History, Affiliations and Rankings
Thompson Rivers University was founded in 1970 as Cariboo College and became a fully functional university, offering Bachelor’s degrees, in 1989. The University began to earn repute in the year 2003 when it got its first Research Chair and launched three Master’s programs. In 2010, TRU inaugurated its Law School which became the first law school to open in Canada in over 30 years. In 2019, TRU was granted accreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and earned a Platinum rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. 2020 marked the 50th-anniversary of the University. TRU is a member of the Research Universities Council of British Columbia. It is also affiliated with the Universities Canada. Thompson Rivers University has the highest overall score in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) report and was granted accreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) two years ahead of schedule. The University is ranked Canada's #1 Platinum-ranked sustainable university, #51 in the world for Political Science degree by QS World University Rankings, and #46 in Canada by UniRank.
Infrastructure, Campuses and Courses
TRU’s oldest building was constructed as far back as 1970 and was recently upgraded to make it energy efficient. TRU has two campuses at Kamloops and Williams Lake, which are both located in the traditional territory of the Secwepemc peoples, in southern British Columbia. In Kamloops, the main campus overlooks the junction of the North Thompson and South Thompson rivers, from which the University also gets its name. TRU's Open Learning division offers 140 on-campus programs and about 60 online or distance programs, encompassing trade apprenticeships, vocational certificates and diplomas, Bachelor's and Master's degrees, and degrees in Law. Flexible learning alternatives, tailored student services, hands-on learning experiences, and a varied, inclusive environment is integrated within the curriculums to help students achieve their goals.
Accomplishments and Alumni
TRU is one of the five universities in the world to reach Platinum status with the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS).TRU’s Day of Giving exceeded its goal and raised $61,700 for student support. From its eight graduating classes, TRU Law presently has over 800 graduates, working in a variety of positions in the legal profession, including public and private practice, government, companies, and public interest organizations, in both small and large firms, rural and metropolitan locations. TRU has produced celebrated alumni across fields, including literature, sports, entertainment, and so on. Some of the renowned names are - Lorne Cardinal (Canadian stage actor), Steven Galloway (Canadian Novelist), and John Gordon Perrin (Canadian Volleyball player) among others.
Student Diversity and Visiting Companies
TRU has over 40 international partner institutions, including universities in China, South Korea, New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam. A culturally diverse campus, Thompson Rivers University has an international student population of 3500+ students from over 100 countries worldwide, who study equally diverse disciplines on the TRU campus. Further, the International Student Advisors (ISAs) at TRU provides personal guidance to international students before and during their tenure in Canada. Further, students can become part of a plethora of social and cultural cohorts Axis Forestry, Royal Bank of Canada, Calgary Police, Kamloops Indian Brand, Sherwin Williams, Stats Canada and several others are the top employers that visit Thompson Rivers for student placements.
