Dalhousie Psychology admission requirements: 75% minimum, BA or BSc, and how Neuroscience differs

Dalhousie runs Psychology through the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, and offers it in both the Faculty of Science (BSc) and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (BA). Dal says the psychology program itself is the same either way. The only difference is the general degree rules. The BSc requires math courses, and the BA requires language courses.

Either way, Dal calls the program research-focused. Every student takes required courses in research methods, statistics and systems neuroscience.

You can study at the Halifax campus or the Truro and Bible Hill campus, with September or January starts.

Dal's minimum rules are Grade 12 completion, the program's minimum average and Grade 12 English. For Psychology, the program page lists a 75% minimum overall average, Academic English 12, and three more academic subjects. If you choose the BSc route, you also need Pre-calculus Math 12. If you choose the BA, you need four more academic subjects instead of three, and no math.

For Ontario students, Dal's Canadian applicant page lists the matches. Academic English can be ENG4U, ETS4U, EAE4U or NBEU4U. Pre-calculus can be Advanced Functions MHF4U or Calculus and Vectors MCV4U. Data Management MDM4U counts as academic math, but not as pre-calculus.

Dal says averages for entrance awards use the five courses required for your program. Our Dalhousie Science guide covers the general Bachelor of Science rules. Map your courses with our high school course planner.

Dalhousie publishes a 75% minimum overall average for Psychology. It does not publish a past admitted range or an acceptance rate for the program. Dal says admission to many programs is competitive, so meeting the minimum doesn't guarantee an offer.

Aim above 75%. Dal's general entrance awards typically need an 80% average, so 80% is a sensible target if you want scholarship money too. Check your numbers with our Top 6 average calculator.

BA and BSc students enter as undeclared majors. Dal says this lets you explore during first year and then declare your Psychology major at the end of Year 1. The program page doesn't list a minimum grade to declare Psychology.

Sample first-year courses include Introduction to Psychology and Neuroscience I and II, Writing for the Sciences, and Introductory Statistics for Science and Health Sciences. BSc students can also choose the Dalhousie Integrated Science Program (DISP), a team-based first year with a research project.

After Year 1, the department offers a Major (at least 42 credit hours of psychology above the 1000 level), a Double Major, Concentrated Honours (at least 54 credit hours, a 3.0 GPA and a research thesis), Combined Honours and a Minor. Psychology majors can't add a minor or double major in Neuroscience.

Neuroscience is a separate program in the same department, so it's worth comparing. It has the same 75% minimum and needs Pre-calculus Math 12, Academic English 12 and three more academic subjects to enter the Bachelor of Science. To declare Neuroscience at the end of Year 1, you need at least a B- in every introductory psychology and neuroscience course and every introductory biology course. You also take first-year chemistry and math or statistics.

Dal's pages don't fully agree on degree type. The Neuroscience program page is titled Neuroscience (BSc) or (BA), but its admission section describes BSc entry, and the department's programs page lists the Neuroscience Major and Honours as BSc only, with a BA possible only in some double majors. If you want Neuroscience as a BA, confirm with Dal before you apply.

Dalhousie's Psychology page lists courses and a minimum average only. There's no essay, interview or portfolio for admission. The separate General Entrance Award application is about scholarships, and you complete it after applying.

Psychology isn't on Dal's list of programs with a fixed Fall 2027 deadline. For other programs, Dal says applications can be considered before classes start in September, where space is available. That isn't a reason to wait.

Dal encourages high school applicants to apply early for two dates: February 15, 2027 for the entrance scholarship application, and May 15, 2027 for guaranteed residence. You must accept your offer by paying the admission deposit by May 1, 2027, unless your letter says otherwise. Dal's application fee is $70. Compare these dates on our Canadian university deadlines page.

Dalhousie's Science co-op page lists the programs with a co-op option. Psychology and Neuroscience are not on that list. The list includes Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Economics, Math and Stats, and others.

Psychology students can still get research experience by volunteering in labs or taking part in studies. Dal also offers study abroad at Maastricht University in the Netherlands and other partner schools.

Dal charges tuition by course, at the rate of the faculty that teaches it, not your degree's faculty. Its 2026-27 fee schedule lists Science courses at $1,024.50 each ($341.50 per billing hour) and Arts courses at $903 each ($301 per billing hour).

The Department of Psychology and Neuroscience sits in the Faculty of Science, so expect the Science rate on psychology courses even in a BA. A term of five Science courses is $5,122.50 in tuition. Five Arts courses is $4,515. Auxiliary, society and incidental fees are extra. Check your actual assessment after you register.

Dal says it offers more than 2,000 entrance awards a year, worth about $1,000 to $80,000. If you're coming straight from high school, you complete one General Entrance Award application after applying for admission. Awards consider academics, leadership, involvement, community service, financial need and cultural identity.

To be eligible, you typically need an 80% average. Early entrance award offers must be accepted by January 31, 2027. The scholarship application deadline is February 15, 2027, and offers go out in March 2027.

The 75% minimum is clear, and the BA and BSc lead to the same psychology program. The real choice is whether your teen wants math in the degree (BSc) or language courses (BA).

Budget by course: about $1,024.50 for each psychology course at 2026-27 rates. Our Dalhousie university guide covers residence and life in Halifax.