Admission

Admission Criteria

Note bene:  Please note that the Master of Science in Health Systems courses are only offered in English.

• Four-year bachelor’s (honours) degree in management (B.Com), health sciences, life sciences, medicine, nursing, computer science, economics, social sciences, engineering, mathematics or a related field, or its equivalent;
• Minimum admission average of B+ (75%) calculated in accordance with the Graduate Studies guidelines (last 20 courses for foreign transcripts or last 60 units for Canadian and USA transcripts)
• 6 units of analysis courses at bachelor's level in quantitative and qualitative research methods, micro and macro economics, calculus, probability and statistics, linear algebra, and information technology;
  Note: students lacking background in quantitative analysis may be asked to complete prerequisite course as a condition of admission.
• Achieve a competitive score in the admission test (GMAT or GRE);
  • Applicants having completed their undergraduate degree at the University of Ottawa or other Canadian universities with a CGPA equal to or above 8.0 (at the time of their application) will not be required to write either the GMAT or the GRE.
  • All other applicants must achieve at least a 50th percentile score on either the GMAT (General Management Admission Test) or GRE (Graduate Record Examinations). 
• English proficiency;
• An interview with admission committee may be required.

Application Process

In order for your admission file to be reviewed by the Telfer School of Management Admissions Committee the following tasks must be completed:

1. Complete the OUAC application form online at uOttawa.ca/graduate-studies/programs-admission/apply. Your application will be transmitted once you have paid the application fee. You will receive by email your uoAccess ID and password within 3 to 5 days. This ID and password will allow you to log in to the uoZone student portal.
2. Upload via student portal, under the tab Applications, then uoDoc the following electronic documents:
   • Curriculum vitae (resume): Detail research or academic experience relating to your area of research interest.
   • Letter of intent/statement of research interest(s): Clearly specifying what research topic you are interested in, why you are interested in this topic, and how it is related to your career goals and/or past experience. Your statement should be 800 to 1000 words. Identify at least one professor whose research interests correspond to yours. Include this information in your statement of intent. 
   • Admission test scores (GMAT or GRE). To speed up the evaluation process, please upload a copy of your GMAT or GRE report. Request that official GMAT or GRE test results be available electronically to the Telfer Graduate Office.
     • GRE institutional code is 0993
     • The GMAT department code is 4BZ-76-15 (MSc in Health Systems)
   • Transcripts: transcript from each university level institution you attended.
     • Candidates who completed their studies in China must submit official translations (transcripts and diplomas) certified by the China Higher Education Student Information and Career Center (CHESICC). They must be sent directly to our institution
       Transcripts from the University of Ottawa will be requested by our office.
     • Transcripts from non-Canadian and non-American institutions should include the grading scale (often found at bottom or back of the transcript. If not, you need to obtain it from your school). 
     • If the transcript is not in English or French, a certified translation must be submitted.
     • N.B. Official and recent transcripts will be required in the event of an admission offer. Please have them delivered to the following address: Telfer School of Management
       55 Laurier Avenue East, Room 4160
       Ottawa ON K1N 6N5 Canada
   • Official language proficiency test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, CanTEST, etc.) if applicable.  To be valid, the test score must be less than two years old at the time of application. To speed up the evaluation process, please upload a copy of your language test report. Request that official from ETS (TOEFL) or IELTS to make the results be available electronically to the Telfer Graduate Office.
     • TOEFL institutional code is 0993.

3. Add your two referees’ contact information in the Admission Portal checklist (uoZone). Your referees will receive an email from the University of Ottawa with a link to a recommendation form to be submitted virtually. The referees should be an academic contact with knowledge of your research abilities.

Admission Tests

GMAT & GRE

Applicants having completed their undergraduate degree at the University of Ottawa or other Canadian universities with a CGPA equal to or above 8.0 (at the time of their application) will not be required to write either the GMAT or the GRE.

All other applicants must achieve at least a 50th percentile score on either the GMAT (General Management Admission Test) or GRE (Graduate Record Examinations). 

• Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT): a minimum overall score of the 50th percentile (a score of approximately 580) and at least the 45th percentile on each of the three individual components. 
  For more details about the GMAT ...
  GMAT Study Guide 
  GMAT Practice Test
• Graduate Record Examinations ® (GRE®): a minimum overall score of the 50th percentile (a score of approximately 310). Students should aim for at least the 40th percentile on the verbal reasoning section and at least the 45th percentile on the quantitative reasoning.  N.B. GRE Subject Tests will not be accepted.
  For more details about the GRE ...
  GRE Study Guide

GMAT & GRE Tools (© Copyright Kaplan, Inc.)

• GMAT or GRE? What is the difference?
• Take the 15 minutes score predictor test and see where you stand with the GMAT or GRE
• Free Online GMAT Practice Test and Review
• Free Online GRE Practice Test and Review

Language Requirements

Candidates applying to the English MSc must submit ONE of the following to the Office of the Vice-Provost, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies to confirm their English proficiency (the test scores cannot be more than two years old as of September 1 of the year of potential entry into the program):

• Proof of completion within the last five years, of a previous degree program in an English language university.
• Proof of recent prolonged residence and exercise of a profession in an English speaking
  country (normally at least four years over the last six years)
• A score of at least 100 (Internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
• A score of at least 7 in at least three of the four Academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS) tests (Reading, Listening, Writing, Speaking) and at least 6 in the fourth. The General Training IELTS test is not accepted.
• A score of at least 68 on the Pearson Test of English (Academic) (PTE Academic)

With respect to test scores, they cannot be more than two years old as of September 1 of the year of potential entry into the MSc.

Candidates whose mother tongue is not French and who intend to study in French are advised to consult the French language description of the program for information on what proofs are accepted.

Considering the significant amount of research that is published in English, all candidates need the ability to read and understand written English. Candidates must include in their application evidence of having this knowledge.

Recognition of Courses

Exemptions, Retained Units and Advanced Standing

Students who have successfully completed compulsory units or their equivalents prior to admission will be granted an exemption, that is, they will be permitted to replace those units with elective units in the program on the advice of their supervisor, provided the units were completed with a grade of B or better no more than five years prior to admission to the MSc.

The maximum number of units for which an exemption can be granted is six. The general regulations of the FGPS, section B 2.6, apply for transfer of units.

International Students

Students travel great distances to be part of our program. They realize that the Telfer Master of Science in Health Systems is the perfect place for them to develop and apply their knowledge of business management. They also appreciate the steps we take to help them make a smooth adjustment to life in Ottawa.