Experience Guide
Make the most out of your university career by taking advantage of all that Laurier has to offer you. Volunteer work, campus clubs, leadership programs, studying abroad, work experience – there are so many ways you can extend your classroom experience into the real world.
Year-to-Year Experience Guides
The following is a year-to-year outline of the kinds of experiential learning activities that work well with your program.
Be Inspired: Maximize Your Academic Opportunities
First Year
- Take required Global Studies courses, including your required 1.0 language credit, and explore other programs of interest.
- Take part in the Fall Networking Luncheon to meet faculty and fellow students.
- Consider different ways to participate in engaged learning and international experience through the Global Studies Experience, options, study abroad and field courses.
- Check out the Social Entrepreneurship option by meeting with the coordinator to discuss how to pursue this option as a part of your degree.
- Learn about co-op and apply at the end of your first year.
- Make an appointment with your Global Studies academic advisor.
- Follow Global Studies' social media and contribute content about your efforts to #bethechangelaurier and #thinkgloballaurier.
Middle Years
- Decide whether you want to pursue a minor, option, concentration or specialization as part of your degree.
- Consider the Community Engagement option to connect with the local community through experiential learning opportunities.
- Explore opportunities such as instructional assistantships and scholarships.
- Contact the Global Studies Experience (GSE) coordinator to find out more about the requirements and application process (most students are eligible to start the GSE in the winter of second year).
- Consider taking a spring field course in Global Studies or elsewhere in the Faculty of Arts.
- Consider advanced language study.
Final Year
- Submit your academic work to the Laurier Undergraduate Journal of the Arts or apply for the Adele Slater Award for writing on world peace.
- Complete the seminar in Global Studies if you are taking the Research Specialization.
- Complete the capstone course in Social Entrepreneurship if you are taking the Social Entrepreneurship Option; launch your social venture!
- Thinking of pursuing graduate school?
- Talk to your professors and visit the Career Centre.
- Sign up for a scholarship proposal-writing workshop or book a writing consultation for help with your proposals.
- Consider the Master of Arts in Religion, Culture and Global Justice, offered by Global Studies in collaboration with the Department of Religion and Culture.
Be Involved: Explore Work, Volunteer and Leadership Experience
First Year
- Join student clubs such as the Global Studies Student Association (GSSA), C3 Innovation Labs Student Association, Laurier Model United Nations, WLU Right to Play, WUSC or International Students Overcoming War (ISOW). Or create your own!
- Participate in workshops and events with your residence or off-campus LOCUS community.
- Explore your interests by volunteering on campus with Accessible Learning, Laurier International, Wellness Education, the Sustainability Office and more.
- Engage in the First-Year Leadership Program including Campus Councils, House Council and the Leadership Certificate.
- Join intramural sports, sport clubs or participate in recreational activities.
Middle Years
- Attend speaker and special events hosted by Global Studies or other departments.
- Connect with local organizations to learn about volunteer opportunities.
- Apply for opportunities like the Project Ploughshares internship.
- Volunteer to be an O-Week Icebreaker and welcome incoming first years, become a residence don, or take a leadership role in a student club.
- Join the Laurier Sustainability volunteer list.
- Create advocacy tools and discover avenues for action with Laurier Students' Public Interest Research Group (LSPIRG).
- Learn to write articles, draw illustrations or take photographs with Laurier’s weekly newspaper, The Cord.
Final Year
- Take a leadership role in the Global Studies Student Association or other student club.
- Attend the Career and Job Fairs to network with employers.
- Look into the opportunity to launch an innovative new social venture through C3 Innovation Labs.
- Apply for student positions on department committees.
- Attend an event with Global Studies alumni.
- Connect with your favourite professors to discuss your future plans.
- Share your Laurier experience with prospective students at open house events.
Be Engaged: Broaden Your Perspective
First Year
- Learn about and get involved with diversity, equity and inclusion centres of activity and engagement.
- Visit Laurier International to learn about the international options available to you.
- Complete the Intercultural Certificate with Laurier International.
- Engage in training on consent, bystander intervention and disclosure related to sexual violence.
- Gather for Soup Tuesday at the Indigenous Student Centre.
Middle Years
- Consider the Alternative Reading Week trip with Habitat for Humanity.
- Attend the Library Culture Series.
- Apply for an internship in Ghana through Global Studies and Laurier International.
- Study abroad for an academic term.
- Participate in the "Lend Your Leg" event on the International Day for Mine Awareness.
- Attend workshops, events or discussion groups to learn about diversity, equity and inclusion.
Final Year
- Apply to represent Laurier at the Ashoka U Exchange.
- Participate in Indigenous Education Week.
- Earn your Certificate in Accessibility with Accessible Learning.
Checklists
Completing the checklists below will also help ensure your academic, professional, and personal success during your time at Laurier – and beyond.
Academic Success Checklist
- Plan for a successful degree path by meeting with your academic advisor and reviewing your progression requirements on MyDegree.
- Discover the Library – librarians can help you find and evaluate scholarly information for your assignments.
- Complete the Academic Integrity module in MyLearningSpace.
- Book a career consulting appointment to explore career options in the context of your academic studies.
- Complete the Student Awards scholarship and bursary applications on LORIS.
- Access the Wellness Centre for emotional, mental and physical health support. Attend Wellness Education events and complete the certificate.
- Visit the Writing & Learning Lab to further enhance your writing, develop learning skills to become a better student and learn how to be successful with difficult courses.
- Attend the Further Education Fair to learn about postgraduate programs.
- Apply to graduate and attend convocation to celebrate your success.
Experience Checklist
- Volunteer with the Students’ Union (e.g., Foot Patrol, EcoHawks, Food Bank, Peer Connect, Emergency Response Team, Shinerama).
- Apply for part-time jobs on campus (e.g., Athletics and Recreation, Wilf’s, Residence, Bookstore, academic and learning peer programs, writing tutor and more).
- Enhance your money management skills and confidence by completing the Money Management Certificate.
- Have your resumé and LinkedIn profile reviewed in the Career Centre.
- Earn your Career Development Certificate.
- Create a profile on laurier.tenthousandcoffees.com to connect with Laurier alumni.
- Learn to think like a social entrepreneur and be a changemaker through opportunities with the C3 Innovation Labs.
- Feed your curiosity and ideas through exploration in Laurier’s makerspaces.
- Reflect on your co-curricular experiences for your Laurier Experience Record.
- Network with alumni at career events to gain insight into possible career paths.
- Apply to part-time, summer and full-time jobs for after graduation through Navigator.
Career Opportunities
When you're ready to start thinking about your life after graduation, you should check out the career and postgraduate options for people with a degree in Global Studies.