In this Guide
Learn the many ways you can extend your classroom experience to the real world.
- Take required courses and explore courses in related areas of study to begin thinking about a Minor or an Option to complement your degree.
- 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.
- Enhance your academic experience at Laurier through professional one-on-one, online and peer-to-peer resources available through Academic Advising and Support.
- Consider doing a self-directed research project in fourth year and approach a faculty member to be your supervisor and to help you develop your topic.
- Learn about Research and Instructional Assistantship opportunities in Physics.
- Attend the Computer Science and Physics seminar series.
- If you’re thinking about applying to graduate school, talk with your professors and visit the Career Centre.
- Attend the Canadian Undergraduate Physics Conference or the Canadian Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics.
- Consider writing the Canadian Association of Physicists Professional Practice Exam required for the Professional Physics certification.
- If you’re applying to graduate school, sign up for a scholarship proposal writing workshop and book a further education application appointment.
As a Physics student, you can:
- Join student clubs such as the Laurier Computing Society, Physics Students' Initiative, or the Faculty of Science Students' Association (FOSSA) and build leadership skills through joining an executive team.
- Join the Canadian Association of Physicists as a student member.
- Get involved with the Laurier Centre for Women in Science (WinS).
- Look for summer jobs (e.g., SNOLAB, TRIUMF, FSWEP) or research opportunities at Canadian universities.
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 the properties and states of matter and use this knowledge to create new, interesting and useful devices.
- Gain a strong foundation in Newtonian physics, electricity, magnetism, optics and electronics.
- Develop knowledge of computer programming.
- Gain experience in quantitative analysis using mathematics, applied science and physics.
- Make careful measurements using equipment and scientific instrumentation.
- Generate and format hypotheses, conduct tests and analyses.
- Develop complex models of interaction and behaviour for the purpose of testing and/or demonstrating ideas.
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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950 Faculty of Science 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. 5% 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 - Physics, Logistics, Mathematics, Materials and Supply Chain Management, Quantum Computing and Astrophysics
Sample Jobs Within the First Year After Graduation
- associate product support specialist
- design specialist
- IT data analyst
- junior project scientist
- project coordinator
Careers Of Alumni Two to Five Years After Graduation
- application specialist
- compensation advisor
- development engineer
- modern configuration specialist
- physics associate
- quality assurance specialist
- research scientist
- software engineer
- teacher
- technical business analyst
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
- aerospace
- astrophysics
- climate change
- data science
- electronics
- energy/natural resources
- finance/insurance
- geophysics
- healthcare
- nuclear physics
- optics/photonics
- product design
- scientific research
- software engineering
- teaching/education
- technical writing
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.