Provincial Overview

Postsecondary education in Manitoba is delivered primarily through four publicly funded universities -- including a French-language university --, one university college, two English-language community colleges, and a French-language community college. Four privately funded religious postsecondary institutions grant degrees in theology and/or related fields.

The University of Manitoba, the province's largest degree-granting institution and Western Canada's oldest university, has four affiliated colleges -- St. Andrew's College, St. John's College, St. Paul's College, and Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface (CUSB), the only French-language, university-level institution west of Quebec. The province's French-language community college -- École technique et professionnelle -- is run by the same administrative structure as CUSB but is considered to be a separate entity for funding purposes.

In 1998, the province of Manitoba passed legislation (the Mennonite Colleges Federation Act) to create a new university (Canadian Mennonite University [CMU]). The university began operations in September 1999 and is a federation of three existing Bible colleges -- Concord College, Canadian Mennonite Bible College (CMBC), and Menno Simons College. Concord and CMBC have ceased to exist as entities, while Menno Simons College will continue as a federated college of CMU. Menno Simons College has an affiliation agreement with the University of Winnipeg and the two institutions, which are located close to each other, offer joint courses.

Most of the province's postsecondary institutions are in the provincial capital of Winnipeg: the University of Manitoba and its affiliates, including CUSB; the University of Winnipeg; Red River College; École technique et professionnelle; Canadian Mennonite University and Menno Simons College; and the private degree-granting college, William and Catherine Booth College. Brandon University and Assiniboine Community College are located in the southern Manitoba community of Brandon. Assiniboine also has a satellite campus in Dauphin and regional centres in Russell and Neepawa. University College of the North [UCN] has campuses in the northern communities of The Pas and Thompson, and regional centres in Swan River, Flin Flon, and Churchill. UCN continues to offer college-level programming, and university-level programming is being added to the program offerings of the new institution over time. Two other degree-granting institutions - Providence College and Seminary and Steinbach Bible College - are located in Otterburne and Steinbach respectively. Both these colleges are private religious colleges.

Postsecondary education in Manitoba is the responsibility the minister of advanced education and literacy. However, the Council on Post-Secondary Education (COPSE) advises the minister about public universities, the university college and community colleges and is responsible for approving new programs, facilities, and services and for allocating funds to the universities, university college and colleges.

History

Postsecondary education in Manitoba traces its history to a number of church-related colleges founded in the nineteenth century. In 1877, three of these colleges -- Saint Boniface, St. John's, and Manitoba College -- were brought together by government as constituent parts of the University of Manitoba. The colleges continued to offer instruction, whilst the examinations for degrees, and the granting of degrees was done by the University of Manitoba. In 1900, an act of the provincial legislature changed the university?s statute to permit it to offer instruction also.

Brandon University and the University of Winnipeg also trace their histories to church-related institutions -- the former founded in 1899, the latter in 1871.

Unlike most Western provinces, where community colleges were newly created by their respective provincial governments, Manitoba's community college system grew out of three previously established vocational institutions -- the Brandon Vocational Training Centre, the Northern Manitoba Training Centre, and the Manitoba Institute of Technology. These became Assiniboine, Keewatin, and Red River community colleges respectively. Along with École technique et professionnelle, the three English-language colleges provide vocational and technical training as an alternative to university study. In 1998, Red River Community College changed its name to Red River College. In July 2004, University College of the North replaced Keewatin Community College.

Programs and Credentials Offered

Programs and credentials offered by degree-granting institutions

The University of Manitoba offers a broad range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs leading to bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in more than 90 disciplines including agriculture, architecture, environmental studies, the arts and sciences, commerce, education, engineering, fine arts, human ecology, medicine, pharmacy, nursing, and social work.

The University of Winnipeg, Brandon University, and Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface focus on mostly undergraduate education, but each offers limited numbers of master's programs in specialized areas. Brandon offers master's-level courses in education and rural development, and CUSB offers French-language master's courses in education and Canadian studies. The University of Winnipeg offers master's programs in family therapy; Aboriginal governance; applied computer science and society; bioscience, technology and public policy; and English with a focus on cultural studies. It also offers joint master's programs with the University of Manitoba in history, religious studies and public administration

The University College of the North offers certificates, diplomas, and undergraduate degrees in northern Manitoba. They currently offer a Bachelor of Arts, Kanácí Otinawáwasowin (Aboriginal Midwifery) Baccalaureate, and a Joint Bachelor of Nursing (with the University of Manitoba). A Bachelor of Education program is under development.

