BA/BS in Asian Studies at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Canada is a bachelor's degree in Asian Studies programme. The programme is delivered on campus. Tuition for international students is CAD 3,301 per credit (CAD 920 per credit for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Bachelor's Degree
Field:Asian Studies
Delivery: On Campus
Local tuition: CAD 920 / credit
International tuition: CAD 3,301 / credit
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
The Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies is an undergraduate degree offered by Saint Mary's University on its Halifax campus, and the page describes it as the largest program of its kind east of Montreal. The program takes a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on anthropology, geography, history, language, and religion, with a particular focus on China and Japan alongside coverage of Vietnam, Korea, and India. Students can take Mandarin and Japanese language courses and seminars on topics such as Asian cinema and Korean history. The program can be taken as a major or minor within the Bachelor of Arts, and related certificates in Chinese Studies and Japanese Studies are also offered. Through the university's international agreements, students can study abroad in China, Japan, or Korea. Instruction is delivered in person at the Robie Street campus in Halifax. The program suits students interested in Asian languages and cultures and in developing cross-cultural and analytical skills, with graduates going on to roles such as cultural liaison, foreign policy analyst, or tourism development officer.
Requirements
Minimum GPA:70.00 / %
Admission Requirements: Saint Mary's admits directly from Canadian high school for the Asian Studies BA, following the university's general Bachelor of Arts requirements rather than a program-specific list: a minimum 70% average with no individual mark below 60%, English 12 academic (or the provincial equivalent, e.g. English 4U in Ontario, English Language Arts 30-1 in Alberta), and four further academic Grade 12 courses; a 70% average across five Grade 11 courses qualifies for early admission. Applicants educated outside an English-language system must meet Saint Mary's English proficiency requirement: IELTS Academic 6.5 with no band below 6.0 (IELTS Online Indicator accepted), TOEFL iBT 83 with no band below 20 (post-January-2026 scale: 4.5 listening, no other band below 4.0), Duolingo English Test 115 with no sub-score below 95, PTE Academic 58, CAEL 60 with no band below 50, Cambridge English 176, or Trinity ISE 96.
Application Details
Application Deadline:Saint Mary's University applies directly, not through a provincial service. For the currently posted cycle, Winter Term 2027 domestic applications close 1 December 2026 and international applications for the same term close 15 October 2026; Entrance Award and Admissions Scholarship consideration requires applying by 15 February 2027. Applications for the following 2027-2028 academic year (Fall 2027 and Winter 2028) opened 1 October 2026, but SMU has not yet published a Fall 2027 closing date for either domestic or international applicants -- the prior cycle's Fall Term domestic deadline was 1 August 2026. Admission is not described as rolling; each term carries a fixed posted deadline, released roughly a year ahead of the term. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
