In this Guide
Learn the many ways you can extend your classroom experience to the real world.
- Take required Psychology courses and any other required courses for your program.
- Begin taking elective courses if you are interested in pursuing an option or minor.
- Take the Foundations for Community Engagement and Service Course and plan for any requirements needed (e.g., police checks) if it is required for your program or if you plan to take a Community Service-Learning course.
- Volunteer in a research lab.
- Enhance your academic experience at Laurier through professional one-on-one, online and peer-to-peer resources available through Academic Advising and Support.
- Investigate the math and statistics learning supports offered through Student Success' Math and Course Support.
- Explore electives in User Experience Design, Health Studies, Computer Science and more.
- Register for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Subject or General Test after researching if it is required for graduate programs you are considering.
- Consider a specialization in Mental Health and Well-Being.
- Register for courses with a Community Service-Learning (CSL) component. CSL will place you into a daycare facility, school or service organization within the Waterloo community - a great way to gain real-world experience.
- If you’re thinking about applying to graduate school, talk with your professors and visit the Career Centre.
- Learn about Research Assistantship opportunities in Psychology.
- Enrol in directed studies courses to gain research experience.
- Attend the Ontario Psychology Undergraduate Thesis Conference.
- Submit your academic work to the student journal, Mind Pad, for a chance to be published.
- If you’re applying to graduate school, sign up for a scholarship proposal writing workshop and book a further education application appointment.
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 scientific study of behaviour and experience including thinking, feeling and action, while studying human and animal psychology - discover how languages are learned, how memory works, why we crave intimate relationships, or how we can promote healthy child development.
- Demonstrate a developed knowledge and critical understanding of the key concepts, methodologies, current advances, historical contexts, theoretical approaches and overarching themes in psychology.
- Describe the diversity of research practices, methods of inference and the practical/ professional implications of psychology for treatment and prevention.
- Design and execute empirical research.
- Relate psychological knowledge to personal, professional and societal concerns.
- Learn, model, and apply the ethical standards, methodological practices, and social responsibilities assumed by psychologists in their professional and scientific roles..
- Apply scientific reasoning and analysis to interpret and evaluate psychological phenomena based on major theories, concepts and methods.
- Apply methodological skills and statistical techniques to solve problems.
- Effectively communicate ideas, critiques and research findings, both verbally and in writing, to academic, professional and public audiences.
- Formulate compelling and well-reasoned arguments for academic and non-academic settings.
- Integrate information and communication technologies into scientific and professional practice.
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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292 Psychology (Waterloo) respondents from the Laurier Graduate Survey conducted by the Career Centre. Graduates were surveyed within 12 months of graduation. Other includes 5% who were travelling, volunteering or out of the workforce and 3% who were looking for employment.
Alumni Careers and Pathways
Sample Further Education Programs Within the First Year After Graduation
- Master’s Degree - Psychology, Bioinformatics, Business Administration, Counselling Psychology, Health Sciences, Neuroscience, Occupational Therapy, Psychotherapy, Social Work, Speech-Language Pathology
- College Program - Human Resources, Addictions & Mental Health, Marketing Management, Children’s Mental Health Services
- Bachelor’s Degree - Education, Social Work, Nursing
- JD - Law
Samples are from Waterloo campus Psychology graduates.
Sample Jobs Within the First Year After Graduation
- behavioural support specialist
- client care coordinator
- community engagement and event coordinator
- credit analyst
- crisis responder
- HR & administrative coordinator
- marketing and customer engagement analyst
- policy analyst
- program facilitator
- youth engagement worker
- youth sexual health worker
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
- addictions/substance abuse
- advocacy
- child development
- counselling/social work
- criminal justice
- education/teaching
- forensic science
- healthcare/rehabilitation
- human resources
- law/legal field
- marketing/advertising
- psychotherapy
- public policy
- public relations/communications
- rehabilitation
- research
Career Resources
- Canadian Psychological Association
- Social Development Centre Waterloo Region
- Canadian Mental Health Association
- Human Resources Professional Association (HRPA)
- College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario
- College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario
- Canadian Association of Neuroscience
- Ontario Psychological Association
Laurier Alumni Career Profiles
Learn about career paths of Psychology alumni:
- Behavioural Consultant
- Psychoeducational Consulting
- Associate Professor
- Principal
- Small Business Owner
- Manager Income Tax Division
- Child Life Specialist
- MRI Technologist
- Public Health Planner
- Speech-Language Pathologist
- Compensation Partner Manager
- Corporate and Litigation Lawyer and Entrepreneur
- Direct Sales Leader
- Clinical Research Coordinator
- Senior Research Analyst
- Addiction Counsellor
- Certified Sexologist
- Concurrent Disorders Specialist
- Couple and Family Therapist
- Psychological Associate
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.