Royal Roads University
Founded 1995 | Victoria, BC
Royal Roads University caters primarily to mature students by offering applied and professional programs and by delivering teaching models suited to working people. Royal Roads accepts transfer credits from colleges and universities across the country and around the world. A flexible admission policy recognizes formal and informal learning. With a focus on small classes and group projects, RRU aims to build a network of contacts for students and have them work closely together to achieve common goals.
This aim is echoed in the small-group residencies and the on-campus portion of blended online courses. “Royal Roads’ approach to learning affords us the ability to do things differently, and our values of caring, creativity and courage guide us in the ways we think, act and respond,” says president Philip Steenkamp.
Students can choose from 10 undergraduate degree-completion programs (i.e., third- and fourth-year programs; RRU offers first- and second-year undergrad courses only to international students), 22 master’s programs, more than 40 graduate certificates and diplomas, and two applied doctoral programs, in social sciences and business administration. Last year, the school launched a master of arts in executive and organizational coaching. The campus sits within the Hatley Park National Historic Site, surrounded by gardens and forest and only a 20-minute drive to Victoria.
Standout Programs
• Professional Communication: Students learn to become effective communicators, developing skills in professional writing, public relations, public speaking, journalism and digital communications.
• Innovation and Sustainability: This bachelor of business administration program delivers a solid foundation while focusing on practices that consider the well-being of society and the environment. Through client-based projects, students work in teams and in the community.
• Interdisciplinary Studies: Students can customize their studies in this flexible program, drawing on courses in business, professional communication, environmental practices and justice studies.
Tuition (includes compulsory ancillary fees)
$10,415
Minimum Entering Grades
Arts, Science, Commerce: B average in first two years of post-secondary school for entry to third-year programs; no direct admittance for Canadian students to first-year undergraduate programs
Student Body
Undergraduates: Full-time: 890
Graduates: Full-time: 3,685
International Students: Graduate: 19%
Male-Female Ratio: 37 to 63
Housing Facts
Residence Spaces: 92 (short-term residences)
Residence Costs: Single room without meals: $45-$90 per night, plus taxes
Cool Courses
• Communication in Indigenous Contexts: Explore Indigenous cultures, media stereotypes, addressing privilege and ethical intercultural communications.
• Value Co-Creation and Experience Marketing: See how marketing is shaped by social, environmental and economic trends.