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Undergraduate Degree Requirements for Nova Scotia Applicants

General Requirements

Undergraduate degree program applicants from Nova Scotia must present the following:

  1. High School Diploma
  2. 5 academic courses at the Grade 12 academic level including the required courses for your chosen degree, as outlined below

View approved grade 12 courses for Nova Scotia students, or scroll down the page.

Things to remember:

  • Estimated cutoff ranges are based on admission averages from previous years and are provided as a point of reference. Exact cut-offs are determined by the quantity and quality of applications received and the space available in the program. Having an average within this range does not guarantee admission.
  • Co-op averages will often exceed the estimated cut-off ranges. Students not admissible to co-op will be automatically considered for the regular program.
  • Majors with a single asterisk * indicate a co-op option is available.
  • Majors with a double asterisk ** indicate admission to co-op only.

Admission Requirements by Program - Nova Scotia Students

Majors

  • Applied Human Nutrition
  • Child Studies
  • Family Studies and Human Development

Required Courses

Applied Human Nutrition

  • English 12 (Academic) or English 12 African Heritage
  • 1 academic math (Math 12 academic, Pre-Calculus 12, Calculus 12)
  • Biology 12
  • Chemistry 12
  • 1 additional course numbered 12 academic or advanced

Child Studies & Family Studies and Human Development

  • English 12 (Academic) or English 12 African Heritage
  • 1 academic math (Math 12 academic, Pre-Calculus 12, Calculus 12)
  • 3 additional courses numbered 12 academic or advanced

Estimated Cut-off Ranges

  • 75-80%

Majors

  • Anthropology*
  • Art History
  • Classical and Modern Cultures
  • Creative Writing
  • Criminal Justice and Public Policy*
  • Culture and Technology Studies*
  • Economics*
  • English
  • Environmental Governance*
  • Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics*
  • French Studies
  • Geography*
  • History*
  • International Development Studies*
  • Justice and Legal Studies*
  • Music
  • Philosophy
  • Political Science*
  • Psychology*
  • Quantitative Economics and Finance*
  • Sexualities, Genders and Social Change
  • Sociology
  • Studio Art
  • Theatre Studies

Required Courses

Economics and Quantitative Economics and Finance

  • English 12 (Academic) or English 12 African Heritage
  • Pre-Calculus 12
  • 3 additional courses numbered 12 academic or advanced

Other majors

  • English 12 (Academic) or English 12 African Heritage
  • 4 additional courses numbered 12 academic or advanced

Notes

  • Completion of  Pre-Calculus 12 is highly recommended for Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics; this major requires knowledge in math. A grade 12 academic math course is recommended for students pursuing other social science majors.
  • Students not admitted to Criminal Justice and Public Policy will be automatically considered for the Bachelor of Arts, Justice and Legal Studies. Students not admitted to Psychology will be automatically considered for the Bachelor of Arts, Sociology. Learn more about Alternate Offers.

Estimated Cut-off Ranges

  • 80-86% (Criminal Justice and Public Policy, Psychology)
  • 75-80% (all other majors)

Required Courses

  • English 12 (Academic) or English 12 African Heritage
  • Pre-Calculus 12
  • 2 of Biology 12, Chemistry 12, Physics 12
  • 1 Arts or Social Studies course numbered 12 academic or advanced

Notes

  • Arts and Social Studies courses include languages and literatures, performing arts, social sciences, geography and history.

Estimated Cut-off Range

  • 78-83% 

Majors

  • Environmental Management*
  • Equine Management*

Required Courses

Environmental Management

  • English 12 (Academic) or English 12 African Heritage
  • Biology 12
  • 3 additional courses numbered 12 academic or advanced

Equine Management

  • English 12 (Academic) or English 12 African Heritage
  • 1 Grade 12 Math (Math 12- academic, Pre-Calculus 12, Calculus 12)
  • Biology 12
  • Chemistry 12
  • 1 additional course numbered 12 academic or advanced

Notes

  • Students interested in Environmental Management are strongly recommended to take an academic level math and chemistry.
  • Applicants to Environmental Management who lack chemistry will be required to take a replacement course in semester one.

