PhD in Management in Canada: Best Doctorate Degrees & Top Universities

Acquiring a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in your field will help you become eligible for teaching your subject in educational institutes as well as help you procure jobs that require specialization. Management is one of the most widely studied subjects all over the world, and pursuing a PhD in Management can help open new job opportunities for you in a highly competitive world. And what better place to study it than one of the most ideal destinations for international and Indian students?  This blog will take you through the why, how and where of studying PhD in Management Canada. 

What is PhD in Management?

A PhD degree in itself is a certification of the highest academic level an individual can reach in a particular field. A PhD in Management is a doctorate that emphasizes theoretical management and its foundations. The doctoral degree also delves into the underlying disciplines of management. 

This degree provides you with abilities like competitive research and teaching skills that help in job placements in the teaching department in Canada as well as the rest of the world. The length of a PhD in Management program in Canada can span between 3 to 6 years. It differs from university to university as well as in the field of specialization.

A PhD in Management is an umbrella that covers several doctoral degrees with different specializations. Some of the specializations are as follows:

• Management
• Operations and Supply Chain Management
• Global and Strategic Management
• Operations Management
• Marketing Management
• Business Administration
• Technology Management
• Business Technology Management
• Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management

Scope of Studying PhD in Management in Canada

With Canada gaining more and more attention on the international scale, the country has become a welcoming place that hosts international students from anywhere in the world. Canada provides its students with a hospitable environment and diversified populace to socialize, study, and grow with. 

The following qualities make international students enrol into Canadian universities to pursue doctoral studies:

• Affordable Tuition Fees: Studying abroad usually poses a financial burden for international students. Canada eases that burden with its universities providing world-class education at affordable rates. The fees for courses in Canadian universities are much lower than in places like UK and US.
• World-Class Universities – Along with affordable tuition fees, Canada houses 3 to 4 universities that rank in the top 150 rankings in the world. These universities provide education and develop their students in a manner that helps them secure jobs all over the world.
• Scholarship Opportunities – Canada is famous all over the world due to the number of scholarships they provide to international students. Some scholarships offered in Canada provide 15,000 CAD to 40,000 CAD to the students, which is a huge financial help in covering tuition fees and living expenses.
• Job Placements and Opportunities – Canada provides a favourable environment for work to its students during their degree as well as post-completion. You get the option to work for 10 hours a week during your degree. The money received from this can help you manage your personal and living expenses. After the completion of your doctoral degree, you can stay in Canada for up to three years on PGWPP, secure a job and earn back the amount of your investment into your education.

PhD Program Requirements

The following eligibility criteria need to be fulfilled for successful admission into a doctoral degree:

• A master’s/post-graduate degree in the same or similar field of study with consistent grades and prior research experience. In some cases, a high-ranking bachelor’s degree with outstanding grades can also be considered.
• A letter of recommendation and a research proposal.
• IELTS or TOEFL test scores according to the university as a parameter for your grip in the English language.
• GRE or GMAT test scores according to the university
• After the submission of scores, a personal interview may be conducted for selection.

Documents Required

The following documents are a pre-requisite for applying to a PhD program in Canada:

• Certified transcripts of your previous courses
• Statement of Purpose
• Detailed CV/resume
• Letters of reference
• Canadian study permit/student visa
• Photocopy of your passport
• Certified copies of other important documents required for admission

Top Colleges for PhD in Management Canada

Canada has several top-notch universities and business schools that provide an excellent education. Let us go through the universities in Canada that offer a PhD in Management:

University of Toronto (Rank 18)

• Fields of Specialization:  Accounting, Economic Analysis and Policy, Finance, Marketing,  Operations Management and Statistics, Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management, and Strategic Management.
• Eligibility Criteria: Average B+ equivalent or 8.5/10 GPA; GMAT or GRE Scores; TOEFL/IELTS Scores
• Funding: Year 1: $32,000 plus the tuition fee, Years 2-5: $32,000 plus the tuition fee

University of British Columbia (Rank 37)

• Fields of Specialization: Management Science, Operations Research
• Eligibility Criteria: M.Phil., Master’s Degree, Master’s degree in Engineering, Forestry or Medicine with 1st Division or 8/10 score; English proficiency test scores
• Funding: Killam Doctoral Scholarships, SERB-UBC Scholarship, Vanier Scholarship, International Tuition Award, President’s Academic Excellence Initiative PhD Award, PhD Minimum Funding

McGill University (Rank 40)

• Fields of Specialization: Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, Marketing, Operations Management, Organizational Behaviour, Retail Management, Strategy & Organization
• Eligibility Criteria: Undergraduate or Postgraduate degree in a related field with a strong academic record; 70% in GMAT or GRE; 7.0 Band in IELTS 
• Funding: Guaranteed funding will be $32,622 per year for the first four years. Fifth-year funding will be $20,000+

McMaster University (Rank 69)

