Offered by Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Canada, MA/MS in Astronomy is a master's degree in Physics & Astronomy programme. The programme runs for 2 years, delivered on campus. Tuition for international students is CAD 14,596 per year (CAD 6,591 per year for local students).
Also offered as: Doctorate
At a glance
Degree:Master's Degree
Field:Physics & Astronomy
Duration: 2 years
Delivery: On Campus
Local tuition: CAD 6,591 / year
International tuition: CAD 14,596 / year
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
The Master of Science in Astronomy is a graduate program offered by Saint Mary's University's Department of Astronomy and Physics in Halifax, with a minimum completion time of two years and an intake each September. The program combines six lecture-based courses, credit for which may be granted for relevant graduate courses already completed, with a graduate seminar series and a research dissertation. Instruction is delivered in person on the Halifax campus, with an emphasis on interaction between students and faculty and visiting researchers. Students have access to the university's observatories and to the Institute for Computational Astrophysics, which provides high-performance computing resources, as well as connections to nuclear astrophysics research through TRIUMF and public-outreach activity through the Burke-Gaffney Observatory. A weekly visiting-speaker seminar series runs alongside coursework. Admission requires a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree or equivalent in astronomy, mathematics, or physics, with an application deadline of February 1 for both domestic and international applicants. The program suits students seeking to conduct original research toward a specialization in astronomy or astrophysics under faculty supervision.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Saint Mary's admits to the M.Sc. in Astronomy on the basis of an Honours B.Sc. or equivalent in Astronomy, Mathematics or Physics; the program page publishes no numeric minimum GPA, no additional prerequisite coursework, and no program-specific English-language test scores. English proficiency for applicants without an English-medium degree is instead assessed under the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research's own graduate language requirements, separate from the undergraduate scale on Saint Mary's main admissions pages. Applications are due February 1 for a September start, with a minimum two-year program length; candidates apply through the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research and may contact the program coordinator for further details.
Application Details
Start Date:September
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.
