It is difficult to go to a new place and start pursuing something new. As an international student, finding the right path and institute is challenging. There are 100s of institutes and universities in Canada but one university that stands out the most is York University. Now you must be thinking is York a Good University? It is one of the top 5 universities in all of Canada which is really impressive. It is also one of the biggest hubs for international students.
With that in mind, I applied for York University School of Continuing Studies which has many options in Post Graduate Programs.
I am an international student from India who is about to complete his Digital & Content Marketing course. It has been a unique experience that helped me develop as a person and build a more open mindset. My name is Ankush Mehta, and I have a background in marketing as a content writer and creation. With the mindset of wanting to learn more and explore marketing opportunities in North America, I did some research and decided to choose the York University School of Continuing Studies. The fact that the Digital & Content Marketing course here is a much more feasible option than Humber College or George Brown made it a more viable option for me.
This is my experience and insight that I am about to share with you. I am sure this blog will be insightful and help you make your decision regarding education and further learning.
My experience at York University has been mostly amazing and positive. The fact that as an international student, it's difficult to get used to a new environment and locality but the school of continuing studies is very international-friendly.
After going to classes for almost 8 months I realized that the best thing here has been the faculty and the professors. I remember entering the premises of the York School of Continuing Studies. Confused, nervous and a little bit excited. Fortunately, Michelle Aarons, the executive director of York University, welcomed me. She was kind and considerate as she led me to my class. Apart from such moments, professors like Heath Applebaum, Rovena Aga, Andrew Temes, Dorris Montanera, Tim Campbell and Leigh Mitchell showcased their expertise and experience in the classes.
Their insightful guidance and lectures have helped me get a better understanding of how marketing works in Canada. In addition to this, each professor brought real-life case studies that have helped solidify my understanding.
The professors were also really approachable and were always ready to help me out if I had any kind of doubts. The faculty also provided access to tools like Hubspot and Microsoft 365 which helped out a lot during the assignments. The classes were super flexible and what I meant by it is that the classes were held 4 times in a week of 3hrs only which gave me ample amount of time to balance out my studies and my part-time job.
The whole course is well-tailored to help students get a better understanding of what Digital Marketing really is. The digital marketing York University School of Continuing Studies courses include the following
Each subject has given me a wealth of knowledge on dealing with different tools and cases that come up in real life. But to be honest, some of the materials were not taught in depth. They just scratched the surface.
Apart from this, the professors had many connections and networks through which many guest lecturers were invited to our classes. Each Guest Lecturer gave amazing insights regarding the industry they work in and how they deal with different clients and situations. I was in the morning batch which was at 8:30 AM due to which we had fewer guest lecturers in our class but I was allowed to join other batches in the afternoon if a guest was lecturing them.
The campus of York University School of Continuing Studies is pretty good. The Architecture firm Perkins & Will Won many awards for building the Campus. I won’t say it is that big compared to other campuses at York University.
Even Seneca Campus is bigger than the School of Continuing Studies. The commute to the campus is okay since it is directly connected to the subway. York University subway station is on line 1, so if you are using the subway to commute, get off at York University station or otherwise you will be late for the class. You can also take buses to reach here. 41 is the most common bus that students take to commute.
In addition to this, you have various munching options too. Many snack options are within walking distance from the School of Continuing Studies campus. You can grab a cup of coffee from Tim Hortons from Seneca Campus which is right in front. See I told you Seneca Campus is bigger than ours.
If you are coming all the way here to an abroad country, then you need to do some research and make a decision about what you want to do after you are done with your course. Look for each option and try to understand if they align with your goals or not. Connect with various alumni or already-studying students to get how well the course is. I assume you are doing some research, that is what has brought you here. Kudos to you for taking this first step.
Try to learn as much as possible when you are here. Attend the lectures regularly and engage with peers and professionals. Be open to constructive feedback as it will help you to improve yourself. Give your maximum effort in the class and assignments since your assignments can be used as your portfolio. Be smart about things, work hard and enjoy the process. You will have certain difficulties and challenges during this phase but don’t back down from these challenges cause you will certainly overcome them if you try.
After going through this journey of studying at York Univerity School of Continuing Studies, I try to reflect on everything I have experienced. I have learned many valuable lessons and want to take everything positive from this. In spite of many difficulties, I have had an immensely fulfilling experience at the York University School of Continuing Studies, where I have gained the knowledge and abilities to further both my professional and personal development. I strongly advise prospective students to think about the School of Continuing Studies as a practical and worthwhile choice for their postsecondary education but at the same time look for more options if available.