History, Affiliations and Rankings

The origin of Saint Mary University can be traced back to the founding of a boys' school by the Reverend Edmund Burke in 1802 at Glebe House. It received degree-granting status from the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in 1841. Saint Mary University is the second oldest English-speaking university and the first Roman Catholic institute in Canada. The Roman Catholic Church established Saint Mary's College in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1802. It was set up in Glebe House on the corner of Spring Garden Road and Barrington Street, with the aim of expanding the educational opportunities of Catholic youth and training clergy. The Nova Scotia Legislature was passed to give the institution university status. The university became a public institution in 1970. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. All academic courses offered by the institution are recognized and accredited by relevant professional bodies and organisations. In addition, the research-oriented university has an extensive global network. It is affiliated with AUCC, IAU, UArctic, ACU, CUSID, and CBIE. It is ranked at #1708 world rank by CWUR 2022 and at #39 National Rank by CWUR 2022. 

Infrastructure, Campuses and Courses

Located in the heart of Halifax in Nova Scotia, Canada, the 80-acre Saint Mary University campus consists of several iconic buildings and green spaces. It is equipped with first-class infrastructure and a plethora of facilities. The campus has spacious classrooms, a bookstore, high-tech laboratories, the Patrick Power Library, and a spacious parking area. Located in a single city block, the campus consists of 11 large buildings built over the years. There are more than 45 student associations divided into five different academic, social and cultural, political or religious and media classes. It offers several Undergraduate, Graduate, Cooperative Learning, Diploma, Certificate, Online Learning and Extended Learning programs in various fields such as Accounting, Science, Computer Science, Engineering, Film Studies, Finance, Business, Mathematics, Management, Health, Psychology, Data Science, Social Studies, Economics, Physics, Law, Entrepreneurship, Biology, Astronomy, Environmental Studies, Commerce, Human Resource Management, International Business, Geography, Forensic Sciences, Chemistry, French, and Public Policy. 

Accomplishments and Alumni

Saint Mary University offers an exclusive International Student Career and Employability Certificate (INC) program to help students transition from university to senior level in a professional environment in Canada. It helps students in local businesses to enhance their employability skills while completing their academic courses. The university has over 50,000 alumni worldwide including many notable names. Some of the prominent alumni are Mayan Francis (served as the 31st Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia), Alan Abraham (served as the 27th Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia), Brian Ahern (guitarist and record producer best known for winning the Lifetime Achievement Award for Producer at the Americana Music Association Awards).

Student Diversity and Visiting Companies

It has over 7,000 part-time and full-time students, 29% of whom are foreign students from 118 countries around the world. On an average there are 40 students in a class. It offers over 1,500 diplomas and degrees every year. It has partnerships with 40 educational institutions in 25 countries. The university offers excellent opportunities to participate in exchange programs in countries such as China, Northern Ireland and The Gambia. Some of the visiting companies are Deloitte, IBM and others.