Experience Guide

Be Inspired: Maximize Your Academic Opportunities

First Year

• Take required courses and explore courses in related areas of study to begin thinking about a minor or an option to complement your degree.
• Visit the Mathematics Assistance Centre and attend Supplemental Instruction sessions.
• Learn about co-op – apply at the end of your first year.
• Review your program requirements and plan for a successful degree path.

Middle Years

• Meet with your academic advisor to make key academic decisions.
• Apply for a FOSSA Research Scholarship or the NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) to receive funding for a research position.
• Consider taking science entrepreneurship or entrepreneurship courses.
• Consider doing a self-directed research project in fourth year and approach a faculty member to be your supervisor and to help you develop your topic.
• Learn about Research and Instructional Assistantship opportunities in Physics.

Final Year

• Attend the Canadian Undergraduate Physics Conference or the Canadian Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics.
• 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 Society of Computing, Physics and Mathematics Club (PHI) or a special interest club. Or create your own!
• Participate in the Faculty of Science Student Association (FOSSA).
• Participate in residence leadership opportunities or 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 Faculty of Science Residence Learning Community to enhance your academic and social success.

Middle Years

• Look for summer jobs (e.g., SNOLAB, TRIUMP, FSWEP) or research opportunities at Canadian universities.
• Be involved with the Centre for Women in Science.
• Attend the Physics and Computer Science seminar series.
• Serve as a student representative on a faculty committee.
• Connect with local organizations to learn about volunteer opportunities.
• Be a note taker through the Accessible Learning Centre.
• Volunteer to be an O-Week Icebreaker and welcome incoming first years.
• Apply for an executive position in an on-campus club.

Final Year

• Join the Canadian Association of Physicists as a student member.
• Consider writing the Canadian Association of Physics Professional Practice Exam required for the Professional Physicist certification.
• Attend the Career and Job Fairs to network with employers.
• Look into the LaunchPad program for the opportunity to discover, validate and launch an innovative new venture.

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 in the summer or go on an exchange to gain cultural experience and to complete elective courses.
• Visit Laurier International’s Global Kitchen or Soup Tuesday at the Indigenous Student Centre.
• Consider enrolling in a language course.
• 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.

Be Inspired: Maximize Your Academic Opportunities

First Year

• Take core Computer Science courses and explore other programs of interest.
• Explore courses in related areas of study and begin thinking about a minor or an option to complement your degree.
• Learn about co-op – apply at the end of your first year for co-op work terms after second and third year.
• Review your program requirements and plan for a successful degree path.
• Attend the Physics and Computer Science seminar series.

Middle Years

• Complete Computer Science core courses in programming, digital electronics, data structures, algorithm design and analysis, software engineering, mathematics and statistics.
• Learn about Instructional Assistantship opportunities in Computer Science.
• Look into the Professional Experience Program (a 12-16 month co-op term).
• 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 or entrepreneurship courses.
• Meet with your academic advisor to make key academic decisions.

Final Year

• Participate in the Undergraduate Capstone Open Source Projects (UCOSP), where you will work with students from universities across Canada.
• 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 Society of Computing, Physics and Mathematics Club (PHI) or a special interest club in robotics, gaming, or science fiction and fantasy. Or create your own!
• Participate in the Faculty of Science Student Association (FOSSA).
• Participate in residence leadership opportunities or LOCUS events.
• Contribute to Laurier’s weekly newspaper, The Cord, or submit a creative piece to Blueprint Magazine.
• Join intramural sports or participate in recreational activities.
• Explore your interests by volunteering on campus (e.g., Sustainability Office, Schlegel Centre's Innovation Squad, peer programs, Students' Union and more).

Middle Years

• Look for employment opportunities in research labs.
• Serve as a student representative on a faculty committee.
• 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.
• Apply for an executive position in an on-campus club.

Final Year

• Join professional associations 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).
• Participate in competitions (e.g., Communitech Waterloo Hacks, Waterloo Codefest or the Great Canadian Appathon).
• Attend the Career and Job Fairs to network with employers.
• Look into the LaunchPad program for the opportunity to discover, validate and launch an innovative new venture.

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

• Visit Laurier International’s Global Kitchen or Soup Tuesday at the Indigenous Student Centre.
• Consider the Alternative Reading Week trip with Habitat for Humanity.
• Study abroad in the summer or go on an exchange to gain cultural experience and to complete elective courses.
• Consider enrolling in a language course.
• 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.