Debate boils down to quantity versus quality
Leslie Armstrong
Arts Editor
@Peachcrate
According to a survey, most students would rather enrol in a four-year program than a three-year program.
A February 21 report released by Higher Education Strategy Associates revealed that, from a survey of at least 850 people, 94 per cent of university students agreed that they would rather study in a four-year program than a three-year program. In fact, half of those students were taking extra years to finish their studies.
Some York students, like sixth-year theatre and English student Garett Oliver, disagreed with the idea of a three-year undergraduate degree program, saying that the quality of education would only suffer as a result.
“That hasn’t really worked in the past,” he says. “They did it with high school by removing grade 13. It’s looking at it more as getting a piece of paper with your name on it saying whatever program you’re in rather than actually learning something, which should be the function of post-secondary education.”
On the other hand, several students commented in favour of a condensed three-year undergraduate program, saying they would rather jump-start their careers and save some cash on the way.
“It would be done faster. I can get out of here and start my career. I’m a musician,” says Cecile Eugene, a third-year music major. “As soon as I’m done, I can get on the road and tour. But because it’s a four-year program, I have to stay here for four years instead of three. Plus, all these extra courses I have to take—like humanities and social science—won’t help me be a musician.”
Some students have actually seen how the three-year programs work overseas, and are quite taken to the idea. Venessa Lao, a second-year accounting student, sees the move as a good thing for students. She says that in countries like Australia, a lot of her friends finish their studies abroad in three years.
“It would be a benefit for students financially,” she says. “I have friends who are basically taking loans that they have to pay off the minute they graduate.”
