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Communication Studies (BA)
Experience and Career Guide

Make the most out of your university career by taking advantage of all that Laurier has to offer you and learning about the many ways you can extend your classroom experience into the real world. There are so many opportunities to learn, lead, and embrace new opportunities all while having an exceptional student experience.

In this Guide

Learn the many ways you can extend your classroom experience to the real world.

Year-to-Year Academic Experience Co-Curricular Opportunities Knowledge and Skills Career Options and Graduate Outcomes

Your Year-to-Year Experience

Enhance your academic experience by learning about the opportunities available in your program.

Explore Co-Curricular Experiences

Participate in co-curricular experiences to complement your Laurier
academic journey and gain meaningful learning opportunities.

As a Communication Studies student, you can: 

Outside of your program, there are many co-curricular opportunities for you to participate in. 

Design Your Degree

These are a few popular academic opportunities which allow you to dive deeper into your major area of study or broaden your knowledge. See undergraduate options, minors and courses for more information.
  • Management option
  • Community Engagement option
  • Film Production option
  • Cultural Studies, Film Studies or Sociology second major or minor

The following concentrations are available to you in the Communication Studies program:

  • Media and Communication History
  • Media and Cultural Theory
  • Visual Communication
  • Global Communication
  • Cultural and Creative Industries
  • Digital Media Studies

Develop Your Knowledge and Skills

As a Laurier student, you will develop the following competencies through your curricular and co-curricular experiences.

Competency Framework

Competencies are categories of transferrable skills that appear on your online Experience Record to help you reflect on what you've learned from your experiences. The competencies include: 

  • Adaptability and Resiliency
  • Collaboration and Teamwork
  • Communication
  • Creativity and Innovation
  • Critical Thinking
  • Digital Literacy
  • Diversity and Intercultural Understanding
  • Functional Knowledge
  • Leadership
  • Problem Solving
  • Professional Attributes
  • Self-Awareness

Functional Knowledge

You will develop functional knowledge in your program including:

  • Investigate parallels, similarities and differences between contemporary media and previous communication technologies, and critique the development and use of media technology broadly, both historically and in the contemporary moment.
  • Identify appropriate methodological approaches and successfully apply them to a research question in the field.
  • Collect, understand, synthesize and apply appropriate theoretical and historical interdisciplinary research in the formulation and defense of convincing written, visual and oral arguments.
  • Develop the ability to analyze, interpret and accurately convey information to groups or individuals.
  • Thorough training in how to research, analyze and interpret communication and media in its social, economic, political, cultural and historical context.
  • Gain marketable knowledge of communication and media technologies that can lead to careers in the arts, publishing, government, non-profit organizations, public relations or marketing, or further studies in communication, journalism, law or other areas.

Discover Career Options

All your experiences at Laurier can help you prepare for your future. Attend Career Centre events and workshops or book a career consulting appointment to explore career and further education options.
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Pursuing Further Education
%
Employed
%
Other

128 Communications and Cultural Studies respondents from the 2023 Laurier Graduate Survey conducted by the Career Centre. Graduates were surveyed within 12 months of graduation. Other includes those out of the workforce including travelling, volunteering, etc.

Alumni Careers and Pathways

Sample Further Education Programs Within the First Year After Graduation

  • Master’s Degree – Communications, Journalism, Media Studies, Digital Experience Innovation, Museum Studies
  • College Program – Public Relations, Advertising, Sport and Event Marketing
  • JD – Law

Sample Jobs Within the First Year After Graduation

  • account coordinator
  • communications advisor
  • digital marketing specialist
  • marketing and communications coordinator
  • market planning assistant
  • multimedia strategist
  • project analyst
  • social media manager

Careers Of Alumni Two to Five Years After Graduation

  • brand manager
  • communication director
  • digital marketing manager
  • human resources manager
  • sales development manager
  • social media programmer

Career Options and Resources

Need some guidance on what you can do with your degree? Discover some career options and find resources to help guide you. 

Career and Industry Options

  • advertising/marketing
  • arts/culture
  • business/corporate communications
  • digital media/social media
  • event planning
  • healthcare
  • hospitality/tourism
  • human resources
  • journalism/media
  • law/legal field
  • politics
  • public policy
  • public relations
  • research/market analysis
  • student affairs
  • writing/publishing

Career Resources

Your Experiences Tell Your Story

Share your story through your Laurier Experience Record. An interactive, shareable and official record of your hands-on experiences and learning opportunities at Laurier – the first of its kind in Canada!



Share Your Feedback

We'd love to hear from you. Complete the Laurier Experience Guide Feedback Survey to share your thoughts.