The age-old question has been asked across generations, “Which came first – the
chicken or the egg?” depending on whom you ask and their perspective or mindset,
most persons offer a definitive answer that is supported by a logical justification.
The question, though simple, is quite profound primarily because it is cyclical –
after all, chickens come from eggs and eggs come from chickens!
In my role as Recruitment Officer at The UWI Five Islands Campus (UWI FIC), I
have been asked a similarly cyclical question by many prospective students:
“Should I take short courses first and then try for a degree; or should I complete
my degree then take short courses?” Like the chicken and egg question, no fixed
answer will be true for everyone. Indeed, perspective, mindset and motive play a
central role in assessing what should come first.
In some regards, degree programmes and short courses are similar. Both provide
avenues for learners to tap into new bodies of knowledge. Additionally, short
courses and degree programmes are pathways for students to attain credentials.
Taken together, gaining new knowledge and certification satisfy the basis for
which people enrol into education programmes in the first place.
Differences, however, exist in the functions that short courses and degree
programmes serve. Let us consider two offerings at the UWI FIC: Bachelor of
Science in Nursing (degree programme) and Digital Transformation of the Health
Care Sector (short course). Both courses will provide new knowledge and
credentials in the broad area of healthcare. A person who is hoping to start a career
in a particular industry, in this case, nursing, will require extensive exposure to
content and technical skills on offer, during a degree programme. On the other
hand, for persons who are already nurses but want to differentiate themselves in
the workplace by extending their knowledge about digitization in healthcare, the
short course would be more beneficial.
Previous knowledge about the field is also key in deciding which should be done
first. Consider the offerings Coding for the 21st Century (short course) and
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (degree programme). In my experience,
many prospective students have limited knowledge about what is entailed in
computer-based programmes at the university level and find themselves surprized
soon after enrolling. Taking a related short course, in preparation for a degree
programme can be very helpful, especially for younger students who may still be
trying to settle on their areas of interest and passion. In contrast, a person who
knows exactly what computer science entails, through on-the-job experience, may
be better served to dive directly into a degree programme and use short courses to
update skills later on in their career
Short courses are also a useful way to explore knowledge that is outside of your
professional sphere but within your scope of interest. Courses such as Grant
Proposal Writing and Crisis and Risk Management may provoke curiosity and
interest, but you may not desire to pursue a degree in them.
Another consideration as to which should be done first is how much time and
money you have to commit to these studies. Short courses at the UWI FIC
generally cost about EC$675 per course and vary in length from ten to thirteen
weeks. Conversely, degree programmes range in price from US$1800 to US$5000
annually and will take three to four years to complete.
Ensuring that you are a lifelong learner should be a top priority for everyone, and
being credentialed in your new knowledge is just as important. In Antigua and
Barbuda, the presence of The UWI Five Islands Campus has made completing a
university degree a more achievable goal now, more than at any other time in our
Nation’s history. Every household should aspire to have at least one university
graduate within the next five years. But a degree does not need to be the starting
point nor the ending point of learning. Short courses offered by the Lifelong
Learning Unit at The UWI FIC provide a conduit for prospective students to get a
taste of what a field of study is about before doing a degree, as well as a pathway
for degreed persons to up-skill in their chosen field of work or area of interest.
