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Six new programs in wildfire science and communication have been given the green light at Thompson Rivers University and three of them are expected to start this fall.
In a news release issued Tuesday morning, the university says the five certificates and one diploma were recently approved by the university’s Senate and Board of Governors as well as a 30-day public feedback process.
“TRU is excited to offer these programs and be part of the solution in addressing wildfire challenges,” said TRU Provost and Vice-President Academic Gillian Balfour.
“I’d like to thank the leaders and faculty at TRU who are making this work possible, as well as BCWS for a strong forward-looking partnership.”
Three of the certificates, each a semester long and equal to nine credits, are scheduled to begin in September.
That will include the Wildfire Science Certificate, a certificate in Sociocultural Dynamics of Wildfire and a certificate in Wildfire Communications and Media.
According to the news release, the Wildfire Science and Sociocultural Dynamics certificates will also form the first year of a Wildfire Studies Diploma, which is expected to launch in 2026.
Two other certificates, the Wildfire Leadership and Emergency Communications, are expected to begin next year.
These programs mark TRU’s first steps toward a distinct wildfire studies discipline, a first for Canada.
This announcement follows the October 2023 opening of the TRU’s Institute for Wildfire Science, Adaptation and Resiliency.
Additionally, in spring 2024, the province announced that a first-of-its-kind dedicated wildfire education and training centre will be established at the university.