In addition to degree programs, the universities of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Brandon, and the Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface offer a variety of credit and non-credit (continuing education) diploma and certificate programs in specialized areas such as French-language proficiency, business administration, computer operations, records management, agriculture, art, and dental hygiene. The time required to complete certificate and diploma programs varies from program to program. University calendars are the best sources of information about specific program requirements.

William and Catherine Booth College, an approved teaching centre of the University of Manitoba, offers its own undergraduate arts degrees in religion, theology, and related disciplines. The Prairie Theatre Exchange offers courses in drama and theatre arts for credit at university. The University of Winnipeg and St. John?s College at the University of Manitoba also offers courses in divinity through their theology departments.

With respect to distance education, four degree-granting institutions (University of Brandon, University of Winnipeg, University of Manitoba and the University College of the North) cooperate through Inter-Universities Services, a distance education program that brings university courses to Manitoba communities north of the 53rd parallel. As well, undergraduate university study by distance education in rural and northern centres is provided through Campus Manitoba. Campus Manitoba has 17 sites in Thompson, Flin Flon, Cross Lake, The Pas, Swan River, Dauphin, Eriksdale, Southport, Deloraine, Boissevain, Killarney, Carman, Altona, Brandon, Pine Falls, Steinbach, and Whitebear, Saskatchewan. The program currently offers various courses in the arts and sciences.

Programs and credentials offered by non-degree granting institutions

The two English-language community colleges - Assiniboine Community College and Red River College - offer a broad range of certificate and diploma programs, as well as apprenticeship, adult basic education, and a variety of professional and technical courses, programs which continue to be offered in University College of the North. Certificate and diploma programs can lead to careers in communication engineering, business administration, dental assisting, computer programming, radiation therapy, nursing, electronics technology, natural resources management, motor vehicle mechanics, tourism, agribusiness, and early childhood education, to name but a few.

Red River College, the largest of the above institutions, offers the widest selection of diploma, certificate programs. Certificates generally require 240 hours of instruction. Most diploma programs require two-years of full-time study, while advanced diplomas require a minimum of 600 hours of instruction and an undergraduate degree or diploma as a prerequisite for admission.

Assiniboine Community College and UCN have a heavier concentration in one-year professional technical programs than in the two-year programs, and both institutions also offer apprenticeship programs. École technique et professionnelle offers certificate and diploma programs in the French language, primarily in the areas of business administration, administrative support, and early childhood education.

Some integrated programs are provided jointly by both the community colleges and the province's universities. For example, the University of Winnipeg and Red River College offer a four-year program leading to a college diploma and a bachelor of arts (in communications) or bachelor of science (in biology, chemistry, or environmental sciences) from the university. The college has similar arrangements with the University of Manitoba for teacher education programs that offer specialization in industrial arts, nursing, and business education.

Red River College has continuing education programs in four centres outside the Winnipeg area -- Arborg, Winkler, Portage la Prairie, and Steinbach. As well, the college offers courses through distance education, teleconferencing, and telephone tutoring.

Credentials that may be offered by Private Vocational Institutions in Manitoba are limited to one and two year certificates and diplomas in entry level vocational programming.

Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship is one of the longest-established methods of skill development and training. In Manitoba's apprenticeship training and certification model, an employer and an employee enter into a formal training agreement in which they agree to participate in a structured, accredited, workplace-based and technical skills training program that ultimately leads to journeyperson certification for the apprentice employee.

Through apprenticeship training, employees acquire relevant skills and knowledge while earning a wage, and employers gain highly skilled employees.

It is an industry-driven training system. The Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act establishes an Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Board (the Board). The 13-member Board is appointed by the Minister of Competitiveness, Training and Trade to represent the interests of employees, employers and the public. The Board designates trades for apprenticeship training and trades certification. For each designated trade, the Board establishes the training and journeyperson certification standards, and-with the approval of the Minister-establishes the regulatory framework through which training and certification programs are delivered.

The Board appoints industry representatives to Provincial Trade Advisory Committees (PTACs) to provide trade-specific advice on training and certification standards, and regulation content.

