Undergraduate Education

Canadian university education is in a leading position in the world. Canada has many world-renowned top universities, such as: University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, McGill University, Queen's University and University of Waterloo, all of which are ranked in the top 30 in North America. High school graduates can apply for their favorite universities according to their usual academic performance and personal wishes.

In China, after the end of the college entrance examination every year, most people apply for volunteers like a gamble. A college entrance examination determines the future, and students are under great pressure. On the other hand, in Canada, Canadian universities are based on the application system, mainly looking at the academic performance and comprehensive performance of grades 11-12. First-class universities usually require 85 points or even more than 90 points in each subject, and second-class schools need more than 80 points. However, academic performance is not the only criterion. If the overall quality is strong, such as organizational skills, communication skills, personal expertise, outstanding volunteer experience, etc., there is also a chance to be "exceptional admission" by famous schools. Students can apply to multiple schools at the same time, receive multiple admission notices, and finally choose the school they like and suit best. This not only gives schools the power to screen students, but also gives students the freedom to choose schools based on their merits. It is a true two-way relationship. choose.

Canadian higher education is mainly carried out in universities and colleges. Different from universities and colleges in our traditional impression, Canadian colleges focus more on cultivating employable talents, and their courses are more employment-oriented; universities focus more on cultivating research talents, and their courses are more inclined to teach students research and innovation. Universities and colleges have different emphases, and there is no distinction between pros and cons. Students can choose freely according to their learning and employment needs. They can switch between universities and colleges, and credits can also be partially converted, giving students more flexible and independent choices.

Canada is favored by more and more parents and international students for its good national welfare treatment and high-level teaching quality. In general, Canadian universities are of the following types:

Three types of Canadian universities

(1) MD-level universities with extensive doctoral research programs and medical schools

The so-called "medical doctoral universities" are relatively large in scale, and the school funds and equipment are also very rich. The most prominent feature is that they are all attached to a medical school, in addition to a bachelor's degree, they can also grant a doctorate or master's degree. Such as: University of Toronto, UBC University, University of Western Ontario, University of Saskatchewan, University of Manitoba, etc.

(2) Comprehensive teaching universities with equal emphasis on undergraduate courses and graduate courses

The so-called "comprehensive master's university" is second in size to the "medical doctoral university". The difference between the comprehensive category and the above-mentioned doctoral universities is that there is no medical school, which can grant master's and bachelor's degrees, and even some universities can also grant doctoral degrees. Representative schools include Simon Fraser University, University of Waterloo, York University, University of Windsor, Concordia University, which are very famous in North America.

(3) Basic teaching universities focusing on undergraduate courses

The so-called "undergraduate universities" are slightly smaller in scale than the above two categories, mainly cultivating undergraduates. In addition to bachelor's degrees, there are also some universities of this level that can grant master's degrees and even doctoral degrees. The teachers, scholarships and teaching methods of "undergraduate universities" are mainly undergraduate students. Therefore, as an undergraduate international student entering a Canadian university for the first time, choosing such a university is more likely to be taken seriously. Such as: Ontario Institute of Technology, Arcadia University, University of Winnipeg, Laurentian University, etc.

Common situations for undergraduate applications in Canada

(1) Apply directly to undergraduate

You can apply for universities with an IELTS score of 6.5 or TOEFL score of 80 or above. Many schools require you to show your local college entrance examination scores above the first line to show that you are an excellent high school graduate in China and have a fairly good level of English. Famous Canadian schools recognize China's basic education and are willing to accept truly outstanding students.

(2) Language courses + professional courses

For students whose language scores do not meet the requirements of the university's direct entry, they can apply for the language course + professional course program provided by the university. According to the different requirements of each school, students may be required to take a language test when studying in Canada, and the length of time to enroll in language courses will be determined by the test and the language scores at that time. Some schools may allow students to reach a certain level of basic language Enroll in professional courses at the same time as language courses. This application method is the most preferred method for many Canadian international students who have not obtained the ideal results. The advantage is that they do not have high IELTS scores when applying for school and Canadian study visas, but they have qualified language skills at the beginning of the semester, and many schools can directly enter professional courses. .

(3) Foundation + Undergraduate

Students studying abroad in Canada receive two admission notices for both preparatory courses and undergraduate courses. In this way, students can strengthen their abilities through preparatory courses. After completing Canadian high school courses, English courses and college preparatory courses, they can obtain Canadian high school graduation certificates, and they do not worry about the possibility of postgraduate studies. Apply for your undergraduate degree. The advantage is that taking the time to adapt to Canadian high school education in advance lays a solid foundation for entering top Canadian universities and not being easily eliminated in college.

(4) Apply for college

The courses of Canadian public colleges are set up in response to Canada's demand for practical talents, and are very suitable for students with weak theoretical foundation and strong practical ability; for students who want to learn a skill, directly work in Canada, and then seek immigration, this is the most suitable. A straightforward, money-saving and time-saving way. At the same time, the university's bachelor's degree program also has some practical courses, so the credits of the recognized college, if the student is willing to develop in the academic direction, it does not rule out the possibility of studying for a master's degree in the future. If you have a poor foundation at the time of admission, you can study in a college for a period of time to better adapt to the characteristics of Canadian teaching, and then transfer to your ideal university to continue your degree program. College transfer to a famous school is the transfer path that international students often choose.

In general, Canadian university education focuses on the cultivation of professional talents. The accumulation of professional knowledge and the proportion of using knowledge to solve problems have increased, and the cultivation of ability has entered the stage of consolidation and strengthening. In class, teachers encourage everyone to actively explore and speak. There will be group discussions, student debates, and classroom speeches, which can exercise students' innovative thinking ability and teamwork ability.

