Master of Business Administration Canadian University Dubai

The structure of the MBA program at CUD is built upon the findings of a survey by the Faculty of Management to assess the current and future needs of a cross-section of organizations around the UAE. This means that our curriculum is strategically relevant and offers practical and analytical solutions to the challenges facing the industry and other professional organizations in today's uncertain business environment.

Key Strengths

Our MBA program combines quality, flexibility, and industry relevance to make it the ideal choice for executives looking to advance their careers.

• Convenient downtown location: We are located in the hub of Dubai’s business district, close to the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
• The state-of-the-art campus at City Walk: Our new campus location is an ideal outdoor destination providing the ultimate lifestyle experience in Dubai.
• Program duration: Our MBA program can be completed in 3 semesters.
• Five concentrations: Choose from General Management, Human Resource Management, Finance, or Marketing, or complete an additional group of concentration courses to earn a double concentration.
• Accreditation: Our program is accredited by the UAE Ministry of Education – Higher Education Affairs to maintain the highest academic standards.
• High-quality faculty: Our international faculty are all Ph.D. holders with industry experience alongside their academic credentials.
• Canadian education: Our program is based on the Canadian curriculum and education principles.
• Lifelong networks: Study with other working professionals and make valuable business connections.
• Recognition: Our MBA is highly regarded by employers in the public and private sectors across the UAE.
• Flexible schedule: Evening and weekend classes are available to cater to students who work full-time.

To enroll in a graduate program at Canadian University Dubai you will need to meet the general requirements for admission and provide a certificate of English language proficiency. Other additional admission requirements are specific to your chosen program of study.

Graduate Admissions Policy

Admission to a specific program of the study implies admission to Canadian University Dubai; however, admission to a particular program does not imply automatic admission to any other program of study. For students who do not meet all of the requirements at the time of application, admission is conditional to those requirements, or their established equivalent, being met within the prescribed time periods and subject to the conditions outlined below.

General Admission requirements for Master’s level programs:

1. Completion of a recognized bachelor’s degree in a discipline appropriate for the Master’s degree. A Higher Diploma is not equivalent to a bachelor’s degree and does not qualify an applicant for admission to a Master’s program. *
2. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.0 scale, or its established equivalent, in the applicant’s bachelor’s degree program.
3. A minimum score of 1400 on the English language portion of the EmSAT examination, or its equivalent on other national or internationally-recognized tests that are approved by the CAA, such as a TOEFL score of 550 (213 CBT, 79 iBT), or 6.0 IELTS.

Students who have completed undergraduate education in an English-medium institution might be allowed admission into a graduate program without demonstrating a TOEFL score of 550 (or equivalent). This exemption can be applied only to those students who undertook all their schooling (K-12) plus a Bachelor’s degree in English in a reference English-speaking country (e.g. UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand)

(*) For admission to the Master in IT Management, only applicants holding Engineering / IT / Business related certificates will be considered.

Conditional Admission Requirements for Master’s level programs:

• May conditionally admit students with a recognized Bachelor’s degree and an EmSAT score of 1250 or its equivalent on another standardized test approved by the CAA, such as a TOEFL score of 530 (197 CBT, 71 iBT), or 5.5 IELTS academic to a Master’s program Such a student must meet the following requirements during the period of conditional admission or be subject to a dismissal:
  • must achieve an EmSAT score of 1400 or equivalent, by the end of the student's first semester of study;
  • may take a maximum of six credit hours in the first semester of study, not including intensive English courses;
  • must achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or its established equivalent, in the first six credit hours of credit-bearing courses studied for the graduate program;
• May conditionally admit students to a Master's Program with a recognized Bachelor’s degree and a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale or its established equivalent. Such a student must take a maximum of nine credit hours of courses studied for the graduate program during the period of conditional admission and must achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or its established equivalent, in these nine credits of courses studied for the graduate program or be subject to dismissal.
• May conditionally admit students to a Master's Program with a recognized Bachelor’s degree and a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale or its established equivalent to a maximum of nine graduate-level credit hours as remedial preparation for the graduate program. These remedial courses are not for credit within the degree program. The student must achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or its established equivalent, in these nine credits of remedial courses in order to progress to the graduate program or be subject to dismissal.

Additional Program Admission Requirements: Interview Committee

Offers of admission are adjudicated by the interview committee consisting of Faculty of Management faculty members from different program specialties, and a representative of the Office of the Registrar, as a result of the following process:

1. Once the deadline for submission of applications has passed, a first screening by the committee establishes lists of applicants for further consideration for either admission or conditional admission.
2. Selected applicants complete an interview.
3. Offers of admission are made on the basis of the interview’s outcome.

The Interview committee appoints a subject matter expert from the Faculty of Management to conduct the interview. It lasts approximately 30 minutes and follows a standard protocol captured by the Masters' Interview Form. Its aim is to determine the applicant:

1. Proficiency in English language and communication skills.
2. Career advancement.
3. Managerial and professional experience.
4. Academic background.
5. Motivation and engagement.
6. Rationale for the choice of major.
7. Prospect for successful completion of the program.

The interview culminates with a committee recommendation for full acceptance, conditional acceptance without/with Remedial Preparation Programs, or rejection.

