How to turn your diploma into a degree without a large investment of time

by Don Kettle

Cape Breton University recruiter Shannon Garnier explains the credit transfer program to business administration students at the College of the North Atlantic. - Don Kettle photo.

Two years of hard work are behind you. You’ve marched the procession with your classmates all decked out in cap and gown, and firmly in your grip is the diploma you’ve received from College of the North Atlantic.

Now, before you run off looking for a job in the field you’ve been studying, let’s make a deal!

You can keep your diploma or you can turn it into a university degree. If you think a BA might open more doors for your future, you might want to consider what’s behind door number one on the Nova Scotia side of the Cabot Strait.

Shannon Garnier is a recruitment and admissions officer with Cape Breton University. She has just finished a tour of Newfoundland, visiting CNA campuses from Gander to Port aux Basques explaining the benefits of continued post-secondary education and earning a degree.

Your degree can be earned in less time, thanks to special credit transfer agreements for some of the programs offered at the college. If you’ve completed the community studies program, for example, you won’t have to do the full three-year general degree program at CBU.

“Students from this campus (Bay St. George), in particular in the community studies program, can complete a general Bachelor of Arts Community Studies degree in only one year,” Garnier said. “Students that are in your two-year business management program can continue on to CBU and have their degree in two years.”

Diego Navas, an international student from Nicaragua, is now completing his second year in the business administration program at the College of the North Atlantic in Stephenville. For him, an education in Canada is considerably important.

“People have a better respect for education outside the country,” Navas said of employers in his homeland.

“Having a degree from another country, then come back to my actual country, will be better,” he said, “because I will have more opportunities to get a job - a better job at better pay.”

The opportunity to get a degree, in less time, is a no-brainer option for Navas.

Programs at other CNA campuses are covered by some agreements as well, and graduates of many programs can be considered by taking a prior learning assessment to see what college credits and even life experience can be applied toward a degree program.

Garnier said, “We don’t have an agreement with the journalism program, but…anytime a student is transferring from any institution, we look at anything they’ve done, [with a] prior learning assessment, whether it’s in the classroom or not.”

In some cases, students can take advantage of distance learning and save some money while saving time.

“With the community studies program, for instance, if they’re looking to do the general Bachelor of Arts Community Studies degree it’s available online, so they don’t even have to leave . . . if they want to stay at home and do it that way,” Garnier explained.

But business admin student Allison Benoit of Stephenville is looking forward to heading off to Cape Breton.

“They’re willing to transfer everything I’ve done here, pretty much,” Benoit said. “It’s just easier for me to go there and [it’s] probably cheaper, rather than go somewhere else and get my business degree.”

Reflecting on her college career at CNA, Benoit feels she’s up for some new turf.

“I have a much better work ethic than anything,” said Benoit. “Before I would just kind of fly by the seat of my pants, pretty much.  Now I’m more organized and I’m more efficient with what I do, so I think that’s definitely going to help me when I get over to CBU.”

More and more College of the North Atlantic students are taking advantage of the credit transfer program. “Students may have the diploma,” said Garnier, “but that may not be what they were looking at as a long-term goal.”

If you have long-term goals that extend beyond your CNA diploma, visit the Cape Breton University website for more information.