Levels of Post-Secondary Study in Canada

Levels of Post-Secondary Study in Canada

When planning your education in Canada, you have to choose the right program and levels of post-secondary study in Canada. And first of all, you have to know that each Canadian province and territory provides its own educational programs. Nevertheless, colleges and universities use similar terms that describe common credentials and pathways.

It is worth mention, that international students have to be mindful of choosing  Levels of Post-Secondary Study in Canada and its duration since it can influence their eligibility for immigration to Canada. If you want to immigrate, there are several conditions you need to fulfill to become eligible for federal and provincial immigration programs. The right combination of language skills and experience and a completed bachelor’s degree will multiply your chances of staying in Canada after graduation.

International applicants must remember, that they can pursue undergraduate education in Canada only after the completion of senior high or secondary school. Moreover, prospective international students have to study for at least four years to complete a bachelor’s degree in Canada. Then, students can continue to the next level of post-secondary study in Canada, the master’s degree.

It is worth mentioning that students can obtain several certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees at the undergraduate level of post-secondary study in Canada. These documents do not allow them to undertake a master’s degree in Canada, but they can be useful for international students who want to immigrate to Canada or work in the country. If you do not know the differences between the undergraduate levels of post-secondary study in Canada, the information below will be helpful.

The first level of post-secondary study in Canada is the certificate program that lasts one to two full-time semesters (or less than one year). Generally, students learn one subject three to eight academic months, but hundreds of Canadian colleges and universities offer certificate programs of different lengths. The most common subjects within this program are Health Care Administration, IT, Business, and different pre-diploma or pre-degree areas. The objective of this level of post-secondary study in Canada is to give students the necessary skills and knowledge to meet the admission requirements for other study programs. If you want to be admitted into a certificate program, you should have a Canadian secondary school diploma or other essential subject prerequisites.

The next level of post-secondary study in Canada is the college or university diploma program. The duration of study varies from four to six full-time semesters (or at least two years). Sometimes the study program can last three or four years, but it depends on the requirements of the specific profession. This specialized post-secondary study aims to give students skills and knowledge to pursue trades and technical or vocational careers. Students can also complete a co-op internship to develop their professional skills. It is important to highlight, that students can upgrade or transfer the college or university diploma into a bachelor’s degree. If you want to obtain a college or university diploma, you need to complete a senior secondary program in Canada or its equivalent.

The associate degree program is the next undergraduate level of post-secondary study in Canada. This program usually takes four full-time semesters (or two years). It is a foundational undergraduate program in a classical area of study that consists of 60 credits. The main distinction of the associate degrees from certificates and diplomas is that the study program of the former has several general academic subjects and a specialization in a particular area of interest. The common examples of these degrees are Associate of Arts (Science) and Associate of Arts (Business). You should also remember, that the associate degree allows students to enroll at college or university and then transfer into third-year coursework at a university in Canada.

The last undergraduate level of post-secondary study in Canada is the bachelor’s degree program that lasts eight and more full-time semesters (or four to five years). As a rule, this study program includes traditional academic subjects in the Arts, Engineering, Business, General Sciences, or Humanities. Over the first one or two years, students get general knowledge in the area of study. Then, they begin to master and specialize in a major, the most important subject in their study program. Additionally, some faculties can offer students to complete a supervised practicum on the fifth academic year. For example, it might be very useful for those who want to get a teaching certificate. Students, who want to get admitted into a bachelor’s degree program, have to complete a senior secondary diploma in Canada or its equivalent.

There are three graduate levels of post-secondary study in Canada. The first level is represented by postgraduate diploma and certificate programs. Students have to study one to three full-time semesters (or less than one year) to earn it. Mostly, postgraduate diplomas and certificates are additional compliments to a bachelor’s degree. They show that the individual has an intense specialization in a particular subject area such as Sales and Marketing, Business Administration, or Resource Management. Students can take postgraduate diplomas and certificates after earning a bachelor’s degree. Moreover, certificates and diplomas can be transferred into master’s degrees.

The next graduate level of post-secondary study in Canada is the master’s degree program. The study lasts three to nine full-time semesters (or one to three years). It is a highly specialized post-graduate study and can include professional practice. As a rule, the degree is built on the previous study area explored at the bachelor’s level. Additionally, students have to conduct original research for a thesis, major project, or comprehensive examination to get the degree. This postgraduate level of post-secondary study in Canada can be earned after completing a bachelor’s degree.

The doctorate degree program is the last level of post-secondary study in Canada. The duration of the study is four to six years, and two to three years of full-time study are dedicated to wide-ranging and analytical coursework. It is worth mentioning, that a high-quality independent dissertation or thesis is required to complete a doctorate. Many professions such as a doctor, a university professor, or high-level administration jobs in education, government, and health care require a Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) or other doctorates.

International students have many questions about the levels of post-secondary study in Canada. The most popular question concerns whether the credentials of colleges and universities in Canada are the same. Mostly, certificates and diplomas are issued by career colleges and colleges of applied arts and technology. In its turn, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees are mainly issued by universities. However, some accredited public colleges in Canada can confer bachelor’s degrees as well as graduate certificates and diplomas. It is also worth mentioning, that many Canadian universities offer post-graduate certificate and diploma programs.

International applicants also have questions about university transfer programs. In Canada, some students decide to study at colleges, while others enroll directly at universities. That is why many colleges and universities have an agreement, that allows students to transfer to a university after one or two years of full-time study at a college. You can find more information about transfer programs on the official website of your chosen university.

Many international students also want to know whether their credits can be transferred from a school, college, or university outside of Canada. Unfortunately, overseas certificate and diploma programs are not nationally recognized in Canada. Nevertheless, schools from different countries can have agreements with Canadian institutions that allow students to complete the undergraduate levels of post-secondary study in Canada at the first or second academic year. Additionally, International Baccalaureate or A-Level certificates, high school programs outside of Canada, can be applied towards the completion of a bachelor’s degree, and international students can enroll in the second year of an undergraduate program in Canada.

It is worth mentioning, that the completion of similar four-year programs, which are equivalent to the Canadian bachelors’ programs, can be used as a condition for admission to one of the postgraduate levels of post-secondary study in Canada.

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