In this Guide
Learn the many ways you can extend your classroom experience to the real world.
- Take required Health Studies courses, including Introduction to Public Health and Social Determinants of Health, and explore other programs of interest through electives.
- Focus your studies in one of the following areas of concentration:
- Health Studies
- Autism and Behavioural Science
- Addictions and Mental Health
- Enhance your academic experience at Laurier through professional one-on-one, online and peer-to-peer resources available through Academic Advising and Support.
- Register for a senior-level course with a practicum component or field placement requirement.
- Get a Vulnerable Sector Police Check if you are volunteering or taking courses where you work with children or youth.
- If you’re thinking about applying to graduate school, talk with your professors and visit the Career Centre.
- Participate in experiential learning opportunities through credit courses involving a community placement and/or an undergraduate research project in your fourth year.
- If you’re applying to graduate school, sign up for a scholarship proposal writing workshop and book a further education application appointment.
As a Health Studies student, you can:
- Join student clubs such as the Health Studies Student Association or the Human and Social Sciences Association (HASSA) and build leadership skills through joining an executive team.
- Promote health & wellness in the Laurier community by participating on the Residence Athletics & Wellness Council (AWC).
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
- Develop a comprehensive view of health and health care by utilizing an interdisciplinary perspective to understand the social, biological and environmental causes of illness.
- Develop knowledge of the Canadian health care system including governance, institutions, jurisdiction and funding.
- Think critically about medicine, technology and health care systems.
- Understand the roles of equality and justice as they pertain to health.
- Demonstrate knowledge of health care management, policies and political structures.
- Study long-term trends in health and disease as well as the impact of epidemic disease on societies.
- Demonstrate knowledge of epidemiology and the factors that govern the measurement and analysis of health and disease in populations.
- Assess the impact of diversity and inter-cultural communications on health care systems.
- Discover how information is sourced, valued and used in creating new knowledge.
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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Pursuing Further Education
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Employed
17 Brantford Health Program 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. 6% 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 - Social Work, Global Health Systems, Occupational Therapy, Health and Aging
- College Program - Addictions and Mental Health, Human Resources
- Doctor - Chiropractic
Sample Jobs Within the First Year After Graduation
- client health services coordinator
- clinical administration
- fraud operations agent
- housing stability worker
- insurance administrative coordinator
- recruitment coordinator
- rehabilitation assistant
- relief worker
Careers Of Alumni Two to Five Years After Graduation
- behaviour therapist
- case manager
- clinical/quality coordinator
- human resources advisor
- long-term care administrator
- patient service representative
- pharmaceutical specialist
- project coordinator
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
- community outreach
- education
- epidemiology
- government
- health and safety
- health and wellness
- health policy
- healthcare/rehabilitation
- human resources
- insurance
- long-term care
- medical writing
- mental health
- non-profit/advocacy
- public health
- research
- social service
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!
Share Your Feedback
We'd love to hear from you. Complete the Laurier Experience Guide Feedback Survey to share your thoughts.