Arts and Social Sciences Subject Areas

Arts and Social Sciences

The human experience, reimagined: just the right lens to explore who we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re going.

Skills for what's next

Here, you’ll find just the right fit for your interests—with the largest selection of arts and social sciences programs in Atlantic Canada.

Explore culture, society, and ideas that shape our world. You’ll gain critical thinking and creative skills that open doors far beyond the classroom.

From campus to community, you’ll learn by doing—turning ideas into action and experiences into what comes next.

Programs and subject areas Why Dal?

students sitting and walking downtown halifax on citadel hill

Top 65 globally for social & economic impact

1st Black Studies major in Canada

4th for faculty awards in Canada

Explore majors and honours programs

Humanities

Explore the ideas, histories, and cultures that shape our world. Dal’s Humanities programs help you find your voice and build the critical thinking, creativity, ethical reasoning, and communication skills you can take anywhere.

group of students sitting and talking outside a library

Classics

Dal’s department of Classics offers classes covering the rise and fall of Ancient Greek & Roman empires. We teach critical thinking and train great communicators.

Creative Writing

Creative Writing at Dal is taught by published writers in workshops that encourage your writing. Read and critique your peers’ work and get feedback on your own. *Offered as a second major or combined honours.

English

Studying English at pilipili�� teaches you essential written and oral communication expertise valuable in every field of work and helps you develop critical thinking abilities through analysis, reading and interpretation.��

History

Dal’s History program goes beyond borders, offering courses on specific regions and global themes across time, guided by an award-winning faculty active across multiple disciplines.

Philosophy

Philosophy explores enduring questions about knowledge, ethics, existence, and justice, giving students the tools to think deeply, critically, and creatively about the ideas and challenges that shape our world and their own lives.

Religious Studies

Explore how religions shape societies through courses in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and more, while developing curiosity, critical thinking, and open-minded exploration.

University of King's College Offerings

Dal students can explore more Arts & Social Sciences programs offered at King's:

Contemporary Studies Early Modern Studies History of Science and Technology

Languages & Cultures

Explore the languages, literature, and cultures that connect our world. Dal’s Languages & Cultures programs help you gain fluency and build the critical thinking, creativity, cultural awareness, and communication skills you can take anywhere.

professor and student sitting inside and talking

French

We offer the region’s widest range of French courses of any univesity in the region, taught by professors from diverse francophone regions. You'll get support through our Cercle Français tutoring and can join a lively French student society.

German

Take your career further while diving into another culture. Study German language and thought, exploring how thinkers from Freud to Goethe still influence the world today and how their ideas can inspire your own.
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Spanish & Latin American Studies

Explore the Spanish language and Latin American cultures in a small, close-knit program where learning is immersive.

Explore More Languages

You can also take courses in Arabic, Chinese, Mi’kmaw, Italian, Greek, Hebrew, and Latin—giving you even more ways to explore languages and cultures that interest you.

Social Sciences

Examine the systems, cultures, and forces that shape societies. Social Sciences at Dal give you the tools to analyze complex issues, solve problems, and make an impact in the careers and opportunities that matter to you.

Professor lecturing to a few sitting students in a library

Environment, Sustainability, and Society

In Dal's ESS program, you’ll work with others who care about the planet and the people on it. Together, you’ll look at how global issues like climate change, inequality, and urban growth are connected—and discover how you can make a difference through hands-on learning and real-world projects.

International Development Studies

International Development Studies is an interdisciplinary program involving the study of poverty, inequality, social change, and justice in a global context.

Political Science

Political Science is learning about the values, laws, institutions, and policies that govern society, the differences between government systems in other countries, and the forces that shape global politics.

Sociology and Social Anthropology

In Sociology and Social Anthropology, you’ll explore how people, cultures, and communities shape — and are shaped by — society. Build strong research and analytical skills to understand human behaviour, identity, and the social issues that define our world.

Interdisciplinary Programs

Explore the connections between people, culture, and society from multiple perspectives. Interdisciplinary programs at Dal help you think critically, tackle complex issues, and create meaningful change in the paths you’re passionate about.

student sitting and working outside a campus building

Black and African Diaspora Studies

Explore the histories, cultures, and lived experiences of Black communities in Canada and across the world. You’ll examine stories of struggle, resilience, and empowerment—often overlooked in mainstream narratives—while developing critical insights into society, culture, and identity.

European Studies

Gain a broad perspective on Europe by exploring its history and politics, literature and ideas, and the fine arts.��You’ll also learn a European language and connect it to real-world cultures.

Gender and Women’s Studies

Explore history, culture, science, and society through the lens of gender. You’ll study how gender intersects with race, class, and cultural difference, uncovering how these dynamics shape identities, communities, and social change. Along the way, you’ll build critical tools to question assumptions, challenge inequities, and imagine new possibilities for a more inclusive world

Law, Justice, and Society

Explore how law connects to the big questions of fairness, power, and community. In this program, you’ll look at law from many perspectives—history, politics, culture, and philosophy—while learning from researchers and legal professionals. Along the way, you’ll gain insights that prepare you for a variety of paths, including future studies in law, policy, or social justice.

Performing Arts

Bring your creativity to life through music, theatre, and performance. Performing Arts at Dal give you hands-on opportunities to develop your skills, collaborate with peers, and turn your passion into experiences that prepare you for a variety of careers and creative pursuits.

male student in costume singing at a theatre concert with dancers in the background.

