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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
First and Second Year
- Take required courses, explore other subjects of interest through non-business electives and consider pursuing a minor.
- Learn about co-op – apply at the end of your first year (admission criteria include first-year marks, extracurricular activities, recent work and volunteer experience as well as performance in an admissions interview).
- Investigate the learning supports offered through the Mathematics & Statistics Learning Labs.
- Participate in the Live Case Competition in your first-year Business course (BU111) to answer a strategic question posed by a real company.
- Participate in the PepsiCo Pitch Competition and BDO New Venture Competition.
- Take part in the IKEA Sustainability Challenge to learn how sustainability issues relate to business practices.
- Earn the Writing Certificate.
Third Year
- Declare your business concentration at the beginning of your third year.
- Complete required courses and electives and plan accordingly for your final year.
- Participate in ICE (Integrated Case Exercise) Week presented by CIBC – a 10-day intensive, immersive case experience.
- Attend speaker series such as the CEO-in-Residence, Economist-in-Residence and Lazaridis Institute events.
- Look for opportunities to be involved in case competitions.
- Represent the Lazaridis School at JDC Central, a team competition of debates and academic cases along with charity, sports and social events.
Final Year
- Complete coursework for your business concentration.
- Learn about Instructional Assistantship and Lab Instructor opportunities in Business.
- Apply for admission to the post-degree Graduate Diploma in Accounting after your final year if you are pursuing the CPA designation.
- 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 funding proposals.
Be Involved: Explore Work, Volunteer and Leadership Experience
First and Second Year
- Attend O-Week events.
- Join one (or several) of the Lazaridis Students’ Society clubs or a special interest club. Or create your own!
- Engage in the First-Year Leadership Program including Campus Councils, House Council and the Leadership Certificate.
- Live in the Business and Economics or Entrepreneurship Residence Learning Community to enhance your academic and social success.
- Enrol in Prism Resources training sessions to increase your technological ability.
- 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, participate in recreational activities and attend varsity games.
- Connect with local organizations to learn about volunteer opportunities.
- Complete the Co-op Fundamentals course, if you have been accepted to co-op.
Third Year
- Participate in networking, social and professional opportunities offered by campus clubs and services.
- Volunteer to be an O-Week Icebreaker and welcome incoming first years.
- Apply for an executive/coordinator position with a student club or committee.
- Attend the Lazaridis Students' Society events including the Lazaridis Networking Gala.
- Practice your investment skills with the Laurier Student Investment Fund.
- Learn to write articles, draw illustrations or take photographs with Laurier’s weekly newspaper, The Cord or the Atrium Media Group.
- Participate in Sandbox workshops and attend the Entrepreneur Speaker series.
- Complete co-op work terms to gain valuable work experience if you have been accepted to co-op.
Final Year
- Attend employer recruiting sessions hosted by the Career Centre to network with employers.
- Look into the StartUp Lab program for the opportunity to launch an innovative new venture.
- Look for research opportunities at the P&G Centre for Business and Sustainability.
- Attend the Supply Chain Summit.
- Complete the Canadian Securities Course to become licensed to work within the Canadian securities industry.
- Join professional associations that align with your career interests.
- Share your Laurier experience with prospective students at open house events.
Be Engaged: Broaden Your Perspective
First and Second 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.
- Gather for Soup Tuesday at the Indigenous Student Centre.
Third Year
- Consider enrolling in a language course.
- Apply for an academic exchange in your fourth year.
- Become a Global Engagement Student Ambassador.
- Look into an international study tour with the International Business option.
- Complete the Diversity Certificate.
Final Year
- Complete one term abroad under an academic exchange.
- Participate in Indigenous Education Week.
- Consider the Alternative Reading Week Trip with Habitat for Humanity.
- Earn your Certificate in Accessibility with Accessible Learning.
Be Inspired: Maximize Your Academic Opportunities
First Year
- Take required Business, Computer Science, Math and Economics courses.
- Investigate the learning supports offered through the Mathematics & Statistics Learning Labs.
- Participate in the Live Case Competition in your first-year Business course (BU111) to answer a strategic question posed by a real company.
- Participate in the PepsiCo Pitch Competition and BDO New Venture Competition.
- Attend the Physics and Computer Science Seminar series.
- Live in the Business and Economics or Entrepreneurship Residence Learning Community to enhance your academic and social success.
- Earn the Writing Certificate.
