academic research. Students develop their skills through courses in their area of specialization and by successfully writing and defending a thesis.
Ultimately, this program is designed for students who wish to eventually pursue a PhD or develop strong analyitcal skills for industry.
Areas of Specialization:
To apply to the program students must apply to a area of specialization. A student's specialization is the area in which they will condict their research, on a specific chosen topic of interest.
Finance Specialization:
Explore financial theory and research methodology to develop a strong set of analytical skills, and understanding of financial theory and research methodology.
Management Specialization:
Students will investiage human interactions and behaviour in the context of organizations as well as individual- and systems-level factors influencing employee, team and organizational success.
Marketing Specialization
Students develop fundamental research questions in consumer behaviour and decision making in areas such as marketing management, advertising, consumer studies, digital marketing, services marketing, or marketing strategy and globalization.
Management Information Systems (MIS) Specializations
Students will build business analytics and explore the intersections of technology, humans, organization and communities. Topics within this specialization might consider things such as business analytics, smart technologies, human-AI interaction, social media, IT & organizations, design-type research, healthcare IT management, IT-enabled decision-making and support, and e-business.
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Ideal Students
Who Should Apply?
Dalhousie's MScB accepts students from all undergraduate backgrounds (business degree not required) and does not require applicants to have professional work experience.
Many of our students have come from backgrunds such as (but not limited to): Economics, Statistics, Psychology, Computer Science, and other related disciplines.
Although not required, a strong applicant will demonstrate some or all of the attributes listed below:
- Experience with academic research
- Has taken or has experience with rigourous quantitative courses
- Has familiarity with research methods
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
A variety of funding options are available through teaching assistantships and/or government research grants, fellowships and scholarships (for entering students or students at an early stage of the program). A successful applicant may be offered an initial research or teaching assistantship in the first semester.
Harmonized Scholarship Process
The Harmonized Scholarship Process (HSP) allows for incoming and current students to apply for several Faculty of Graduate Studies–managed scholarships using a single online application, the complete list of which can be found on our funding application process page. New applicants can apply for these scholarships without being accepted into a Dalhousie graduate program. However, you must have applied to the program to be able to accept a scholarship offer and offers are conditional upon your acceptance into the program.
While not mandatory, GMAT or GRE is an optional departmental (MScB’s) requirement for FGS-managed scholarships (e.g., Harmonized Scholarship, CGS-M, etc.), which means that submitting GMAT or GRE (to [email protected]) when submitting the application for the FGS-managed scholarships (via the online FGS scholarship application system) will improve the chances for you to get an FGS-managed scholarship.
If you wish to apply for the master-level entrance scholarships or research grants for this program, we strongly recommend that you discuss this with your potential thesis supervisor as early as October of the year before your first semester.
Please note that all application materials including transcripts and reference letters must be submitted by this deadline to be considered The HSP deadline for Fall 2025 admission will be posted in the Fall of 2024. Please note that the HSP scholarships are managed by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and therefore we cannot make any accommodation such as deadline extension, etc. For more information relevant to the HSP, please view the details of entrance scholarships for master's students.
Canada Graduate Scholarships – Master's
The federal Tri-Agencies (Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Social Sciences and the Humanities Research Council) and their provincial counterparts are dedicated to the creation of new knowledge for the benefit of all Canadians. These agencies support master’s students through the Canada Graduate Scholarships–Master’s Program (CGS-M).
Complete details on the CGS-M application process and eligibility criteria can be found on the Tri-Agency website. Applications are submitted through the Research Portal.
CGS-M award results are announced in early April by the Tri-Agency. Strong applicants are also encouraged to participate in the Harmonized Scholarship Process by opting in to use their CGS-M application to be considered for other awards. Applicants who plan to opt-in to use their CGS-M application for this purpose must do so in the FGS portal by its deadline.
CGS-M scholarships are currently reviewed and awarded through Dalhousie University, with awards issued each year to applicants who:
- Are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada.
- You must be enrolled in, have applied for or will apply for full-time admission to an eligible graduate program.
