Please note:
To view the Fall 2025 Academic Calendar, go to www.sfu.ca/students/calendar/2025/fall.html.
Business Administration
The graduate diploma in business administration (GDBA) provides core business skills. Delivered online, the GDBA is a convenient and practical alternative to a traditional classroom-based program and provides business fundamentals to improve career prospects.
The social innovation and entrepreneurship cohort of the GDBA provides knowledge and experience to interested students from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds to create new social ventures and enhance the success of existing ones. The program builds upon the existing GDBA offerings in core business knowledge and supplements them with knowledge and experiential learning opportunities specific to social ventures. It brings together faculty knowledgeable in social innovation and social entrepreneurship with community partners who will participate in class sessions as well as the field study.
´óÏó´«Ã½ Requirements
Applicants must satisfy the university admission requirements as stated in in the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Calendar. Candidates must be computer literate and familiar with the internet. The program requires a strong command of the English language.
Applicants should also refer to the program website located at
Program Requirements
This program consists of course requirements for a minimum of 24 units. Courses may be substituted from other graduate business programs or special topic courses at the discretion of the Dean and Vice-Provost of Graduate Studies.
Students complete a minimum of 24 units from
An introduction to the application of pricing, promotion, channel selection and product planning to marketing decisions. The strategic consideration of marketing management and its impact on the firm will be discussed. Students with credit for BUS 556 or BUS 615 or BUS 754 may not take this course for further credit.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Leyland Pitt |
Feb 5 – Mar 5, 2026: Tue, Thu, 9:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
|
SEGAL |
|
Srabana Dasgupta |
Jan 8 – Mar 12, 2026: Thu, 6:00–9:30 p.m.
|
Surrey |
Application of economic concepts to tactical and strategic business decision-making for managers. Students with credit for BUS 552 or BUS 651 or BUS 751 may not take this course for further credit.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Uzair Azmat |
Mar 11 – Apr 8, 2026: Wed, 6:00–9:30 p.m.
|
SEGAL |
|
Uzair Azmat |
Mar 2 – Mar 30, 2026: Mon, 9:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
|
SEGAL |
Understanding dynamics and leadership of successful teams. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Jan 5 – Mar 9, 2026: Mon, 6:00–7:30 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
||
Melissa McCrae |
Jan 5 – Feb 2, 2026: Mon, 2:00–5:30 p.m.
Jan 5 – Feb 2, 2026: Wed, 9:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. |
SEGAL SEGAL |
Analysis of financial statements and their role in organizational life. Concepts and principles in financial accounting from a user perspective. The use of accounting information for managerial decisions. Students with credit for BUS 510 or BUS 670 or BUS 766 may not take this course for further credit.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Susan Bubra |
Jan 8 – Mar 5, 2026: Thu, 6:00–7:30 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
|
Susan Bubra |
Jan 6 – Feb 3, 2026: Tue, Thu, 9:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
|
SEGAL |
|
Arsineh Garabedian |
TBD |
The use of quantitative or statistical techniques in managerial decision-making. Students with credit for BUS 553 may not take this course for further credit.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Michael Johnson |
Mar 12 – Apr 13, 2026: Mon, Thu, 6:00–7:30 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
|
Feb 4 – Mar 9, 2026: Mon, 2:00–5:30 p.m.
Feb 4 – Mar 9, 2026: Wed, 9:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. |
SEGAL SEGAL |
Financial management issues including financial analysis, diagnosis of short-term funding needs, financial structure, cost of capital and valuation. Prerequisite: BUS 705. Students with credit for BUS 555 or BUS 606 or BUS 764 may not take this course for further credit.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Jan 6 – Feb 3, 2026: Tue, Thu, 9:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
|
SEGAL |
||
TBD |
An introduction to the theories and practices of managing information technology. Uses case studies to analyze complex situations and develop skills necessary to select, deploy and use information systems. Students with credit for BUS 554 or BUS 621 or BUS 739 or BUS 756 may not take this course for further credit.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Jan 6 – Feb 3, 2026: Tue, Thu, 2:00–5:30 p.m.
|
SEGAL |
||
Jan 5 – Mar 9, 2026: Mon, 6:00–9:30 p.m.
|
SEGAL |
||
Jan 8 – Mar 5, 2026: Thu, 6:00–7:30 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
||
TBD | |||
Mar 16 – Apr 16, 2026: Mon, Thu, 6:00–9:30 p.m.
|
Surrey |
This course focuses on managerial challenges facing firms that operate (or intend to operate) in emerging markets, and ways in which these challenges can be addressed. Such challenges refer to interfaces between firms and elements in their internal and external environments.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Apr 13, 2026: Mon, 6:00–9:30 p.m.
