As a public research university ranked #4 among Canada’s Best Comprehensive Universities by Maclean’s in their list for 2025, Carleton University is experienced in academic innovation, and their Sprott School of Business (Sprott) is a strong example of their approach. The business school leverages the university’s location in Ottawa, a thriving global city and G7 capital, by involving local business leaders in helping to shape the workforce-relevant curricula for its well-regarded Master of Business Administration (MBA) program.
When Sprott decided to offer the on-campus MBA program in an online format to better reach the underserved audience of working adult students, their leadership searched for an experienced partner to expedite that process. Partnering with Risepoint was itself an example of their innovative approach, as Carleton became one of the few universities in Canada to bring in external expertise to help them launch and run their online programs.
Emphasizing the student experience
In partnering with Risepoint, Sprott expected to extend their reach both within and beyond the Ottawa region, as well as to generate sustainable revenue. Beyond pursuing a significant opportunity for growth in the Canadian market for fully online programs, the business school was determined to demonstrate its commitment to successful student outcomes at every level.
“Harnessing new technologies to deliver our MBA to an underserved segment of the market at this juncture is critical. Canada’s future business leaders require the tools necessary to become and remain competitive in this new global environment. By focusing on the student experience, we are creating a high quality learning environment that emphasizes engagement, networking, and technical skill growth, all the while learning how to tackle the bigger problems impacting the industry today.”
Dr. Howard Nemiroff, Dean, Sprott School of Business, Carleton University
Excelling in outcomes
Sprott launched their online MBA in March 2022, to enroll students for the first term beginning July 4, 2022. Interest in the program was immediate and outstanding, exceeding the University’s expectations for enrollments. The current online portfolio of the General MBA, as well as specialized MBA programs with concentrations in Business Analytics, Finance Management, and Management and Change, has:
- Resulted in inquiries from ALL provinces and territories in Canada (10 provinces and three territories)
- Received inquiries and enrollments in all four program options
- Recruited more than 2,000 NEW student enrolments since the program’s launch in July of 2022
- Maintained an 87% average student retention
Following the success of the online MBA, both the Sprott School of Business and other schools within Carleton University are considering offering additional programs in an accelerated online format to extend Carleton’s delivery of quality education to meet the needs of working adults.
