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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 experiences that work well with your program.

Be Inspired: Maximize Your Academic Opportunities

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Middle Years

Final Year

  • Complete the Research Seminar capstone course to develop and refine skills in critical thinking, effective writing, oral presentation and advanced research.
  • Complete a 400-level seminar to develop another way of learning through collaboration with other students under the guidance of a professor.
  • Attend or present at conferences about religion, public life, faith and peace.
  • Thinking of pursuing graduate school?
  • Consider the MA in Religion, Culture and Global Justice offered by Religion and Culture in collaboration with the Department of Global Studies.

Be Involved: Explore Work, Volunteer and Leadership Experience

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Middle Years

  • Connect with local organizations and learn about volunteer opportunities.
  • Apply to undergraduate summer research fellowships.
  • Participate as an undergraduate representative in Religion and Culture department meetings and divisional council.
  • Attend the annual Religion and Public Life Conference.
  • Learn to write articles, draw illustrations or take photographs with Laurier’s weekly newspaper, The Cord.
  • Participate in Sandbox workshops and attend the Entrepreneur Speaker series.

Final Year

  • Apply for an executive/coordinator position with a student club or committee.
  • Learn about Research or Instructional Assistantship opportunities in Religion and Culture.
  • Look into the StartUp Lab program for the opportunity to launch an innovative new venture.
  • Share your Laurier experience with prospective students at open house events.

Be Engaged: Broaden Your Perspective

First Yearhead

Middle Years

Final Year

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.

Checklists

Completing the checklists below will also help ensure your academic, professional, and personal success during your time at Laurier – and beyond.

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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 Religion and Culture.