The Canadian Higher Education System
When it comes to higher education, Canada has a great system in place that has been proven to be effective. Their educational system is well-established and features numerous career-focused programmes. In fact, Canadian universities have a high employability rate, proving that Canadian education is one of the best in the world. Students studying business in Canada can choose from a wide variety of specialisations, allowing them to combine academic terms with practical work experience. Many of their professors come from around the world, which allows students to learn from professors with different cultures and perspectives.
Higher education in Canada has four levels, with each level focusing on a different subject. In general, Canadian higher education institutions focus on undergraduate liberal arts courses, which overlap with other disciplines. However, some students have completed college already and simply want to further their education. Regardless of the level of education, the system of higher education in Canada is quite similar to that in the United States. While you can attend university without any previous degrees, you can still choose to study at a community college to complete a practical career.
The higher education system in Canada is governed by the provinces. In Quebec, for example, students are required to take a mandatory pre-university course before they can begin their studies. This way, they don’t have to take the first year of university. If you’re looking for graduate school programs in Canada, check out the QS Top Grad School Guide. It’s filled with information on the best universities in Canada.
Queen’s University in Kingston is another top Canadian university. Founded in 1878, it now boasts over 66,000 undergraduate and post graduate students. The University of Alberta has fallen four places to rank 113th in the world, but it is still fourth among the best universities in Canada. This institution is an economic engine for the province, contributing five percent to its GDP. Its renowned faculty members are known for their achievements, including Nobel Prize laureates.
Most Popular Undergraduate Degree Programs
The difference between Canada’s higher education system and the United States is stark. Many of Canada’s colleges and universities have strong denominational ties. Only four colleges were independent as early as 1867, while the remainder were affiliated with churches. However, religious and nondenominational universities formed cooperative alliances. For instance, in the early 1900s, the nondenominational University of Toronto collaborated with three religious colleges.
Canada’s three territories are relatively small, and rely on cooperation with provinces to educate their citizens. Each territory has at least one college, and each college has the right to offer a limited number of degree programs in conjunction with a university in a neighboring province. For example, Aurora College in Saskatchewan offers a Bachelor of Education program in partnership with the University of Saskatchewan. In Nunavut, the Arctic College has two programs in partnership with the University of Victoria.
Depending on your preferences, you can choose between a three-year undergraduate program or a four-year bachelor’s degree program. Typically, the bachelor’s degree takes about three years to complete, but you can earn a bachelor’s degree in as little as 11 years of secondary school. If you’re a foreign student, you can complete the first year of undergraduate study in a separate institution and then apply to begin your graduate studies.