- As of December 31 of the year of application to the scholarship, have not completed more than 12 months of full-time academic study in their graduate program.
For more information relevant to the HSP, please view the details of entrance scholarships for master's students.
Douglas C. Mackay Scholarship for MScB students
Scholarships are available from the Mackay Fund for students who apply to the MSc in Business. This opportunity is made possible by a generous donation from businessman and alumnus Dr. Douglas C. Mackay (BComm’53, LLD’93). The scholarships are awarded to incoming MScB students based on overall qualification of their application package. All students who apply and submit all supporting documents by the application deadline (January 6, 2025), with either GMAT or GRE scores will automaticallybe considered for this scholarship.
Mitacs Accelerate Program
This is an internship program designed to build collaborations between academia and industry/community partners.
- Applications are accepted at any time.
- The adjudication process is less competitive (high success rate).
- International students are eligible.
- The length of internship is scalable. Projects can range from a single 4-month internship unit to multiple units combined to accommodate larger projects.
- Students may complete up to 4 internship segments (4 months each) during a master’s degree, and up to 8 during a PhD.
- Each 4-month internship project receives $15,000 in direct funding, with the partner organization (either for-profit or not-for-profit) and Mitacs each providing $7,500.
- For more details on the program and its application process, visit https://www.mitacs.ca/en/programs/accelerate
Dalhousie MScB Promise Scholarship
The MScB Promise Scholars program offers $1,000/year to one Indigenous or African Canadian student, with preference given to Mi’kmaq or African Nova Scotian applicants. The Promise Scholars program aligns with Dalhousie’s commitment to admit, engage, support and graduate a diverse student body, with attention to enhancing access and success of historically underrepresented students.
Our advisors will work with Promise Scholars to ensure they are academically supported and aided in finding work terms and mentors to support their career aspirations. If you self-identify as Indigenous or African Canadian, please fill out the MScB Promise Scholarship Application while you complete your prorgram application. The completed application forms and supporting documents may be submitted by email to [email protected]
Travel Grant
Conference travel grants are awarded to full-time graduate students in a master’s thesis program. To be eligible, students must present a poster or paper based on the results of their graduate research at a national or international scholarly meeting or conference.
You are eligible for one FGS travel grant per degree, and you must be registered in the term when you apply and the term when the conference occurs. Supervisor approval must be signified by signature on the application. The maximum amount awarded is $500; this amount is subject to change.
For more information about the travel grant, including the application procedure, please visit Travel Grant on the Faculty of Graduate Studies’ website.
Data Collection Grant
This grant serves to support graduate students in covering the expenses associated with gathering and analyzing data essential for their thesis research. To apply, please fill out and submit the Data Collection Grant Application Form. Ensure your request is submitted after obtaining Research Ethics Board (REB) approval. Notification of the decision will be sent via email within a few weeks of submission. Applications remain open year-round until funding is exhausted. The maximum grant amount available is $750.
Curriculum
Core Courses
Regardless of a student's chosen specialization, there is a suiote of core courses they are required to complete:
BUSS 7101
Research Workshop (0 credit hours) every term of the first year.
BUSS 7100
Master’s Thesis (0 credit hours) every term when a student works on the thesis (typically the 3rd or 4th semesters).
One Elective Course
This must be completed at the graduate or senior undergaduate level (if neccessary). The elective course should help improve the student's knowledge and/or skill to write their master's thesis. Please consult with your (potential) supervisor(s) about which elective course to take.
Required Courses by Specialization
Each specialization has a suite of specific required courses (one half credit hour each).
