Cégep
Encyclopedia
CEGEP is an acronym for , which is literally translated as "College of General and Vocational Education" but commonly called "General and Vocational College" in circles not influenced by Quebec English
. It refers to the public post-secondary education
collegiate
institutions exclusive to the education system in the province of Quebec
in Canada
. It is a loanword from Quebec French
.
Although all colleges in Quebec are colloquially referred to as CEGEPs, only public colleges are officially referred to by that name. Both public (CEGEPs) and private colleges have the same function in Quebec. Although they may occasionally be compared to junior college
s, CEGEPs differ in that a (DEC, College Education Diploma) is required for university admission in Quebec unless a student enters as a mature student which typically means a minimum age of 21 with other requirements. Pre-university programs are typically two years in duration, which explains why secondary school and undergraduate degrees are both one year shorter in Quebec relative to elsewhere in Canada. A student in Quebec cannot enter university with a secondary diploma from Quebec alone.
The purpose of a separate collegiate education level is to make post-secondary education more accessible in Quebec, as well as to provide proper academic preparation for university
. There are both public subsidized and private colleges, with the public CEGEPs having little or no tuition
fee. The CEGEP system was started in 1967 by the Quebec provincial government
and originally consisted of 12 CEGEPs. Today, 48 CEGEPs exist in Quebec, of which 5 are English language
-medium. There are also 50 private colleges, including 6 English-medium colleges. Today, there are some Centre d'études collégiales, a small public post-secondary education college very similar to a CEGEP. They are often a campus of another CÉGEP, like the Centre d'études collégiales à Chibougamau, part of the Cégep de Saint-Félicien
.
must attend a college before enrolling in a Quebec university. Students who follow a general studies program in Quebec complete six years of primary school (grades 1 through 6), followed by five years of secondary school
(grades 7 through 11, or Secondaire I to V in French). Quebec students complete one grade fewer in total than all other Canadian students before beginning post-secondary studies, ending high school in grade 11 instead of grade 12. Colleges then prepare students for university or to enter a technical profession
. Most Quebec undergraduate programs are three years in length for Quebec students; hence, the total number of years of study from primary school through a Bachelor's degree is the same as in the rest of North America. It is also possible to attend a university after obtaining a technical college diploma, as they are usually treated by universities in the same manner as 2-year college diplomas.
Students wishing to continue their university education outside Quebec must take one year of courses to fulfill the requirements of the institution to which they are applying. For example, students wishing to attend an Ontario
university may complete one year of college and apply as a regular applicant who has completed grade 12 in Ontario. Additionally, students who have a DEC from a Quebec college may apply for admission with one year of advanced standing to institutions outside Quebec, as some advanced courses at the college level may be assessed as equivalent to introductory courses at university.
Another option for Quebec students leaving the province is to skip the Quebec college level entirely and attend a non-Quebec college. A popular choice among anglophone Quebec students is Algonquin College
in Ottawa
, mainly because it simplifies admission to universities outside Quebec (particularly the University of Ottawa
) and only one year of study is required (as opposed to the minimum of two in Quebec) to bring them to the same level as other Canadian students.
(DCS), or DÉC . Students may then complete certain undergraduate programs at a Quebec university in only 3 years, as opposed to 4 years outside Quebec. Students with a DEC who choose to attend university in another province in Canada or outside the country are then eligible to either skip the first year and enter university as a second year student, or gain advanced standing or extra credit for their first year. The amount of accepted extra credit is at the discretion of each university. However, the college system is generally a disadvantage for Quebec students wishing to enter an undergraduate program outside the province. In practice, most universities do accept Quebec college credits, but only up to one year, given the difference in structure of education systems between Quebec and the rest of the provinces.
Adult continuing education programs are also offered at colleges. Many of those programs lead to an Attestation of Collegial Studies, or "AÉC" (Attestation d'études collégiales), which is similar to a DEC but does not include the core curriculum.
In addition, the majority of the province's 31 "Technology Transfer Centres" have been established by CEGEPs. At these centres, applied research is carried out in a specific field in cooperation with industrial partners.
Quebec English
Quebec English is the common term for the set of various linguistic and social phenomena affecting the use of English in the predominantly French-speaking Canadian Province of Quebec....
. It refers to the public post-secondary education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
collegiate
College education in Quebec
College education, College, in the Canadian province of Quebec is the post-secondary level immediately after high-school but required for university admissions...
institutions exclusive to the education system in the province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is a loanword from Quebec French
Quebec French
Quebec French , or Québécois French, is the predominant variety of the French language in Canada, in its formal and informal registers. Quebec French is used in everyday communication, as well as in education, the media, and government....
.
Although all colleges in Quebec are colloquially referred to as CEGEPs, only public colleges are officially referred to by that name. Both public (CEGEPs) and private colleges have the same function in Quebec. Although they may occasionally be compared to junior college
Junior college
The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries.-India:In India, most states provide schooling through 12th grade...
s, CEGEPs differ in that a (DEC, College Education Diploma) is required for university admission in Quebec unless a student enters as a mature student which typically means a minimum age of 21 with other requirements. Pre-university programs are typically two years in duration, which explains why secondary school and undergraduate degrees are both one year shorter in Quebec relative to elsewhere in Canada. A student in Quebec cannot enter university with a secondary diploma from Quebec alone.
