In this Guide
Learn the many ways you can extend your classroom experience to the real world.
- Take required Chemistry, Math, and Physics courses and explore other areas through electives.
- Learn about co-op – apply at the end of your first year.
- Live in the Faculty of Science Residence Learning Community to extend opportunities for learning and development beyond the classroom.
- Participate in Supplemental Instruction sessions for key courses.
- Complete WHMIS training.
- Contact Science Advising and seek help early.
- Enhance your academic experience at Laurier through professional one-on-one, online and peer-to-peer resources available through Academic Advising and Support.
- Survey courses in each chemistry subdiscipline and explore courses in related areas of study including thinking about a minor or an option to complement your degree.
- Look for research opportunities in faculty members' labs.
- Identify an area of concentration within the program – Bio-organic, Materials and Applied Physical, Environmental – or sample a broader selection of chemistry courses.
- Attend CH490 presentations and apply for this Honours Thesis Research course if you are interested in the opportunity to do research.
- If you’re thinking about applying to graduate school, talk with your professors and visit the Career Centre.
- Complete your senior thesis research project and gain hands-on experience using state-of-the-art equipment in a new and challenging area of biochemical research.
- Attend the PhD symposium to view graduate students’ projects.
- Attend the Chemistry Seminar Series to network with Chemistry alumni, industry professionals and researchers.
- Present your research at the Southern Ontario Undergraduate Student Chemistry Conference (SOUSCC).
- Showcase your thesis project at Laurier’s poster conferences.
- If you’re applying to graduate school, sign up for a scholarship proposal writing workshop and book a further education application appointment.
As a Chemistry student, you can:
- Join student clubs such as the Laurier Chemistry Association, Faculty of Science Students’ Association (FOSSA), or Society for Undergraduate Research and Outreach (SURO) and build leadership skills through joining an executive team.
- Support first-year student success by applying to become a Supplemental Instruction leader.
- Learn about Instructional Assistantship, Marker and Proctor opportunities in Chemistry.
- Join the Chemical Institute of Canada as a student member.
- Participate in National Chemistry Week.
- Attend the Southern Ontario Undergraduate Student Chemistry Conference (SOUSCC).
- Participate in the Canadian Society for Chemistry Oral and Paper Competition.
- Explore paid research opportunities including Faculty of Science or Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Undergraduate Student Research Assistantships (USRAs), the Inorganic Chemistry Exchange (ICE), and Research Internships in Science and Engineering (RISE) in Germany.
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
- Demonstrate knowledge of chemical structure and properties and develop an awareness of the many important applications of chemistry in our daily lives.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the reactions and interactions of chemicals and chemical products.
- Acquire expertise in the safe use of a variety of contemporary laboratory instruments and techniques for studying chemical processes and reactions.
- Demonstrate the ability to use chemical knowledge to identify potential chemical and environmental hazards and to plan for, minimize and manage their impacts.
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
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Other
25 Biochemistry/Biotechnology and Chemistry 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. 12% 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 - Chemistry, Energy and Sustainability, Organic Chemistry
- College Program - Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Doctor - Pharmacy
Sample Jobs Within the First Year After Graduation
- assistant sales manager
- compounding technician
- junior regulatory affairs officer
- pharmacy assistant
- quality assurance compliance associate
- raw material analyst
Careers Of Alumni Two to Five Years After Graduation
- atmospheric scientist
- biospeciman research technician
- financial analyst
- forensic technologist
- operations director
- pharmacist
- product and process development specialist
- recruiter
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
- beauty/cosmetics
- consulting
- education/teaching
- entertainment
- environment
- food/beverage
- forensics
- government
- healthcare
- law/legal field
- manufacturing
- materials science
- pharmaceutical
- pharmacology
- pharmacy
- quality assurance
- research
- toxicology
- water science
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.