PG Diploma vs Masters in Canada: A Comprehensive Comparison

It is a tough choice to pick the right course after graduation. While many students think a master’s degree is an idle pathway, some prefer to opt for professional PG diploma courses. If you are someone who is looking for post-graduation opportunities to study in Canada, you need to analyze all your options well. There are a variety of postgraduate options offered by universities in Canada which are mainly classified into PG diploma, course-specific masters, and research-based masters. If you are confused between pursuing a PG Diploma or a Master’s in Canada, look no further. Here is all the information you will need when placing bets on PG Diploma vs Masters in Canada.

Course	PG Diploma	Masters
Duration	1- 2 years	2-3 years
Eligibility	Bachelors from the relevant field	Bachelors from the relevant field
Cost of Studying	7 lakhs to 15 lakhs	15 lakhs to 20 lakhs
Popular Specialisations	Psychology, Nursing, Marketing, Advertising, and PR	IT & Computer Science, Pharmacy, Nursing, Business Administration, Veterinary Medicine
Popular Universities	University of Winnipeg Thompsons Rivers University University of Alberta Humber College Fanshawe College	University of Toronto McGill University University of Dundee University of British Columbia Trent University
Work Permit	1-year work permit	3-year work permit

PG Diploma in Canada

PG Diploma is a short-term, academic course that can be pursued after completing graduation. Students who want to gain professional training in any field can opt for this program. Unlike the master’s courses, there is no mandatory dissertation project in a PG Diploma program. Further, with a shorter duration in comparison to a full-time postgraduation program, it is an excellent opportunity for those who want to upgrade their skills, change their career paths, gain global exposure and build a strong professional network at affordable costs!

When we talk about PG Diploma vs Masters in Canada, then it becomes important to understand the course duration. A short-term program, PG Diploma is of a minimum of 120 credits offered by various universities. This is defined as per the National Qualification Framework(NQF) guidelines.

Popular PG Diploma Courses in Canada

Commonly offered as 2-3 year programs, PG Diploma courses in Canada are offered across a wide range of fields and specialisations. To help you further in your research, we have enlisted the popular PG Diploma Courses in Canada:

• Business Management
• Hospitality Management
• Health and Medical Science
• Science and Engineering
• Information Technology
• Web Development
• Supply Chain Management
• Predictive Analytics
• Financial Management
• Network Security
• Computer Science
• Travel and Tourism
• Education, Teaching and Career Counselling
• Psychology
• Nursing
• Marketing
• Advertising and PR
• Pharmacy
• Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
• Biotechnology

Top Universities for PG Diploma in Canada

There are numerous universities and colleges in Canada which offer PG Diploma courses in almost every specialisation. Take a look at the major colleges and universities you must consider for pursuing a PG Diploma in Canada:

• University of Winnipeg
• Thompsons Rivers University
• University of Alberta
• Humber College
• Fanshawe College
• Centennial College
• North Island College
• Algonquin College
• Durham College
• Niagara College
• St. Lawrence College
• University of New Caledonia
• Royal Roads University
• Carleton University
• McMaster University

You can also apply for SPP Colleges in Canada for PG Diploma courses as they provide a faster and hassle-free visa application process for those aiming to pursue short-term programs in Canada!

Master’s Degree in Canada

Home to over 90 academic institutions, Canada offers a plethora of master’s degree programs in almost every field of study. Canadian universities and colleges offer globally recognized master degrees in almost every field such as Medicine, Politics, Technology, Business, Media, amongst others. The duration of the course is generally 2 years, however, might be 1 year as well for specific courses. To know more about the cost of studying, placements and admissions, read our blog on masters in Canada.

Check out our exclusive blog on MBA without work experience in Canada!

Popular Master’s Degree Programs in Canada

Canada is also a renowned study destination for master’s programs as it offers affordable postgraduate degree programs across different areas of study. Masters in Canada can range from Master of Science (MS) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs to Master of Engineering (MEng), Master of Arts (MA) or other master’s degrees. Here is a list of popular specialisations for masters in Canada:

• IT & Computer Science
• Pharmacy
• Nursing
• Business Administration
• Veterinary Medicine
• Dentistry
• Physical & Life Sciences
• Engineering
• Psychology
• Law
• Humanities
• Visual Arts
• Agricultural Sciences

Top Universities for Masters in Canada

Take a look at the top universities for masters in Canada:

• University of Toronto
• McGill University
• University of Dundee
• University of British Columbia
• Trent University
• Westford University College
• Adler University
• Royals Roads University
• Saint Mary’s University
• University of Lethbridge
• The Centre for Digital Media
• Wycliffe College
• The Global Alliance in Management Education
• Universite Du Quebec

PG Diploma vs Masters: Course Structure

The most common question that graduates ask is – “What is a PG Diploma?” & “What is a Masters?” Even though both the Postgraduate Diploma and master’s degree are on the same academic level, there are major differences in terms of eligibility and credits. Further, most students move to Canada for their higher education to eventually work there. If this is one of your concerns then choosing between the two options based on a work permit can be a practical choice. The work permit is dependent on the duration and type of course. Tabulated below are some of the major points which will help you understand PG Diploma vs Masters in Canada:

PG Diploma vs Masters: Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for PG Diploma vs Masters in Canada is also an important question asked by many students. To pursue a PG diploma in Canada, one must hold a bachelor’s degree in any field from a recognized university or college. Some short-term programs associated with the field of management may require 1-2 years of relevant work experience. Further, one should also have a valid IELTS/TOEFL scorecard.

Course	PG Diploma	Masters
Eligibility Criteria	A bachelor’s degree in any field from a recognized university or college	A bachelor’s degree in any field from a recognized university or college
Work Experience	1- 2 years (Some programs)	1-2 years (Some programs)
English Proficiency	valid IELTS/TOEFL	valid IELTS/TOEFL

Cost of Studying for PG Diploma and Masters

Many students also look at the fee structure while considering the path they want to choose and this more or less depends on the duration of the program. A PG Diploma course mostly lasts one or two years depending on the specialization and usually costs less than a Master’s program because of the shorter duration. But there is no hard and fast rule to this. Some universities such as the University of Regina and the University of Manitoba offer a cheaper master’s program. A course-based master’s program generally lasts 1.5-2 years and a thesis-based one will last for 2 years or more.

Course	PG Diploma	Masters
Cost of Studying	7 lakhs to 15 lakhs	15 lakhs to 20 lakhs

FAQs

A choice like a PG Diploma vs Masters in Canada is a tough call to make and cannot be taken casually. Confusion about this is quite obvious, but you don’t need to make an uninformed choice without reasonable backing. With the help of Leverage Edu, you can make a well-informed decision for a better future!