General Information

Contact Information

Main Reception: 403-410-2000
Ambrose University Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m - 4:00 p.m MST

Enrolment Office:
Phone: 403-410-2900 or 1-800-461-1222 | Email: enrolment@ambrose.edu
Website: www.ambrose.edu
Address: Ambrose University, 150 Ambrose Circle SW, Calgary, AB   T3H 0L5

Location

Ambrose University is located at 150 Ambrose Circle SW in Calgary, Alberta. Our city of over one million people is established in the rolling foothills of the Canadian Rockies, just a few hours from the U.S. border. The Calgary International Airport is Canada’s third busiest airport. Calgary is known for its blue skies, and Alberta has more hours of sunshine in a year than any other province in Canada. A unique phenomenon called a Chinook wind can raise temperatures more than 20 degrees in one day, turning winter days into spring. Calgary offers world-class facilities for winter sports, having hosted the Winter Olympics in 1988, and the nearby Rocky Mountains provide exhilarating skiing and other recreational opportunities. The “Stampede City” is also known for its western culture, beautiful pathways along the Bow River, symphony orchestra and professional football and hockey teams.

Facilities

The Ambrose University campus sits on a ridge in southwest Calgary and offers unobstructed views west to the Rocky Mountains. The heart of the campus is the Academic Centre, with its central gathering place. The building features two biology labs, student lounges, classrooms, faculty and administrative offices, plus places for group and silent study. A modern library offers students online access to global resources as well as more traditional reference sources. The Ambrose Athletic/Performing Arts Centre boasts a full-size gym and sound system to accommodate up to 1000 people. Banquet facilities, locker rooms and a weight room round out the building. Ambrose University’s Music Department enjoys a dedicated choir room, practice rooms and a music lab space

Library

Ambrose Library supports the educational programs of Ambrose University by serving student and faculty learning, teaching, and research activities. The library is a bright and welcoming space with areas for quiet reading and interactive group work, and students have access to a diverse collection of print and electronic resources. Library resources and staff serve students’ academic needs, whether on or off campus, including students who are studying at a distance. The library expands its offerings through partnerships with other libraries across Canada, including reciprocal borrowing privileges at some local institutions such as the University of Calgary. The Ambrose Archives, which includes records from The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada and the Church of the Nazarene Canada, is housed in the Ambrose Library.

For more information, go to ambrose.edu/library.

Institutional History

Educating young men and women for service in the church and in overseas mission fields has always been an important emphasis for The Christian and Missionary Alliance (The Alliance Canada) in Canada and the Church of the Nazarene in Canada. The Alliance Canada’s commitment to higher education dates back to the vision of its founder, Dr. A. B. Simpson, who established North America’s first Bible school in New York. This educational emphasis resulted in the addition of two educational institutions in Canada during the 1920s.

A fuller expression of these values led to the founding of Canadian Bible Institute (CBI) in 1941, with an initial class of 50 students meeting in the lower auditorium of the Alliance Tabernacle in Regina, Saskatchewan. Under the direction of the first president, Rev. Blackett, CBI commenced its primary task of training men and women for worldwide ministry and Christian living.

Nazarene University College traces its roots to the Calgary Bible Institute, which was established on January 3, 1921, in the basement of the Calgary First Church of the Nazarene, with an initial class of 29. In 1927, the school relocated to Red Deer, under the leadership of Rev. Charles Thomson, where it became known as Alberta School of Evangelism, and then Northern Bible College (NBC). The purpose of the school was to provide a stream of workers for the Nazarene churches in western Canada and overseas. An accredited residential high school was also established to serve Christian families in rural communities.

In 1940, NBC changed its name to Canadian Nazarene College (CNC) and in 1957 CBI became Canadian Bible College (CBC). Both institutions persevered and became established with purpose-built facilities and the accreditation of Bachelor of Theology degrees. Canadian Theological College (CTC) was formed in 1970 as a graduate school of theology changing its name to Canadian Theological Seminary (CTS) in 1982. Both CNC and CBC/CTS fulfilled their mandates of training workers for ministry and soon alumni from both campuses were serving across Canada and around the globe.

As the new millennium dawned, the paths of CBC/CTS and CNC converged in an unprecedented way. The goal of both institutions was to provide trained workers for the church and mission fields. Both institutions saw the opportunity for a Christian-based alternative to public universities.

The next phase of maturation saw both CBC/CTS and CNC develop relationships with Canadian universities for the purpose of expanding offerings beyond Bible and theology into the arts and sciences. In 1960, CNC was relocated to Winnipeg to become the official school of the Church of the Nazarene in Canada. CNC also became an approved teaching centre of the University of Manitoba. In that same decade, CBC/CTS developed an educational relationship with the University of Regina.

During the 1990s, Dr. George Durance, President of CBC/CTS, Dr. Riley Coulter, President of CNC, and their boards looked to Alberta, where legislation existed to accredit Christian university colleges.

CNC relocated to Calgary in 1995, became a university in 1999, and changed its name to Nazarene University College (NUC). In 2003, CBC/CTS moved to Calgary, joined NUC on its downtown campus, received provincial accreditation in 2004 and adopted the name Alliance University College (AUC) forming the educational partnership AUC-NUC. In May 2007, AUC and NUC became a single institution, Ambrose University, the official Canadian school of both The Alliance Canada and the Church of the Nazarene Canada.

In July 2014 the province of Alberta approved Ambrose University College to be designated as Ambrose University. The change brings Ambrose in line with comparable institutions across Canada, and benefits students who may wish to pursue further opportunities nationally or globally, as well as faculty in their research endeavours.

History of the Seminary at Ambrose University

Ambrose graduate education began in 1970 in Regina, Saskatchewan with the creation of Canadian Theological College, renamed Canadian Theological Seminary (CTS) in 1982. In May 2007 Ambrose University College was formed through an educational partnership between The Alliance Canada and the Church of the Nazarene Canada. CTS was folded into the Faculty of Theology of Ambrose University College as the Seminary Division and is known as Ambrose Seminary.

Ambrose Seminary education is rooted in a dynamic heritage that combines a vision for carrying out the Great Commission with a passion for a deep and authentic spirituality. This legacy is very much alive in our seminary programs today. The community displays a firm commitment to the global growth of the Church and a conviction that those who have a vital relationship with God through Christ and who are empowered by the Holy Spirit make lasting contributions to the Kingdom. Ambrose Seminary is the official seminary educational institution for The Alliance Canada.