Mar 12 – Apr 6, 2026: Mon, Thu, 6:00–8:00 p.m. Apr 9, 2026: Thu, 6:00–9:30 p.m. |
SEGAL SEGAL SEGAL |
||
Mar 10 – Apr 7, 2026: Tue, Thu, 9:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
|
SEGAL |
The purpose of this course is to teach the basic skills of venturing - how to translate an entrepreneurial vision into action. The course also provides an opportunity for participants to explore their personal situation and assess the desirability of an entrepreneurial career. Students with credit for BUS 647 or BUS 734 or BUS 783 may not take this course for further credit.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Simon Ford |
Mar 11 – Apr 13, 2026: Mon, 2:00–5:30 p.m.
Mar 11 – Apr 13, 2026: Wed, 9:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. |
SEGAL SEGAL |
|
Terri Griffith |
Jan 5 – Mar 9, 2026: Mon, 6:00–7:30 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
|
Feb 5 – Mar 9, 2026: Tue, Thu, 9:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
|
SEGAL |
||
Jan 5 – Mar 9, 2026: Mon, 6:00–9:30 p.m.
|
Surrey |
Students will examine the processes and methods that enable organizations to achieve better productivity, quality, time and information performance. Design and control aspects of effective operations management as they relate to service and manufacturing entities will also be discussed. The course will explore the management of operating systems, including allocation and scheduling of resources; control of costs, inventories, quality, and manpower; design of operating systems including location, layout and manpower; establishment of work methods and standards. Students with credit for BUS 632 or BUS 738 or BUS 758 may not take this course for further credit.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Feb 4 – Mar 9, 2026: Mon, 2:00–5:30 p.m.
Feb 4 – Mar 9, 2026: Wed, 9:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. |
SEGAL SEGAL |
Students will explore how businesses are realigning or reinventing their organizations toward more sustainable business models. Developments that enable organizations to reduce their firms' negative environmental and social impacts while increasing profits and competitive advantage will be discussed. Students will also learn about management systems and initiatives for improving the environmental and social performance of organizations and the business system as a whole. Students with credit for BUS 649 or BUS 735 may not take this course for further credit.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Jan 8 – Mar 5, 2026: Thu, 6:00–9:30 p.m.
|
SEGAL |
||
Mar 11 – Apr 13, 2026: Mon, 2:00–5:30 p.m.
Mar 11 – Apr 13, 2026: Wed, 9:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. |
SEGAL SEGAL |
||
TBD |
A capstone course in strategy that integrates material learned in the program's more micro-focused courses, this course focuses on the development and implementation of organizational-level strategies. Prerequisite: 30 units of course work in the MBA program. Students with credit for BUS 607 or BUS 737 or BUS 752 may not take course for further credit.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Mar 10 – Apr 7, 2026: Tue, Thu, 9:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
|
SEGAL |
Develops an understanding of issues in the management of people and work as well as the design and functioning of organizations. The field of organization theory and management currently includes a number of different conceptual perspectives. Focuses on four major views (frames) that comprehend much of the existing theory and research on organizations. Students with credit for BUS 557 may not take this course for further credit.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
TBD |
Focuses on advancing conversations across local and global business environments where Indigenous worldviews, aspirations and intergenerational perspectives influence business development. Emphasis is placed on understanding Indigenous philosophies of wealth and value that inform Indigenous approaches to business, entrepreneurship and economic development.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
TBD | |||
Jan 17 – Feb 21, 2026: Sat, 9:30–11:00 a.m.
|
Vancouver |
||
TBD |
Program Length
Students are expected to complete the program requirements within six terms.
Academic Requirements within the Graduate General Regulations
All graduate students must satisfy the academic requirements that are specified in the Graduate General Regulations, as well as the specific requirements for the program in which they are enrolled.