Finance
- BUSS 6201: Theory of Finance
- BUSS 6202: Seminar in Corporate Finance
- BUSS 6292: Financial Econometrics
- BUSS 6293: Seminar in Investment
Management
- BUSS 6101: Research Design and Methods
- BUSS 6102: Behavioural Statistics
- BUSS 6103: Research Reading and Conference Course
- BUSS 6301: Managing People / Org Theory
- BUSS 6302: Seminar on Micro Organizational Behaviour
Marketing
- BUSS 6101: Research Design and Methods
- BUSS 6102: Behavioural Statistics
- BUSS 6103: Research Reading and Conference Course
- BUSS 6401: Seminar in Consumer Behaviour
- BUSS 6402: Seminar in Marketing II
Management Information Systems
- BUSS 6101: Research Design and Methods
- BUSS 6102: Behavioural Statistics
- BUSS 6103: Research Reading and Conference Course
- BUSS 6501: MIS Theory and Research
- BUSS 6502: Seminar in MIS Research
Rankings
Rated number #275 in the world, learn more about Dalhousie University's QS Ranking.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
OUr MSCB Program prepares students exceptionally well to pursue a PhD. Alternatively, students may take their new set of transferable analytical skills and work in industry.
Accreditations
Why study at Dalhousie University
Why pursue MSc Business at Dal?
Between our student centrered approach and stunning location on Canada's East Coast, there are a number of reasons to pursue your MScB at Dalhousie:
- Our MScB program is accredited by AACSB International. Only 6% of the world's business schools hold this distinction.
- The Faculty of Management is well integrated with regional, national and international businesses, providing unique research opportunities.
- We admit only a select number of applicants each year allowing ample time for you to receive one-on-one mentoring from your thesis supervisor.
- You apply to a specialized area of our program, allowing you to take focused course offerings which directly relate to your thesis and scholarly interests. Choose from Finance, Management, Information Systems or Marketing.
- You will have access to scholars who are experts in a wide range of theories and research methodologies, and who are committed to helping you gain in-depth research experience.
- During Terms 3 and 4, you will be mentored throughout the research process, from conceptualization to data collection, analysis and writing of results for scholarly publication.
Our Faculty
Since the MSc in Business program is thesis-based, you are required to identify (a) potential research supervisor(s) in your application (to be included in your statement of research interests) and justify why you would like to work with them.
Finance Specialization
Najah Attig
[email protected]
Empirical corporate finance; Corporate governance; Corporate social responsibility; ESG; Greenwashing; Corporate sustainability; Textual analysis
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
Iraj Fooladi
[email protected]
Bond portfolio strategies; Corporate social responsibilities; Sustainable finance; Issues in corporate finance
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
Gregory Hebb
[email protected]
Financial institutions; Mutual funds; Sustainable finance
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
Rick Nason
[email protected]
Applications of complexity science; Entropy measures of asset prices
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
Maria Pacurar
[email protected]
FinTech, Market microstructure; High-frequency data; Asset pricing
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
Oumar Sy
[email protected]
Efficiency tests; International finance; International diversification; Asset allocation and portfolio management; Corporate finance and event studies; Corporate governance; Political economy and financial markets; Derivative pricing; Financial econometrics
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
Yonggan Zhao
[email protected]
Optimal portfolio investment and management; Derivatives pricing models; Optimal capital structure; Credit rating and derivatives
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
Jun Zhou
[email protected]
Corporate payout policy; Corporate cash holdings; Investments
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
Management Specialization
Anika Cloutier
[email protected]
Understanding antecedents to leadership behaviours and leader emergence; Work-family interface; Mental health; Gender and work
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
Scott Comber
[email protected]
Leadership development in healthcare and academia; Applying complexity science approaches to healthcare systems; The scholarship of teaching and learning in higher education
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
Dana Kabat-Farr
[email protected]
Understanding workplace social experiences: Workplace incivility, sexual harassment, gender harassment; Interpersonal citizenship behaviour; Diversity and inclusion in organizations
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
Catherine Loughlin
[email protected]
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
Binod Sundararajan
[email protected]