Estimated Cutoff Ranges

  • 75-80%

Majors

  • Accounting*
  • Food and Agricultural Business*
  • Government, Economics and Management*
  • Hospitality and Tourism Management
  • Management*
  • Management Economics and Finance*
  • Marketing Management*
  • Real Estate*
  • Sport and Event Management*
    • Offered in-person and fully online
  • Undeclared (first year only)

Required Courses

Government, Economics and Management & Hospitality and Tourism Management

  • English 12 (Academic) or English 12 African Heritage
  • Pre-Calculus 12
  • 3 additional courses numbered 12 academic or advanced

Other majors & undeclared

  • English 12 (Academic) or English 12 African Heritage
  • Pre-Calculus 12
  • 1 additional academic math (Math 12 academic, Calculus 12)
  • 2 additional courses numbered 12 academic or advanced

Notes

  • Students interested in co-op should apply directly to a major with co-op, as Undeclared does not have a co-op option.

Estimated Cut-off Range

  • 80-86%

Majors

  • Computer Science*
  • Software Engineering*

Required Courses

  • English 12 (Academic) or English 12 African Heritage
  • Calculus 12
  • 3 additional courses numbered 12 academic or advanced

Notes

  • Computing and data management (math) type courses are recommended, as are other courses necessary to prepare you for study in an area of application.

Estimated Cut-off Range

  • 85-90%

Majors

  • Music
  • Studio Art
  • Theatre Studies

Required Courses

  • English 12 (Academic) or English 12 African Heritage
  • 4 additional courses numbered 12 academic or advanced

Estimated Cut-off Range

  • 75-80%

Majors

  • Biological Engineering**
  • Biomedical Engineering**
  • Civil Engineering**
  • Computer Engineering**
  • Engineering Systems and Computing**
  • Environmental Engineering**
  • Mechanical Engineering**
  • Mechatronics Engineering**
  • Water Resources Engineering**

Required Courses

  • English 12 (Academic) or English 12 African Heritage
  • Pre-Calculus 12
  • Calculus 12
  • Chemistry 12
  • Physics 12

Notes

  • Students are admitted directly to the co-op program. A regular stream is available, and students not interested in co-op may request a transfer once they begin their program.

Estimated Cut-off Range

  • 84-89%

Required Courses

  • English 12 (Academic) or English 12 African Heritage
  • Pre-Calculus 12
  • Biology 12
  • Chemistry 12
  • 1 additional course numbered 12 academic or advanced

Estimated Cut-off Range

  • 75-80%

Required Courses

  • English 12 (Academic) or English 12 African Heritage
  • 4 additional courses numbered 12 academic or advanced

Notes

Estimated Cut-off Range

Admission is determined through a combination of academic grades and evaluation of the Background Information Form (BIF).

Majors

  • Mathematical Science

Required Courses

  • English 12 (Academic) or English 12 African Heritage
  • Pre-Calculus 12
  • Calculus 12
  • 2 additional courses numbered 12 academic or advanced

Estimated Cut-off Range

  • 78-84%

Required Courses

  • English 12 (Academic) or English 12 African Heritage
  • Pre-Calculus 12
  • 2 of Biology 12, Chemistry 12, Physics 12
  • 1 Arts or Social Studies course numbered 12 academic or advanced

Notes

  • Arts and Social Studies courses include languages and literatures, performing arts, social sciences, geography, and history.

Estimated Cut-off Range

  • 80-85%

Majors

Biological Sciences

  • Animal Biology
  • Biochemistry*
  • Biological Science
  • Bio-Medical Science
  • Biomedical Toxicology*
  • Food Science*
  • Human Health and Nutritional Sciences*
  • Human Kinetics
  • Marine and Freshwater Biology*
  • Microbiology and Immunology*
  • Molecular Biology and Genetics*
  • Neuroscience*
  • Plant Science*
  • Wildlife Biology and Conservation*
  • Zoology

Physical Sciences

  • Biological and Medical Physics*
  • Biological and Pharmaceutical Chemistry*
  • Chemical Physics*
  • Chemistry*
  • Physical Science
  • Physics*
  • Theoretical Physics

