In this Guide
Learn the many ways you can extend your classroom experience to the real world.
- Take Anthropology courses and explore other programs of interest.
- Participate in developing an Opinion Editorial (Op. Ed.) column for an international forum in your first year of study when taking AN100 Cultures Today.
- Learn about co-op – apply at the end of your first year.
- Enhance your academic experience at Laurier through professional one-on-one, online and peer-to-peer resources available through Academic Advising and Support.
- Consider taking the Intercultural Understanding option.
- Approach a faculty member to discuss potential topics if you are considering a directed studies course for your final year.
- Enrol in courses with an experiential learning component such as Ethnographic Research Methods.
- Apply to be an Instructional Assistant for the Anthropology program.
- Gain research experience through research assistant positions with faculty.
- If you’re thinking about applying to graduate school, talk with your professors and visit the Career Centre.
- The fourth-year capstone course provides in-depth training and experiential learning opportunities as you learn how to design and conduct your own ethnographic fieldwork research.
- Learn how to write a Research Report of the sort applicable to both the workplace and graduate studies when you take AN450 Current Topics in Anthropology in your final year of study.
- If you’re applying to graduate school, sign up for a scholarship proposal writing workshop and book a further education application appointment.
As an Anthropology student, you can:
- Join student clubs such as the Anthropology Students’ Association (AnSA) and build leadership skills through joining an executive team.
- In your third and fourth year, you can apply for the opportunity to work as an Instructional Assistant for a first-year Anthropology course, gaining valuable work experience in facilitating group discussions, explaining concepts to students, and providing feedback on assignments.
Outside of your program, there are many co-curricular opportunities for you to participate in.
- Check out the Experience Catalogue for a full list of co-curricular experiences that are currently offered across campus.
- Volunteer with the Students’ Union (e.g., Laurier Orientation, Hawk Walk, EcoHawks, Food Bank, Emergency Response Team, Shinerama).
- Volunteer on campus with the Accessible Learning, Global Engagement, Sustainability Office, Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, WLU Student Publications and more.
- Get involved in the local community by volunteering off campus.
- Apply for on-campus jobs:
- Check Navigator frequently for job postings or contact individual departments directly.
- Search for job opportunities on the Students’ Union website.
- If you meet eligibility criteria, apply for the Laurier Work Study Program or International Student Work Experience Program.
- Attend Job Fairs to network with employers.
- Explore ways to get involved in research.
- Look into StartUp Lab opportunities for support in launching a new venture.
Job/Volunteer Search Tips
- While on-campus opportunities are posted year-round, recruitment often starts early! Start looking in the winter term for opportunities in the following academic year.
- Have your resumé and LinkedIn profile reviewed by Career Centre staff for both on and off-campus opportunities.
- Laurier offers a variety of co-curricular certificates that you can complete during your studies. Earn certificates in topics including academic development, professional development, wellness, leadership and career development.
- Participate in workshops, programming and events offered by the Career Centre, Gendered and Sexual Violence Prevention and Support, Laurier Library, the Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and more.
- Engage in the First-Year Leadership Program including Campus Councils and House Council and the Leadership Certificate.
- Connect with Global Engagement to learn about international options available to you including opportunities abroad and language and culture sharing programs.
Design Your Degree
These are a few popular academic opportunities which allow you to dive deeper into your major area of study or broaden your knowledge. See undergraduate options, minors and courses for more information.
Develop Your Knowledge and Skills
As a Laurier student, you will develop the following competencies through your curricular and co-curricular experiences.
Competency Framework
Competencies are categories of transferrable skills that appear on your online Experience Record to help you reflect on what you've learned from your experiences. The competencies include:
- Adaptability and Resiliency
- Collaboration and Teamwork
- Communication
- Creativity and Innovation
- Critical Thinking
- Digital Literacy
- Diversity and Intercultural Understanding
- Functional Knowledge
- Leadership
- Problem Solving
- Professional Attributes
- Self-Awareness
Functional Knowledge
The functional knowledge you will develop in your program will help you:
- Demonstrate a holistic understanding of societal and cultural processes and situate past and present cultural issues both at the local and global levels.
- Identify, contrast and compare theoretical positions in anthropology, recognizing the provisional status of knowledge, and build connections between anthropological schools of thought and other disciplinary perspectives.
- Employ a cross-cultural approach to social, political, economic and religious issues and advocate for cultural diversity and
Indigenous knowledge. - Identify and explain the role of power and social inequities in shaping people’s lives.
- Manage cross-cultural sensitivity in creating bridges between societies or different social groups who do not share similar worldviews, while being mindful of the limits of one’s agency.
- Identify, evaluate and employ appropriate qualitative research methodologies and ethical practices.
- Develop self-awareness and ethnographic research skills by pursuing your own fieldwork research project.
- Assess, prioritize and strategically apply anthropological skills and knowledge in diverse life situations.
Discover Career Options
All your experiences at Laurier can help you prepare for your future. Attend Career Centre events and workshops or book a career consulting appointment to explore career and further education options.
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628 Faculty of Arts Undergraduate respondents from the 2024 Laurier Graduate Survey conducted by the Career Centre. Graduates were surveyed within 12 months of graduation. Other includes those travelling, volunteering or out of the workforce. 4% of graduates were looking for employment when survey data collection ended.
Alumni Careers and Pathways
Sample Further Education Programs Within the First Year After Graduation
- Master’s Degree – International Relations and Cultural Diplomacy, Library and Museum Studies
- College Programs – Museum Management, Marketing and Advertising, Addictions and Mental Health, Human Resources
- Bachelor’s Degree – Education
Sample Jobs Within the First Year After Graduation
- field technician
- guest experience manager
- social media coordinator
- user researcher
- youth program coordinator
Careers Of Alumni Two to Five Years After Graduation
- account strategist
- ethnographer
- Indigenous special projects coordinator
- international travel consultant
- lawyer
- museum curator
- talent acquisitions coordinator
- urban planner
Career Options and Resources
Need some guidance on what you can do with your degree? Discover some career options and find resources to help guide you.
Career and Industry Options
- archaeology
- advertising/marketing
- business/corporate development
- communications/public relations
- counselling/social work
- cultural heritage/tourism
- digital media/social media
- economic development
- education/teaching
- historical education
- human resources
- immigration
- international relations
- journalism/media
- library/archives/museum
- non-profit/advocacy
- politics
- research
- social policy
- urban planning/development
Career Resources
- Canadian Anthropology Society
- Society For Applied Anthropology
- The National Trust of Canada
- Center for a Public Anthropology
- Cultural Human Resources Council
Laurier Alumni Career Profiles
Learn about career paths of Anthropology alumni:
Your Experiences Tell Your Story
Share your story through your Laurier Experience Record. An interactive, shareable and official record of your hands-on experiences and learning opportunities at Laurier – the first of its kind in Canada!
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