Canada has been ranking as the number one study abroad destination for Indian students for the past few years. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, 215,720 Indian students study in Canada presently. India single-handedly contributes the largest share, more than 30%, of international student enrolments in Canada. Indian students prefer to pursue diploma and degree courses in the fields of mathematics, statistics, computer and information sciences, business and administration, health sciences and more.
Indian students choose Canada over other countries due to its top ranked universities offering high quality of education, affordable tuition fees and living costs, work on and off-campus while studying options, job opportunities after graduation, favourable visa norms and better chances of PR. This article intends to delineate Master’s degree and PG Diploma in Canada so that you can decide which one is best suited to you.
IN THIS BLOG:
1. Masters in Canada
2. PG Diploma in Canada
3. Master’s or PG Diploma? The Jamboree Verdict
4. Top 15 Colleges for PG Diploma in Canada
Masters in Canada
A Master’s degree is a good option for students or working professionals who are looking for specific domain knowledge and expertise. An MS program is typically a full-time residential program of two years requiring completion of certain number of graduate full-course equivalents(FCEs). Most Masters will require you to submit a thesis or a project at the end of the course.
Though universities and departments will have specific admissions criteria for Master’s program, in general, following are the eligibility requirements to pursue a Master’s in Canada:
– Minimum 16 years of education; schooling plus 4-year bachelor’s. If student has 15 years of education, he or she should have done 2-year Master’s.
– Minimum IELTS score of 6.5
– GRE or GMAT score may be required as per the program
– Some Master’s programs may need applicants to have work experience of 1-2 years
The cost of pursuing a Master’s degree in Canada can lie anywhere between CAD $10,000 to CAD $33,000 per year. Canadian government permits international students to work for 20 hours during the session and full time during term breaks. Also, there are plenty of scholarships available for international students who want to pursue Master’s in Canada.
Master’s program graduates can stay back and work in Canada for up to 3 years after graduating. Average salary of a Master’s degree holder in Canada is $68,000 per year. Studying for Master’s and working in the country opens the gateway to PR in Canada.
Have you taken the GMAT before?
PG Diploma in Canada
Postgraduate diploma is a course that is done to get highly specialized and practical knowledge of a field. It is focused on developing employability skills rather than on acquiring knowledge. A PG Diploma is usually of shorter period of time (1 year or less) as compared to a Master’s program. Some PG Diplomas are also of 2 years duration. Whether 1-year or 2-year long, most PG Diplomas have an internship component.
Indian students prefer to do a postgraduate diploma in HR, finance, business analytics, marketing, data science, tourism and hospitality, health sciences and similar courses. Each course may have its own set of entry requirements but, in general, PG Diploma applicants should have:
– Minimum 15 years of education; schooling plus undergraduate degree
– Minimum IELTS score of 6.5
– Some diploma courses may need applicants to have work experience of 1-2 years
PG Diploma is definitely cheaper than a Master’s degree. It can cost you anywhere between CAD $6,000 and CAD $20,000 to earn a PG diploma in Canada. Most universities facilitate students in getting co-ops and internships which are a mandatory part of the course. Some colleges also offer scholarships to students for pursuing PG Diploma.
On completion of PG Diploma course, diploma holders can stay back and work in Canada for a period of 1 year extensible up to 2 years. In general, job market in Canada is good for Master’s graduates, and Diploma holders, but remember Master’s degree will be preferred over Diploma, if they two are compared. A PG Diploma holder will get a salary within the range of CAD $35,000 to CAD $55,000.
Have you taken the GMAT before?
Master’s or PG Diploma? The Jamboree Verdict
At Jamboree, we get that asked a lot, and our advice to students is to analyse with respect to 3 primary parameters:
Time: Master’s degree will take longer to complete, so if a student is looking for faster completion for whatever reason, PG Diploma is the course they are looking for.
Cost: Master’s will cost more than PG Diploma so if tuition fees is of primary concern, choose PG Diploma. However, keep in mind that if you pursue Master’s, you will have better chances of winning scholarships.
ROI: Students will have better chances in the job market with a Master’s than with a Diploma. Although PG Diploma from a good college will be viewed favourably by most employers, it truly depends on the student.
We have a compiled a list of top 15 colleges in Canada offering PG Diploma. Take a look!
Top 15 Colleges for PG Diploma in Canada
University/College |
PG Diploma |
University of Winnipeg | Project Management, HR, Finance, Network Security, Web Development and more |
McMaster University | Accounting, Marketing, Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Sustainability, Lean Six Sigma, etc. |
University of Calgary | Data Science, Environmental Science, Business Analysis, Change Management, etc. |
Concordia University | Business Administration, Quantitative Business Studies, etc. |
Simon Fraser University | Education, Business Administration |
Thompson Rivers University | Accounting Technician, Management, Executive Assistant, etc. |
Vancouver Island University | Business Studies, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Languages and Culture, Natural Resources Law Enforcement |
Carleton University | Architectural Conservation, Economic Policy, Ethics, Health, Linguistics, Public Policy and more |
Centennial College | Global Business Management, HRM, Insurance, Project Management, Strategic Management, etc. |
Algonquin College | Business, Computer Programming, Culinary Management and many more |
Durham College | Advertising, Animation, Behavioural Science and many more |
Fanshawe College | Film Making, Agri-business, Game Development, etc. |
Fleming College | Accounting, Business Administration and more |
Sheridan College | Accounting, Television and Film, Digital Creature Management, Journalism, etc. |
Humber College | Graphic Design, Broadcast, Computer Programming, Fashion Arts, Food and Nutrition, Hospitality and many more. |
If you want to pursue Master’s or PG Diploma in Canada, get in touch with our expert counsellors. Resolve all your doubts and queries regarding, eligibility criteria, fees and scholarships, visa requirements, jobs and PR in just 15 minutes of free online session.