Compared with the relaxation and liberation of many domestic college students after the college entrance examination, the Canadian university stage is lenient and strict. At this stage, Canada believes that students have grown up and have good physical and psychological quality. Therefore, most universities, especially famous schools, are under great academic pressure. There is a certain elimination rate every year, and the elimination rate of freshmen in some famous schools even As high as 20%, only students who study diligently and achieve the standard can graduate successfully and obtain a degree.

Master's and Doctoral Education

Canada's master's and doctoral education is a well-defined academic elite training stage. Students who usually enter these two stages of study aim to engage in scientific research in a specific field.

For most professional fields and directions, Canada's master's programs are divided into course-based and research-based. Course-based graduate program requirements are similar to undergraduate programs, and students can graduate after completing the specified credits and meeting grade requirements. The main nature of research-oriented postgraduate courses is to follow the tutor while working and learning, to achieve a two-way development of operation and theory. The graduation requirement is usually to obtain scientific research results and complete the thesis according to the results.

Canada's master students can be roughly divided into two categories: one is a master's degree that focuses on training researchers, such as a master's degree in literature, a master's degree in science, a master's degree in applied science, etc.; the second is a professional master's degree, such as a master's degree in accounting and a master's degree in finance. , Master of Engineering, Master of Education, etc. The difference between the two is that the former trains researchers and the latter trains professionals. In terms of curriculum setting, there are many professional master's courses, generally 10 to 15 courses, plus project reports or internship reports. The research master's program generally has 4 to 8 subjects, plus a dissertation. The report is graded by the instructor after reading, and the thesis must be defended.

In terms of course content, professional master's courses focus on practice and are often related to the examination content of professional associations. For example, the course of the Master of Accounting is recognized by the examination of the Institute of Accountants, the program of the Master of Finance is recognized by financial analysts, and the program of the Master of Engineering is recognized by the Institute of Engineers. After graduation, students can take the credits of the master's course, exempt from the courses of the professional association, and directly participate in the qualification examination of the professional association. The research master's program emphasizes theories, models, and innovative concepts. The professional master's degree can generally be completed within 12 to 18 months, and the research master's degree is generally completed in one and a half to three years, depending on the time for completing the thesis defense.

Almost all Canadian universities have research master's programs, but each university offers only a few professional master's programs. Because professors are generally reluctant to take professional masters, such students are not very helpful to the professor's research and publishing articles. In addition, to hire professors who can take professional courses, schools have to pay higher wages. Some professors come from professional fields and have higher salaries. This is why the tuition for professional masters is more expensive than that for research masters. Some universities do not have enough teams of professors with expertise to undertake such master's programs, and competition among universities for this type of talent is fierce.

During the application process, the application procedure for a professional master's degree is relatively simple, because there is no need to find a supervisor; a research master's degree is generally accepted by a supervisor. After graduating from a professional master's degree, it will face the corporate world and the industrial world, and the salary will be higher. After graduating from a research master's degree, they can continue to study for a doctoral degree, engage in research in scientific research institutions, or work in government and non-profit private organizations. Their salaries are often lower than those of professional master's graduates.

Canada seldom has a swarm of dormitory groups for postgraduate entrance examinations. Students who do not want to pursue scientific research in the future usually look for suitable career opportunities after their undergraduate degree. Only students who want to pursue scientific research, or want to stay in school for employment, will continue to advance to graduate or doctoral studies. In fact, graduation in these two stages is also quite difficult, requiring convincing academic research results and original papers.

To apply for a doctorate degree in Canada, you must have completed a master's degree. In a PhD program in Canada, students participate in various group seminars, which may require about 20 hours of reading time per week. In addition, research on the dissertation from the beginning of the project, publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles, and active application for fellowships to further support research efforts are required. In addition, there will likely be assistance to professors as Teaching Assistants (TA) and Research Assistantships (RA), which may take up to 20 hours per week. While the two add up, 40 hours per week is a reasonable amount of work for a PhD student, but depending on the project, students may find themselves working more than that.

Doctoral programs in Canada are typically designed to be around four years, and it may be more realistic to set aside five years or more for yourself to complete your Ph.D. It is important to keep this in mind as some courses do not allow extended funding, so students may be required to pay tuition fees for additional years spent to complete their studies.

The average tuition fee for a PhD program in Canada is approximately $8,000 – $20,000 per year. In Canada, students generally must apply for scholarships based on academic merit. These scholarships can cover tuition, research fees and occasional living expenses. Canada has strong international student organizations and associations that can help students better integrate into doctoral programs, adjust to life, and build relationships. Mentors usually work closely with students, are happy to interact with students, have a genuine interest in student projects, and have relevant knowledge and experience that can be of practical help to students.

Relatively speaking, it is easier to get a degree in a Canadian university, a master's degree is easier, a bachelor's degree is next, and a doctorate is the most difficult. A master’s degree has the shortest hours, and there are no uniform requirements and strict standards. The difficulty of graduation is highly correlated with the requirements of the supervisor. Undergraduate study time is long, the course pressure is extremely high, the elimination rate is high, and the competition is very fierce. Canadian undergraduate grades are more important. Whether it is further study or looking for a job, transcripts are essential, and the four-year study pressure can be imagined. The doctorate is the pinnacle of education in North America. It has the longest academic system, the most stringent requirements, and the most pressure. The qualification examination for a doctorate is very strict. After passing the qualification examination, you must do some original and pioneering research in the remaining two or three years before you have the chance to graduate. Usually, the doctoral scholarship and financial aid are only for four years. After the fourth year, you need to pay the tuition and living expenses by yourself. Doctoral education in North America is mainly to provide successors to university education, or to deliver and cultivate outstanding talents in pure research fields. There are basically two types of employment for PhDs: one goes to universities or government research institutions, and the other goes to large companies to engage in technology development and research.