WELCOME TO FASS! Helpful information for first-year undergraduate students
The 2024 Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences newsletter for first-year students
A message to new students from the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Hello and welcome to the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) at 麻豆社!
My name is听Dr. Jennifer Andrews听and I'm听the Dean听of FASS. We're looking forward to welcoming you as you start your journey as an undergraduate student.听听to learn more about what 麻豆社 and FASS have to offer! We hope you're excited to come to Dal!
As a transplant to Nova Scotia and Halifax who has now been here for two years, I have no doubt you are as excited as I am to come to campus this fall and have the full 麻豆社 experience. I am eager to help you to fulfill your dreams and aspirations as you undertake your degree in one of the most dynamic and wide-ranging faculties on the 麻豆社 campus. Our FASS professors provide you with the opportunities to explore subject areas that you are passionate about and to learn how to think critically, analyze arguments, and communicate effectively.
罢丑别听Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences听has a wonderful, rich and diverse set of programs. We offer the most academic choices of any such faculty in Atlantic Canada; we can help you to chart your own path and to discover new areas of interest.听
痴颈蝉颈迟听听for more information on all of our programs.听Click here听to access further links to resources that you may find helpful as a first-year FASS student.
Remember too that learning communities extend far beyond the classroom. I would encourage you to engage with advocacy groups, student clubs, and societies. You can connect with fellow first-year students as well as upper-year students by getting involved with the听听(also known as DASSS) and joining us at the听FASS First-Year Student Mixer on Wednesday, September 4th in the front lobby/mezzanine area of the Marion McCain Arts and Social Sciences Building听(further details about this event can be found in the column to your right in this newsletter).
You may also wish to pursue experiential learning opportunities outside of the classroom, whether as an apprenticeship, a community service learning course, a field course, a placement, or a creative and artistic production; more information on FASS Experiential Learning (also known as FASS-Ex) is provided here:听听.
Several of our programs offer courses abroad where you can travel and explore new places while on your learning journey. FASS has a great number of听opportunities for study abroad听that we encourage you to consider.
And don't forget about our programs offered by the Fountain School of Performing Arts! Students enrolled in these programs will have incredible opportunities to learn and work with award-winning performers, theatre and music creators, and academics who continue to make amazing impacts and innovations in the performing arts industry. And all members of the 麻豆社 community are welcome and encouraged to attend and enjoy the amazing productions and performances that feature students, faculty and alumni of the Fountain School. Learn more about their upcoming 2024-2025 performance season.
Additionally, FASS hosts several public lectures throughout the academic year. Some of these lecture events are already in their planning stages. Learn more about some of the FASS Faculty Lecture Series & Seminars here.
I look forward to meeting you in the months ahead and wish you all the best in your transition to university life.
Getting started as a FASS student
Welcome!听 We are so happy that you chose the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at 麻豆社.
My name is听Dr. Lindsay DuBois听and I am the听Associate Dean Academic听of the Faculty, which means that it is my job to help support existing Academic programs and to foster new ones. 听
Last year, we formally launched the听Black and African Diaspora Studies听as Major, Honours and Certificate programs, as well as a revitalized Minor. This is the first Major of its kind in Canada, and we are very excited that it鈥檚 happening here.
I expect these terms听鈥� Honours, Major, Minor, Certificate听鈥� are bewildering right now.听 They indicate different degrees of concentration in a subject area. So you will build your own program around your passions and interests. You don鈥檛 have to choose only one.听 For example, you could Major in Political Science, with a Minor in Indigenous Studies, adding a Certificate in Theatre Creation. The possibilities are pretty amazing. We know that all this choice can also be a bit daunting.听 Don鈥檛 worry, this first year is all about exploring.听 Most of you (the Bachelor of Arts students) will be taking one of our first year lecture courses:听Introduction to the Humanities (ASSC 1300) and Introduction to the Social Sciences (ASSC 1400). These courses are designed especially for you, to introduce you to the range of academic disciplines, approaches, and ideas we teach here.听 Some of them will be familiar, but some may not. For example, I ended up as an anthropologist. Anthropology is the study of people, societies, and cultures across the globe, but it is a word I had not even heard before I arrived at university! In other words, there is a lot to discover on this journey you have just begun.
A reminder to please be mindful of the important dates listed on the Dal website. Here you will find details about Dal holiday closures, fee schedules, deadlines to add/drop courses, and more.
If you have questions about FASS courses or programs, or suggestions about ideas for how we can best help you to succeed in a degree that fits you, I鈥檇 love to hear them! Please don鈥檛 hesitate to contact me at听fassadac@dal.ca听. I hope to see you around Dal this fall. Have a wonderful year!
Academic Support for FASS Students
Hello, and welcome to a fresh, new academic year at Dal!