Middle Years
- Complete required courses in Business and Computer Science.
- Declare your area of concentration at the beginning of third year, if interested.
- Participate in ICE (Integrated Case Exercise) Week presented by CIBC– a 10-day intensive, immersive case experience.
- Look for summer research opportunities in a faculty member’s lab or the Centre for Women in Science and apply for a FOSSA Research Scholarship and/or the NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) to get funding.
- Meet with potential supervisors to learn about directed-studies research projects for your final year.
- Consider taking Science Entrepreneurship courses and explore the Science Maker Lab.
Final Year
- Learn about Instructional Assistantship and Lab Instructor opportunities in Business and Computer Science.
- 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 funding proposals.
Be Involved: Explore Work, Volunteer and Leadership Experience
First Year
- Attend O-Week events.
- Join one (or several) of the Lazaridis Students’ Society clubs, the Society of Computing, Physics and Mathematics (PHI), or a special interest club. Or create your own!
- Enrol in Prism Resources training sessions to increase your technological ability.
- 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, participate in recreational activities and attend varsity games.
- Engage in the First-Year Leadership Program including Campus Councils, House Council and the Leadership Certificate.
Middle Years
- Participate in networking, social and professional opportunities offered by campus clubs and services.
- Complete the Co-op Fundamentals course and co-op work terms to gain valuable work experience.
- Look for employment opportunities in research labs or as an Instructional Assistant in Computer Science.
- Attend speaker series such as the CEO-in-Residence, Economist-in-Residence series and Lazaridis Institute events.
- Serve as a student representative on a faculty committee.
- Look for opportunities to be involved in case competitions.
- Attend Lazaridis Students' Society events.
- Connect with local organizations to learn about volunteer opportunities.
- Apply for an executive/coordinator position with a student club or committee.
- Participate in Sandbox workshops and attend the Entrepreneur Speaker series.
Final Year
- Attend employer recruiting sessions hosted by the Career Centre to network with employers.
- Join professional associations that align with your career interests such as the Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS), the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society, or the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).
- Look into the StartUp Lab program for the opportunity to launch an innovative new venture.
- Participate in competitions (e.g., Communitech Waterloo Hacks, Waterloo Codefest or the Great Canadian Appathon).
- 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.
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.
Be Inspired: Maximize Your Academic Opportunities
First Year
- Take required courses at Laurier and the University of Waterloo.
- Investigate the learning supports offered through the Mathematics & Statistics Learning Labs.
- Participate in the Live Case Competition in your first-year Business course (BU111) to answer a strategic question posed by a real company.
- Participate in the PepsiCo Pitch Competition and BDO New Venture Competition.
- Live in the Business and Economics or Entrepreneurship Residence Learning Community to enhance your academic and social success.
- Earn the Writing Certificate.
Middle Years
- Complete required courses in Business and Computer Science.
- Declare your area of concentration at the beginning of third year, if interested.
- Attend speaker series such as the CEO-in-Residence, Economist-in-Residence series and Lazaridis Institute events.
- Look for opportunities to be involved in case competitions.
- Participate in ICE (Integrated Case Exercise) Week presented by CIBC – a 10-day intensive, immersive case experience.
- Represent the Lazaridis School at JDC Central, a team competition of debates and academic cases along with charity, sports and social events.
Final Year
- Complete coursework for your Business concentration and your Computer Science electives.
- Learn about Instructional Assistantship and Lab Instructor opportunities in Business.
- 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 funding proposals.
Be Involved: Explore Work, Volunteer and Leadership Experience
First Year
- Attend O-Week events.
- Join one (or several) of the Lazaridis Students’ Society clubs, student clubs at the University of Waterloo, or a special interest club. Or create your own!
- Enrol in Prism Resources training sessions to increase your technological ability.
- 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, participate in recreational activities and attend varsity games.
- Engage in the First-Year Leadership Program including Campus Councils, House Council and the Leadership Certificate.
Middle Years
- Participate in networking, social and professional opportunities offered by campus clubs and services.
- Complete the Co-op Fundamentals course and co-op work terms to gain valuable work experience.
- Apply for an executive/coordinator position with a student club or committee.
- Attend Lazaridis Students' Society events including the Lazaridis Networking Gala.
- Connect with local organizations to learn about volunteer opportunities.
- Volunteer to be an O-Week Icebreaker and welcome incoming first years.