Diversity and organizational effectiveness (development of the TAEC model); Social constructivist approaches to teaching business ethics; Evolutionary perspectives for strategic communication and public relations; Organizational mediocrity and the local maxima trap; Organizational leadership education; Cross-cultural practices in business and finance
Available to supervise in 2024/2025
Heidi Weigand
[email protected]
Leadership development in healthcare; Motivating inter-generational and inter-cultural workplace dynamics; Developing leader and follower resiliency
Available to supervise in 2024/2025
Marketing Specialization
Hamed Aghakhani
[email protected]
Advertising; Consumer behaviour; Creativity; Cause-related marketing; Health marketing
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
Sergio Carvalho
[email protected]
Consumer behaviour; Pro-social behaviour; Corporate social responsibility; Social identity; Risk behaviour; Moral emotions; Cause-related marketing; Country of origin effect; Brand concepts
Available to supervise in 2023/2024
Peggy Cunningham
[email protected]
Marketing strategy; Fast growth companies, branding, marketing ethics; Corporate social responsibility
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
Hélène Deval
[email protected]
Advertising; Consumer behaviour and information processing; Naive theories
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
Mohammed El Hazzouri
[email protected]
Diversity in advertising; Public health advertising; Social identity; Consumer debt; Evolutionary basis of consumption
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
Justin McManus
[email protected]
Self-related attitudes, beliefs, and motivations; Organizational trustworthiness and brand trust; Consumption signals (e.g., status, competence, morality); Antecedents of new product evaluation
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
Valerie Trifts
[email protected]
Advertising; Consumer behaviour
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
MIS concentration
Jing (Jenny) Chen
[email protected]
Supply chain management; Retail operations; Consumer behaviour analysis; Decision support analytics
Available to supervise in 2024/2025, 2025/2026
Colin Conrad
[email protected]
Educational technology; Social media; Neuro-information systems; Human-computer interaction
Available to supervise in 2024/2025, 2025/2026
Alexander Engau
[email protected]
Business analytics, Artificial intelligence; Statistical machine learning; Data-driven decision making; Decision support systems, operations research, mathematical modeling
Available to supervise in 2024/2025, 2025/2026
Paola Gonzalez
[email protected]
Information system leadership and the IT profession; Health information systems (e.g. design, user experience, adoption, implementation); Design and leverage information systems to provide equity, accessibility and inclusiveness
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
Kyung Young Lee
[email protected]
Online product reviews; Text-mining; Smart tourism; Smart tools and applications; Corporate use of social media; Human-AI interactions
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
Armağan Özbilge
[email protected]
Sustainable operations; Charitable giving; Food loss and waste; Perishable inventory management; Omnichannel retailing
Available to supervise in 2024/2025, 2025/2026
Ali Ülkü
[email protected]
Supply chain analytics; Community-based operations research; Business sustainability metrics; Decision support systems
Bo Yu
[email protected]
Technological agency; Information systems use, design and assessment; Negotiation and auction online; Healthcare analytics
Available to supervise in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025
Program delivery
The MSCB program runs for four full-time semesters/terms and is delivered in-person, on campus. There is no online option available.
Breakdown by Term/Semester
The first two terms comprise coursework including mandatory and elective courses as they relate to your specialization and research. Near the end of Term 2, you will be matched with a supervisor who will work with you for the rest of the program. This supervisor will be one of our faculty members from the area group you are specializing in.
In Term 3, with the help of your supervisor, you will choose a research topic for your thesis and work on a field study for your research topic to meet the thesis requirement.
In Term 4, you are expected to complete and successfully defend a publishable thesis to be considered for graduation with the degree of Master of Science in Business. If necessary, you may register for additional full-time thesis semesters (up to 8) to revise and improve your thesis.
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 |
| Sep–Dec, Year 1 | Jan–Apr, Year 2 | May–Aug, Year 2 | Sep–Dec, Year 2 |
| Full-time coursework | Full-time coursework | Thesis research | Thesis research |
| Explore research topics and profs in your area | Supervisor and thesis committee decided | Ongoing thesis research | Completion of thesis research and defence |
Program Admission Requirements
Demonstrate your commitment and readiness to succeed in business school by taking the GMAT exam – the most widely used exam for admissions that measures your critical thinking and reasoning skills.
Download the GMAT mini quiz to get a flavour of the questions you’ll find in the exam.