Information for students

Postsecondary institutions and degrees defined

Universities
Universities offer bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral (usually a PhD) degree programs in subject areas as diverse as business, astronomy, genetics and fine arts. These degrees prepare students for a variety of professions and careers and offer unmatched opportunities for academic study.

University colleges
In British Columbia and Nova Scotia, these institutions combine university and college traditions to offer students both degree programs and college diplomas and certificates with the latter often “laddering” into the former. In Alberta, university colleges operate at the level of university studies. All applications to offer new degree programs in Alberta must be directed to the Minister of Advanced Education. In Ontario, some university-level colleges have adopted the university college nomenclature to differentiate themselves from community colleges that, also recently, have received applied-degree granting powers from the provincial government.

CÉGEPs
College of General and Vocational Education, or Cégep, is a two or three-year general or technical education in Quebec between high school and university.

Community colleges
There are more than 200 public and private community colleges or institutes of technology in Canada that help meet the training needs of various industries, business and the public service sector and serve the educational needs of vocationally-oriented secondary school graduates.

Undergraduate degree
Undergraduate programs leading to a bachelor’s degree generally require three or four years of full-time study, depending on the province. An honours degree usually involves a higher level of concentration and achievement within the honours subject and may require additional credits.

Master’s degree
Master’s degrees generally require at least one year of full-time studies including a thesis (a long essay based on original research), practicum or research paper.

Doctoral, or PhD degree
Doctoral programs, an academic degree of the highest level, require a minimum of three years of full-time study.

Other programs
Many universities also offer a range of certificate and diploma courses at the undergraduate, graduate or diploma level, as well as short career-focused programs.