Bachelor of Commerce (Digital Marketing) - Postsecondary ...

Executive Summary Report
A. Background and Context
The Changing Landscape of Post‐Secondary Education in Ontario
“The problem is that we need people with a mix of practical skills and theoretical knowledge,
and college and university each seem to provide one or the other.” (Employer Interviewee)
Today’s post‐secondary education system in Ontario is characterized by a number of shifts reflecting the
demands and needs of today’s students. More now than ever before, the student market is becoming
fragmented as a greater proportion of mature students are returning to school to upgrade or change
careers and as more students are now seeking multiple pathways through post‐secondary institutions.
As a result, attitudes about the traditional university degree versus the college diploma dichotomy are
changing; driven by a sense of careerism, students are increasingly interested in outcomes and on the
return of their investment in school, that is, programs that focus on career training and promise
employment. In response to these changing student needs, post‐secondary institutions in Ontario are
also evolving. A growing number of colleges have been awarding baccalaureate degrees, while
universities are increasingly offering programs that have traditionally fallen into the college domain, as
well as co‐op opportunities to help in the preparation for a career. The boundary between colleges and
universities is becoming increasingly ambiguous as a growing number of students are pursuing multiple
credentials, blending practical skills and theoretical learning pedagogy, and moving between the two
types of institutions to achieve their ultimate intended educational and career goals.
Academica Group’s College Applicant Survey (2007) reveals that one‐quarter of all college applicants
state that a major reason for applying to college is to prepare for entering a university degree. 1 The
percentage of college graduates who actually pursued a university education has been reported as more
than 8% over the past several years, almost doubling since 1990‐2000. 2 It appears that students are
most likely to make the decision to continue onto university either before they enter their current
program (44%) or while they are enrolled in it (32%). 3 Significantly fewer consider further education
after completion of their program (18%).
The Colleges Ontario study also shows that college students are more likely to return to their own
college for further education (ranging from 12% to 14% from 2003 to 2006), followed by universities in
Ontario (ranging from 6% to 8%). 4 The universities with the highest levels of college graduate
enrollments are York University (23%), Ryerson University (14%), Laurentian University (6%), Windsor
1 Academica Group, 2007. College Applicant Survey, cited in Colleges Ontario, May 2009. Student Mobility between
Ontario’s Colleges and Universities, p.2.
2 Ibid., p.6 and The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario, 2011. The Transfer Experience of Ontario College
Graduates who Further their Education, p.10.
3 Ibid., p.2.
4 Ibid., p.6.
LKSB Degree Program Feasibility Study • 2011
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