Experience Guide

Be Inspired: Maximize Your Academic Opportunities

First Year

• Take required History courses and explore other programs of interest.
• Learn about co-op – apply at the end of your first year.
• Review your program requirements and plan for a successful degree path.

Middle Years

• Explore courses in related areas of study and begin thinking about a minor or an option to complement your degree.
• Complete a course with a Community Service-Learning component.
• Consider taking social entrepreneurship or entrepreneurship courses.
• Meet with your academic advisor to make key academic decisions for your final year.
• Consider Digital History courses.
• Volunteer or attend public lectures at the Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies.

Final Year

• Learn about Research or Instructional Assistantship opportunities in History.
• Submit your academic work to the Laurier Undergraduate Journal of the Arts for a chance to be published.
• 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 registering for a capstone seminar experience by taking a one-credit Reading and Research seminar (required for all honours History students).

Be Involved: Explore Work, Volunteer and Leadership Experience

First Year

• Join student clubs such as the History Students’ Association, Laurier Historical Theatre Society, Laurier Law Society or a special interest club. Or create your own!
• Participate in residence leadership opportunities or attend LOCUS events.
• Contribute to Laurier’s weekly newspaper, The Cord, or submit a creative piece to Blueprint Magazine.
• Explore your interests by volunteering on campus (e.g., Sustainability Office, Schlegel Centre's Innovation Squad, peer programs, Students' Union and more).
• Join intramural sports or participate in recreational activities.

Middle Years

• Be a note taker through the Accessible Learning Centre.
• Volunteer at a local school, or look for opportunities with local museums, libraries, or the Waterloo Historical Society.
• Be a part of the Library Council or Student Advisory Group.
• Attend the Annual History Teachers’ Conference for professional development and networking opportunities.
• Volunteer to be an O-Week Icebreaker and welcome incoming first years.

Final Year

• Apply for an executive position in an on-campus club.
• Attend the Career and Job Fairs to network with employers.
• Look into the LaunchPad program for the opportunity to discover, validate and launch an innovative new venture.

Be Engaged: Broaden Your Perspective

First Year

• Visit the Diversity and Equity Office and become a member of the student service provider groups.
• Visit Laurier International to learn about international options available to you to enrich your university experience.
• Complete the Intercultural Effectiveness Certificate to build your intercultural competence and global perspective.

Middle Years

• Consider enrolling in a language course.
• Visit Laurier International’s Global Kitchen or Soup Tuesday at the Indigenous Student Centre.
• Register for a travel course through Laurier International to places like Russia, France, China or Poland.
• Consider the Alternative Reading Week trip with Habitat for Humanity.
• Attend the Library Learning Commons Culture Series.
• Study abroad for an academic term.

Final Year

• Complete the Diversity Certificate.
• Consider attending the Ashoka U Exchange.

Be Inspired: Maximize Your Academic Opportunities

First Year

• Take Ancient Studies courses and explore other programs of interest.
• Learn about co-op – apply at the end of your first year.
• Review your program requirements and plan for a successful degree path.

Middle Years

• Explore courses in related areas of study and begin thinking about a minor or an option to complement your degree.
• Consider taking social entrepreneurship or entrepreneurship courses.
• Meet with your academic advisor to make key academic decisions for your final year.
• Submit your research paper for the Waterloo Historical Society Local History Award.

Final Year

• Complete the Ancient Studies Capstone seminar – an opportunity to gain hands-on research experience and develop professional writing and presentation skills.
• Submit your academic work to the Laurier Undergraduate Journal of the Arts or Minerva: Laurier Undergraduate History Journal for a chance to be published.
• 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.

Be Involved: Explore Work, Volunteer and Leadership Experience

First Year

• Join student clubs such as the History Students’ Association or a special interest club. Or create your own!
• Participate in residence leadership opportunities or attend LOCUS events.
• Contribute to Laurier’s weekly newspaper, The Cord, or submit a creative piece to Blueprint Magazine.
• Explore your interests by volunteering on campus (e.g., Sustainability Office, Schlegel Centre's Innovation Squad, peer programs, Students' Union and more).
• Join intramural sports or participate in recreational activities.

Middle Years

• Be a note taker through the Accessible Learning Centre.
• Visit the Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies.
• Volunteer to be an O-Week Icebreaker and welcome incoming first years.
• Volunteer at a local school or museum.
• Connect with local organizations to learn about volunteer opportunities. 

Final Year

• Learn about Research Assistantship opportunities in Ancient Studies or History.
• Look into the LaunchPad program for the opportunity to discover, validate and launch an innovative new venture.
• Apply for an executive position in an on-campus club.
• Attend the Career and Job Fairs to network with employers.

Be Engaged: Broaden Your Perspective

First Year

• Visit the Diversity and Equity Office and become a member of the student service provider groups.
• Visit Laurier International’s Global Kitchen or Soup Tuesday at the Indigenous Student Centre.
• Complete the Intercultural Effectiveness Certificate to build your intercultural competence and global perspective.

Middle Years

• Consider enrolling in a language course.
• Visit Laurier International to learn about international options available to you in places such as Russia, France or China to enrich your university experience.
• Consider the Alternative Reading Week trip with Habitat for Humanity.
• Attend the Library Learning Commons Culture Series.

Final Year

• Complete the Diversity Certificate.
• Consider attending the Ashoka U Exchange.

Your graduate degree at Laurier will take you in many different directions and prepare you to be a leader in both your field and community. Your Laurier experience includes many opportunities to engage both in and outside the classroom.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies provides academic leadership, administrative support and program advice to all graduate students. There are also scholarships and financial awards, fellowships and other teaching and research assistantship positions that you can access during your time at Laurier.

Graduate students gain knowledge about professional skill development through Laurier’s ASPIRE program. This program provides a framework for you to design an extracurricular learning plan for navigating your professional journey and entry to the workplace. There are also teaching certificates, career development workshops and other skill development opportunities.

The Graduate Students’ Association provides many services and supports with a focus on wellness. They provide various opportunities to be involved and contribute to the Laurier community.

The Laurier graduate school experience is more than research and scholarship – it’s about becoming an engaged citizen and applying your advanced knowledge to real-world problems.