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Saint Mary’s University

923 Robie Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia  B3H 3C3
Telephone: 902-420-5400

Profile

Saint Mary’s is a metropolitan university in the heart of Halifax, the Atlantic provinces’ largest city. The university is dedicated to excellence in teaching, research and community outreach. Although primarily an undergraduate institution, the university’s academic plan sees an expansion of graduate programs and a range of master’s and doctoral degrees. The university encourages study abroad opportunities with its many institutional linkages.

Saint Mary’s Sobey School of Business trains its students to face the challenges of the new global markets. The Faculty of Arts offers a comprehensive range of majors and minors including Asian studies, criminology and international development studies. There are pre-professional programs offered in law, medicine, engineering, theology, dentistry and architecture. The Faculty of Science programs include an astrophysics major. Students in science and commerce may pursue valued work experience alongside their studies through a cooperative education program. The Faculty of Graduate Studies offers 15 master's programs across the faculties of Arts, Commerce and Science, one graduate diploma program and three doctoral programs (business administration, astronomy and psychology). The university and the campus are compact enough to instill a strong sense of community; yet, students can pursue advanced studies in state-of-the art facilities.

Saint Mary’s is home to students from across Canada and from over 82 different countries. This combination of backgrounds makes the university an exciting, diverse and international community in which to live and study.

History
Year of foundation: 1802
Former name of the institution: Saint Mary’s College.

Student fees

Canadian student fees  2009 - 2010 *
Undergraduate tuition fees: $4,558 - $5,580
Graduate tuition fees: $2,053 - $6,150

International student fees  2009 - 2010 *
Undergraduate tuition fees: $11,160
Graduate tuition fees: $5,307 - $10,614

* Source: Statistics Canada. Fees for general programs in arts and humanities.

Note: In addition to tuition fees, universities generally charge fees for goods and services supplied to students. This includes areas such as student associations, sports and health. These additional fees vary widely per university and per student and can run from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars. Check with the university for details.

Student enrolment

2009 rounded preliminary fall enrolment *
Full-time (undergraduates): 5,960
Full-time (graduates): 320
Part-time (undergraduates): 750
Part-time (graduates): 260

* Source: Association of Atlantic Universities

Programs and degrees

Note: The program information is compiled by AUCC staff in cooperation with staff at member institutions. The programs are classified according to the Classification of Instructional Programs 2000. To search for the programs offered by this institution, please consult the Directory of Canadian Universities’ programs database online at http://www.aucc.ca/can_uni/search/index_e.html.

Student facilities and services

Personal support services
Campus safety patrol; 24-hour security desk; safe drive home program; chaplaincy; conflict resolution advisor; personal and career counselling services; Aboriginal student advisor, Black student advisor; daycare service; disabled students support centre; financial counsellor (provides advice on bursaries and scholarships); fitness centre; international student advisor; international student centre; student employment centre; student health services; student peers office; UPass transit service.

Academic support services
Art gallery; bookstore; library services; business development centre; centre for new students; Atlantic Centre of Research, Access and Support for Students with Disabilities; undergraduate program advisors; co-op education; observatory; free professional and confidential career counselling; intensive english program at the TESL Centre; writing centre; study skills program; S.T.E.P.S. (Strategies Toward Establishing Personal Success), a student success program, which consists of workshops, seminars and academic coaching.

First-year student programs
The centre for new students offers preadmission counselling and help with course selection process. The university organizes an information day for parents and new students in July, and an orientation for all new students in September. Student Services’ F.Y.I. Boot Camp is a non-credit program designed to help first-year students meet new friends, master academic life and connect with the university campus and community. Students learn about transition issues and how to tackle them, develop strategies for academic success, and learn how to manage time, stress and money. This is an interactive and informative program that offers guidance and support, while answering all the questions a first-year student may have.

