Dalhousie University
Founded 1818 | Halifax, NS
Dalhousie University is the largest university in Atlantic Canada and home to 56 Canada Research Chairs. Key research areas include healthy people, communities and populations; clean technology, energy and the environment; a sustainable ocean; food security; and culture, society and community development. Each area is supported by expertise in big data, innovation and entrepreneurship. Dal believes in giving undergrads access to research opportunities with experts.
A large co-op program provides workplace experience, and all programs offer experiential learning. Dalhousie is “a national leader in innovation and entrepreneurship,” says acting president Frank Harvey. “[Students will] be studying with the best and brightest while surrounded by stunning landscapes and opportunities for new adventures.”
The main campus is located in the heart of Halifax’s historic South End; two other downtown campuses are adjacent to Spring Garden Road, close to pubs, cafés and restaurants. A campus in Truro, N.S.—about an hour from Halifax—is home to the only agriculture program in Atlantic Canada. Halifax gets a significant amount of fog throughout the year, but the main campus, which combines historic stone buildings with contemporary architecture, is warm and welcoming.
Standout Programs
• Community Design: In this hands-on program, students learn how to design better living environments with sustainability in mind, tackling real-world issues such as food security, affordable housing and sustainable transportation.
• Management: Core courses, such as accounting, marketing and economics, dominate the first two years; in upper years, students can customize their degree with a choice of specializations and an optional internship.
• Truro Start Program: Students in science, computer science or applied computer science can start first year among a smaller cohort at the Truro campus before completing their studies in Halifax.
Tuition (includes compulsory ancillary fees)
$8,840 ($10,123 out-of-province students)
Minimum Entering Grades
Arts: 70% | Science: 75% | Commerce: 70-80% | Engineering: 80%
Student Body
Undergraduates: Full-time: 14,328 | Part-time: 1,803
Graduates: Full-time: 4,042 | Part-time: 797
International Students: First-year: 15.6% | Graduate: 33.9%
Male-Female Ratio: 45 to 55
Housing Facts
Residence Spaces: 2,626 (2,052 reserved for first-year students)
Residence Costs: Single room: $7,629 to $8,895
Double room with meals: $9,760 to $12,865
Single room with meals: $11,614 to $14,729
Apartment-style: $9,026 to $10,638
Cool Courses
• Electrical Engineering Design II: Students learn advanced aspects of design in the classroom and the lab. The course culminates in a design contest in which students tackle design objectives.
• Landscape Architecture Studio I: Students take part in a studio project involving drawing, researching, writing, model construction, digital media and oral presentations.