- 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
- Attend employer recruiting sessions hosted by the Career Centre to network with employers.
- Look into the StartUp Lab program for the opportunity to launch an innovative new venture.
- Look for research opportunities at the P&G Centre for Business and Sustainability.
- Attend the Supply Chain Summit.
- Complete the Canadian Securities Course to become licensed to work within the Canadian securities industry.
- Join professional associations that align with your career interests.
- 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
- Consider enrolling in a language course.
- Gather for Soup Tuesday at the Indigenous Student Centre.
- Become a Global Engagement Student Ambassador.
- Complete the Diversity Certificate.
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.
Be Inspired: Maximize Your Academic Opportunities
First Year
- Take required Business, Economics and Mathematics courses.
- Investigate the learning supports offered through the Mathematics & Statistics Learning Labs.
- Participate in the Live Case Competition in BU111 to answer a strategic question posed by a real company.
- Participate in the PepsiCo Pitch Competition and BDO New Venture Competition.
- Live in the Business and Economics or Entrepreneurship Residence Learning Community to enhance your academic and social success.
- Earn the Writing Certificate.
Middle Years
- Complete required courses in Business and Mathematics.
- Declare your business and math concentrations at the beginning of third year, if interested.
- Participate in ICE (Integrated Case Exercise) Week presented by CIBC – a 10-day intensive, immersive case experience.
- Represent the Lazaridis School at JDC Central, a team competition of debates and academic cases along with charity, sports and social events.
- Look for research opportunities through the MS2Discovery Interdisciplinary Research Institute or in the Business or Mathematics department.
- Participate in the William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition.
- Consider taking Science Entrepreneurship courses and explore the Science Maker Lab.
- Apply for the NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) program or other summer research programs available.
Final Year
- Learn about the honours Mathematics seminar and select an interesting topic of study or research.
- Learn about Instructional Assistantship and Lab Instructor opportunities in Business and Mathematics.
- Apply for admission to the post-degree Graduate Diploma in Accounting after your final year if you are pursuing the CPA designation.
- 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 funding proposals.
Be Involved: Explore Work, Volunteer and Leadership Experience
First Year
- Attend O-Week events.
- Join one (or several) of the Lazaridis Students’ Society clubs, the Society of Computing, Physics and Mathematics (PHI), or a special interest club. Or create your own!
- Enrol in Prism Resources training sessions to increase your technological ability.
- 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, participate in recreational activities and attend varsity games.
- Engage in the First-Year Leadership Program including Campus Councils, House Council and the Leadership Certificate.
Middle Years
- Seek part-time employment or volunteer opportunities in the Mathematics department or at the Mathematics and Statistics Learning Labs.
- Participate in networking, social and professional opportunities offered by campus clubs and services.
- Apply for an executive/coordinator position with a student club or committee.
- Complete the Co-op Fundamentals course and co-op work terms to gain valuable work experience.
- Attend speaker series such as the CEO-in-Residence, Economist-in-Residence series and Lazaridis Institute events.
- Look for opportunities to be involved in case competitions.
- Attend Lazaridis Students' Society events.
- Connect with local organizations to learn about volunteer opportunities.
- Participate in Sandbox workshops and attend the Entrepreneur Speaker series.
- Volunteer to be an O-Week Icebreaker and welcome incoming first years.
- Learn to write articles, draw illustrations or take photographs with Laurier’s weekly newspaper, The Cord.
- Practice your investment skills with the Laurier Student Investment Fund.
Final Year
- Apply for Instructional Assistantship or marker/proctor positions in Mathematics.
- Attend employer recruiting sessions hosted by the Career Centre to network with employers.
- Join professional associations that align with your career interests.
- Get involved with the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) and the Society of Actuaries to learn about the ASA and FSA designations.
- Attend the Canadian Undergraduate Mathematics Conference (CUMC) or the Applied Mathematics, Modeling and Computational Science (AMMCS) conference.
- Look into the StartUp Lab program for the opportunity to launch an innovative new venture.
- Complete the Canadian Securities Course to become licensed to work within the Canadian securities industry.
- 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.
Be Inspired: Maximize Your Academic Opportunities
First Year
- Take required courses at Laurier and the University of Waterloo.
- Investigate the learning supports offered through the Mathematics and Statistics Learning Labs.
- Participate in the Live Case Competition in your first-year Business course (BU111) to answer a strategic question posed by a real company.
