University Education
There are nine universities in Québec, including the Université du Québec, which consists of a network of ten branches. These branches are located in seven regions, providing all Quebeckers with access to university education. The universities are independent legal entities and enjoy a great deal of autonomy.
Québec universities have faculties in all disciplines as well as professional schools (business, engineering, etc.). The organization of university education in Québec is similar to that of higher education in North America, the exception being that bachelor’s degrees in Québec usually take three years to complete instead of four, which is the result of students’ initial specialization in college.
University education is divided into three levels. The first leads to a bachelor’s degree. The second involves two years of additional studies and leads to a master’s degree. The third, which lasts approximately three years, leads to a doctoral degree. In addition, various undergraduate programs offer non-degree professional training. Tuition fees at Québec universities are among the lowest in North America.
Further to the constitution of the new Cabinet on September 19, 2012, Higher Education now comes under the ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur, de la Recherche, de la Science et de la Technologie.
The proportion of university graduates in Québec is one of the highest in the industrialized world. Out of 100 people in the same generation, nearly a third (29.3 per cent) can expect to earn their bachelor’s degree.
Sources
