Students
Laurier will continue to offer most courses online and virtually for the 2020/21 academic year. We continue to work together to identify aspects of programs and activities we can deliver in person, as aligned with public health requirements.
Details will continue to evolve and we will provide updates as information becomes available on the Remote Learning Hub.
The majority of undergraduate and graduate instruction for fall 2020 and winter 2021 will take place either remotely or online:
Exceptions are listed in the Instructional Plans for Fall 2020.
No students will be required to attend classes in person if they are unable to attend or feel unsafe doing so. In these situations, you will be able to attend the class in another format (e.g. virtually), or plans will be made for you to complete the course in another term.
The return to in-person delivery is dependent on governmental and health and safety guidelines permitting us to do so.
Courses were selected based on established criteria; for example, many of these courses are experiential and take place off-site or are courses where learning outcomes cannot be met remotely, such as those where access to laboratories or to on-campus learning materials are required. Some courses are necessary for licensing and accreditation requirements.
There are also several research-based graduate courses that involve individual or small-group instruction or supervision. Graduate programs at alternative Laurier sites such as Toronto, or with weekend classes that don’t have a large number of students on campus at the same time may also be held in person.
The university has created a Remote Learning: Student Support Hub. It offers support in three key areas, academic, mental health and staying connected.
Courses created specifically for online instruction have been collaboratively designed by a content expert (normally a faculty member) and an instructional designer and digital media and educational technology specialists. Online course development is guided by instructional design strategies and makes use of pedagogically led technology. Online courses are intentionally developed for instructors and students to be separated by space (location) and/or time (often both).
Remote instruction, as the term is used here, uses technology-enabled tools and software to facilitate course delivery when in-person instruction is not possible in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Remote” instruction is not directly comparable to “online course” instruction. The difference is not in the quality of the content, but in the design of content delivery.
Remote courses may be held synchronously, meaning you could still meet “virtually” with your instructor and classmates during the scheduled day and time listed on LORIS. Instructors will inform students of the frequency of synchronous meetings in remote courses.
Online courses (marked with an “OC” in the LORIS course code) do not include regularly scheduled class meeting times. In most cases, online course instruction will occur asynchronously. Courses might include scheduled components for virtual interaction.
Laurier’s academic advisors are working remotely and are available to help you. Visit the Academic Advising page to find your advisor's contact information and additional advising resources by selecting your campus, department and/or faculty.
Academic success workshops will be offered online during the fall term. Check the Workshops page for topics, dates and times as the fall term approaches. You can also:
Laurier's International Student Support team is here to help you make the most of academic experience at Laurier. You can make an appointment to get your questions answered.
International students an make appointments by email to laurierinternational@wlu.ca (Waterloo) or lbinternational@wlu.ca (Brantford).
Laurier’s Accessible Learning Centre (ALC) is available to students who have a permanent or temporary disability. This includes full- and part-time graduate and undergraduate students.
Schedule a virtual Transition Connection appointment with an accommodation consultant at the ALC to begin the creation of your academic accommodation plan and learn about the various services available to you as a Laurier student. You will also need to register with the ALC to receive accommodations for the fall term.
To reactivate your accommodations, log in to Accessible Learning Online. If you experience any difficulties using Accessible Learning Online, contact us by email at accessible_learning@wlu.ca.
If you need to meet with your accommodation consultant to discuss any changes to your accommodation plan, book a virtual meeting with your consultant by email at accessible_learning@wlu.ca.
Contact Us:
You’re here to learn and we’re here to help you. You can access direct learning support services and connect with professionals committed to your academic successs.
Connect with us virtually and start developing the academic skills that will help you achieve your educational goals.