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, which are tested each and every day as we continue to move through the pandemic, 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. This year, the school will launch a master of arts in executive and organizational coaching. The campus, set on a former coal baron’s estate within the Hatley Park National Historic Site, is surrounded by gardens and forest and is a 20-minute drive to Victoria.
Standout Programs
• Innovation and Sustainability: Students in this bachelor of business administration program learn how to manage sustainable businesses. Through project-based experiences, students apply their learning, working in teams and in the community.
• Justice Studies: This interdisciplinary bachelor’s program delivers theoretical and practical training in areas such as criminal justice, social justice, human rights, advocacy and conflict resolution.
• Professional Communications: Students develop expertise in professional writing, public relations, public speaking, journalism and digital communications.
Tuition (includes compulsory ancillary fees)
$10,210
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: 983
Graduates: Full-time: 3,765
International Students: Graduate: 17.6%
Male-Female Ratio: 37 to 63
Housing Facts
Residence Spaces: 92 (short-term residences)
Residence Costs: Single room without meals: $30-$60 per night, plus taxes
Cool Courses
• Growing Food: This practical, hands-on course covers the essentials of permaculture and organic gardening techniques.
• Gender, Diversity, and Justice: Students analyze the social justice system, focusing on marginalized groups and case studies.