Why study Philosophy at Dal?

A long tradition of philosophical excellence

We're recognized as the strongest philosophy department east of Montreal, with an active, engaged intellectual community both in and out of the classroom. Philosophy helps make sense of life. Our program encourages independent thinking; makes us more thoughtful, tolerant citizens; and will prepare you for any career because philosophy is the ultimate transferable skill.

Degree overview

Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor of Arts, BA
Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Department: Department of Philosophy
Campus: Studley Campus, Halifax
Program Length: 4 years
Program Start: September & January



What will I learn?

Our curriculum represents traditional areas of philosophy like ethics, epistemology and logic, but we also investigate newer fields of philosophical inquiry like feminism, biomedical ethics, and philosophy of race. We designed our program to be extremely flexible, allowing you to focus on specific areas or acquire a wide-ranging knowledge of the discipline.

Any subject can be studied philosophically. Our program has interdisciplinary affiliations with many programs, including Psychology, Women’s Studies, Classics, International Development Studies, Computing Science, and Mathematics.

No matter what your major, philosophy courses deepen your understanding of the world.

Sample courses:

  • Ethics and Health Care: Social Policy
  • Philosophy of Language
  • Environmental Ethics
     

Visit the Academic Calendar to view degree options and course details.



Careers and future study

Our graduates are creative thinkers, careful reasoners, clear writers and self-starters. Philosophy will equip you with the mental skill and discipline to succeed at anything you put your mind to.

An ability to apply philosophical techniques to solve real-world problems puts you in an ideal position to manage, lead, and make solid ethical decisions. Some career options to consider:

  • professor
  • ethics researcher
  • enviromentalist
  • policy researcher
     

Future studies could include programs at the graduate level in philosopy, public administration or business administration. Or you might consider a professional program such as law or medicine.



Admission requirements

Undergraduate admission requirements vary based on your previous education and your intended program of study at Dalhousie. Learn about our admissions requirements, book a campus tour, or connect with an advisor if you have questions about your eligibility for admission.

View admission requirements



Ready to apply?