British Columbia Open University

About

Thompson Rivers University, Open Learning (TRU Open Learning) is Canada's largest and most experienced provider of online and distance education, offering over 60 programs and 1,000 courses entirely online. It is renowned for its flexible learning model, allowing students worldwide to pursue degrees, diplomas, and certificates at their own pace, with strong offerings in Business Administration, Education, and various Arts and Technology fields. For international students, the experience is uniquely accessible, with all programs delivered in English and comprehensive online support services tailored to distance learners globally. While there isn't a physical campus experience, its dedicated international student advisors for online learners ensure a supportive virtual environment. Its distinctive characteristic lies in its pioneering role as Canada's first and largest institution dedicated to delivering quality post-secondary education entirely through flexible, open learning.

Background

Thompson Rivers University (commonly referred to as TRU) is a public research university located in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. The university's name comes from the two rivers which converge in Kamloops, the North Thompson and South Thompson. TRU describes itself as a dual-sector research university which offers a dual-sector education. The university has five academic faculties, the smallest being the Faculty of Law and the largest being the Faculty of Science, as well as three schools: the Bob Gaglardi School of Business and Economics, the School of Nursing, and the School of Trades and Technology. In addition to its primary campus in Kamloops, the university has a satellite campus in Williams Lake and a distance education division, TRU-Open Learning. In 2026, the administration voted to closed the satellite campus. TRU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities at the associate, baccalaureate and master's degree levels. In 2023, TRU was named one of Canada's Top 50 Research Universities, and as of 2025 is one of the sixteen universities worldwide to hold a "Platinum" rating from the Association for the Advancement...

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