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Philosophy (BA)

Engage with fundamental questions about existence and knowledge.

Program Type
Bachelor
Faculty
Unit
Location
Program Start
September and January
Program Options
Honours
Major
Minor

Why choose this program?

Philosophy asks fundamentally important questions - questions concerning knowledge, value, existence, ethics, race and gender, truth and justice - that have enduring relevance in everyday life.  Students will learn to think deeply, systematically, rigorously, and productively about profound issues of life that affect us all.

Admission requirements

Minimum admission requirements

To be considered for admission to this program, you must meet minimum academic criteria:

  1. Completion of secondary school (Grade 12)
  2. Achievement of the minimum average for your program of choice.
  3. Completion of Grade 12 English (or equivalent course).

Admission to many Dalhousie programs is competitive. This means that meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.

Program-specific admission requirements

  • Minimum overall average: 70%

  • Academic English 12

  • Four additional academic subjects

Financial information

A university education is a significant financial investment. Every student is unique, and so are their financial circumstances. We offer competitive tuition, a robust scholarship and bursary program, and resources and support to help you explore financial options and develop a plan that works for you.Ìý

Program options

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.


The following Philosophy program options are offered by pilipiliÂþ»­â€™s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Connect with an academic advisor after you start your studies to explore options such as:  

  • Combined Honours Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy

  • Honours Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy

  • Bachelor of Arts with Major in Philosophy

  • Bachelor of Arts with Double Major in Philosophy

  • Minor in Philosophy, Applied Ethics or Bioethics

What you will 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.

Sample courses may include:

  • Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy

  • Epistemology, Metaphysics

  • Ethics in Science

  • Legal Thinking

  • Ethics in the World of Business

  • Reasoning Skills

  • Animal Ethics

  • History of Ethics: Kant’s Moral Theory

  • Contemporary Feminist Theories

  • Contemporary Philosophical Issues

  • Philosophy of Race

  • Ethics, Justice, and Economics

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 and makes us more thoughtful, tolerant citizens. This program will prepare you for any career, as philosophy is the ultimate transferable skill.

Careers

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.

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