Post-Graduate Studies--The Journey Continues...

Further education is a great way to gain additional skills and education after graduation from university. Further education can also prepare you for higher level careers such as research, teaching at universities and much more.  

If you are interested in a post-graduate college program as opposed to graduate school, there are many programs available to you. Post-grad programs are one to two years in length and provide hands-on, practical skills and experience that compliments the theoretical aspects of a university degree. Many programs offer students the opportunity to gain related work experience via a practicum component, internship or co-op work term. Check out Ontario Colleges for a list of programs throughout the province.

If graduate school is your route of choice, make sure to prepare early if you are interested in applying to graduate schools. It is important to do a lot of background research on various programs to ensure you are applying to the right programs that are of interest to you, and that will lead to the career you want!

            Start searching for the program that is right for you!

-           Start researching graduate school programs as soon as you know that you want to go to graduate school. Starting early will allow you more time to compare various programs, and you may even come across other programs you never knew existed. Whether you want to study locally, nationally or abroad, Career Services has many links available online that can direct you to whatever it is you are looking for. Check out the Further Education section on the Career Services website to get started.

            Application expectations

-           Look into every school website individually to familiarize yourself with the application procedure, the documents expected in your application, and any graduate entrance exams required. Remember; every school is different and thus requires different documents. Also check out Career Service’s Graduate School Quick Tip for additional information!

            Letters of Reference
-           Many graduate programs will ask for letters of reference from professors. Make sure you get to know your profs early and make a good impression so that when you contact them for a reference, they remember who you are and will be able to write an exceptional reference based on your academic performance and work ethic.

            Letter of intent/CV

-           Once you have an idea of where you want to apply for graduate school, you may be required to write a letter of intent and/or curriculum vitae . At Career Services, we have many resources to assist you with writing these academic documents. You can also stop by at any time between the hours of 9am to 4pm to get your documents reviewed for free!

Applying to graduate school next year?  Start preparing early and layout plenty of time to study for entrance exams. Don’t forget to stop by Career Services to take a look at some graduate school study guides; we have one for every degree!

Nella Paris
Senior Career Assistant
Psychology Major (Honours)