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North American 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 North American Studies student, you can:

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.
  • Political Science minor
  • History minor
  • French minor
  • Spanish minor
  • Indigenous Studies minor
  • Intercultural Understanding option
  • International Policy option
  • Legal Studies option
  • Management option

Complete your degree in combination with any Faculty of Arts program such as Political Science, History, English and Film Studies, or Sociology. 

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

The functional knowledge you will develop in your program will help you:

  • Develop skills to effectively evaluate and examine past, present and future North American life.
  • Explore topics and issues relevant to Canada from a variety of perspectives and compare North American culture/society with international cultures/societies.
  • Gather information, conduct research and evaluate the needs of North Americans.
  • Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of selected North American problems and issues.
  • Display an understanding of how the unique North American climate, history, government policy and culture impact the continued development of North American society.
  • Identify and examine the key factors which affect the continued development of North America for the purposes of extrapolating information and planning for future development.

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
%
Other

108 North American Studies and Political Science respondents from the 2023 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

  • JD - Law
  • Master’s Degree - Applied Politics, Political Science, Global Affairs, Library and Information Science
  • College Program - Public Administration, Project Management

Sample Jobs Within the First Year After Graduation

  • communications coordinator
  • English teaching assistant
  • junior resource coordinator
  • Ontario legislative intern
  • research associate
  • retail manager

Careers Of Alumni Two to Five Years After Graduation

  • disability case manager
  • government research assistant
  • human resources assistant
  • museum collection assistant
  • operations project analyst
  • senior project manager

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

  • business/corporate development
  • communications/public relations
  • community outreach/development
  • cultural heritage
  • diplomacy/international relations
  • economic development
  • education/teaching
  • environment
  • government
  • hospitality/tourism
  • immigration
  • journalism/media
  • non-profit/advocacy
  • public policy
  • research/market analysis

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!



Share Your Feedback

We'd love to hear from you. Complete the Laurier Experience Guide Feedback Survey to share your thoughts.