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Sociology and Social Anthropology (BA)

Explore the Spanish language and Latin American cultures.

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

Why choose this program?

You'll learn how to research, collect, and analyze data to understand the problems people face in society. Immerse yourself in a rigorous and cosmopolitan academic training where you'll study the social world and the behavior of people in a variety of situations. You'll examine individual and group identity, human nature, and communities.

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. 

Program options

The program offers major and minor programs. Dalhousie graduates wishing to upgrade from a minor may complete an additional 30 credit hours to be awarded the Major Conversion or the Honours Conversion. An honours degree is normally the required preparation for graduate study.


The following Sociology and Social Anthropology program options are offered by Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Connect with an academic advisor after you start your studies to explore options such as:  

  • Bachelor of Arts Concentrated Honours 

  • Bachelor of Arts Combined Honours

  • Bachelor of Arts Honours Conversion

  • Bachelor of Arts Major 

  • Bachelor of Arts Double Major

  • Minors in: Sociology and Social Anthropology; Critical Health Studies; Economy, Work and Development; Social Justice and Inequality

What you will learn

The range of courses we offer are as diverse as the discipline itself. In all courses, our program is committed to two goals: the development of strong research skills and building a critical edge in students so they engage with real-world examples of power and social inequality on an academic and practical level. 
 
We encourage you to find your own intellectual voice while you receive a solid education in Sociology and Social Anthropology’s two distinct intellectual and methodological heritages.

Sample courses may include:

  • People and Culture: Intro to Social Anthropology

  • Intro to Sociology 

  • Global Politics and Society

  • Explaining Crime and Criminal Behaviour

  • Contemporary Issues in Indigenous Studies

  • Environment and Culture

  • Rethinking Culture and Class

  • Happiness, Play, and Celebration

  • Feminist Perspectives in Sociology and Anthropology

  • Issues in Economy, Work, and Development

  • Issues in Social Justice and Inequality

  • Issues in Critical Health Studies

Sociology and Social Anthropology provide a broad and rigorous academic training, which develops knowledge and research skills that can be translated to the job market, future studies, and everyday life.

Careers

Government white papers, Statistics Canada studies, market research analyses, reports on human rights abuses, even bestsellers by social observers like Richard Florida or Barbara Ehrenreich. Every day, sociologists and social anthropologists influence the direction society moves in. Governments, businesses, and individuals rely on social scientists to measure, observe, and report on our world, so they can make informed decisions. 
 
Career prospects are varied because the fundamental skills taught in the program form the bedrock for many professions in many sectors.

Future studies could include programs at the graduate level in arts and public administration or professional programs such as social work or law.