Choosing a CEGEP program can be an overwhelming decision.  But it doesn’t have to be.  As you consider your options, just remember:

  • There is so much more to the CEGEP experience beyond your program of study. Due to our size, Dawson offers a wide array of extracurricular and para-academic activities to suit every interest. Research shows a positive correlation between participation in activities outside of class and academic performance. By participating in things like student clubs, sports and para-academic initiatives, you have a better chance of enjoying a richer experience and performing well in school, too!
  • Dawson has an array of services to support you as you make your way through CEGEP to support your academic success and personal development.
  • CEGEP can still be a time to explore your interests. If you are unsure of your career path, you are not alone – many students who arrive at Dawson are still taking time to figure it out. Talk to your school’s guidance counsellor and make a program application choice based on your strengths, likes and dislikes, and priorities. Choose the program that seems the best fit for you right now – you can always change paths down the road.
  • Transferring programs is always a possibility if you discover that your passions lie in a different academic area.

 

Questions to help you choose a program

A 2-year program is geared more towards students who intend to pursue further studies at university. In general, pre-university programs are more theory-based than 3-year technical programs and are offered at both fall and winter sessions.

A 3-year program is geared towards students who wish to enter the job market right after the completion of their DEC.  However, many 3-year technical program graduates go on to study at university. Technical programs are generally less theoretical and provide students with practical hands-on experience.

Dawson has a wide array of enriching programs and profiles that do not require these prerequisites:

There is one Science Program at Dawson, but there are four pathways through it: Health & Life Sciences, Pure & Applied Sciences, Enriched Health & Life Sciences, and Enriched Pure & Applied Sciences.

All Science students, regardless of profile, take a total of 15 Science courses including 13 compulsory Science courses: two in biology, two in chemistry, four in mathematics, three in physics, one computer programming course and one multidisciplinary project. The differences between the profiles are in the sequence of courses and the selection of the two Science option courses and Integrative Project.

Students in Health and Life Sciences are guaranteed priority access to courses that are prerequisites for acceptance into Medicine at university. Pure and Applied Sciences students may also take these medicine prerequisite courses if there is space.

There is also a Science, Computer Science and Mathematics program which is very similar to the popular Science pre-university program, but with a greater emphasis on Mathematics and Computer science. There are four courses in computer science, including an Integrative Project course, where students will design and carry out a project which applies their programming skills to problems in the sciences.

Many of our technical programs offer training that leads to a job upon graduation, including those in the healthcare fields.  In addition, to help meet labour market needs, the provincial government offers bursaries (Bourses Perspectives) of up to $9,000 to students in the following programs if they complete their courses:

In addition, starting in 2023-2024, third-year students in the Radiation Oncology and Diagnostic Imaging programs can apply for a $12,000  Avenir en Santé Scholarship.

Dawson offers six technical programs that lead to jobs in the healthcare sector:

  • The Physiotherapy Technology program will prepare you to work with physicians and physiotherapists to help patients recover from injury and illness.
  • After completing the Dawson Nursing program and passing the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (OIIQ) license exam, graduates can work in a variety of nursing jobs in hospitals and health centres.
  • The Medical Ultrasound program trains technologists that are in high demand because their work is essential for diagnosing patients and developing treatment plans. It is the only program of its kind offered in English in Quebec.
  • Graduates of our Radiation Oncology program often pursue careers as radiation oncology technologists in areas such as virtual planning, CT simulation, dosimetry and brachytherapy. Oncology is the study of cancer
  • The Biomedical Laboratory Technology program gives students the skills to contribute to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease and how to work with blood and tissue samples. Students can complete clinical internships in diagnostic or research laboratories to prepare them for the job market.
  • Graduates of our Diagnostic Imaging Technology program are qualified to work as Medical Imaging Technologists (MIT) in the Medical Imaging and Emergency/Trauma departments of hospitals as well as in the Operating Room.  Training is given for using specialty imaging modalities such as Mobile Radiography, Radioscopy, CT and MRI.

