Thompson Rivers University:
Established: 2005 (On April 1, 2005 the “University College of the Cariboo,” which was founded in 1970 as the “Cariboo College,” and the “British Columbia Open University,” which opened in 1978, merged to become the Thompson Rivers University.). Number of Students
Thompson Rivers University services over 26,000 students of which about 16,000 are enrolled in distance education courses and/or programs. Programs
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) offers many programs and educational opportunities available through a combination of classroom instruction and distance education. The University’s educational offerings include over 50 traditional on-campus undergraduate degree options, approximately 20 professional career diploma programs each with the opportunity for further study leading to an undergraduate degree, 6-10 month certificates designed to train students for specific employment, and study abroad opportunities. The University also offers an extensive list of distance education courses and programs at the Adult Basic Education (high school equivalency), college, and university levels.. The University additionally offers Continuing Education studies for both individuals and organizations, delivered through formal and/or non-formal instruction, geared towards personal, professional, and/or career enhancement. TRU, in partnership with the Kamloops/Thompson School District #73 offers a “Hosted Entry Level Trades Training” program which enables high school students in grades 10-12 to earn post-secondary credits of up to 1 year while still attending high school. Interesting Facts
When the University College of the Cariboo and the British Columbia Open University merged in 2005, the resulting Thompson Rivers University kept the former’s commitment to on-campus learning and the latter’s dedication to flexible, post-secondary distance education. This unique blend of systems for delivering education has afforded students an expansive array of learning opportunities. TRU currently has campuses in Kamloops, which is also the University’s main campus, Burnaby, and Williams Lake, each with their own unique mix of on-campus and distance education offerings. The University also has regional centres specifically for distance education in the Cariboo region, Clearwater, 100 Mile House, Lillooet, Nicola Valley, North Thompson, and upper Fraser Canyon. |