Concentrations

General Management

The MBA General Management concentration will help you to develop the core skills and professional competencies to take on senior management or leadership roles in the public or private sector. The program focuses on the theories, functions, and implications of management techniques, as well as the principles and ethics of good management. It considers a range of scientific approaches to decision-making based on quantitative, economic, and operational considerations, and provides you with the tools to develop, assess and implement strategic initiatives to boost competitive advantage.

This program will also help sharpen your leadership acumen and give you the practical skills and appropriate mindset to develop in a constantly changing global landscape. The curriculum goes beyond the basics of management to prepare you for senior management positions, enabling you to effectively lead an organization with integrity and responsibility.

Human Resource Management

The MBA Human Resource Management concentration adds elective courses in the management of human capital to your business administration studies. If you are interested in human capital solutions, the HRM concentration will provide you with comprehensive insights into the application and orientation of business administration concepts in human capital management, while still helping you obtain the MBA qualification. The HRM concentration is also the ideal program to develop your line management competence, by addressing challenges in ethics, leadership, and motivation, in a competitive business context.

Finance

The MBA Finance concentration will provide you with the strategic leadership and quantitative skills to analyze both financial and non-financial data, and to act upon it in support of the long-term sustainability of business in a global context. The program adopts a practice-based approach, where students examine concepts and learn techniques that they can apply to real business situations in various contexts, such as derivatives, financial statement analysis and valuation, corporate finance, investment and portfolio management, and mergers and acquisitions.

Marketing

The MBA Marketing concentration has been designed to enhance your marketing analytical skills to adapt to the increasingly dynamic and competitive business environment. The courses will equip you with an advanced understanding of marketing challenges to effectively plan, develop and implement appropriate marketing strategies. The case study-based discussions in class will train you to investigate how companies access the market and apply marketing processes to achieve competitive advantage. The curriculum covers topics including consumer behavior, market segmentation, and competition, and teaches the theory and practice of the marketing lifecycle, from research and product development to communication, supply chains, and strategic management.

Double Concentration

As an MBA student at CUD, you have the opportunity to maximize your studies and earn a double concentration in two majors from our specializations in Finance, General Management, Human Resource Management, and Marketing. A double concentration will expand your depth of knowledge and broaden your career opportunities and earning potential.

To be admitted to a double concentration, you should register in the two majors at the beginning of your first Term. Once enrolled as a student, you will have a maximum of 6 months to register in the second concentration and can only register if your name is not endorsed on the graduation list by the Board of Trustees.

To be awarded a double concentration you will need to complete 16 MBA courses and the degree requirements for both your chosen specializations.

• Ranked #1 in university Dubai (QS World University Rankings 2023)/(THE Impact Rankings 2022)
• Ranked in the top 541-550 worldwide and top 4 in the UAE (QS World University Rankings 2023)
• Ranked #7 for International Students and #8 for International Faculty worldwide (QS World University Rankings 2023)
• 18 accredited programs and over 30 majors/concentrations
• Regional affiliation: AArU (Association of Arab Universities)
• Licensed by the Ministry of Education – United Arab Emirates
• Accredited by the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA)
• Diverse student community with over 120 nationalities
• International Program Accreditation/Certification: CIMA, CFA, ACCA, IAA, PRSA, PRME, ECO Canada, & SHRM

Institutional Licensure & Program Accreditation

Canadian University Dubai is licensed to award degrees by the UAE Ministry of Education - Higher Education Affairs. In addition, all of our degree-granting programs are accredited by the Ministry of Education - Higher Education Affairs through the Commission for Academic Accreditation.

Rankings

International

Canadian University Dubai (CUD) has maintained its #1 rank in Dubai and remains in the top 2 percent of global universities according to the recent QS University Rankings for 2023.

QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) ranking system is recognized among the world’s most respected university rankings.

Professional Accreditations and Affiliations

Our academic programs are designed to prepare students for professional practice in their chosen fields. This focus on employability skills has attracted industry recognition from leading international professional bodies, as outlined below. Canadian University Dubai's accredited programs have also been listed on the International Program Accreditation Portal (IPAP) by the UAE Ministry of Education.

The IPAP is a public portal that provides information on the Strategic National KPI that measures the percentage of nationally accredited undergraduate programs that have received additional accreditation by a recognized international body.

Chartered Institute of Management Accountants

Students of the BBA in Accounting and Finance program can obtain exemptions from eight of the exams that lead to the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) Professional Qualification, and the global professional designation of Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA). Those majoring in Marketing, e-Business, or Human Resource Management can obtain five exemptions, with other exemptions available for MBA graduates.

Association of Arab Universities

CUD is proud to join the Association of Arab Universities (AArU) as an active member, that works to support and connect institutions for higher learning in the Arab world, as well as enhance cooperation among them. The non-governmental organization includes 280 Arab universities at present, 12 of which are located in the United Arab Emirates.

Principles for Responsible Management Education

CUD is a proud member of the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), a worldwide initiative of the United Nations Global Compact to promote responsible and sustainable management education that includes 850 leading business and management schools across 95 countries.

International Association of Universities

Canadian University Dubai (CUD) has joined the International Association of Universities (IAU), further demonstrating our commitment to growing our global network of institutional partners and facilitating our education and applied research development to enhance our academic and cultural exchanges.