The Apprenticeship Branch coordinates and facilitates the Board's regulation and program standard setting and provides other technical, administrative and financial support to the Board and the PTACs.

Operationally, the Branch administers and monitors apprentice training delivered under apprenticeship agreements and administers certification examinations. Branch staff also oversees the network of training support programs, accreditation of technical training programs, community-based training partnerships with northern and Aboriginal communities, essential skills assessment and upgrading, prior learning assessment and recognition programs, certification examination preparation workshops, and the communication and marketing of career opportunities in the skilled trades.

To become an apprentice, a person must meet basic eligibility standards (normally, high school standing or equivalent).  Persons who do not meet minimum academic standards may be able to access upgrading or prior learning assessment options in order to enter into an apprenticeship.

An employer and an employee sign an apprenticeship agreement. This agreement outlines each party's roles and responsibilities in this training arrangement. This agreement is in effect when registered with the Apprenticeship Branch. With an agreement in place, the apprentice learns the skills in his or her chosen trade by working under a certified journeyperson. The apprentice is paid a wage, which is set out in regulation, for the work performed.

About 80 per cent of the apprentice's training occurs on the job. The other 20 per cent is technical training, taken either once per year in a block of time away from the workplace or through other arrangements. The Apprenticeship Branch arranges the technical aspect of apprentices' training. Once the apprentice has completed all required levels of technical training and practical on-the-job training he or she is eligible to write a certification examination. If successful, the apprentice receives a Certificate of Qualification and becomes a certified journeyperson in the trade, with all the rights and privileges that accompany this status. In most trades, a Red Seal may be affixed to the certificate. This is acquired through the Interprovincial Standards Red Seal program and is affixed to provincial certificates of qualification of those who are successful on an interprovincial examination.

Manitoba is a member of the pan-Canadian Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program. For trades designated under the Red Seal Program, the Manitoba Certificate of Qualification bears the Red Seal endorsement. The endorsement is recognized by all Canadian jurisdictions. The holder of a Certificate of Qualification that bears a Red Seal endorsement holds a ticket to work in that trade anywhere in the country. It may not be necessary to apprentice in a trade if a person can show that he or she has significant previous experience working in the trade. In this situation, a person may challenge the examination and, if successful, acquire a Certificate of Qualifications in the trade (including a Red Seal, if applicable). There are nine compulsory certification trades in Manitoba.  All persons who wish to work in a compulsory certification trade must apprentice to become eligible to write the certification examination. The compulsory certification trades are: construction electrician, crane and hoisting equipment operator, electrologist, esthetician, hairstylist, industrial electrician, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic, sprinkler system installer, and steamfitter/pipefitter.

Admission Requirements

Senior high school in Manitoba includes Grade 9 through Grade 12. A total of 28 credits, including a number of core requirements, are required for graduation.

Successful completion of the high school program is normally required for university entrance. The University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg require at least five credits at the senior 4 level in different subject areas, as well as certain prerequisite courses from the high school program. All universities make special provisions for mature students, who are normally at least 21 years old.

College admission requirements vary from program to program. Most certificate and diploma programs require high school graduation, and many have specific course requirements from the high school program placements. The colleges also make special provisions for mature applicants who do not meet the normal entrance requirements.

The University College of the North also makes special provision for mature applicants. Testing is often part of the process for admission to UCN.

Private vocational institutions are free to set their own admission requirements regarding educational prerequisites, though it is most common for institutions to require Grade 12 completion  in order to enrol in programming.

Tuition and Financial Assistance

Tuition in most public college and university programs has been frozen at 10 per cent below 1999-2000 levels since 2000-01. In 2007/2008, full-time university undergraduate tuition fees for arts and science programs ranged from $2,943 to $4,050, while fees for professional programs such as dentistry ranged up to $14,000. International students may be charged an extra fee in addition to those charged to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, depending on the policies of each individual university.

On average, in 2007/2008, community college fees were $1,413 to $1,570 a year for full-time programs. Fees for international students registered at Red River College ranged from $6,600 to $13,500, depending on the program. Assiniboine Community College and UCN charged regular tuition fees to international students who are admitted on a space-available basis.

The Manitoba Student Financial Assistance Program provides loans to provincial residents. The province's universities offer a variety of scholarships to students of exceptional promise.

6 March 2008