Housing
On-campus: Saint Mary’s houses more than 1,200 students in three residence buildings. They consist of male-only, female-only and co-ed dormitory-style residences as well as apartment-style residences with co-ed floors. Residence spaces for first-year students are reserved by date of application on a first-come, first-served basis. Returning student spaces are allocated by seniority and a room draw. Cost per academic year for residence rooms with obligatory meal plan: single room, $8,360 - $8,910; double room, $7,460 - $8,010; apartment style residence, $4,500 - $5,725 (room only); senior suites, $5,550 - $5,725 (for senior and graduate students); family housing, $820 - $1,080/month. All residences have been renovated, complete with new furniture, cable TV, Internet, voice mail and telephone connections included in rates.

Off-campus: Housing is available near Saint Mary’s, including bachelor as well as one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments. Prices vary greatly depending on location, building quality, size and amenities. A review of one-bedroom apartments available through the SMU off-campus housing office showed an average monthly rent of $750, not including phone, cable, heat, electricity and Internet access. The off-campus housing office provides assistance to students in locating available accommodation. Students pay $117 for a Metro UPass which gives eight months total access to Metro Transit.

Student assistance
Undergraduate/Graduate: Saint Mary’s offers numerous entrance and in-course scholarships and bursaries, for a total of $4.9 million in undergraduate and graduate awards. Entrance awards range from $500 to $3,500 and may be renewed. Students are automatically considered if they achieve a minimum of 80 percent average. Students may also be considered for Santamarian Scholarships, International Baccalaureate Scholarships and Presidential Scholarships valued at $5,000, $8,000 and $9,000 per year respectively, and renewable for a total of $20,000, $32,000 and $36,000. Students may also apply for a number of named scholarships and bursaries.

In-course awards range from $1,000 to $3,500. Bursaries are offered based on financial need while graduate fellowships are also available. Saint Mary’s also operates an employment program to supplement financial need and provide work experience.

University research

Saint Mary’s University is committed to pursuing excellence in research. Included in its specific commitments in research activities are: being a resource to the community, responsive to the needs of all its groups; pursuing linkages across disciplines; reaching out to the regional, national and international community by cooperating with businesses, government agencies and other academic institutions.

New facilities underway include the three story “Atrium”. This $17.5 million investment in teaching, learning, research and community accessibility follows the re-opening of the Science Building after its $25.5 million renovation and renewal. Saint Mary's now boasts one of the most modern sciences facilities in Atlantic Canada. Scheduled for 2009-2010 is the Homburg Centre for Health and Wellness.

With its state-of-the-art science facilities and expertise, Saint Mary’s supports research in many fields, while maintaining a strong sense of community and a focus on students. Our five focus areas of research are: research for Atlantic Canada communities; innovation in business management and workplace studies; environmental studies and sustainable development; astronomy and computational science; and international development and human migration issues. External funding support of research at the university has increased more than four-fold in the last five years.

In the last few years, the university has greatly increased internal funding to provide stipends for graduate students involved in research programs. This funding has leveraged significant funds from other sources and has greatly encouraged students to be engaged in research at the university.

International education

Saint Mary’s University places a priority on the internationalization process and on preparing students and the community to meet the challenges of globalization. It encourages faculty, staff and students to be involved globally.

International students from more than 82 countries bring a distinct international flavor to the university and to the community. Saint Mary’s, through its Student Services Department and International Student Centre, works hard at ensuring that international students feel comfortable and “have a place” at the university and in the community.

Participation by Saint Mary’s students, staff and faculty in overseas study, research and work is facilitated in a variety of ways. Students participate in international study programs which allow for transfer of credit back to Saint Mary’s degree programs. This is achieved through a formal arrangement between Saint Mary’s and an international partner (Saint Mary’s has approximately 25 active institutional agreements in place representing five continents) or on a “one off” basis reflecting an individual student’s interest. In addition, Saint Mary’s professors deliver some courses for our students in an international venue.

Contact
Dr. Alain Boutet, Director
International Activities
Telephone: 902-420-5195
E-mail: alain.boutet@smu.ca

Affiliated college

Atlantic School of Theology
660 Francklyn Street
Halifax NS B3H 3B5
Telephone: 902-423-6939