Qualifications offered in Canada
First Professional Degree
A first professional degree is defined as an academic degree preparing the holder for a particular profession by emphasizing competency skills apart from theory and analysis. Either these professions are licensed or regulated by a governmental or government-approved body. Programs like nursing, architecture, forestry, law, medicine, chiropractic, engineering, dentistry, psychology, accounting, podiatry, audiology, physical therapy, optometry, pharmacy, social work, religious ministry, or education, generally require such degrees for licensing.
Undergraduate Level certification / Diploma
Usually the university diplomas and certificates require 1 or 2 years of study in a specific field or discipline. But, they widely differ from institution to institution, and from province to province. University calendars form the best sources of information about the nature and requirements of university diplomas and certificates.
Colleges and institutes undertake diploma and certificate programs as their primary activity. Some also offer degrees in areas of particular specialization. Where offered, the degree programs can be two-year associate degrees or four-year applied degrees.
Bachelors Degree
Students at the baccalaureate or bachelor's level are referred to as undergraduates. The normal prerequisite for admission to undergraduate study is the successful completion of the secondary school program, or the two-year Cégep program in the case of Quebec. The Bachelor's degrees need 3 or 4 years of full-time study, depending on the province or if the program is general or specialized.
The honors baccalaureate degree usually represents a higher degree of concentration in the honors subject. It also signals a higher level of academic achievement. This degree might require an additional year of study, at some universities.
Master’s Degree
Getting a master's degree generally requires 1 to 3 years of postgraduate or graduate study. A master's degree requires 2 years of study after completing an honors baccalaureate. Usually master’s degree is a normal pre-requisite for a doctoral program, in certain special circumstances; students have been allowed to directly enter into a doctoral program from an honors baccalaureate program. A minimum of 3 years and up to 4 or 5 years of study and research, plus a dissertation form the normal requirements for a doctorate. The degree is generally known as a PhD; however, doctoral degrees may also be granted in particular fields of study such as music (DMus) or law (LLD).
Doctorate
Doctorate degree requires the successful completion of original research and the defense of a thesis. The thesis makes a substantial contribution to the advancement of knowledge in the student’s chosen field of study. This degree needs either 2 or 3 years of full-time residency, but usually more time of directed research and writing are required for the completion of the doctoral thesis.
Since your career path will often be determined by your chosen topic, you must carefully choose your program and thesis supervisor. Theses at the master’s and doctoral level include oral defense before a board of examiners, usually made up of departmental faculty along with scholars drawn from other departments and institutions.
Certain graduate programs offer the option of full-time or part-time studies. Additionally, a number of Canadian universities also offer master’s programs via distance education.
Associate Degree
An associate degree is an academic degree. They are awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, 4-year universities, business colleges and some bachelor's degree-granting colleges/universities after completing a course of study lasting for 2 years. In Canada, the associate degree is equivalent to the first 2 years of a 4-year college or university degree. The associate degree is the lowest in the hierarchy of postsecondary academic degrees. This 2-year Degree is a collection of academic courses fully transferable to any BC university or university-college, plus universities across Canada. It is the first half of a Bachelor Degree, and is also a recognized credential on its own.
The Associate Degree graduates have greater success at university than other transfer students. The graduate of an Associate Degree program can apply for transfer to the third year of a general or discipline-specific program at a receiving university in British Columbia. Some BC institutions also offer lower GPA entrance requirements or priority admission to Associate Degree graduates—some even grant transfer credit for all courses taken to complete an Associate Degree.
Applied Degrees
Combining Academic and Practical Training
A student can think of going for an applied degree if they are confused between pursuing a Bachelor’s degree and a diploma or certificate. These Applied Degree programs in Canada serve to combine the academic focus of a university degree with the practical and other job-ready skills students learn in college.
Applied Degree programs have been introduced by a number of colleges and technical institutes across Canada and also by various universities and university colleges. These degrees have been introduced to respond to the present demanding job market. Applied Degrees fill the need for educated and highly-skilled workers. This is done as these degrees produce graduates who bring a strong combination of technical and theoretical skills to the job.
Applied Degree programs, like a Bachelor's degree, are usually of four years duration focusing on a solid grounding in theory and analytical skills. These degrees lay a stronger emphasis on practical applications of the concepts learned in the classroom. Thus, the Applied Degree programs offer more extensive training than shorter, technical-oriented diploma programs.
The curriculum of the applied degrees is often developed in consultation with employers. While designing the curriculum, care is taken that it is created in response to industry demand for graduates ensuring that it is current and relevant. One semester of work experience can be included as part of the program.
