Graduate Diploma in Business Administration
Program Website: Graduate Diploma in Business Administration
Faculty and Administration
For a listing of program faculty and administrative contacts, please visit the program directory.
Program Description
The Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (GDBA) program is designed to provide students with the opportunity to develop a breadth of knowledge across the key functional areas of business. The program is comprised of the first five required credits of the Master of Business Administration degree. The program is normally a two-term or one year program for full-time students. The program is also available to students interested in part-time study.
Admission Requirements
Successful completion of a four year Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent, in any non-business discipline with an average of not less than 75% (mid-B). A minimum Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) score in the 52nd percentile in verbal and quantitative reasoning, or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) in the 60th percentile in verbal and quantitative reasoning, is required.
For students who must provide proof of English Language Proficiency, a minimum Academic IELTS score of 7.5 or TOEFL iBT score of 105 or Pearson Test of English (Academic) score of 72 or equivalent is required. For a full listing of accepted tests, see the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs English Language Proficiency webpage.
Candidates who do not meet the admission requirements noted above may still be considered for conditional admission if they have at least seven years of full-time work experience with significant managerial responsibility, as evaluated by the Goodman School of Business. Any such candidate who is admitted will be placed on probation for their first 2.5 credits (5 courses) and may be subject to removal from the program at the discretion of the Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Programs, if a grade below 70% is achieved in one or more courses.
The Graduate Admissions Committee will review all applications and recommend admission for a limited number of candidates.
Transfer to MBA Program
Students who achieve an overall average of 75% in the Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (GDBA) program may transfer directly to the Master of Business Administration degree program (MBA) with the approval of the Goodman Graduate Programs Office. Those students who opt to transfer to the MBA will not receive or will relinquish the Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (GDBA) and instead may use the GDBA earned credits to fulfill half of the MBA degree requirements. If a student later leaves the MBA prior to completion, the student will remain eligible to receive the Graduate Diploma in Business Administration.
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