Experience Guide

Be Inspired: Maximize Your Academic Opportunities

First Year

• Take Criminology courses including Introduction to Criminology and Introduction to the Criminal Justice System and explore other programs of interest through electives.
• Explore courses in related areas of study and begin thinking about a minor or an option to complement your degree.
• Earn certificates with Learning Skills & Development.
• Attend the Criminology Students' Association annual conference.
• Attend mixers with faculty and students.

Middle Years

• Take Criminology courses including Psychology of Crime, Theories of Crime and Statistics in Criminology and Criminal Justice.
• Investigate the learning supports offered through the Mathematics and Statistics Learning Labs.
• Submit your academic work to Bridges: An Undergraduate Journal for Contemporary Connections for a chance to be published.
• Consider taking social innovation or entrepreneurship courses.
• Participate in the Academic, Creative and Engaged Research Showcase (ACERS) week.
• Participate in Brown Bag lunch sessions with faculty as they present their current research.

Final Year

• Learn about Research Assistantship opportunities in Criminology.
• Enrol in the Quantitative or Qualitative Research Methodologies course.
• Consider a directed studies course to explore a topic in Criminology.
• Look for opportunities to present your academic work at paper competitions, ACERS, and the Criminology Students' Association Annual Conference.
• Thinking of pursuing graduate school?
  • Talk to your professors about letters of reference and visit the Career Centre for assistance with your applications.
  • Sign up for a scholarship proposal writing workshop or book a writing consultation for help with your funding proposals.
  • Consider Laurier's Master of Arts in Criminology and discuss options with the graduate program coordinator.

Be Involved: Explore Work, Volunteer and Leadership Experience

First Year

• Attend O-Week events.
• Join student clubs such as the Criminology Students' Association (CSA), Out in the Cold Campaign or a special interest club. Or create your own!
• Participate in events and skills-based workshops with your residence or off-campus LOCUS community.
• Explore your interests by volunteering on campus with Accessible Learning's Note-taking Program, Laurier International, Wellness Education, the Sustainability Office and more.
• Join intramural or club sports, or participate in recreational activities.
• Engage in the First-Year Leadership Program including Campus Councils, House Council and the Leadership Certificate.

Middle Years

• Volunteer to be an O-Week Icebreaker and welcome incoming first years.
• Research social issues and work with community partners including St. Leonard’s, Elizabeth Fry, Why Not Youth Centre and the City of Brantford Social Services department.
• Visit the Centre of Forensic Sciences in Toronto and the Grand Valley Institution for Women on planned bus trips.
• Attend the Careers in Criminology and Law Fair.
• Participate in Sandbox workshops and attend the Entrepreneur Speaker series.
• Contribute to Laurier’s biweekly newspaper, The Sputnik, or submit a creative piece to Blueprint Magazine.

Final Year

• Apply for an executive/coordinator position with a student club or committee.
• Look into the LaunchPad 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 Year

• Get involved with the Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
• Visit Laurier International to learn about international options available to you.
• Complete the Intercultural Certificate with Laurier International.
• Engage in training on consent, bystander intervention and disclosure provided through Gendered and Sexual Violence Prevention Support.

Middle Years

• Gather for Soup Tuesday at the Indigenous Student Centre. 
• Become a Global Engagement Student Ambassador.
• Complete the Diversity Certificate.
• Study abroad for an academic term.

Final Year

• Participate in Indigenous Education Week.
• Consider the Alternative Reading Week trip with Habitat for Humanity.
• Earn your Certificate in Accessibility with Accessible Learning.
• Create a piece to participate in the Diversity Art Series.

Be Inspired: Maximize Your Academic Opportunities

First Two Years (Laurier)

• Take required courses and explore other programs of interest through electives.
• Complete Foundations courses in your first two years.
• Meet with the Sussex Program Coordinator to make key academic decisions.
• Consider taking courses where you can research social issues with community partners, with an experiential-learning component, with professional skills development or about social innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Complete your application to the University of Sussex LLB program through UCAS (UK online application service).
• Join the Laurier Sussex Residence Learning Cluster to enhance your academic and social success in the program.
• Complete the Conducting Legal Research certificate.
• Earn certificates with Learning Skills & Development.

Middle Three Years (Sussex)

• Connect with the Sussex Program Coordinator at Laurier.
• Take courses to gain skills in presenting legal arguments, client interviewing and negotiation, criminal advocacy and legal research.
• Enrol in Canadian Law classes offered at Sussex.
• Choose elective courses based on your interest in a particular area of law such as commercial, criminal, environmental, family, human rights, international, sports and many more.
• Apply to the National Accreditation Committee in Canada to seek your Certificate of Qualification.

Final Year (Laurier)

• Complete courses to finish your honours BA at Laurier.
• Complete courses to prepare you for the National Accreditation exams and write the exams.
• Register in the Law Society of Ontario (LSO) Licensing Process.
• Prepare to write the LSO Barrister and Solicitor Licensing Examinations once admitted to the Licensing Process.
• Learn about Research Assistantship opportunities in your department.
• Thinking of pursuing graduate school?
  • Attend a department information session.
  • Talk to your professors and visit the Career Centre.

Be Involved: Explore Work, Volunteer and Leadership Experience

First Two Years (Laurier)

• Attend O-Week events.
• Join student clubs such as the Criminology, Human Rights and Human Diversity or Law and Society Student Associations or a special interest club. Or create your own!
• Participate in events and skills-based workshops with your residence or off-campus LOCUS community.
• Contribute to Laurier’s biweekly newspaper, The Sputnik.
• Explore your interests by volunteering on campus with Accessible Learning's Note-taking Program, Laurier International, Wellness Education, the Sustainability Office and more.
• Join intramural or club sports, or participate in recreational activities.
• Engage in the First-Year Leadership Program including Campus Councils, House Council and the Leadership Certificate.

Middle Three Years (Sussex)

• Apply for summer positions in legal firms in Canada or choose to stay in Europe for the summers.
• Join the Canadian Student Law Society and other student clubs at Sussex.
• Participate in moot court opportunities and competitions at Sussex.
• Attend professional development workshops with faculty to increase your employability skills.
• Participate in Sussex Clinical Legal Projects to develop and enhance your clinical legal education and deepen your skills for future employment.

Final Year (Laurier)

• Apply for an executive/coordinator position with a student club or committee.
• Consider the Articling Program as part of the Lawyer Licensing Process and participate in recruitment activities (summer before final year).
• Attend the Careers in Criminology and Law Fair.
• Share your Laurier experience with prospective students at open house events.

Be Engaged: Broaden Your Perspective

First Two Years (Laurier)

• Get involved with the Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
• Visit Laurier International to learn about international options available to you.
• Complete the Intercultural Certificate with Laurier International.
• Engage in training on consent, bystander intervention and disclosure provided through Gendered and Sexual Violence Prevention Support.
• Gather for Soup Tuesday at the Indigenous Student Centre. 
• Become a Global Engagement Student Ambassador.
• Complete the Diversity Certificate.

Middle Three Years (Sussex)

• Learn about new perspectives and cultures through interacting with other students and opportunities available while in the UK (Sussex has students from more than 80 different countries).

Final Year (Laurier)

• Participate in Indigenous Education Week.
• Earn your Certificate in Accessibility with Accessible Learning.
• Create a piece to participate in the Diversity Art Series.
• Consider the Alternative Reading Week trip with Habitat for Humanity.

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.