| Schools |
| Public Secondary School |
A public secondary school, or high school, is a government funded school for students between the ages of 12 - 18. |
| Private Secondary School |
A private secondary school, or high school, is the same as a public secondary school, except the school receives funding from the students in the form of tuition. |
| Undergraduate |
A school that a student would attend after graduating from secondary school. |
| University |
Generally a publicly funded post-secondary undergraduate school (though there are some private universities in Canada) which offers degree programs, such as bachelor, master and doctorate degrees. |
| College |
A publicly funded post-secondary undergraduate school that offers certificate and diploma programs. |
| University College |
A publicly or privately funded post-secondary undergraduate school that offers both degree and diploma programs. |
| Career College |
A privately funded post-secondary undergraduate school that may offer certificate and diploma programs. |
| Graduate Schools |
A publicly funded school that students attend after obtaining a bachelor degree or part of a bachelor degree. |
| Business Schools |
A publicly funded graduate school that offers master's of business (MBA) programs. They may also offer business related doctorate programs. |
| Dental Schools |
A publicly funded graduate school that educates students to become dentists. |
| Law Schools |
A publicly funded graduate school that educates students to become lawyers. |
| Medical Schools |
A publicly funded graduate school that educates students to become doctors of medicine. |
| Language Schools |
Privately funded schools that specialize in teaching students a second language. Publicly funded colleges and universities may run their own language schools as well. |
| Continuing Education |
Programs offered by colleges, universities and universities colleges for people who want to improve existing skills or develop new ones. Certificates may be handed out for completion of a continuing education program. |
| Corporate Training |
Short courses offered often by private companies to train employees of companies in new skills or to help develop new skills. |
| Degree Types |
| Secondary School Diploma |
A student receives this when they successfully graduate from secondary (high) school. |
| Certificate |
This degree is awarded by colleges and some universities. Usually it is denotes the completion of a shorter program. |
| Diploma |
Offered by colleges and university colleges. |
| Post-diploma |
A diploma program offered to students who have already completed one diploma program. |
| Associate Degree |
A program offered at the university level, but only lasting two years. |
| Bachelor |
The first degree offered at a university or university college at the undergraduate level. Generally three years long. |
| Honours Bachelor Degree |
A four year bachelor program. |
| Master or Master's |
The degree granted at the first level of graduate school. Students may only enter school in pursuit of a master's degree after finishing their bachelor degree. |
| Doctorate or PhD |
The degree granted at highest level of graduate school. |
| Degree Modifiers |
| Honours |
Used in conjunction with a bachelor degree it signifies a four year program. |
| Co-op |
This indicates that there is a work term or that you must work as part of the program requirements. Schools help students find co-op term jobs. |
| University Transfer |
This indicates that the full program is not available at the school and student must transfer to another institution to finish their degree. |
| Distance |
This indicates that the program can be taken at home as opposed to traveling to campus. |
| Online |
Indicates that the program is taken through the Internet. |
| Apprenticeship |
Indicates that the student will learn by working for an established practitioner of the skills of their program. |
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