Outlined below are the minimum entrance requirements and the competitive recommendations for admission to the UBC MM in OR program. Because of the competitive nature of admissions to the program, meeting the minimum entrance requirements does not guarantee admission. To have the best chance at admission, we strongly encourage applicants to exceed our minimum requirements, aiming for the competitive recommendations.
| Criteria |
Minimum Requirements |
Competitive Recommendation |
| Academic Achievement |
A 4-year Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution is required with:
- A minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC) in third- and fourth-year courses.
- Academic standing with at least 12 credits of third- or fourth-year courses in the A grade range (80% or higher at UBC) in the field of study.
|
B+ or 76% or 3.3 GPA |
As degrees/grading systems differ widely between countries, applicants with degrees from outside North America should review country –specific requirements listed on UBC Faculty of Graduate Studies website.
Individuals who do not meet our academic requirements may require academic upgrading. |
| GMAT |
There is no minimum requirement. The recommended score is 640 overall. |
| GRE (General) |
There is no minimum requirement. The recommended scores are as follows:
| |
Taken prior to Aug 1, 2011 |
Taken on or after Aug 1, 2011 |
Percentile below |
| Verbal |
450/800 |
150/170 |
48% |
| Quantitative |
700/800 |
155/170 |
69% |
| Analytical |
4/6 |
4/6 |
48% |
|
| English Proficiency |
Applicants must be able to speak, comprehend, and write fluently in English. An English proficiency exam is required for all candidates whose degrees are from a university outside Canada or the US in which English was not the official language of instruction.
Accepted exams: TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), IELTS (English Language Testing Service) - Academic, MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery), and PTE (Pearson Test of English) – Academic. |
| Professional Experience |
Work experience is not mandatory for admission. |
Any relevant work experience is preferred. |
| Maturity & Fit |
Assessed through online application essays, resume/CV, references and interview. |
Academic Achievement
Your past academic performance provides us with an indication as to whether you will be able to handle the academic rigour of our program. A four-year Bachelor's degree or recognized equivalent (country dependent) from an accredited institution is required. We do review three-year university degrees on a case-by-case basis. In the past, we have accepted candidates with 3 year degrees from Canada, Europe, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. Please note that applicants from India must complete a 4 year degree or a 3 year degree plus 1-2 years of post-graduate study to qualify for admission to graduate programs at UBC.
Please check the minimum academic requirements listed on UBC's Faculty of Graduate Studies' website for applicants with Canadian or US credentials and for applicants with international credentials. The admissions committee looks at all components of an application when making a decision; therefore, in some cases a high GMAT or GRE score and relevant work experience may compensate for a slightly lower GPA.
Important Note: While the MBA/MM Programs Office follows general Faculty of Graduate Studies' admissions requirements, all application queries and admissions processes for the MM in OR program are handled solely by the MBA/MM Programs Office at the Sauder School of Business at UBC, not UBC Faculty of Graduate Studies.
GMAT & GRE
Official GMAT or GRE scores are mandatory for all applicants and files will not be evaluated before the official GMAT or GRE scores have been received. We will not accept photocopies or faxed score reports. GMAT/GRE scores are valid if written within the last five years. You must arrange to have the official results sent directly from the testing service organization to the MBA/MM Programs Office at the Sauder School of Business (department code: 4201) at UBC (institution code: 0965). It is in your best interest to write the GMAT/GRE exam no later than 4-6 weeks prior to the application deadline in case you need to rewrite the exam. The sooner we receive your GMAT/GRE scores and all other supporting documentation, the sooner we are able to make a decision on admission. Applicants to the UBC MM in OR program are required to complete all sections (Quantitative, Verbal and Analytical Writing Analysis) of the GMAT/GRE.
There are no minimum GMAT or GRE scores. However, we recommend the following:
| GRE (General) |
Taken prior to Aug 1, 2011 |
Taken on or after Aug 1, 2011 |
Percentile below |
| Verbal |
450/800 |
150/170 |
48% |
| Quantitative |
700/800 |
155/170 |
69% |
| Analytical |
4/6 |
4/6 |
48% |
English Language Proficiency
Successful applicants must be able to speak, comprehend, and write fluently in English. The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), IELTS (English Language Testing Service) - Academic, MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery), or PTE (Pearson Test of English) – Academic is required for all candidates whose degrees are from a university outside Canada or the USA in which English was not the official language of instruction. English Language Proficiency exams should be taken no later than 4-6 weeks prior to the MM in OR application deadline. You must arrange to have the official results sent directly from the testing service organization to the MBA/MM Programs Office at the Sauder School of Business (UBC – Sauder School of Business – 02 Graduate Schools of Management) at UBC (institution code: 0965).
| Acceptable Tests |
Minimum Scores |
Test Information |
| TOEFL |
iBT: 100
Computer-based: 250
Paper-based: 600 |
TOEFL offers computer-based, internet-based and paper-based tests. All three tests are acceptable. Scores arrive in our office approximately three weeks after the computer-based test or internet-based test has been written, and between four to six weeks after the paper-based test is written. TOEFL scores are valid if written in the last two years. |
| IELTS (Academic) |
7.0 overall band |
IELTS is offered in most countries at least once a month. Scores arrive in our office approximately three weeks after the test has been written. Admission is based on the "Academic" Reading and Writing Modules, not "General Training". IELTS scores are valid if written within the last two years. |
| MELAB |
84 |
The MELAB evaluates advanced-level English language competence of adult non-native speakers of English. Test sites are available in Canada and the USA. |
| PTE (Academic) |
70 |
PTE Academic is a new international computer-based academic English language test. Admission is based on the Academic test, not the “General” or “Young Learners” versions. Test takers are notified by email from Pearson when their scores are available, usually within five business days from their test, and can then forward them to selected institutions. PTE Academic scores are valid if written within the last two years. |
Professional Experience
Professional work experience is not a requirement for admission to the MM in OR program. However, any relevant work experience will be favourably considered during application review.
Maturity & Fit
Successful applicants demonstrate managerial potential, maturity, ambition and drive. They understand and can articulate what operations research is. They strive to become specialists in OR and analytical sciences. They possess a strong quantitative or analytical foundation. Preference will be given to applicants with demonstrated business communication skills and the ability to work successfully in a team environment.
Please contact the Sauder MBA/MM Programs Office if you have any application concerns or difficulties.
MBA/MM Programs Office
Robert H. Lee Graduate School
Sauder School of Business, UBC
Henry Angus Building
137 - 2053 Main Mall
Vancouver, BC
Canada V6T 1Z2
Tel: 604-822-8422
Toll Free (Canada & USA): 1-888 988-9895
Fax: 604-822-9030
Email: mm@sauder.ubc.ca