Graduate Diplomas
& Certificates
Admission requirements
The John Molson Graduate Diploma and Certificates in Business Administration Admissions Committee takes a holistic approach, assessing candidates on their intellectual abilities, initiative and personal skills, as well as on their career focus and communication skills.
For more information on the process, consult the step-by-step application guide.
As there are a limited number of available seats each year in our Graduate Diploma and Certificate programs, we recommend exceeding the minimum requirements for better chances of admission.
Please note that the Graduate Certificate in Business Administration (GCBA) and Graduate Certificate in Quantitative Business Studies (GCQBS) options are not open to international students.
Academic credentials
- Undergraduate degree in any discipline with minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 out of 4.3
- International applicants must have obtained their degree from an accredited university; see a listing of international equivalencies.
- If you are currently enrolled in school:
- Submit the results of previous terms and a list of your current courses
- Include mid-year grades if they're available
We accept English or French transcripts. If your transcript is in another language, you must provide the original sealed transcripts, as well as a certified translation.
You may upload unofficial scanned copies of your transcripts for the application. Official sealed transcripts (and certified translation, if applicable) will be requested if you are admitted.
English language proficiency
Applicants who did not complete their undergraduate degree in a country on our exempt countries list must write a pre-admissions English proficiency test. We accept the following language tests and minimum scores:
- TOEFL iBT: 95 overall with no band below 20
- Academic IELTS: 7.0 overall with no band below 6.5
- We prefer the TOEFL and IELTS tests, but since the pandemic we have accepted the Duolingo English Test with a 120 overall and no band below 120
Although John Molson prefers the above tests, you may take another language test as indicated on our Graduate Admissions page if not exempted as indicated below.
Exemptions:
- A minimum of three full years of study at the undergraduate or graduate level at an accredited university in one of the following countries;
- Quebec applicants who have completed a Diploma of Collegial Studies (DEC) and a university degree in Quebec.
We do not accept English proficiency test scores more than 2 years old.
Note: Please upload your unofficial scores to your application. If you are accepted into the program, you will then be asked to have the official scores sent to us.
Although work experience is not required, applicants must provide a copy of their CV / resume showing education, professional experience and achievements, including internships and volunteering, if applicable.
Your CV / resume should:
- be complete (e.g. providing year AND month timeframes);
- be legible and concise (ideally 1 page, 2 pages MAX);
- include a summary of your academic, professional and personal achievements;
- be tailored for a university application with academic experience first, followed by professional experience, etc.
Applicants must provide a Statement of purpose (also known as a Letter of intent) addressed to the Admissions Commitee indicating their reasons for choosing the program, their background and career goals and, importantly, how the program will help them to achieving those goals.
Overall, applicants will want to convey not only that the program is right for them, but that they are right for the program. The Statement of purpose should be approximately 500 words.
Below is a sample of questions that may help you to draft your personalized Statement of purpose:
- Why have you chosen to apply to this particular program?
- What are your career goals?
- Briefly highlight your strengths that you would bring to the program AND your weakness(es) that you would want to improve upon in the program.
Applicants must include the names affiliated institutions and email addresses (college/university or company mail) of two academic or professional references. A suitable referee is an individual who knows you well, academically and/or in a professional context, but who does not report to you.
Your referees will then receive an email inviting them to complete an electronic assessment form and attach their letter of reference. You are strongly encouraged to submit your application before your program’s application deadline in order to give your referees sufficient time to provide their assessment and letter of reference.
Where applicable, applicants must include a certified copy of their birth certificate, Permanent Resident card, Canadian Citizen card, or Refugee Status papers. International students must include a copy of their current passport.
A non-refundable application fee paid online by credit card.
Questions?
For more information on the application process, please consult the Graduate Diploma and Certificates Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
