Program Description

The Applied Sustainable Ranching Program is the first of its kind in British Columbia. 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.

This program gives graduates the tool kit for building and managing diversified, resilient ranching operations in BC and around the world, as well as the expertise to apply to any agriculture enterprise in any region.

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 home-stay match for students relocating to the Cariboo to attend the program. Check out our section on Host Ranches to see our current host ranches.

Students are not required to live in Williams Lake to take this program. Due to the flexible blended learning model, students living and working on any ranch in BC or internationally 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 at the TRU Williams Lake Campus and local area ranches and learn various skill sets while in the field. Seminars are sometimes open to our industry partners and the public.

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