Music

Explore your passion for music through performance, composition, and critical study. Learn from accomplished faculty, collaborate with fellow musicians, and develop the skills to share your art on stage, in the studio, and beyond. *Available as a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Music.

Cinema and Media Studies

Dive into the world of film, television, and digital media. Study production, theory, and storytelling, while experimenting with your own projects and exploring how media shapes culture, ideas, and society.

Theatre (Acting)

Develop your acting skills through intensive training and performance opportunities. This program prepares you for a professional theatre career, culminating in several fourth-year productions. You’ll grow as a performer while collaborating in Halifax’s vibrant theatre community.

Theatre (Costume Studies)

Combine creativity, history, and craftsmanship in designing costumes for stage and museum work. This unique program gives you hands-on experience across historical periods and styles, while building research, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills that prepare you for a range of careers in the arts.

Theatre

Step into Halifax’s vibrant theatre scene to study, perform, and create. Choose from four degree concentrations—acting, costume studies, stage design and technical theatre, or theatre studies—and gain hands-on experience across productions. Learn from expert faculty while building the skills, confidence, and creativity needed to bring stories—and communities—to life, both on stage and behind the scenes.

Theatre (Stage Design and Technical Theatre)

Design and build the environments that bring theatre to life. You’ll gain practical experience in set design, lighting, sound, props, and stage management through hands-on labs, preparing you for a dynamic career in stagecraft and live performance production.

Theatre (Theatre Studies)

Explore theatre from every angle, from historical traditions to contemporary innovations. This academically-focused program deepens your understanding of performance, playwriting, directing, and dramaturgy, sharpening your critical thinking and analytical skills while connecting theory to the world of live performance.

Just the right place to learn

Where you belong

Join a welcoming, dynamic community at the heart of Dalhousie’s Halifax campus. Between classes, explore libraries, grab coffee with friends, or head to the waterfront just minutes away. Get involved in student societies, attend events, and collaborate on projects that connect you with peers who share your passions.��You’ll have countless ways to explore your interests, develop new skills, and shape your own experiences along the way.

Whether you’re on stage, in debate, or out exploring Halifax’s diverse arts and culture scene—you’ll find your people and make Halifax home.

Discover Halifax

Learn by doing

Take learning beyond the classroom with experiential learning (EL). With FASS-EX, connect coursework to community projects, simulations, performances, and global exchanges—turning ideas into action while building skills and confidence.

Explore Halifax’s cultural and political institutions, collaborate with peers and professionals, and see your ideas come to life—all for course credit. EL helps students shape careers, pursue graduate studies, and make a difference.

Explore Experiential Learning

costume studies students working in studio

Ideas that spark change

In Arts & Social Sciences at Dal, your learning goes beyond the classroom. Discover lectures, performances, and community events that challenge how you see the world — exploring culture, justice, identity, politics, and the human experience. You’ll hear from professors, visiting scholars, artists, and community leaders who share bold ideas and inspire new ways of thinking.

Open to all students, these experiences invite you to connect, question, and be part of the conversations shaping our world.

Learn more

Students working together on a project and learning from professor

Customize your degree with a minor

A minor lets you explore a new interest, complement your major, or build skills that set you apart. Most students choose their minor in second year, after discovering what excites them.

With options spanning languages, social sciences, law, and cultural studies, Dal makes it easy to tailor your degree to what inspires you most.

*All programs above are also available as minors.

Journalism Studies

Strengthen your communication and research skills while exploring pathways in media, public service, and future journalism study.

Medieval Studies

A Minor in Medieval Studies gives students the ability to understand and critically evaluate a civilization as a whole.

Middle East & South Asian Studies

A Minor in Middle East and South Asian Studies allows students to deepen their understanding of Persian, Arabic, and Sanskritic cultures.

Popular Culture Studies

Dalhousie’s Minor in Popular Culture Studies will teach you popular forms of contemporary cultural expression and creative media.

Security Studies

With a Minor in Security Studies, develop the ability to analyze global challenges such as conflict, war, crime, terrorism, pandemic disease, and more.

From classroom to career

With an Arts & Social Sciences degree, you'll gain the skills that matter most—critical thinking, creativity, communications, and problem solving—preparing you for careers in law, business, media, education, pulic service, and the creative arts.

Your studies aren’t just about learning—they’re about discovering what excites you, building real-world experience, and shaping the future you want.

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Watch the video to see how Lucas is using his theatre studies to shape a future in architecture.

Get ready to apply

Find everything you need to apply—from admission requirements to key dates and deadlines and make sure you’re on track for your next step.

Application deadlines Important dates Academic advising Future student FAQs

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Awards & finances

Estimate your costs with the fee calculator, and explore scholarships and bursaries that help you focus on learning, growing, and achieving your goals.

Tuition and fees Financial aid FASS scholarships & awards Performing Arts scholarships & awards

Take your next step

Your journey in Arts & Social Sciences at Dal is just beginning. Explore programs that match your passions, engage in hands-on learning, and connect with faculty and peers who inspire you. Every course builds skills that open doors to careers in law, media, public service, education, the creative industries, and beyond.

Ready to apply or connect with an advisor? Take the next step toward your future.

Contact an advisor

Find out more about the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, including updates and news from our departments, programs, people, and community.

Stay connected

Interested in learning more about life at Dal? Sign up for our future student email list and we'll send you regular updates on admissions, upcoming events, scholarships, deadlines, and more.

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