What is a Faculty or School?

Faculty

A faculty is a comprehensive branch of learning at the University. TWU has two official faculties: the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences. Programs grouped within the same faculty share some areas of study in common and often collaborate. Therefore, majors offered within a faculty share subject matter or concerns in common. For example, the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences offers all of the University's science and math courses.

The word "faculty" can also refer to the body of professors employed in a department, or at the University in general. Therefore, to say "faculty member" is another way of saying "professor" and to say "the faculty" can mean a large group of professors.

School

A school, like a faculty, is a comprehensive branch of learning at the University. Some faculties become schools in order to better serve students, particularly in professionally-oriented degrees. Schools often offer graduate degrees or adult-learning options.

TWU currently has four schools: the School of the Arts, Media, and Culture, the School of Business; the School of Education; and the School of Human Kinetics. All schools are part of Trinity Western University. A student can enrol in a class offered at a school in the same way they enrol in a class offered by a faculty.

What is a Major, Minor, or Concentration?

Major

At TWU, there are a variety of options available for any academic discipline or degree you choose to study. The place to begin is picking a major. This is the central area of study for your degree. It consists of 42 semester hours taken in a specific discipline. TWU offers 40 majors in various faculties.

If you're still deciding your major, you can take a number of courses toward your degree before you decide. Some students change their major or add a double-major at some point in their university career.

Core Education

As a liberal arts university, TWU requires that students take a variety of core courses. These courses ensure that you receive a broad general education in addition to the instruction in your chosen major. Your core courses will be completed over your four years, and include English, history, sciences, society and culture, religious studies, philosophy, human kinetics, and fine arts. The core courses comprise 45 semester hours of your degree.

Minors, Concentrations and Electives

The electives section of your degree consists of a minimum of 35 semester hours, which you can fill with courses of your choice. Often, students will use their electives to obtain a minor (24 semester hours) or concentration (30 semester hours) in a certain discipline.