Applied Degree programs offer help in preparing students for a wide range of technical or career-specific fields. Some of the applied degree programs available in Canada include:
Some universities may also offer applied degrees.. pl check the universities undergrad degrees and name them.
Equipping students with critical thinking skills and hands-on technical skills, Applied Degree programs are designed with a clear career-focus in mind. If you’re interested in a practical but demanding program which will lead to a challenging and rewarding career, consider earning an Applied Degree in Canada.
Some of the colleges offering Applied Degrees include:
For more information about the degrees offered by these colleges, contact your nearest Canam office. You can also write to us at info@canmoffice.com.
Co-operative Education and Internships
A co-op program enables the students to academic study and work experience. They spend one term on campus followed by another term working full-time in a position related to their field of study. These work terms are can be of four months duration. After the completion of the degree, the students have the same number of academic terms as others. Also, they will have up to 2 years of valuable career-related work experience. An internship is a supervised practical training period for a student or recent graduate. The time spent at an internship differs depending on the program and the job. These Co-ops and internships provide some of the practical experience to the students. The students require this work-ex when facing the job market after graduation.
Benefits to students and to employers
Students taking advantage of co-ops and/or internships clarify their career goals. They can determine their working-style preferences before even getting their first full-time career job. The students also happen to create strong business networks. The contacts made during the work terms, both within the organization and externally, can prove to be significant assets in a job search. This includes advice, references, job leads, and may even lead to a job offer if the employer is impressed.
The other advantages include:
Employers also benefit from a co-op or intern by getting a fresh outlook on their business projects from someone who is trained in the area. Sometimes the match is so good that it could lead to a full-time job offer after graduation.
Working of co-operatives
Co-operative and internship opportunities work in a variety of ways. Some co-op and internship options are included in the degree when you first apply. Some others are an option to which you apply after completing your 1st year. There are a variety of schedules for the periods you are studying and working, if your degree has a co-op or internship option. While doing a degree with a co-op option, standard first and second-year structure would be to study through the fall and winter semesters in year one, with a co-op job in the summer semester. The second year would then have study periods in the fall and summer semesters, with a co-op job in the winter semester.
A required introductory course, explaining your responsibilities on the job, the atmosphere to expect and the process of gaining employment, can be there depending on the school that you are attending. The institution and their organization and attainment of the co-op opportunities determine the process of gaining employment in different fields. They are offered only to certain programs in some institutions. If a school enjoys a good reputation due to its co-op and internship students, organizations also prefer to approach the institution for sponsoring a student.
In both co-op and internships, some students find their own employment opportunities. If the work term is counted toward a degree, a student must gain approval from their co-op or internship advisor to ensure that the work meets the program requirements. In other cases, sponsoring organizations are sought by the co-op program, and a job bank of available positions is created. Students go through the process of reviewing job opportunities, applying, and interviewing before receiving an offer. The types of jobs that students have been placed in at AUCC member universities across Canada range from marketing coordinators, purchasing assistants and data analysts to museum assistants, urban designers, and technical writers.
What happens at the end of the work term?
If the work term counts towards your degree, there is often an evaluative component that will have to be completed by the end of each work term. This may be a written submission outlining what you have learned from the placement. More recently, some schools have begun asking for a learning portfolio instead of a written submission. This tool allows students to document what they have learned from their work experience. It provides a chance to see how far you have come, especially in instances when students have completed more than one work term.
Admission Criteria
Depending on the program, some students can apply to this program straight out of high school. Once accepted, students generally start their first work term after their first year of studies. Each school is different, however, and specifics need to be found from the school itself.
Co-op and internship programs are very competitive. Thus, minimum average students have to be maintained to stay in the program. They must have strong communication and interpersonal skills to find success in their interviews and placements.
Payment Structure
Whether you get paid or not for the co-op depend upon the program you are enrolled in and the sponsoring organization of your work term. Generally, the students get paid. Thus, a co-op or internship option becomes attractive for students who are financing their own education. Usually, the salaries for a co-op or internship student range from 0 to 0 per week depending on the program and placement.
Often, students might also take unpaid work terms for gaining experience in an unusual field. The students can also be given an honorarium at the end of the term, instead of being paid regularly.
Students should take care that there are also fees associated with some co-op or internship programs. The fees differ by institution, and cover the operating costs associated with running a co-op education or internship program.
Next Step
The co-op and internship programs form an excellent way for students for gaining relevant experience and getting a glimpse into the future towards a successful career. Visit your nearest Canam office to get more detailed information on available programs and the universities offering them.
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