滨鈥檓听Dr. Becca Babcock, the Assistant Dean of Student Matters听in FASS.听I鈥檓 the person you might come to when something鈥檚 gone wrong. If something has gotten in the way of your academic progress, if you discover that your program or your classes are not what you鈥檇 hoped they might be, if听unexpected issues prevent you from completing your courses, or if you鈥檙e facing academic probation or even dismissal, please come and talk to me. We鈥檒l figure out your options together. 听
Many new students discover that university is the first time they are accountable to themselves鈥攏ot to teachers or parents or bosses or families. This discovery will lead to new skills, new strategies, new ways of understanding, and new ways of approaching challenges. I hope that you find this academic journey fulfilling and successful. If you need support from my office along the way, please contact me at听asstdeanfass@dal.ca.听
Keep an eye out in September for the first monthly FASS e- newsletter of this academic term; I鈥檒l post my drop-in office hours, and I鈥檒l share an announcement about Beagle at the Bissett, a program that will let you drop by and snuggle Luna the Therapy Dog while you get academic advice!
After a restful summer break, Luna the Therapy Dog is looking forward to another year of snuggling with students at Dal!
Follow FASS and DASSS on social media!
You're invited to the FASS First-Year Students Mixer!
Join us on Wednesday, September 4th听at听5:30 pm听in the Marion McCain Arts and Social Sciences Building in the front lobby/mezzanine area (entrance location is听6135 University Avenue, Halifax) for听the FASS First-Year Students Mixer! This will be a great opportunity to meet听FASS faculty members and representatives from the听Dean's Office, plus, you'll have the chance to meet and mingle with several upper-year students and members of the听听who are excited to talk to you about what to expect in your first year as Dal students, and of course, meet your fellow first-year FASS students!
We'll have a听FASS Photo Booth听set up so you can take your pictures and mark your first official day of classes as a FASS student! We'll also have some听FASS-cinators听that you may use to make your photos even more听FanFASStic!听
We'll have听free pizza and beverages听to offer (first come, first served) and also some really cool FASS stickers and pens as a welcome gift for you!
All first-year FASS students are welcome! Come meet your fellow FASS-Mates!听
FASS Locations on Dal's Studley Campus in Halifax
The Marion McCain Arts and Social Sciences Building
This building, located at听6135 University Avenue, is home to most of the听FASS departments' offices (plus lounges that students are welcome to use!) including Classics, English, French, German, History, International Development Studies, Philosophy, Russian Studies, Sociology & Social Anthropology, Spanish & Latin American Studies, the Multidisciplinary Centre, and the Office of the Dean. This building also houses听two lecture auditoriums, dozens of classrooms, computer labs, study spaces, and faculty members' offices. When you arrive to campus, you'll notice a lot of construction happening on the McCain Building as it's currently undergoing an exterior siding, roof and windows renewal. But fear not - the building is stilll open and operational and we're looking forward to welcoming new and returning students into the McCain building! Learn more about the Marion McCain Exterior Envelope Renewal project here.
The Henry Hicks Building
The Henry Hicks Academic Building, located at听6299 South Street听(you can access this building from University Avenue by walking up past the Killam Library and through the Studley Quad), houses听the Political Science department (which is one of the听departments in FASS). The Hicks also houses听classrooms, the听Registrar's Office,听Student Accounts, the听Faculty of Graduate Studies听and a number of student services and administration offices including听Human Rights & Equity Services.
The Fountain School of Performing Arts Building
This new (2022) building, located at听1385 Seymour Street听houses the Fountain School of Performing Arts' 300-seat Joseph Strug Concert Hall, innovative practice and rehearsal spaces, and the Costume Studies studios. You will also find听study, performance and practice spaces; as well as faculty and staff members' offices at the adjoining听麻豆社 Arts Centre听(home of the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium and the Dal Art Gallery) at听6101 University Avenue. Together, the two buildings house The Fountain School听which encompasses 麻豆社's Music, Theatre, and Cinema and Media Studies programs.听
New to Dal & O-Week
Check out the New to Dal website which includes links to a lot of fun and useful programming, and also links to the 听- which runs from August 29 - September 7!
New 麻豆社 undergrad students beginning in the Fall 2024 semester now have access to the听听This course includes a series of videos to help you learn about academic expectations, how to budget and manage your money, tips to take care of your health, info about your new communities, supports and services that you can access at 麻豆社, and so much more.
Those who complete the Pre-Arrival Orientation course will be entered for a chance to win one of two Apple Watches! To begin the videos and for more contest rules/info,听
Additionally - we hope to see you at the 听community day event on Sunday, September 8th from 1pm -3pm at the听IDEA Atrium on the Sexton Campus (1345 Norma Eddy Ln). Join us help give back at the 麻豆社 Community Day, a heartwarming event dedicated to making a positive impact in our community! On Community Day, students will be placed in groups with their faculties to create hygiene kits for those in need and craft thoughtful cards for seniors citizens.听
Academic Advising with Student Success Advisors
New to campus and need help picking classes?听 Have questions about a potential major or career?听 Want to make a plan but not sure where to start?
The Bissett Student Success Centre(BSSC) provides academic advising to 1st and 2nd-year Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Science, and 1st-year Engineering students. Career advising, career counselling, and career services are available to all 麻豆社 students.
