International Business

Globalization is today and tomorrow’s reality: money and ideas move around the world at the speed of light. Massive increases in the amount of international trade (imports and exports), foreign direct investment, the growth in multinational companies, and international financial transactions only highlights interconnectedness of the world economy.

An Alberta MBA in International Business will provide you with the skills and knowledge to succeed in today's increasingly global marketplace.

Overview
Career Opportunities
The Program
Experience Learning Internationally
International Business Forums
Admissions

Overview

Canadian business managers, specifically, are faced with increased demands to manage across borders because of strong exports and foreign investment presence – exports of goods and services account for more than 40% of Canada’s national production. The Alberta MBA in International Business provides the skills required to compete in the global market.

Career Opportunities

International Business graduates work in both the private and public sector, in Alberta, elsewhere in Canada, and throughout the World. Recent graduates now work in managerial positions in countries including the United States, China, Russia, Mexico, France, and Germany. Many graduates also work for multinational firms located in Canada. Graduates work in a variety of industries including Oil and Gas, Financial Services, Management Consulting and Consumer Goods Retailing.

The Program

The Alberta MBA in International Business is designed to address managerial issues that are relevant to doing business across national boundaries, while incorporating the necessary basics of business. Students begin by building a solid foundation in management principles: accounting, business strategy, economics, finance, management science, marketing, and organizational analysis. Students will then study issues pertaining to international business economics and select other electives according to your interests. Some of the topics covered in the IB program include:

  • The impact of globalization
  • International differences in cultures, language, etc.
  • How to enter foreign markets
  • Competing with foreign companies entering domestic markets
  • Importing & exporting
  • Foreign direct investment
  • Exchange rates
  • Corporate finance for the multinational corporation
  • Marketing across countries
  • International trade agreements - WTO, NAFTA, etc.
  • Regional focus on Latin America, Asia, Europe

Experience Learning Internationally

Many students round out their International Business specialization with an international study tour, a one or two term exchange to one of our international exchange partners, or complete a double degree program with one of our partners. To learn more about these opportunities, please visit our travel and exchange page.

International Business Forums 

Each semester, leaders in international business are brought in to speak to our students on a variety of engaging and current topics.  Past speakers have included:

Alfred Sorenson

Executive in Residence, and President
Galveston LNG

Anne McLellan

Counsel, Bennett Jones
Former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada

Blaine LaBonte

President & CEO
Cougar Drilling

Bob Ascah

Vice-President, Government Relations, Research and Analysis
ATB Financial

Bob Gomes

President & CEO
Stantec

Chris Thompson

VP, China Business Development
priMED Medical Products Inc.

Dave McGarva

Vice President, Client Delivery
Acton Consulting Ltd.

Doug Stollery, Q.C.

General Counsel
PCL Constructors Inc.

Ernie Hui

Deputy Minister
Alberta Environment and Water

Greg Jardine

Executive Director, South Asia/ Oceania/ Middle East and North Africa
Alberta International and Intergovernmental Relations

Harvey Sheydwasser

President and CEO
LogiCan Technologies

Helmut Mach

Director, Western Centre for Economic Research (WCER)
CN Executive Professor of Canada - US Trade Relations

John Ferguson

Chairman, Princeton Developments Ltd
Chairman, Suncor Energy Inc
Chancellor Emeritus, University of Alberta 

John Poon

Former Deputy Chairman & CFO
Esprit Holdings Ltd., Hong Kong

Kate Chisholm

VP Legal
Capital Power

Kristina Williams

Consul for Sweden

Larry Harris

Director, Strategic & Economic Analysis
Edmonton International Airports

Larry Kaumeyer

CEO
Almita Manufacturing

Li Ruo Hong

Founder, President & CEO
King Resources, Beijing

Marvin Hough

President
Marvin Hough International Research and Analysis Ltd. (MIRA)

Matthew McLash

VP Acquisitions
Triple Five Worldwide

Michael Hoffman, PhD

Senior Economist, Global Transfer Pricing Services
KPMG LLP

Michele Perret

Senior Manager, Municipal Relations & Northern Gateway Community Relations
Enbridge Pipelines Inc.

Neil Campbell

Director, International Sales & Marketing
Boreal Laser/Envent Engineering

Phil Hodge

Vice President of Acquisitions & Divestitures
Penn West Exploration
Former MD at Mackie Research 

Robert Do

Director International – Asia & Oceania
Zedi Inc.

Rod Fraser

Former President
University of Alberta

Scott Riddell

Managing Director (Energy Investment Banking)
Mackie Research Capital Corp

Shawn Beamish

President
Canadian Mat Systems

Shelley Miller, Q.C.

Partner
Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP

Stuart McKellar

Vice President, Properties, Legal & Corporate Secretary
ATB Financial

Todd Hirsch

Senior Economist 
ATB Financial

Tom Facklam

Principal, Facklam & Associates;
Former VP, BioEnterprise, Cleveland

Tom Redl

President
Chandos Construction Ltd.

Tony Lam

Executive Vice-President, Engineering & Operations 
Stream-Flo Industries Ltd.

Tracey Ball

Executive VP & CFO
Canadian Western Bank

Trevor Mak

Managing Director/Senior Private Banker, Hong Kong
Citigroup Private Bank

Admissions

Admission to the Specialization in International Business is open to any student who has been admitted into the University of Alberta MBA program. Applicants who indicate their preference for the IB specialization on their application are admitted directly into the specialization.

Students who are interested in the Specialization in International Business are asked to make their specialization decision at the beginning of November in the first year of their program. At that time, all students who indicate their desire to specialize in International Business are admitted to the specialization.

Alumni Profile


Maria Liang, MBA 2002
Senior Manager, Tax and Business Advisory Services
Deloitte - Suzhou, China

"The Alberta MBA helped me think in a wider frame of mind, communicate effectively, and build my leadership skills. Without the Alberta MBA I would not be leading a team of 70 people."




Links and Downloads

IB Brochure Insert
IB Program Outline
Detailed IB Courses

International Study Tour
Double Degree & Exchange




Contact

Phone: (780) 492-3946
Email: mba@ualberta.ca




Director


Dr. Barry Scholnick
Director, IB Specialization
Dr. Scholnick's Website