• Fields of Specialization: Accounting, Finance, Health Management, Information Systems, Management of Organizational Behaviour & Human Resources, Management Science, Marketing
• Eligibility Criteria: Minimum B+ grade equivalent; GMAT or GRE Scores; IELTS/ TOEFL Scores
• Funding: For the first four years of study, each full-time student receives a minimum of $20,000 per year. $4,000 for travel expenses related to attending conferences, $1,000 for expenses arising from developing and writing a thesis, Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)

University of Alberta (Rank 131)

• Fields of Specialization: Accounting, Finance, Operations and Information Systems, Marketing, and Strategic Management and Organization
• Eligibility Criteria: GPA of 3 on a 4 point grading system; GMAT or GRE Scores; IELTS/ TOEFL Scores
• Funding: Myer Horowitz Graduate Students’ Association Graduate Scholarship, The Faculty Club/Dr William A (Bill) Preshing Graduate Scholarship, Pansy and George Strange Graduate Scholarship

University of Ottawa (Rank 162)

• Fields of Specialization: Accounting and control, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Health Systems, Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources, Strategy and Organization
• Eligibility Criteria: Minimum average grade of A- or 80%; GMAT or GRE Score: English proficiency test score; Personal interview
• Funding: Telfer PhD Student Engagement Award, John Duncan and Deb Cross Award, Telfer Base Funding

University of Calgary (Rank 200)

• Fields of Specialization: Accounting, Business Technology Management, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Environmental Management/Sustainable Development, Finance, Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources, Marketing, Operations and Supply Chain Management, Risk Management and Insurance, Strategy and Global Management
• Eligibility Criteria:  First Class Division, or 8/10 (or 7.5/10 for IITs only); GMAT or GRE Scores; IELTS/TOEFL Scores
• Funding: Full tuition for all admitted students for the first four years. Funding comes in the form of Graduate Assistantships, Alberta Innovates Graduate Student Scholarships program, Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship (AGES), Delta Kappa Gama, Entrance Awards, Graduate Award Competition, International Graduate Tuition Award, Mackenzie King, Mitacs, Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS)

University of Waterloo (Rank 201)

• Fields of Specialization: Applied Operations Research, Information Systems, Management of Technology 
• Eligibility Criteria: Master’s degree with at least 83%; GMAT or GRE Scores; IELTS 7.0/ TOEFL 90 Score
• Funding: University of Waterloo President’s Graduate Scholarship, President’s Graduate Scholarship (PGS), Fraser Award

The Memorial University of Newfoundland (Rank 501)

• Fields of Specialization: Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Finance, International Business, Marketing, Social Enterprise, Strategy, Sustainability
• Eligibility Criteria: Good average marking in master’s degree; GMAT or GRE Scores; IELTS/ TOEFL Scores
• Funding: Canadian Beverage Association Graduate Business Scholarship, BMO Financial Group Graduate Scholarship in the Faculty of Business Administration, Atlantic Credit Unions Graduate Award in Business, P.J. Gardiner Award for International Study, The Joe O’Neill Memorial Award – for demonstrated interest in Labour Relations, Peggy Finney Pelletier Graduate Scholarship in Business Administration, Jim Hood Memorial Scholarship, Dr Sudhir Saha Graduate Scholarship In Business

Application Process

To apply for a PhD program in Canada, follow the before-mentioned steps:

• Submit a research proposal following your course.
• Apply for the program online on the official website of your chosen university and submit an application and application fee.
• Appear for the interview if need be.
• Apply for a student visa and get your study permit

After the successful completion of these steps, you will be eligible to study in a PhD program in Canada.

Scholarship Programs

Scholarship programs can be a boon to a student in need of financial aid. One of Canada’s USP for being an international student hub is the number of scholarships the country provides. The following scholarship programs can be applied to by students looking to pursue PhD courses:

• Ontario Trillium Scholarship
• Ontario Graduate Scholarship
• UBC four-year Doctoral Scholarship
• University of Waterloo President’s Graduate Scholarship
• Ontario Graduate Fellowship
• Robert Hartog Graduate Scholarship

Job Prospects for PhD in Management Canada

Canada offers attractive job prospects to its students after the completion of their degrees. The average base salary of PhD graduates in Canada is approximately 106,000 CAD per year. Your job placement and salary package also depend on the degree you are specialising in as well as the role you secure in the company. Some of the most popular universities in Canada and their salaries offered to their upper band doctoral candidates are as follows:

• University of British Columbia –  150,000 CAD/year
• McGill University – 150,000 CAD/year
• University of Toronto – 130,000 CAD/year
• University of Waterloo – 247,000 CAD/year
• Carleton University – 95,000 CAD/year

Conclusion

Considering all the points, pursuing a PhD in Management from Canada comes with a lot of perks. New opportunities open up in the teaching sector where you can teach your field of specialization. Some jobs require a doctoral degree with a specific specialization, and these jobs become available to you after the completion of your doctoral degree. Along with new job opportunities, you can stay back in Canada for up to 3 years on PGWP and secure a job in the country. This allows you to apply for a permanent residency in Canada as studying and working in the country will add to your PR points and increase your chances of approval. Even if you do not wish to stay, you can return to your home country with a value-adding degree and experience.

Frequently Asked Questions