How a University Background can Enhance the College Experience

Too often, university is referred to as the ivory tower, a place where you pick up a liberal arts degree that leads to nowhere. This is why students worried about job prospects go to college, since it's about practical job skills, with the goal of putting students to work as much as possible prior to graduation. College programs place less of an emphasis on lectures, and more on getting participants on their feet, both in campus labs and facilities, and in the outside world through co-op and placement opportunities. The other side of the coin, the university experience, instead offers the theory behind the practical. A university education can allow students practicing their craft in college settings know why they're doing what they're doing, through knowledge of rules and best practices

If you're worried about your future, and want a path to employment while still getting that university education, a joint program may be the solution. Now offered by several Ontario colleges and universities, these programs start you off at a university for a bachelor degree program, then have you head to college for a practical diploma. Getting a university education along with your college program comes with a number of benefits.

An educational foundation breeds confidence
Some people enjoy living life by the seat of their pants, making it up as they go along. Unfortunately, you can't do that as a working professional. Before you get up and move, you need to make sure you have a solid grasp of what it is you're doing. University is about theory, so taking a university program followed by college practicals reframes that university education as an extended introduction to college, letting you understand the rules, regulations, and ideas behind your vocation. It eliminates uncertainty by teaching you the right way to do things, ensuring confidence and security, that every move you make is an informed one.

Creativity requires theory
Media and journalism are among the courses offered in Centennial College's joint programs, and creative fields such as those require creative minds. That's where university education comes in handy, with its emphasis on analysis, and the philosophies and cultural rules behind media creation. It doesn't have to simply apply to media, either. Many careers will require one level of creativity or another, and a university education naturally leads to informed, thoughtful creators.

Double the campuses equals double the network
It goes without saying that a program placing you at two different schools will bring you to two different campuses. Post-secondary education is a time of new experiences and personal expansion, and attending two separate campuses is an easy way to effectively double that life experience. After all, you're looking at two campuses worth of people, clubs, student life and opportunities, with two different demographics of attendee. They say these years are important for formulating your adult, working self, so getting a broader experience in can only benefit your personal growth.