Definitely. Many students in our 3-year technical programs go on to university to continue in their studies or specialize further in their fields.

Dawson offers more than one transition program to eventually enter the pre-university Science program.   Our one-year Pathways program allows you to gain the required prerequisites while getting a head start on your general education requirements. Our Springboard program in Continuing Education is also an option to obtain your pre-university Science prerequisites.

Dawson has several pre-university and technical programs geared towards a career in business:

  • Our three-year Accounting and Management Technology program prepares graduates to work in jobs related to accounting, finance and management. Graduates who go on to pursue higher learning at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business may receive transfer credits.
  • Our three-year Marketing and Management Technology program teaches students about marketing, retail and general management with an emphasis on client experience. Students get to complete two internships and a work-study option.
  • The pre-university Commerce profile of our Social Science program allows you to explore the foundations of business, take mathematics courses and participate in teamwork. This is great preparation for further studies in commerce at the university level.
  • The pre-university International Business Studies profile of our Social Science program allows you to explore the fields of business and globalization. It also gives you the mathematics classes you need to pursue studies in business and commerce at the university level.

There are many academic programs at Dawson to launch your career working in the community sector or with youth.

  • Our three-year Community, Recreation and Leadership Training program teaches students how to lead positive recreation and community development activities. The program emphasizes hands-on learning through local, national and international fieldwork placements. Students are part of a close-knit community, and it is the only three-year technical program of its kind offered in English in Quebec.
  • Our three-year Social Service program teaches skills to accompany, care for and guide vulnerable individuals, families and communities. You will learn how to intervene in difficult situations with empathy, find resources, inform clients about their rights, bring people together to break isolation and empower them to achieve their goals. This program offers two internships in the community.
  • The pre-university Education, Family and Childhood profile of our Social Science program takes a multidisciplinary approach to studying and understanding the social, psychological, and cultural development of children from birth to adulthood. Students will learn how society, community, education and public policy influence the structure of the family and the development of children. In addition, this profile has a fieldwork component.

Montreal has a vibrant arts community and many firms in the design, advertising, animation, film and television sector who hire Dawson grads every year.  In fact, 8% of Montreal’s workforce are in cultural occupations.  Dawson offers a total of seven three-year technical programs in the arts, all with access to seasoned industry professionals and state of the art facilities to learn your craft:

Our pre-university programs in Social Science, Liberal Arts and Arts, Literature and Communications are all suitable choices for somebody who intends to study Education at the university level.  In particular, our Education, Family and Childhood profile of Social Science has a multidisciplinary approach to studying and understanding the social, psychological, and cultural development of children from birth to adulthood.

Amongst our technical programs, the Social Service and Community, Recreation and Leadership Training programs also provide good preparation for working with young people.

Our pre-university programs in Social Science, Liberal Arts and Arts, Literature and Communications are all suitable choices for somebody who intends to study Law at the university level.  In particular, our Law, Society and Justice profile of Social Science and Liberal Arts program provide solid preparation for the critical thinking, writing and analysis skills required for a career in Law.

Our Pre-University programs in the Arts, Literature and Communications program, particularly our Literature profile and Languages profile, could be the right fit for you.  Our Liberal Arts program also has a deep focus on literature and writing.

Our popular 3-year technical program in Computer Science is designed specifically for those who wish to enter the Computer Science field.  Dawson also offers a Pre-University Science, Computer Science and Mathematics Program which is very similar to the popular Science pre-university but offers four courses in computer science, including an Integrative Project course, where students will design and carry out a project which applies their programming skills to problems in the sciences.

For those with a broader interest in technology in general, Dawson also offers a one-of-a-kind Society and Technology profile in the Social Sciences. This pre-university profile is designed for those who wish to pursue university studies relating to technology, society, culture and policy.

Many students at Dawson study General Studies in Social Science, which allows you to have maximum flexibility in selecting your courses according to your interests while still graduating with the prerequisites to enter most university programs in the social sciences.  Students can even take up to three Math and Biology prerequisites required for some university programs.



Last Modified: August 7, 2024