- Participate in the PepsiCo Pitch Competition and BDO New Venture Competition.
- Live in the Business and Economics or Entrepreneurship Residence Learning Community to enhance your academic and social success.
- Earn the Writing Certificate.
Middle Years
- Complete required courses in Business and Mathematics.
- Declare your area of concentration at the beginning of third year, if interested.
- Participate in ICE (Integrated Case Exercise) Week presented by CIBC – a 10-day intensive, immersive case experience.
- Attend speaker series such as the CEO-in-Residence, Economist-in-Residence series and Lazaridis Institute events.
- Look for opportunities to be involved in case competitions.
- Represent the Lazaridis School at JDC Central, a team competition of debates and academic cases along with charity, sports and social events.
Final Year
- Complete coursework for your Business concentration and your Math electives.
- Learn about Instructional Assistantship and Lab Instructor opportunities in Business.
- Apply for admission to the post-degree Graduate Diploma in Accounting after your final year if you are pursuing the CPA designation.
- 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 funding proposals.
Be Involved: Explore Work, Volunteer and Leadership Experience
First Year
- Attend O-Week events.
- Join one (or several) of the Lazaridis Students’ Society clubs, student clubs at the University of Waterloo, or a special interest club. Or create your own!
- Enrol in Prism Resources training sessions to increase your technological ability.
- 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, participate in recreational activities and attend varsity games.
- Engage in the First-Year Leadership Program including Campus Councils, House Council and the Leadership Certificate.
Middle Years
- Participate in networking, social and professional opportunities offered by campus clubs and services.
- Complete the Co-op Fundamentals course and co-op work terms to gain valuable work experience.
- Apply for an executive/coordinator position with a student club or committee.
- Attend Lazaridis Students' Society events.
- Connect with local organizations to learn about volunteer opportunities.
- Participate in Sandbox workshops and attend the Entrepreneur Speaker series.
- Volunteer to be an O-Week Icebreaker and welcome incoming first years.
- Learn to write articles, draw illustrations or take photographs with Laurier’s weekly newspaper, The Cord.
- Practice your investment skills with the Laurier Student Investment Fund.
Final Year
- Attend employer recruiting sessions hosted by the Career Centre to network with employers.
- Look into the StartUp Lab program for the opportunity to launch an innovative new venture.
- Look for research opportunities at the P&G Centre for Business and Sustainability.
- Attend the Supply Chain Summit.
- Complete the Canadian Securities Course to become licensed to work within the Canadian securities industry.
- Join professional associations that align with your career interests.
- 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
- Consider enrolling in a language course.
- Gather for Soup Tuesday at the Indigenous Student Centre.
- Become a Global Engagement Student Ambassador.
- Look into studying abroad for one term in your final year.
- Complete the Diversity Certificate.
Final Year
- Take one term abroad under academic exchange in your fifth year.
- Participate in Indigenous Education Week.
- Consider the Alternative Reading Week Trip with Habitat for Humanity.
- Earn your Certificate in Accessibility with Accessible Learning.
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.
Academic Success Checklist
- Plan for a successful degree path by meeting with your academic advisor.
- Visit your professors during their office hours.
- Discover the Library – librarians can help you find and evaluate scholarly information for your assignments.
- Complete the Academic Integrity module in MyLearningSpace.
- Utilize the Online Assignment Planner.
- Book a career consulting appointment to explore career options.
- Complete the Student Awards scholarship and bursary applications on LORIS.
- Access the Wellness Centre for emotional, mental and physical health services.
- 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, Emergency Response Team, Shinerama).
- Have your resumé and LinkedIn profile reviewed in the Career Centre.
- Apply for on-campus jobs (e.g., Athletics and Recreation, Residence, Bookstore, Prism Resources, Accessible Learning tutor, peer programs, and more).
- Enhance your money management skills and confidence by completing the Money Management Certificate.
- Attend the Career and Job Fairs to network with employers.
- Earn your Career Development Certificate.
- Create a profile on laurier.tenthousandcoffees.com to connect with Laurier alumni.
- Earn the Wellness Education Certificate.
- Learn to think like an entrepreneur and be a changemaker through opportunities with the Schlegel Centre for Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation.
- Bring your ideas to life in Laurier’s Library Makerspace or Science Maker Lab.
- 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 jobs through Navigator for summer, part-time or full-time work after graduation.
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 Business Administration.