Post Graduate Diploma vs Masters in Canada
When looking to go abroad for your education, most of us gravitate towards doing a Master’s course. Doing a PG Diploma doesn’t cross our mind as we tend to think that it is not as valued and may not help us get jobs. Our decision should be based on the country we are targeting. If your goal is to study in the USA, then Master’s is your best bet as you will not get a work permit by doing a PG Diploma. But if you are looking to study further in Canada, then doing a PG Diploma could be a better option for a variety of reasons as it is valued and recognized globally and also gives you a work permit. Let’s understand the difference between both the programs
| Masters | PG Diploma |
| 1. The duration is mostly 2 years. However some can be of 1 or 1.5 years | The duration is mostly 1 year. However some can be of 2 years |
| 2. About 90% of programs need a 16th year of education | You are eligible if you have 15 years of education. A great boon for Indian students who have BCom, BSC, BA, BAF, BMS, etc. which are 3 year undergraduate programs |
| 3. The cost of is very high as compared to a PG Diploma | It is way cheaper than a Masters |
| 4. The work permit is dependent on the duration for the program | The work permit is dependent on the duration fo the program. For a 1 year course, you qualify for a 1-year work permit. Most people circumvent this rule by enrolling for another PGD which gives them a 3 year work permit. |
| 5. The seats are less and hence very competitive to get into | More seats, less competitive |
| 6. IELTS requirement is 6.5 or more | IELTS requirement is 6 or more |
| 7. If you wish to go into research, PhD, then Masters is the right choice | Many people opt for diploma if they don’t want to do research but enroll for a more hands-on program |
| 8. Most of them do not have co-op | Some programs have Co-Op options that help students network and build professional relationships, which can help you in securing a job later. |
| 9. Usually provided by universities | Usually provided by colleges |
| 10. Locations – most universities are spread across the geographies | Most colleges are in and around Toronto, having a huge location advantage |
The best analogy for students doubting the value of PGD is studying from an IIMs in India. These institutions DO NOT give a degree, but a PGDM. It’s the tag of IIM that gets you the job. On the same grounds, it’s how well you perform and network there, etc that will help you get the coveted job.
