Experience Guide

Be Inspired: Maximize Your Academic Opportunities

First Year

• Take required Economics courses based on your program outline and explore other subjects of interest.
• 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, performance in an admissions interview).
• Visit the Mathematics Assistance Centre and attend weekly Supplemental Instruction sessions.
• Visit the Centre for Student Success website for support and resources available to you.
• Review your program requirements and plan for a successful degree path.
• Explore courses in related areas of study and begin thinking about a minor or an option to complement your degree.

Middle Years

• Complete core Economics courses to gain skills and learn about policy analysis.
• Research academic requirements for professional designations, including CFA and CPA.
• Consider taking social entrepreneurship or entrepreneurship courses.
• Look for research opportunities through the Laurier Centre for Economic Research and Policy Analysis (LCERPA).
• Meet with your academic advisor to make key academic decisions.

Final Year

• Learn about Instructional Assistantship opportunities in the department.
• Attend the Undergraduate Economics Research Conference.
• Complete the 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 proposals.

Be Involved: Explore Work, Volunteer and Leadership Experience

First Year

• Join student clubs such as the Laurier Economics Club, Lazaridis Students’ Society, AIESEC Laurier, The Link 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.
• Live in the Business and Economics Residence Learning Community to enhance your academic and social success.

Middle Years

• Network with the Waterloo Region Collaborative Economic Research Group (WRCERG).
• Enrol in Prism Resources training sessions to improve your computer skills.
• Participate in the Laurier Student Poll with data collection and market research.
• Volunteer to be an O-Week Icebreaker and welcome incoming first years.
• Be a note taker through the Accessible Learning Centre.
• Connect with local organizations to learn about volunteer opportunities.

Final Year

• Participate in the Economist-in-Residence series.
• Apply to the Governor’s Challenge competition through the Bank of Canada.
• Apply for an executive position in an on-campus club.
• Attend the Career and Job Fairs as well as Laurier Economics Club meetings and events to network with employers.
• Look into the LaunchPad program for the opportunity to discover, validate and launch an innovative new venture.
• Complete the Canadian Securities Course to become licensed to work within the Canadian securities industry.

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

• Study abroad for an academic term.
• Consider enrolling in a language course.
• Visit Laurier International’s Global Kitchen or Soup Tuesday at the Indigenous Student Centre.
• 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.