Trinity Western University  

Trinity Western University – An overview

Trinity Western University (TWU) offers education in a Christ-centered, student-focused, and globally engaged community. TWU offers 48 undergraduate and 19 graduate degrees in business, leadership, nursing, psychology, education, communication, interdisciplinary humanities, computing science, arts, and theology. Each program includes hands-on training to help students excel in their chosen fields. TWU also offers continuing education through certificates and degrees.

History

Trinity Western University dates back to 1957 when the Evangelical Free Church of America formed a committee to study and consider the feasibility of establishing a liberal arts college on North America’s Pacific Coast. The committee chose a location in rural British Columbia, between Vancouver and Seattle, in the Township of Langley.

Trinity Junior College was founded in 1962 as a two-year college. Its name was changed to Trinity Western College ten years later, following a significant enrollment and program options growth. The British Columbia Provincial Government legislated the institution’s current status as a privately funded Christian university in 1985 and was renamed Trinity Western University.

After the University of British Columbia, the University of Victoria, and Emily Carr University of Art and Design, it is the province’s fourth-oldest university. Trinity Western began awarding baccalaureate degrees in 1980, after 20 years as a transfer college.

Campus

The main campus is situated on 157 acres (0.64 km2) on the outskirts of historic Fort Langley in the rural Township of Langley, British Columbia. In 1858, Governor Sir James Douglas chose Fort Langley, a former Hudson’s Bay Company fur-trade post, as the provisional capital of the newly established Colony of British Columbia. Douglas is honored with a residence hall on campus. The campus is 45 minutes southeast of Vancouver and two hours north of Seattle.

The age and style of campus buildings range from Hanson chapel, completed in 1962 (the first building completed on campus), to the Skidmore hall dormitory, completed in 2017. Today, the campus consists of 35 buildings and residence halls that house the various departments and

British Columbia, Rural British Columbia, and the Pacific Northwest inspired the architecture on campus. Alloway library, Larsen Atrium, and the Stanley Nelson Student Centre are covered in modern red brick on the main campus. Other notable buildings on campus include the Robert N. Thompson Building, which houses the departments of political science, history, English, and geography. The school of art, media + culture, is housed in the newly constructed yet-to-be-named music building. The Neufeld Science Centre underwent a major renovation in 2011, and the Vernon Stromback Centre at the east end of campus houses the faculty of natural and applied sciences. The university campus has 33 buildings in total.

The Vernon Strombeck Centre underwent significant interior and exterior renovations in 2012, and the prominent Robert N. Thompson building was remodeled in 2013. As a result of rising enrollment, Trinity Western opened its first new dormitory in twenty-five years in September 2017. Meals are available in the cafeteria now on an all-you-can-eat basis, and three smaller venues on campus provide additional food services.

Satellite campuses

Ottawa – Booth House

The campus, located on Metcalfe Street near Somerset, is minutes from the Parliament of Canada and many important governmental ministries, departments, and embassies.

Bellingham

Trinity Western’s Bellingham campus, located very close to the Canadian-US border on the US side, offers adult degree completion Bachelor of Arts programs in leadership, psychology, and the social sciences. TWU Bellingham personalizes the evaluation of students’ previous education and life experiences to identify the skills and knowledge applied to degree requirements. Classes are interactive, learner-centered, and success-oriented.

Richmond

The university’s Richmond campus near Vancouver will be used to be the home of TWU-Extension, Trinity Western’s effort to help adults over the usual age of university complete their bachelor’s degrees.

Courses

The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada has accredited Trinity Western University, and the US Department of Education has recognized it. Trinity Western University is a member of the Christian Colleges and Universities Council.

Tuition for the 2014-15 academic year was $22,260 CDN, making it the most expensive tuition in Canada.

Approximately 95% of Trinity Western’s incoming and transfer students receive some form of financial aid, such as scholarships or grants, but not loans. International students are charged the same tuition as Canadian students.

Students must complete an academic major in addition to the core courses. Trinity Western University offers bachelor’s degrees in 45 academic majors and 56 minors, concentrations, certificates, and over 1,200 courses.

Students have the option of taking courses from any of the university’s faculties or schools

• Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences
• School of the Arts, Media + Culture
• School of Business
• School of Human Kinetics
• School of Education
• School of Nursing
• Catholic Pacific College, Trinity Western’s constituent Catholic college

While most courses are taught on Trinity Western’s main campus in Langley, students can also study in Bellingham, Washington, Richmond, British Columbia, or online. Many also participate in travel studies and exchange programs at partner institutions or universities worldwide. Students may also design their own courses with the assistance of a faculty member or administration member.

Graduate

Trinity Western’s Faculty of Graduate Studies offers 11 graduate programs on either the Langley or Richmond campuses-

• Master of Arts in Biblical Studies
• Master of Business Administration
• Master of Science in Nursing
• Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology
• Master of Arts in Educational Leadership
• Master of Arts Linguistics
• Master of Arts Educational Studies – Special Education
• Master of Arts Interdisciplinary Humanities
• Master of Arts in Leadership
• Master of Arts in Leadership – Business Stream in Mandarin
• Master of Arts TESOL

While the MBA program provides specializations in International Business and Managing Growing Enterprises, it is also one of only two MBA programs in Canada that provides a non-profit specialization.

Trinity Western also houses ACTS Seminaries, a network of seminaries founded by several Christian denominations to train men and women in theology and for positions as ministers.

ACTS Seminaries offers the following Masters programs-

• Master of Theological Studies
• Master of Divinity
• Master of Theology
• Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy
• Master of Arts in Christian Studies
• Master of Arts in Linguistics and Translation
• Doctor of Ministry

Rankings

As previously stated, Trinity Western University is one of Canada’s best and most prestigious educational institutions. It is ranked 78 in Canada in the University Guru meta ranking and 117 in the university rankings. It is also ranked 61st in Canada by Uni rank and 65th by Edu rank. TWU ranks A+ in quality of teaching across the country from approximately 55 universities.

TWU webometrics rankings

• 66 Webometrics – National
• 3712 Webometrics – World

Alumni

Listed below are the university’s notable alumni

• Carolyn Arends (Author, songwriter, and musician)
• Roger Cross (Television & screen actor)
• Bernie Herms (Producer, composer, and musician)
• Jonathan Auxier (Well-known author)
• Paul Janz (Former international musician)
• Tara Teng (Beauty Pageant winner)
• Ryan Walter (Author)

Key takeaways

• Trinity Western University (TWU) is a leading global Christian liberal arts university in Canada. It prepares students to develop practical skills while exploring larger ideas.
• TWU provides undergraduate graduate degrees in business, leadership, nursing, psychology, education, communication, interdisciplinary humanities, etc. Each program is designed to include hands-on training to help you excel.
• Most courses are available at Trinity Western’s main campus in Langley. Students can also study in Bellingham, Washington, Richmond, British Columbia, or online. Students can also participate in travel studies and exchange programs.

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FAQs

Q1. What GPA do you need for Trinity Western University?

Ans– Students must have graduated from an accredited high school with a GPA of at least 3.0 in the following subjects- Four years of English classes. Mathematics for three years.

Q2. Is Trinity Western University public or private?

Ans- Trinity Western University is an independent, privately supported liberal arts institution.

Q3. Do you have to be religious to attend Trinity Western University?

Ans- While TWU is proud to raise Christian leaders, you do not have to be a Christian to attend.