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Exchange

It has become increasingly important for individuals and organizations to compete in the international marketplace. The most successful business leaders of tomorrow will be those who are comfortable crossing national and cultural boundaries. 

As a full-time or full-time with co-op MBA DeGroote student, you have the unique opportunity in your third-year to study abroad while earning academic credit.

 

Why Study Abroad? 

  1. It’s a short window of opportunity – Experience what it’s like to live abroad and still graduate on time. 
  2. Differentiate your resume – Take advantage of global course offerings, international conferences, club participation, challenging experiences. 
  3. Gain transferable skills – Test your perseverance, independence, resourcefulness, problem solving, time and money management, and communication skills. 
  4. Experience cultural immersion – Be more than a tourist, understand both obvious and subtle aspects of a new culture, and become part of a new international community. 
  5. Learn from a global classroom – Study with peers and professors from around the world, understand global issues from a different perspective, and challenge assumptions. 
  6. Learn a language – Study in your second language or pick up a new one. 
  7. Take courses not offered at McMaster – Use course electives to broaden your learning.   

But don’t just take our word for it – check out what other MBA students have to say.   

  

Eligibility 

Full-time and co-op MBA students are eligible to go to on exchange if:  

  • You have completed your first year and are in good academic standing (this means no outstanding exams or grades) 
  • You will be in your third academic term (this is the only term MBA students are able to go on exchange) 
  • You are registered as a full-time student while on exchange 
  • You meet the requirements of your desired host school (some schools may request > 2 years of work experience) 

 

Exchange Destinations 

The most up-to-date list of partnerships can be viewed via the University Pathways Spreadsheet (can be accessed via the McMaster Study Abroad website > Study/research abroad opportunities).

You will need to make sure the partner institution has term dates that align with DeGroote’s MBA semesters, and that you have any required work experience before applying to a particular destination. Common destinations that MBA students have attended in the past are: 

  • Australia: University of Adelaide, University of Western Australia 
  • France: NEOMA, EDHEC, IESEG, KEDGE 
  • Germany: WHU, HHL 
  • Hong Kong: City University of Hong Kong 
  • India: Indian Institute of Management 
  • Japan: Nagoya University 
  • Norway: BI Norwegian Business School 
  • Switzerland: Zurich University of Applied Science/ZHAW  

 

Career & Academic Considerations During Exchange 

Career 

  • New Grad Recruitment – Timelines for hiring 
  • Summer Co-op Recruitment – Timelines, OSCARplus 
  • Interviewing While Abroad – Skype/Zoom, time zone differences 
  • Timing of semester and co-op guidelines – 14 weeks 

*You will have access to the full services offered by the Career and Professional Development (CPD) team while you are on exchange. The CPD team can help you with tailored job search strategies while living abroad.  

Academic 

  • Specializations – MBA students who go on exchange typically complete a general specialization. Occasionally, a finance or marketing specialization can be achieved. A maximum of 2 courses can count towards a specialization while on exchange, if the courses are deemed equivalent to McMaster courses. 
  • Dean’s Honour List – MBA student who go on exchange are not eligible to be on the Dean’s Honour List for year 2 (since grades do not transfer, only credits) 

*Your academic advisors are here to help you plan how exchange fits into your degree requirements and academic goals. 

 

Tuition, Funding and Scholarships 

While on exchange, you will pay tuition and fees to McMaster University. A number of supports are available to you such as OSAP, student loans and scholarships specifically for students who have gone on exchange. More information will be provided at the exchange information session which runs each November. Keep an eye on the weekly MBA bulletin in the fall to learn the date and time.     

 

Application Process  

Ready to apply? Please follow these step-by-step instructions after attending an exchange information session (held in November of each year – keep an eye on the weekly MBA bulletin in the fall to learn the date and time).  

Step 1. Browse the available destinations for MBA exchange on the University Pathways Spreadsheet (can be accessed via the McMaster Study Abroad website > Study/research abroad opportunities).

Step 2. Decide on 2-3 host institutions you would like to apply for by: 

  1. Doing a preliminary review of the course offerings and semester timelines at each school, while asking yourself:
    • How do the courses fit with your academic requirements at McMaster?
    • Are there at least 10 courses that interest you?
    • What language are the courses offered in?
    • Do the term dates align with co-op requirements (co-op) or your next academic semester (full-time)? 
  2. Reading about other MBA students’ experiences at each partner institution by checking out their student exchange reports. 

