In this Guide
Learn the many ways you can extend your classroom experience to the real world.
- Take required Environmental Studies courses and explore other programs of interest.
- Learn about co-op – apply at the end of your first year.
- Attend departmental events with other first-year students and meet the Environmental Studies faculty.
- Get involved with other students through the Geography and Environmental Students Association or join the Ecohawks.
- Live in the Faculty of Science Residence Learning Community to extend opportunities for learning and development beyond the classroom.
- Enhance your academic experience at Laurier through professional one-on-one, online and peer-to-peer resources available through Academic Advising and Support.
- Complete your required Field Studies and Methods courses and take courses with a fieldwork/lab component.
- Complete a range of second- and third-year courses that help you develop the essential skills for success in environmental careers, including courses in mapping and GIS, methods, environmental impact assessment, and climate change, among others.
- In third year, you will complete a required field studies course where you get to practice what you’ve learned in the classroom.
- When taking electives in ES or in other programs, consider taking a course with a Community Service-Learning component to enrich your experience.
- If you’re thinking about applying to graduate school, talk with your professors and visit the Career Centre.
- In your final year you get to master the skills and knowledge you’ve acquired so far. You have the option of enrolling in classroom courses with significant practical assignments, seminar-style courses, a full-year capstone course in urban sustainability with a real-world applied project, or completing an undergraduate thesis.
- Consider taking the optional fourth-year field course. Students in past years have had opportunities to design and carry out original research projects in places such as Peru, the Canadian Rockies, Morocco, and Yukon Territory.
- If you’re applying to graduate school, sign up for a scholarship proposal writing workshop and book a further education application appointment.
As an Environmental Studies student, you can:
- Join student clubs such as the Geography and Environmental Studies Students' Association (GESSA) or EcoHawks and build leadership skills through joining an executive team.
- Get involved with the Sustainability Office activities.
- Volunteer at the Laurier Freestore.
- Attend or volunteer with the Summit for Creative Community Solutions
- Volunteer in the community at a school or a non-profit organization.
- Build important networks through educational outreach and environmental work in the community (e.g., REEP Green Solutions, rare Charitable Research Reserve, Sustainability Waterloo Region, Waterloo Region Nature club).
- Provide environmental assistance to outside advisory panels (e.g., Laurel Creek Citizens’ Working Group).
- Apply for funding for a sustainable initiative on campus through the Sustainable Hawk Fund.
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
- Understand the relationship between humans and the natural environment by studying both natural and social sciences.
- Develop an awareness of issues such as sustainability in management of land and water, the formulation of environmental policy and how environmental management decisions can be improved to ensure a healthy future for humans and the environment.
- Interpret and apply scientific principles, relevant legislation, policies and guidelines to environmental, corporate and industrial resource management practices.
- Observe and measure the use of earth resources through time to understand changing environments. Apply technical skills such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and aerial drones as well as field and laboratory techniques to interpret and use relevant scientific information/data in planning and development.
- Understand the principles of resource management and the impact of development/ tourism on the environment. Gather, assess, and interpret the economic and environmental impacts of environmental changes.
- Gain an understanding of techniques related to conservation and effective land management, and plan for the optimal use of space and environment.
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
22 Environmental Studies respondents from the 2024 Laurier Graduate Survey conducted by the Career Centre. Graduates were surveyed within 12 months of graduation. 9% 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 - Environmental Studies, Forestry, Geography
- College Program - Environmental Compliance, Environmental Engineering, Health and Safety
Sample Jobs Within the First Year After Graduation
- aquatics program coordinator
- environmental assessor
- environmental technician
- fish culture technician
- floral and produce gardener
- planning technician
- rural planner
- sustainability assistant
Careers Of Alumni Two to Five Years After Graduation
- aquatic ecologist
- conservation regulations officer
- environmental advisor
- GIS analyst
- health and safety coordinator
- municipal planner
- policy officer
- sustainability consultant
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
- agriculture
- cartography
- conservation
- consulting
- education/teaching
- environmental planning
- forestry/wildlife
- government
- journalism/media
- non-profit
- public policy
- real estate
- research
- resource management
- sustainability
- tourism/travel
- transportation
- urban planning
Career Resources
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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