Faculty of Adventure, Culinary Arts and Tourism

Adventure, Culinary Arts and Tourism involves the study of exciting, stimulating, enriching and powerful human experiences that are typically out of the ordinary but which span the breadth of humanity. These experiences include exploring, travelling, touring and tasting.

In Adventure, Culinary Arts and Tourism we study these experiences to:

• Understand our individual and cultural identities
• Develop and improve ourselves
• Sustain our communities
• Engender civic and corporate social responsibility
• Influence social and government policies.

The three departments in this faculty — Adventure Studies, Culinary Arts and Tourism Management — actively engage with the cultures and industries associated with these human experiences. Today, tourism, hospitality, recreation, leisure, sport and resorts are the economic engines of many towns and regions around the world; in some cases, these industries drive whole countries. In Canada, 10% of the labour force work in tourism / hospitality — more than any other sector including professional, scientific and technical services, manufacturing, construction, mining, agriculture, real estate, finance and insurance. Tourism is everywhere and opportunities are boundless.

Indeed, the tourism, adventure and hospitality industries are clamoring for staff, especially for those who demonstrate creativity, initiative and leadership — traits and skills that TRU develop and foster.

Our goal is to prepare students as professionals — knowledgeable, responsible, accountable and ethical — for a range of careers such as outdoor adventure guiding, leadership and business management (Adventure Studies), crafting cuisine for modern bistros and fine dining restaurants (Culinary Arts), and enabling, creating, managing and evaluating memorable experiences (Tourism). As well as enabling students to realize their professional potential, our faculty are also invested in developing local communities and global perspectives.

Recently, Thompson Rivers University joined The University of Guelph, Royal Roads University, Cape Breton University and Toronto Metropolitan University to form the Canadian University Tourism Coalition. CUTC will work with industry, policy makers and governments to raise the profile of our programs and highlight their quality, improve student mobility and experiences especially through exchange programs and co-ops, and to undertake joint research.

Adventure Studies, Culinary Arts and Tourism Management have over 25 full-time, and over 100 part-time, faculty members. Our team brings a diverse set of knowledge, experience and skill to create and deliver excellent educational experiences that combine theory and practice with assignments and assessments that build confidence in students.

Adventure, Culinary Arts and Tourism encapsulates the philosophy of Thompson Rivers University and its educational mandate that respects academic, technical and trades skills. As many of our alumni attest, this combined educational experience emulates the professional demands in these fields.

I hope I can personally welcome you to the Faculty of Adventure, Culinary Arts and Tourism.