Seneca College

History, Affiliations and Rankings

The Minister of Education, William Davis introduced Bill 153 in 1965 which created the province’s community college system to provide a post-secondary education alternative for those not wanting or able to attend university. The Seneca College located in Canada was established in 1966 at its first Board of Governors meeting. It has graduated thousands of students since its inception. It has a passion for teaching, discovery, people, the environment, and the North. Seneca participates in many associations and groups focused on issues that matter to the community. They are linked with the Colleges Ontario, Colleges and Institutes Canada, Polytechnics Canada, Canadian Bureau of International Education, CivicAction and Chambers of Commerce. They are among the top institutions in Canada. Since its founding in 1967, Seneca College has graduated thousands of students. It combines advanced career/professional quality education with challenging academics to give students a fantastic teaching and learning experience.

Infrastructure, Campuses and Courses

The Seneca of today was a long time coming. Its campuses are located throughout the Greater Toronto area, each with academic specialities and unique appeal. The college provides magnificent undergraduate and graduate learning opportunities that explore cultures, health, economies, sciences, and the environment. Newnham Campus of Seneca College is one of Canada's largest college campuses located at Finch Avenue and the Don Valley Parkway/Highway 404 in Toronto. It is home to full- and part-time programs in the areas of Business, Hospitality and Tourism, Applied Arts, Applied Science and Engineering Technology. Besides this, it has seven other premises at King Campus, Markham Campus, Peterborough Campus, Seneca International Academy, Seneca@York Campus, Yorkgate Campus and Seneca Downtown. With more than 180 programs and 500 career options, it has many ways for students to pursue their goals.

Accomplishments and Alumni 

Seneca’s Esthetician program received the 2011 Excellence in Education Award from Leading Spas of Canada. For more than 20 years, it has been an industry leader in the education of estheticians. It was recognized for its ongoing support of the York Region Immigration Settlement Strategy. The College marks a tremendous surge in the Alumni Count, i.e.1000+ students in 1967 to 2,00,000 today. To mention some stories from Seneca College’s alumni journey, Ms Sandiford Day is a 2020 graduate, an incredible activist for equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), advocating for queer and trans representation in the science, engineering, technology and math (STEM) field and creating programming focused on women in engineering. There is an LGBTQ+ community at Seneca, pride clubs and equity-based student groups, but the community can only get you so far. Sharron Spencer is a graduate of the Social Service Worker – Gerontology program. Seneca’s program not only taught me the theoretical content that I needed to become a working professional in my field, but it also challenged me to grow personally. The practicum portion of the program helped me to develop the practical tools needed and gave me hands-on work experience. The faculty is supportive and works with students to encourage success and continues to be a valuable resource and support after graduation.

Student Diversity and Visiting Companies

Seneca College has a long history of attracting international students and collaborating with post-secondary institutions abroad. They welcome approximately 7,500 international students from over 140 countries. There are a total of 20+ student clubs at the college. The International Mobility Office supports students who are interested in going on a global opportunity during their studies at Seneca. Several programs have mandatory or optional work experience components. These may come in the form of field placements, externships, work terms or co-ops. Many events and webinars are also organised by the college on a regular basis to ensure opportunities flow throughout the season for the students.