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After Graduation

What are you going to do with a degree in Human Rights and Human Diversity? We can't tell you, but you have three basic immediate options:

Discover Career Opportunities

Sample Career Options

Note: Additional training and education may be required.

  • activist/lobbyist
  • communications specialist
  • community outreach worker
  • diversity and equity officer
  • event planner
  • foreign service officer
  • fundraising and development
  • human resources professional
  • human rights officer
  • humanitarian aid worker
  • immigrant settlement worker
  • immigration/refugee officer
  • international development program manager
  • lawyer
  • non-profit program coordinator
  • ombudsperson
  • project manager
  • public policy analyst
  • researcher
  • social worker
  • volunteer manager

Sample Industries / Types of Employers

  • community organizations
  • consulting firms
  • corporations
  • educational institutions
  • government agencies/offices
  • international organizations
  • law firms
  • media organizations
  • non-profit agencies
  • non-governmental organizations
  • political parties
  • postsecondary institutions
  • research institutes
  • United Nations

Laurier Grads are Successful

Sample Jobs within the First Year After Graduation

  • charitable events coordinator
  • community integration learning specialist
  • content engagement specialist
  • human resources generalist
  • newcomer youth programs supervisor
  • specialty group facilitator

Sample Further Education Programs within the First Year After Graduation

  • Master’s degree: International Public Policy, Social Work, Criminology, Social Justice and Community Engagement, International Development, Immigration and Settlement Studies.
  • College program: Human Resources, Project Management, Public Relations.
  • JD: Law.

Careers of Alumni Two-Five Years After Graduation

  • court reporter
  • event supervisor
  • human resources representative
  • lawyer
  • UN partnerships and development communications

Develop Your Knowledge and Skills

Employers have identified these top four skills as important when evaluating entry-level candidates­. As a Laurier student, you gain these skills through the opportunities available to you.

Functional Knowledge

  • Apply logic and reasoning to current events and cultural issues.
  • Gain an understanding of the historical development of cultural diversity and multiculturalism policies in Canada.
  • Develop an awareness of civil and political rights and the institutions that protect them.
  • Understand and examine the philosophy behind human rights principles, human rights within Canada and their impact on public policy.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the United Nations as an institution of global governance over contemporary issues and how cultural practices interact with international human rights.

Collaboration/Teamwork Skills

  • Work effectively as part of a team by identifying your role and contributing, leading, teaching, motivating and/or encouraging others for team success.
  • Oversee, lead and/or contribute to a project including determining goals, planning details, making decisions and completing tasks.
  • Demonstrate professional behaviour and an understanding of individual perspectives and diversity.

Communication Skills

  • Explain information, ideas and opinions effectively, both verbally and in writing.
  • Probe for information by asking questions and listening, and engage in constructive conversations.
  • Prepare interesting and informative reports and presentations for diverse audiences using current technology.
  • Gain experience with policy analysis papers, grant writing, précis writing, reading legal documents and preparing literature reviews.

Problem-Solving Skills

  • Identify and access a wide range of relevant information and resources.
  • Learn, understand and critically interpret information and apply knowledge to new situations.
  • Set priorities, meet deadlines and manage time, data and resources.
  • Make well-reasoned decisions, think creatively, identify and consider all sides of an issue.
  • Utilize analytical skills, particularly in assessing and evaluating current problems, issues and trends.

Sample Career Options

Note: Additional training and education may be required.

  • activist/lobbyist
  • advocacy-government relations
  • claims examiner/adjudicator
  • community program developer
  • compliance analyst
  • compliance officer
  • contract specialist
  • corporate social responsibility manager
  • crime prevention service officer
  • diversity and equity officer
  • editor for legal publication
  • foreign service officer
  • human resources specialist
  • human rights officer
  • humanitarian aid worker
  • immigration/refugee officer
  • in-house legal counsel
  • insurance adjuster
  • labour organizer/negotiator
  • lawyer
  • legal administrator
  • legal expert
  • legal writer
  • management consultant
  • mediator
  • ombudsperson
  • policy analyst/advisor
  • research consultant

Sample Industries / Types of Employers

  • community organizations
  • consulting firms
  • corporations
  • correctional facilities
  • educational institutions
  • embassies/consulates
  • government
  • insurance companies
  • law enforcement agencies
  • law firms
  • lobbying firms/municipalities
  • media organizations
  • non-profit organizations
  • political parties
  • research firms
  • think tanks
  • trade and professional associations
  • United Nations

Online Resources

  • Law Society of Upper Canada
  • Federation of Law Societies of Canada
  • National Accreditation Committee
  • Canadian Bar Association
  • Canadian Criminal Justice Association
  • Canadian Forum on Civil Justice
  • Canadian Council on International Law
  • United Nations Human Rights
  • Amnesty International (Canada)

More career resources are available through the Career Centre’s Navigator portal.

Develop Your Knowledge and Skills

Employers have identified these top four skills as important when evaluating entry-level candidates­. As a Laurier student, you gain these skills through the opportunities available to you.

Functional Knowledge

  • Gain knowledge in the English and Canadian legal systems, legal theory, criminal law, equity and trusts, land law, law and policy of the European Union, public law, law of contract and law of tort.
  • Gain an understanding of the historical development of cultural diversity and multiculturalism policies in Canada.
  • Understand and examine the philosophy behind human rights principles, human rights within Canada and their impact on public policy.

Collaboration/Teamwork Skills

  • Work effectively as part of a team by identifying your role and contributing, leading, teaching, motivating and/or encouraging others for team success.
  • Oversee, lead and/or contribute to a project including determining goals, planning details, making decisions and completing tasks.
  • Demonstrate professional behaviour and an understanding of individual perspectives and diversity.

Communication Skills

  • Explain information, ideas and opinions effectively, both verbally and in writing.
  • Probe for information by asking questions and listening, and engage in constructive conversations.
  • Prepare interesting and informative reports and presentations for diverse audiences using current technology.

Problem-Solving Skills

  • Think critically about contemporary issues from the perspectives of justice, equality and rights.
  • Identify and access a wide range of relevant information and resources.
  • Learn, understand and interpret information and apply knowledge to new situations, performing both comparative and critical analyses.
  • Set priorities, meet deadlines and manage time, data and resources.
  • Make well-reasoned decisions, think creatively, identify and consider all sides of an issue.
  • Analyze and evaluate data to discuss, support and/or question ideas, opinions, reports, theories and proposals.

What Some Recent Grads Are Doing

Entering the Workforce

The following sites can be useful for:

  • Searching for a job after you graduate; and (better yet)
  • Researching the kinds of skills and preparation that are required for particular careers so that you can make sure you have these covered before you graduate.

Further Study

Many professional programs (e.g., Law, Social Work, Business, Public Administration) do not require any specific program of undergraduate education. Others are generally more insistent that students have an undergraduate degree in their own or a closely related discipline (e.g., History, English, Psychology, Sociology). Of course, this won't be a problem for you because you must combine your HRHD Honours program with one of the other Honours programs we offer at Laurier Brantford.

Listed below are some programs that appear to fit particularly well with the aims of Human Rights and Human Diversity.

Graduate Internships

The following sites may sometimes list graduate internships. The Entering the Workforce links above may also list graduate internships.