We use cookies on this site to enhance your experience.
By selecting “Accept” and continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies.
Thank you for your interest in the Arts Global Experience. All international engagements are on hold for 2021 and decisions for subsequent years are pending based on Canada Health Advisory advice. We will update the AGX website as new information becomes available.
Are you interested in visiting new places and expanding your cultural horizons? Are you looking to make meaningful connections with other people, as you learn more about yourself and your world? The Arts Global Experience (AGX) could be for you.
In Global Studies we have over 15 years of experience supporting international experiential learning. The AGX is at the heart of our program, but it is open to all Laurier Arts majors. It is also a core component of the Social Entrepreneurship Option. Alongside study abroad and field courses, it is one of the key opportunities to internationalize your degree at Laurier.
The AGX offers you the chance to connect academic inquiry with experiential activity by participating in volunteer placements, social enterprises or intercultural learning experiences around the globe. Living and working in different cultural contexts alongside community partners sets the stage for learning about yourself in relation to others, and broadens your awareness of the challenges of global justice and social equity. The AGX offers an experience you are not likely to forget.
In recent years, students have participated in community development projects, human rights research, wildlife conservation, marine restoration, and peace promotion in all corners of the globe, including places as diverse as South Africa, Pakistan, France, Palestine, Peru and Thailand.
The normal range of cost for students carrying out placements is $2,500-$5,000. In GS391, you will develop and implement a fundraising plan to help finance your journey.
The AGX has four components, which correspond to the following schedule:
The deadline for the AGX has been extended. We are accepting applications on a rolling basis (evaluated as they come in) until January 6th. As all info sessions have now passed, please simply contact the AGX coordinator to get the ball rolling.
Take GS391: Global Experience Pre-Placement (0.25 credits). GS391 has three primary aims: (a) to help you think critically about the possibilities and limitations of your planned placement, (b) to give you practical strategies for a constructive learning experience, and (c) to help prepare you for travel logistics and safety.
Final approval of placements will take place after you have your placement confirmed in writing by the organization (usually during the winter term) and once you have completed the necessary forms: (a) Agreement to Participate, (b) Acknowledgement of Risk and Responsibility. Sometimes, on the advice of the AGX Coordinator, students may decide to reconsider their placements and/or switch placement organizations.
Between May and August, you will conduct your placement and complete an online academic credit while abroad. The minimum duration is four weeks, but the longer your placement the more you will learn ⎯ both about the part of the world you are visiting, and about yourself. For placements up to seven weeks you will complete GS392 (0.5) Global Experience Placement. For placements of eight weeks or more, you have the option to complete GS393 (1.0) Global Experience Extended Placement.
Your academic study in GS392 or GS393 will involve structured reflection on your experiences abroad, overseen by a faculty member at Laurier who will work with you across the duration of your placement. This kind of placement-embedded academic work has been demonstrated to maximize students' experiential learning outcomes.
Take GS394: Global Experience Post-Placement (0.25 credits). GS394 has two primary aims: (a) to help you reflect on your experience and connect it with your broader academic learning and skill development; and (b) to give you opportunities to share your learning with your fellow students, the department, and the broader community.
Any student within the Faculty of Arts can apply for the AGX (non-Arts students will also be considered in certain circumstances). In order to apply, you need to:
There are many opportunities to volunteer abroad, and many kinds of organizations want to get your attention. While finding a placement can be both daunting and confusing, the AGX coordinator is there to provide guidance in choosing an opportunity that works for you.
The Department of Global Studies seeks out relationships with organizations that can provide quality and affordable placements for its students. Keep an eye on your Laurier email to hear about opportunities. The AGX coordinator can also share information with you about placements that other students have completed in the past (see below for a list of organizations previous AGX students have volunteered with). Here are some other avenues to explore:
Consider the following in relation to your chosen placement opportunity:
The list below includes some of the organizations through which Laurier students have completed AGX placements in the past. The Department of Global Studies does not endorse any of these organization or their programmes. We provide the list only as a starting point for students who are beginning to research opportunities for their own future AGX placements. Students are expected to exercise their own due diligence in the selection of their placements, including costs and risk factors.
Contact Us:
Vanessa McMackin, Senior Administrative Assistant
E:
vmcmackin@wlu.ca
T:
519.884.0710 x3968
Office Location: DAWB 5-120
Alicia Sliwinski, Chair
E:
asliwinski@wlu.ca
T:
519.884.0710 x2483
Office Location: DAWB 5-120A
Undergraduate Advisor: Dr. Joanne Benham Rennick gsadvisor@wlu.ca
Graduate Officer: Dr. Edmund Pries RCGJadvisor@wlu.ca