Program Description

The Applied Sustainable Ranching Program is the first of its kind in Canada. During this program, students gain the expertise to build and sustain ranching enterprises within BC’s ranching industry and apply that knowledge to agricultural businesses in any region. By the end of the program, students have gained an understanding of ecosystem management in the last intact temperate grassland in the world.

On completion of all first and second year courses, TRU Ranching students can apply for transfer into third year of Olds College Applied Agri-business degree program.

Beyond the Classroom

The ranching program is unique in its requirement that students live on a ranch or farm while taking the program. This requirement gives students a built-in practicum for their course work and adds value to the ranch, whether it be their home or a mentoring host-ranch. Experiential learning on the farm immerses the student in the culture of farming and ranching while they learn the day-to-day operational tasks and responsibilities that do not emerge in class or instructional material. The program director can provide assistance in finding the right host farm match for students entering the program. Check out our section on Host Farms for more information.

Students are not required to live in Williams Lake to take this program. Due to the flexible blended learning model, students living or working on any agriculture enterprise are able to enroll in the program without having to move away from home. Students may attend the weekly seminars in person or via video conference.

Seminars

Students attend weekly seminars either at the TRU Campus, via Zoom, or in the field, to learn from instructors and subject expertise from around the region and across Canada.

To see what the students are up to on a weekly basis, like us on Facebook and check out our page:

https://www.facebook.com/AppliedSustainableRanching/

for more information

For course information, head on over to the Thompson Rivers University page.

https://www.tru.ca/williamslake/programs/ranching.html