Brandon University
Founded 1899 | Brandon, MB
A small school in a prairie city of about 50,000, Brandon University has a full complement of programs ranging from fine arts to business to pre-professional programs in 19 areas, including law, dentistry and medicine.
“The unique, personal experience we provide students and our community has never been more relevant. Our strengths of being agile, being courageous and being inclusive are traits that serve our graduates and our society perfectly in a time of great change,” says president David Docherty.
The school, a few hours’ drive from Winnipeg or Regina, has a large Indigenous focus, reflected in communication courses in Ojibwe, Cree and Dakota, as well as in the impressive collection of Indigenous literature housed at the John E. Robbins Library. The library also serves as a gathering space for cultural events and exhibitions.
The university is undertaking a major renovation to McMaster Hall that will bring the total residence spots available to 432 upon completion. The health studies facilities for nursing and psychiatric nursing have been expanded and upgraded at the main Brandon campus and at the satellite campus in Winnipeg (psychiatric only), to accommodate more students. Brandon University will celebrate the 125th anniversary of its founding in 2024-25, and the school will host the U SPORTS men’s volleyball championship for the first time in 2025.
Campus Buzz
Students hoping for some midday shuteye can check out the university’s new zero-gravity napping pod in the library, complete with music, a timer and a gentle wake sequence to minimize grogginess.
Standout Programs
• French Language Proficiency: Two certificate programs—one for students with limited knowledge of the subject and one for those with high school French—provide theory and practical language skills necessary to become effective speakers and writers of French.
• Music: The school of music offers studies in performance and composition as well as concurrent and specialist music education programs. Students enjoy top-notch facilities and an excellent student-teacher ratio.
• Applied Disaster and Emergency Studies: The program combines a liberal arts education with physical and social science perspectives on disasters. Students prepare to tackle all aspects of emergency management.
Tuition (includes compulsory ancillary fees)
$5,801
Minimum Entering Grades
Arts: 57.8% | Science: 62% | Commerce or Business: 66.3%
Student Body
Undergraduates: Full-time: 2,173 | Part-time: 430
Graduates: Full-time: 212 | Part-time: 159
International Students: First-year: 11.2% | Graduate: 15.1%
Housing Facts
Residence Spaces: 224 (165 reserved for first-year students)
Residence Costs: Double room with meals: $7,700 to $10,150 | Single room with meals: $9,350 to $12,750
Cool Courses
• Pottery Analysis: Examines the materials and production techniques of archaeological pottery, with a special focus on pottery made by First Nations people.
• Crime, Law and Media: Students consider the media’s role as a dominant institution and how that can influence cultural perceptions of crime and the law.