The purpose of a separate collegiate education level is to make post-secondary education more accessible in Quebec, as well as to provide proper academic preparation for university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
. There are both public subsidized and private colleges, with the public CEGEPs having little or no tuition
Tuition
Tuition payments, known primarily as tuition in American English and as tuition fees in British English, Canadian English, Australian English, New Zealand English and Indian English, refers to a fee charged for educational instruction during higher education.Tuition payments are charged by...
fee. The CEGEP system was started in 1967 by the Quebec provincial government
Government of Quebec
The Government of Quebec refers to the provincial government of the province of Quebec. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
and originally consisted of 12 CEGEPs. Today, 48 CEGEPs exist in Quebec, of which 5 are English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
-medium. There are also 50 private colleges, including 6 English-medium colleges. Today, there are some Centre d'études collégiales, a small public post-secondary education college very similar to a CEGEP. They are often a campus of another CÉGEP, like the Centre d'études collégiales à Chibougamau, part of the Cégep de Saint-Félicien
Cégep de Saint-Félicien
The Cégep de Saint-Félicien is a CEGEP located at 1105 boulevard Hamel, Saint-Félicien, Quebec, Canada.-History:The college traces its origins to the merger of several institutions which became public ones in 1967, when the Quebec system of CEGEPs was created...
.
Education path
Students in Quebec who intend to pursue post-secondary educationHigher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
must attend a college before enrolling in a Quebec university. Students who follow a general studies program in Quebec complete six years of primary school (grades 1 through 6), followed by five years of secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
(grades 7 through 11, or Secondaire I to V in French). Quebec students complete one grade fewer in total than all other Canadian students before beginning post-secondary studies, ending high school in grade 11 instead of grade 12. Colleges then prepare students for university or to enter a technical profession
Vocational education
Vocational education or vocational education and training is an education that prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation...
. Most Quebec undergraduate programs are three years in length for Quebec students; hence, the total number of years of study from primary school through a Bachelor's degree is the same as in the rest of North America. It is also possible to attend a university after obtaining a technical college diploma, as they are usually treated by universities in the same manner as 2-year college diplomas.
Students wishing to continue their university education outside Quebec must take one year of courses to fulfill the requirements of the institution to which they are applying. For example, students wishing to attend an Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
university may complete one year of college and apply as a regular applicant who has completed grade 12 in Ontario. Additionally, students who have a DEC from a Quebec college may apply for admission with one year of advanced standing to institutions outside Quebec, as some advanced courses at the college level may be assessed as equivalent to introductory courses at university.
Another option for Quebec students leaving the province is to skip the Quebec college level entirely and attend a non-Quebec college. A popular choice among anglophone Quebec students is Algonquin College
Algonquin College
Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology is a publicly funded English-language college and member of Polytechnics Canada located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The college serves the National Capital Region and the outlying areas of Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec...
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, mainly because it simplifies admission to universities outside Quebec (particularly the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
) and only one year of study is required (as opposed to the minimum of two in Quebec) to bring them to the same level as other Canadian students.
Programs
Most, but not all colleges offer two types of programs: pre-university and technical. The pre-university programs take two years to complete, whereas the technical programs take three. These programs share a core curriculum, consisting of French, English, Humanities, Physical Education and complementary courses (elective courses unrelated to the program of study).Pre-university program
A pre-university program covers the subject matter that roughly corresponds to the additional year of high school given elsewhere in Canada in preparation for a chosen field in university (Sciences, Humanities, Commerce or Arts). Upon the completion of studies, the provincial government issues a Diploma of Collegial StudiesDiploma of Collegial Studies
The Diploma of College Studies is issued by the province of Quebec, Canada at the completion of post-secondary studies at the college level. The diploma is awarded for two types of programs: two years of pre-university studies or three years of vocational studies...
(DCS), or DÉC . Students may then complete certain undergraduate programs at a Quebec university in only 3 years, as opposed to 4 years outside Quebec. Students with a DEC who choose to attend university in another province in Canada or outside the country are then eligible to either skip the first year and enter university as a second year student, or gain advanced standing or extra credit for their first year. The amount of accepted extra credit is at the discretion of each university. However, the college system is generally a disadvantage for Quebec students wishing to enter an undergraduate program outside the province. In practice, most universities do accept Quebec college credits, but only up to one year, given the difference in structure of education systems between Quebec and the rest of the provinces.
Technical program
Quebec colleges also offer three-year technical programs for students who wish to pursue a skilled trade. Unlike the pre-university programs, they are not preparation for university, although this does not prevent a student from attending a university afterwards. The technical programs also lead to a DEC. Examples of such technical programs are Industrial Electronics, Architectural Technology, Nursing, Building Engineering Technology, Computer Science, and Theatre. Though those programs can also lead to the university, they are geared towards immediate employment.Adult continuing education programs are also offered at colleges. Many of those programs lead to an Attestation of Collegial Studies, or "AÉC" (Attestation d'études collégiales), which is similar to a DEC but does not include the core curriculum.
In addition, the majority of the province's 31 "Technology Transfer Centres" have been established by CEGEPs. At these centres, applied research is carried out in a specific field in cooperation with industrial partners.
See also
- College (Quebec)
- Education in QuebecEducation in QuébecThe Quebec education system is governed by the Ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport . It is administered at the local level by publicly elected French and English school boards...
- List of colleges in Quebec
- R scoreR scoreThe R score is a statistical method which classifies college students' academic performances in Quebec...
- Higher education in QuebecHigher education in QuebecHigher education in Quebec differs from the education system of other provinces in Canada. Instead of entering university or college directly from high school, students in Quebec leave secondary school after Grade 11 , and enter post-secondary studies at the collegiate level, either in CEGEPs...
- Centre de documentation collégialeCentre de documentation collégialeThe Centre de documentation collégiale is a specialised library in education for all the post-secondary colleges and CEGEP in the province of Quebec, Canada. It is located in Montreal , Québec, Canada.-External links:*...