In this Guide
Learn the many ways you can extend your classroom experience to the real world.
- Take the Youth and Children’s Studies courses and explore other programs of interest through electives.
- Look for opportunities to volunteer for the Child and Adolescent Research and Education (CARE) Lab.
- Enhance your academic experience at Laurier through professional one-on-one, online and peer-to-peer resources available through Academic Advising and Support.
- Plan for any requirements needed (e.g., police checks) to be able to complete placements and volunteer opportunities with children and youth.
- Meet with Academic Advising to make key academic decisions including discussing teachables if you are thinking about applying for your Bachelor of Education.
- Complete courses with a community service-learning component to gain direct experience working with children and youth, fostering critical thought and reflection on how to enhance and optimize their development and well-being.
- Interested in being a teacher? Top-ranking students in this program are given automatic admission to Laurier’s Bachelor of Education program. Learn about applicable conditions for GPA and prerequisites ahead of applying in your final year.
- If you’re thinking about applying to graduate school, talk with your professors and visit the Career Centre.
- Learn about the Faculty of Liberal Arts Research Assistantship Program.
- Complete your senior seminar and gain research and analytical skills.
- If you’re applying to graduate school, sign up for a scholarship proposal writing workshop and book a further education application appointment.
- Apply for automatic admission to Laurier’s Bachelor of Education program. You will be eligible for consideration if you have:
- a GPA of at least 75% in your most recent 10 credits;
- at least 50 hours of relevant volunteer work;
- submitted all required transcripts and experience profile by the deadline;
- meet all teachable requirements.
- Apply for fast-track admission to the Early Childhood Education diploma at Conestoga College.
As a Youth and Children's Studies student, you can:
- Join student clubs such as the Youth & Children’s Studies Association or Best Buddies and build leadership skills through joining an executive team.
- Volunteer for the Child and Adolescent Research and Education (CARE) Lab to gain research experience, support children’s programming, share knowledge, and support children and youth in the community.
- Get your First Aid/CPR certification.
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
- Integrate and synthesize complex ideas in a multidisciplinary context.
- Develop an interdisciplinary understanding of the lives of children and youth.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the major themes and changes over time in the history of childhood.
- Gain experience working with children and/or youth in a community setting through a supervised field placement.
- Evaluate and analyze research and theory on issues facing children and youth.
- Use analytical tools from various disciplines to assess current problems, issues and trends affecting children and youth.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the physical, social and psychological development of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.
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
30 Youth and Children's Studies respondents from the 2024 Laurier Graduate Survey conducted by the Career Centre. Graduates were surveyed within 12 months of graduation. 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
- Bachelor’s Degree - Education
- Master’s Degree - Social Work, Counselling Psychology
- College Program - Autism and Behavioural Science
Sample Jobs Within the First Year After Graduation
- child and youth worker
- childcare worker
- educational assistant
- school age facilitator
- teacher assistant/classroom facilitator
- youth housing support worker
Careers Of Alumni Two to Five Years After Graduation
- early childhood educator
- human resources coordinator
- occupational therapist
- program advisor
- research assistant
- social worker
- special education assistant
- supervisor/case manager
- teacher
- technical instructor
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
- community development
- counselling/social work
- education/teaching
- entertainment/digital media
- event planning
- government
- healthcare/rehabilitation
- law/legal field
- library/archives/museum
- mental health
- non-profit/advocacy
- recreation
- research
- writing/publishing
- youth justice
- youth policy
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.