Step 3: After attending an exchange information session in November, log into the exchange application portal with the link and password provided at the information session.  

Step 4: Upload all required information and documents including your statement of interest and resume. When answering the questions in the application portal, you do not need to know exactly which courses you will take (and what their McMaster equivalents are). Students studying in their second language are also required to submit a language assessment with their application.  

Step 5: Create a savings plan. You will be required to complete a cost of living worksheet for your estimated expenses, including normal expenses such as tuition, accommodation, food, and books, and additional expenses such as your flights, health insurance and entertainment.  

Step 6: Submit your application by the deadline (typically January; exact date to be confirmed during the information session) and wait to hear from us!  

 

Support during your Exchange

McMaster Exchange Office MBA Student Experience Team
Facilitates communication between partner universities abroad and McMaster studentsAssists MBA students navigate requirements when planning to apply for exchange
Oversees the application and selection process Reviews applications for suitability to go on exchange
Provides pre-departure orientation sessions (note: the MBA Student Experience team also holds a separate orientation) Helps you plan your academics and pre-approves your courses
Mediates problems before, during, and after your exchange Provides pre-departure orientation sessions specific to MBA students
Continues to support you from an academic and career perspective while you are on exchange

You can check out the McMaster Exchange Office’s website for more information.

 

Your Study Abroad Contacts 

Have a question that isn’t answered on this webpage? You can connect with the members of the MBA Study Abroad team by emailing mba.studentexperience@mcmaster.ca.

Helpful Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Full-time and co-op MBA students are eligible to go to on exchange if:  

  • You have completed your first year and are in good academic standing (this means no outstanding exams or grades) 
  • You are able to go on exchange during your third academic term (this is the only term MBA students are able to go on exchange) 
  • You are registered as a full-time student while on exchange  

You meet the requirements of your desired host school (some schools may request > 2 years of work experience) 

Yes! However, international students may not go on exchange to their home country.  

First-year MBA students will apply to go on exchange during their: 

  • second academic term (for full-time students), or 
  • first co-op work term (for co-op students)

This allows enough time for your application to be reviewed in time for you to go on exchange in your third academic semester. 

Not sure if you’d like to study in a big city or a small town? A big campus or a small one? Would you prefer the campus to be enclosed or integrated into a city? Choosing an environment that you are comfortable with or can adapt to can impact your studies and experiences abroad.  

Determining why you would like to go on an exchange is one of the most important things you can do to help narrow your focus. Are you interested in traveling and experiencing new food, cultures and ideas? Are you interested in making new friends, seeing the world from a new perspective, gaining independence? Perhaps you would like to build networks and contacts for your future career, study with a particular professor overseas, or take unique courses only offered at certain institutions. 

By asking yourself these questions and prioritizing what is most important to you, you can begin to narrow your options to those schools which can assist you in achieving your goals. 

After reviewing the schools with an MBA partnership, check out the student exchange reports written by past MBA students to learn more about their experiences and what they have to say about their time at our partner schools by reading their student exchange reports. 

Courses taken while on exchange count towards your McMaster degree as transfer credits: 

  •  “T” (Transfer Credit) for courses successfully completed 
  • “F” (Failure) for courses failed  

For this reason, MBA students who go on exchange are not eligible to be on the Dean’s Honour List for year 2.  

Note: A passing grade at the host university is determined using the McMaster equivalent of a passing grade (B-). 

Starting in November of each year, the MBA Student Experience office will begin to hold information sessions where the password to apply will be shared. Keep an eye on the weekly MBA bulletin in November.  

This depends on the individual collective agreement with each partner institution. Some host schools have only one space, some have up to 20 

The majority of applicants are selected to participate but are not always placed at their first choice. Be sure to apply to at least 2 host institutions you would enjoy attending. 

If you still have questions after reviewing all information on this webpage, please contact Sandra Clark, MBA Program Officer at mba.studentexperience@mcmaster.ca.  

The MBA Program Officer will either answer your question, or will forward your question to the appropriate exchange team member.