EDUCATION GUIDE
SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS • SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 2026
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BRANDON UNIVERSITY
Incredible journeys start at Brandon University
BU students have ample opportunity for meaningful, life-changing experiences
B randon University is the perfect place to start your post-secondary education, and from there the possibilities are as wide open as the western Manitoba prairies. Most of BU’s programming is offered on its friendly, compact campus in the heart of Manitoba’s second largest city, but that only scratches the surface of all the places BU students find themselves. From high-flying careers to flights around the world, BU students have ample opportunity for meaningful and life-changing experiences. This summer, Katlego Khoza and Josh Ransom visited Brussels, Belgium on an all-expenses-paid trip after finishing among the top three Canadian teams in the Schuman Challenge, an academic competition in which students develop and present their own international policy proposals. Khoza, a student in BU’s iconic Applied Disaster and Emergency Studies program, and Ransom, a
double-major in Economics and Political Science, advanced through a competition that included teams from many of Canada’s largest universities to earn their place presenting their proposal to European Union officials. “Not a lot of people outside Manitoba know what Brandon is, and we have a very small school relative to the other schools we were competing against,” Ransom told The Brandon Sun. “It was cool to go there and show that we can compete with these schools on an intellectual level.” This past spring, more than a dozen students in the BU Travel Club visited Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France and England for a trip exploring Canada’s roles in the World Wars. The club, working with professors who help lead the trip, is planning to visit Japan next. Other students have ventured far afield for paid work terms offered through BU’s highly successful Co-operative Education Program, which has had summer placement rates between 90 and 100 per cent in recent years. “Co-op was one of the best decisions I made during university,” said Kendal Giesbrecht, who completed three BU Co-op terms, including a research opportunity in Germany, leading up to her graduation this year. “The experience helped me build technical skills, profes- sional confidence and relationships that opened doors.” With an enrolment of about 3,500, BU offers students a wide range of options to prepare for their careers. Students can choose from a wide variety of undergraduate programs, plus six graduate programs and four certificate programs in the Faculties of Arts, Education, Health Studies, Science and the School of Music. In addition to the students on campus each day, many established professionals further their careers by studying offerings such as the Master of Education and Master of Psychiatric Nursing programs, which they can pursue part-time while working. Brandon University also has a presence in Winnipeg, one of two locations where students can earn a Bachelor of Science in Psychiatric Nursing.
To provide even more options, many additional pre-professional programs allow students to start with one to three years of study in Brandon before advancing to specialized programs at other universities. That’s a lot of choice for students to think about, but BU has supports in place to help every step of the way. Academic advisors and career counselling help students map out their plans, while accessibility, mental health and wellness experts work to ensure everyone gets the opportunity to show their true potential. The Indigenous Peoples’ Centre, with its dedicated staff and Knowledge Keepers, provides a community feeling and cultural support, while clubs and collectives give students the opportunity to make new friends with similar interests. “Our students often tell us how much they appreciate the personal touch we’re able to offer at BU, where they can easily get to know each other as well as their professors,” said Katie Whelpton, Dean of Students at Brandon University. “For many students we are just the right size to step into post-secondary institution without being overwhelmed.” Because health and recreation are an important element of academic success, tuition includes access to the BU Healthy Living Centre, where students can work out, join a fitness class, play intramural sports or gather to cheer on the Bobcats athletics teams. n To learn more about Brandon University, take a virtual tour, or set up an in-person visit at BrandonU.ca/Future-Students. Brandon University offers students ample opportunities for meaningful and life-changing experiences.
Our students often tell us how much
they appreciate the personal touch we’re able to offer at BU, where they can easily get to know each other as well as their professors”
— Katie Whelpton, Dean of Students at Brandon University
Give Brandon University a try! When you become part of our welcoming community, you’ll find supportive faculty and sta, plus programs that help you launch confidently into your future.
Start at Brandon University, and you can go anywhere.
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