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Archaeology and Heritage Studies (BA)
Experience and Career Guide

Make the most out of your university career by taking advantage of all that Laurier has to offer you and learning about the many ways you can extend your classroom experience into the real world. There are so many opportunities to learn, lead, and embrace new opportunities all while having an exceptional student experience.

In this Guide

Learn the many ways you can extend your classroom experience to the real world.

Year-to-Year Academic Experience Co-Curricular Opportunities Knowledge and Skills Career Options and Graduate Outcomes

Your Year-to-Year Experience

Enhance your academic experience by learning about the opportunities available in your program.

Explore Co-Curricular Experiences

Participate in co-curricular experiences to complement your Laurier
academic journey and gain meaningful learning opportunities.

As a Archaeology and Heritage Studies student, you can: 

  • Join student clubs such as the Archaeology Society or Laurier Ancient Music Society and build leadership skills through joining an executive team.
  • Volunteer in a faculty member’s lab, local school or museum.
  • Look for summer field work with cultural resource management organizations, museums and Parks Canada.
  • Each year there are several instructional assistant positions available for senior undergraduates for lab and field courses.

Outside of your program, there are many co-curricular opportunities for you to participate in. 

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.
  • Applied Digital option
  • Sustainability option
  • Medieval Studies minor
  • History minor
  • Anthropology minor
  • Geography/Geomatics courses

Complete your BA degree in combination with another Faculty of Arts program or complete a combined Honours Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Geography and Archaeology & Heritage Studies.

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

You will develop functional knowledge in your program including:

  • Acquire an understanding of the concept of stewardship in archaeology: preserving non-renewable cultural resources through policy, law and public education.
  • Develop a professional ethos in archaeology that is engaged and integrative, and will enhance the operationalization of responsible scientific research.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the formation of the archaeological record and acquire skills to conduct archaeological excavation: how to record, investigate, analyze and interpret archaeological derived remains.
  • Produce and express coherent, persuasive and innovative written studies (using relevant literature) with attention to academic integrity and respect for diversity, including contrary opinions and ideas.
  • Acquire, digest and critically evaluate scholarly arguments, the assumptions behind them, and their theoretical and empirical components.
  • Field school, laboratory and research opportunities provide skills and experience sought by employers in the Cultural Resource Management field – many graduates are successful in gaining employment in this field.

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.
%
Pursuing Further Education
%
Employed

19 respondents from the 2022 Laurier Graduate Survey conducted by the Career Centre. Graduates were surveyed within 12 months of graduation.

Alumni Careers and Pathways

Sample Further Education Programs Within the First Year After Graduation

  • Master’s Degree – Archaeology, Cultural Analysis and Social Theory, Geography, Museum Studies

  • College Program – Applied Museum Studies, Museum Management and Curatorship

Sample Jobs Within the First Year After Graduation

  • archaeologist
  • field technician
  • merchandising execution associate
  • support officer
  • survey technician

Careers Of Alumni Two to Five Years After Graduation

  • archaeologist
  • bioarchaeologist
  • field director
  • fund development coordinator
  • geomatic specialist
  • heritage cartographer
  • heritage planner
  • museum assistant curator

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

  • archaeology
  • criminal justice
  • cultural heritage/tourism
  • education/teaching
  • environment
  • forensic science
  • government
  • historical education
  • law/legal field
  • media/digital media
  • museum/archives/library
  • non-profit/advocacy
  • research/market analysis
  • social policy
  • urban planning/development
  • writing/journalism/journalism

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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