In this Guide
Learn the many ways you can extend your classroom experience to the real world.
- Take a range of Religion and Culture courses and explore other programs of interest.
- 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.
- Submit your academic work to the Laurier Undergraduate Journal of the Arts or an international student journal for a chance to be published.
- Complete courses with a community service-learning component to be involved in the local community.
- Submit an academic paper to an undergraduate conference, either on campus or at a professional association.
- Consider enroling in senior-level language classes, up to 1.0 language credit can count towards your Religion & Culture requirements. The department also offers a unique Sanskrit course.
- Apply to undergraduate summer research fellowships.
- Attend a Religion and Culture colloquium to connect with innovative scholars in the field.
- Consider taking Arts summer courses at Laurier or abroad.
- Apply for travel grants to conduct fieldwork and research.
- If you are thinking about applying to graduate school, talk with your professors and visit the Career Centre.
- Complete the research seminar capstone course to develop and refine skills in critical thinking, effective writing, oral presentation, and advanced research.
- Complete a 300 or 400-level seminar to experience another way of learning through discussions with other students under the guidance of a professor.
- Attend or present at conferences about religion, public life, faith, and peace.
- Consider the MA in Global Justice, Religion and Culture, offered by Religion and Culture in collaboration with the Department of Global Studies.
- Learn about Research and Instructional Assistantship opportunities in Religion and Culture.
- If you are applying to graduate school, sign up for a scholarship proposal writing workshop and book a further education application appointment.
As a Religion and Culture student, you can:
- Join student clubs such as the Religion and Culture Society and the Arts Undergraduate Society, or culture and identity or religious clubs and build leadership skills by joining an executive team.
- Participate as an undergraduate representative in Religion and Culture department meetings and the Faculty of Arts Divisional Council.
- Volunteer at WLU Fall and Winter Open House events and promote Religion and Culture to prospective students.
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:
- Investigate and analyze the role of religion and culture in society.
- Understand the social and cultural changes in societies, groups and individuals.
- Use acquired knowledge to plan for future development in business, culture, international relations and urban development.
- Interpret current global news, historic religious texts as well as stories and mythology in order to understand individual and cultural differences.
- Recognize the historical differences between groups, societies, religions, and cultures; use this knowledge to identify similarities and bridge differences.
- Develop an awareness of how religious, cultural and historic events impact modern relationships.
- Gain an understanding of religious literacy, ethics and morality.
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 - Global Justice, Religion and Culture, Spiritual Counselling and Psychotherapy, Social Work
- JD - Law
- Bachelor’s Degree - Education
Sample Jobs Within the First Year After Graduation
- administration coordinator
- community worker
- end of life doula
- guest experience manager
- personal banking associate
- project administrator
- social media and video editor
- supervisor of library and media services
Careers Of Alumni Two to Five Years After Graduation
- diversity officer
- family and couple conflict counsellor
- non-profit organization grant specialist
- policy analyst
- program consultant
- refugee settlement worker
- senior marketing manager
- social worker
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
- communications/public relations
- community outreach
- counselling/social work
- cultural heritage
- diplomacy
- education/teaching
- equity, diversity and inclusion
- foreign policy/international relations
- government
- humanitarian aid
- journalism/writing
- law/legal field
- library/archives/museum
- non-profit/advocacy
- research/program development
- social policy
Career Resources
- Canadian Society for the Study of Religion
- Cultural Human Resources Council
- WorkInCulture
- International Society for the Sociology of Religion
- The Society for the Anthropology for Religion
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- Association for the Study of Religion, Economics and Culture (ASREC)
- International Society for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture
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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