University Education
This blog is another edition of a series of articles I am writing on post-secondary education. In this specific one, I will be referring to a university education. The intent is to provide an overview of what a university education entails. The intent of this article and others is to give the reader a general perspective of the similarities and differences of each path referring to post-secondary education. Keeping in mind that one route is not better than the other, it is to find what the best fit for each individual is.
The information provided will be based on my working experiences (31 years) at the University of Calgary, and as a student who has completed an applied degree in IT and an MBA. In addition, I am providing insight from guests on my podcast “The Career Guy
The topics that are to be covered are as follows: There is an introduction highlighting the basics of a university education. Experimenting and building skills: A university education is about self-discovery and building for the future. Change: Preconceived ideas may be wrong. Not all universities are equal: Finding the right fit. There is a Conclusion with final thoughts.
Introduction
A university education consists of 40 courses that will take the average person up to four years to complete, some take five. The courses will consist of a major, which is the main discipline a student is enrolled in. For example, this could be geology, theater, history, or civil engineering. A student will then take electives outside of the discipline, some within the faculty, and some outside. More on faculty later.
The obvious difference between a college or a technical education, and a university education, is time. The time commitment instills a more thorough education. It will also encompass electives, which are options. Some of these courses can be associated directly with a student’s major. Some are less so, in that they are within the same faculty, but not in the same department. And some will be outside the faculty, and in a completely different area.
The best way to explain this is by example. Someone majoring in Geology may take petroleum geology as a geology option. But because a geology major is under the umbrella of science, the “Faculty of Science”. A student will take science-related options like math, chemistry, or physics as examples. Then a student will take several classes completely outside of their discipline. This could be social sciences, arts, and business as other examples.
This leads to a university graduate being more of a learned person. They have detailed and theoretical knowledge about their major, compared to someone with a college diploma. Also, they have a knowledge base in other areas. In essence, they have a more well-rounded education.
Experimenting and Building Skills
A university education means a person can build their learning to meet their needs or pursue their interests. It is a great place and time where people can test their ambitions and develop their skills; as one of my guests Shikhar Sachdev explains in his interview https://www.thecareerguy.ca/episodes/skill-builder. He majored in philosophy because he liked to research and write. This is a good skill to have, as it is fundamental for communication. However, he did experiment with computer programming and other technical paths that benefitted him later in life, even though they were not his major. This combination of skills has enabled him to steer his career the way he chooses. He has more options, as opposed to someone with just technical skills.
In my experience working at the U of C, I have witnessed students pursue a university education focusing on graduating and getting into the workforce to make money. This attitude robs many of the unique and special times they are supposed to have during this endeavor. If approached properly, a university education is a growing experience. It is a time when people can discover more of themselves, and by doing so, they may surprise themselves.
Change
My interview with Shanil Ebrahim https://www.thecareerguy.ca/episodes/v6696m2ofuhum21eg8z85gzolftnlk is a great and inspiring story. His early years in university were frustrating, which led him to change institutions. He started at the University of Toronto, Scarborough, majoring in psychology and biology. He shined when he transferred to York University, majoring in psychology and kinesiology. Kinesiology, because for him it seemed more practical for a career in health sciences, as it pertains to the human body.
As in this case, the first part of figuring ourselves out is being honest with ourselves. As in Shanil’s example, he knew from the first term that it did not feel right, so he started searching. He was also willing to move and try something else. The key is to realize that we are never stuck. If something does not feel right, we have to move on. This can be challenging, as we are stepping into unfamiliar ground again.
More importantly, starting his undergrad he was considering being a medical practitioner; a doctor. As he developed in his education, he learned that he enjoyed research more. This is what he does now as a Partner, and Life Sciences and Healthcare Consulting leader with Deloitte.
Expectations play a factor. Too many students enter into post-secondary with pre-determined results in their heads. A good example is “I want to be an engineer” (engineer careers can be lucrative which is why so many pursue them). “No matter what I will make this happen.” They force it. And with it, the attitude is that I will compromise now, and it will be better later. To some extent, this is true, as students have deadlines and exams to prepare for. However, this should not be confused with what a student is studying or preparing for. We should like what we learn. As in Shanil’s case, he realized what he liked more and was willing to change directions. Keep an open mind!
Not all Universities are Equal
A good example of this is my interview with Tyler Williams https://www.thecareerguy.ca/episodes/the-life-of-a-musician. During his undergrad at the University of Idaho, he was interested in music, math, and education. When he took an overseas internship for a semester in Switzerland, the light went on in his head. It was during this time he realized That his passion was music. A combination of being away from family and friends, in a new environment/culture, enabled him to come to this conclusion.
More importantly, the institute in Switzerland's strength lies in its music program. This is the reason Tyler pursued this internship to test his passion. This leads to the next piece of knowledge that I am passing on. And that is: all Universities are not equal. They all have their strengths and weaknesses, especially now, since our world has become very specialized.
Tyler’s recipe would be good to follow. Test out our interests. But if we do have a good idea of what we may want to pursue, it is worth taking the time and doing our research on the schools we may want to attend. Going to open houses, and talking to students and alumni, will provide us some feedback. Look at the universities and the department's website. Search the faculty and their research. This will tell a lot about the department's specialty.
The benefit of a university education is that a student will learn more about the current research in the area of study. This becomes more prevalent in the senior classes, and this is where departments and universities will get separated. This is important because if a person is considering grad school (master's or doctoral) it can provide a foundation. Also, all industries advance with the latest research that comes from these institutions. So it is a plus to be exposed to the latest developments.
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Conclusion
Attending university is an investment based on time, finances, and effort. As pointed out, it can be stressful. If we do not know what we want to do, then it is a place and time to experiment. Most do have some idea of what we want to pursue. In doing our research as mentioned in the prior section, we will become more educated about the field. We may affirm that we want to pursue this, or the opposite may happen as well.
Either way, the more prepared we are, the better we can reduce anxiety. Above all, remember that post-secondary institutions, whether they are universities or colleges, want students. More importantly, they want good students. Good students are the ones who want to be there for the right reasons. So, by doing our research, it turns out to be a win-win. I hope this blog helps. Thanks for reading.