Required Courses

Biological Sciences

  • English 12 (Academic) or English 12 African Heritage
  • Pre-Calculus 12
  • 2 of Biology 12, Chemistry 12, Physics 12
  • 1 additional course numbered 12 academic or advanced

Physical Sciences

  • English 12 (Academic) or English 12 African Heritage
  • Calculus 12
  • 2 of Biology 12, Chemistry 12, Physics 12
  • 1 additional course numbered 12 academic or advanced

Notes

  • Two of three senior-level sciences (physics, biology, chemistry) are required for admission; completion of all three is recommended. Applicants who lack the third science course will take a replacement course in semester one.
  • Students not admitted to co-op will be considered for the regular program.
  • Students not admitted to Animal Biology will be considered for Zoology.
  • Students not admitted to Bio-Medical Science or Human Kinetics will be considered for an alternate offer to Biological Science. Learn more about Alternate Offers.

Estimated Cut-off Range

  • Biological Sciences: 80-85% for all majors except:
    • Animal Biology, Bio-Medical Science: 85-91%
    • Neuroscience: 81-86%
  • Physical Sciences: 78-84% for all majors

Majors

  • Animal Science*
  • Crop Science*
  • Honours Agriculture*
  • Horticulture*

Required Courses

  • English 12 (Academic) or English 12 African Heritage
  • Pre-Calculus 12
  • 2 of Biology 12, Chemistry 12, Physics 12
  • 1 additional course numbered 12 academic or advanced

Notes

  • Completion of senior level Biology and Chemistry is recommended. The first year is common; students typically select a major in the second year.

Estimated Cut-off Range

  • 75-80%

Majors

  • Earth Observation and Geographic Information Science*
  • Ecology*
  • Environment and Resource Management*
  • Environmental Economics and Policy*
  • Environmental Sciences*

Required Courses

  • English 12 (Academic) or English 12 African Heritage
  • Pre-Calculus 12
  • 2 of Biology 12, Chemistry 12, Physics 12
  • 1 additional course numbered 12 academic or advanced

Notes

  • Completion of senior level Biology and Chemistry is recommended. The first year is common; students typically select a major in the second year.

Estimated Cut-off Range

  • 75-80%

No direct admission from secondary school. Applicants must have completed a minimum of two years of a full-time undergraduate degree program. For Canadian students, please visit the DVM Program Application for additional admission requirements and residency status.

Required Courses

  • Completion of Grade 11 or 12 Math, Biology and Chemistry is recommended.

Notes

Estimated Cut-off Range

  • 65%-70%

Admission is determined through a combination of academic grades and evaluation of the Background Information Form (BIF).

Approved Academic Grade 12 Courses for Nova Scotia Students:

  • Any Advanced Placement 12 (AP) except Research, Seminar and Capstone
  • Any International Baccalaureate (IB) except TOK, EE and CAS
  • Any 12-level language
  • African Heritage 12
  • Anthropology 12
  • Art 12
  • Biology 12
  • Calculus 12
  • Canadian Geography 12
  • Canadian History 12
  • Canadian Law 12
  • Canadian Literature 12
  • Chemistry 12
  • Comparative World Religions 12
  • Computer Related Studies 12
  • Computer Science 12
  • Drama 12
  • Economics 12
  • English 12
  • English 12: African Heritage
  • Environmental Studies 12
  • Environmental Systems 12
  • Etudes Planetaire Global 12
  • Food Science 12
  • French 12
  • Gaelic 12
  • Geology 12
  • German 12
  • Global Geography 12
  • Global History 12
  • Global Politics 12
  • History 12
  • Law/Droit 12
  • Latin 12
  • Mandarin 12
  • Math 12
  • Mi'kmaq Language 12
  • Music 12
  • Philosophy 12
  • Physics 12
  • Political Science 12
  • Pre-Calculus 12
  • Psychology 12
  • Religious Studies 12
  • Sociology 12
  • Spanish 12
  • Theatre Arts 12

Note:

  • Courses not found on the approved courses list may be considered on an individual basis.

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