Acadia University

Founded in 1838, Acadia University is one of the oldest and most respected liberal arts universities in Canada. Located just a one-hour drive from Halifax, Nova Scotia and its international airport, Acadia is an integral part of the quintessential college town of Wolfville, overlooking the Annapolis Valley and the Bay of Fundy. When you step onto campus you enter a world of opportunity.

Acadia students spend less time commuting and more time community-building. Students are encouraged to become part of a scholarly community that encourages and inspires them. Community engagement, real-world opportunities, and meaningful research at the undergraduate level are pillars of an Acadia education. The University recognizes that learning means living every moment in and out of class. Working closely with their professors is something that can be transformative for both our faculty and students, and often results in lifelong friendships. The school offers a transcript to certify achievements outside the classroom in volunteering, leadership and professional development. More than 250 students each semester participate in the Sensory Motor Instructional and Leadership Experience (SMILE) program that helps youth with disabilities participate in physical activities. They can also work on service projects through the Institute for Civic Engagement. At the end of the day, students can cheer on one of the school’s 11 varsity sports teams. Acadia focuses on an undergraduate liberal arts education in a setting where professors and students easily connect.

University Strengthen:

• In 1996, Acadia University pioneered the use of mobile computing technology in a post-secondary educational environment. This academic initiative, named the Acadia Advantage, integrated the use of notebook computers into the undergraduate curriculum and featured innovations in teaching. By 2000, all full-time, undergraduate Acadia students were taking part in the initiative. The initiative went beyond leasing notebook computers to students during the academic year, and included training, user support and the use of course-specific applications at Acadia that arguably revolutionized learning at the Wolfville, N.S. campus and beyond. It is the only Canadian university selected for inclusion in the Education and Academia category of the Computerworld Smithsonian Award.
• In addition, Acadia University received the Pioneer Award for Ubiquitous Computing. In 2001, it achieved high rankings in the annual Maclean's University Rankings, including Best Overall for Primarily Undergraduate University in their opinion survey, and it received the Canadian Information Productivity Award in 1997 as it was praised as the first university in Canada to fully utilize information technology in the undergraduate curriculum.

Acadia University is consistently ranked among the top universities in Canada for undergraduate studies in the Maclean's Primarily Undergraduate Canadian Universities rankings (5^th in 2016), coming second in Canada for the 2014 academic year and among the top five for the past decade.   

Each year the Financial Aid Office awards more than $4 million in scholarships, scholar-bursaries, awards, and prizes to new and returning students.

It offers more than 200 degree combinations in its undergraduate academic programs and graduate programs. Some of their most popular majors are in biology, marketing, English, psychology, environmental studies, and kinesiology.

The Vaughan Memorial Library provides many services and specialized collections, which support the teaching and research programs of the University. The library collection of over a million titles in all formats is complemented by numerous electronic services and databases.

80% of the programs offer a Co-op option, including Art

• Community Development: This program balances theory with hands-on learning. Students participate in community projects and gain valuable work experience through professional work placements.
• Data Analytics: Students develop key mathematical and computing skills for big data, learning how to extract information and transform it into new discoveries, practical policies and informed decisions; includes co-op opportunities.
• The Environment: Acadia has two programs that focus on studying the environment. The environmental science program lets students approach issues from a scientific perspective, while the environmental and sustainability studies program looks at environmental policy.

Academics at Acadia

• Applied Geomatics (MSc)
• Biology (MSc)
• Chemistry (MSc)
• Computer Science (MSc)     
• Divinity (MDiv)
• Education (MEd)
• Educational Studies (PhD)
• English (MA)
• Geology (MSc)
• Mathematics and Statistics (MSc)
• Ministry (DMIN)
• Political Science (MA)
• Psychology (MSc)
• Recreation Management (MR)
• Social and Political Thought (MA)
• Sociology (MA)
• Theology (MA) - 1 year
• Theology (MA) - 2 year