At Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Canada, MA/MS in Philosophy is offered as a master's degree in Philosophy & Ethics programme. The programme runs for 1 year, delivered on campus. Tuition for international students is CAD 16,751 per year (CAD 7,564 per year for local students).
Also offered as: Bachelor's Degree
At a glance
Degree:Master's Degree
Field:Philosophy & Ethics
Duration: 1 year
Delivery: On Campus
Local tuition: CAD 7,564 / year
International tuition: CAD 16,751 / year
Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
The Master of Arts in Philosophy at Saint Mary's University is a small, selective graduate program that admits only one or two students per year, creating a close working relationship between students and faculty. The department's research strengths span ethics, social and political philosophy, epistemology, aesthetics, philosophy of education, and the history of late modern philosophy along with philosophy of science. The program begins in September and is delivered on campus, with a minimum completion time of one year; available information does not specify whether the degree is entirely thesis-based or combines a thesis with coursework. Graduate students are given mentorship in teaching, including opportunities for classroom observation and involvement in curriculum development, alongside close research guidance from faculty and access to fellowship support. Admission normally requires an honours bachelor's degree in philosophy or an equivalent qualification. The program suits academically strong candidates whose research interests closely match the expertise of the department's faculty, and applicants are encouraged to discuss their intended thesis topic with the graduate coordinator before applying. Students join a small, collegial intellectual community and are expected to take part in departmental life and local philosophy conferences during their studies.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Admission requires an honours bachelor's degree in Philosophy or its equivalent; the programme has a one-year minimum completion time with a September start, and the application deadline is February 1 for both international and Canadian or permanent-resident applicants. The page does not publish a minimum GPA. Applicants whose first language is not English must meet Saint Mary's general graduate-studies English thresholds: IELTS Academic 6.5 with no band below 6.0, TOEFL iBT 83 with no band below 20 (or 550 paper-based), Duolingo English Test 125 with no sub-score below 105, or Pearson PTE Academic 60 with no sub-score below 50. Prospective applicants are encouraged to discuss thesis topics with the Graduate Coordinator before applying; no other admission condition is stated.
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.
