In this Guide
Learn the many ways you can extend your classroom experience to the real world.
- Take Languages courses and explore other programs of interest.
- Learn about co-op – apply at the end of your first year.
- Consider the Explore program in the spring to enhance your spoken French.
- Enhance your academic experience at Laurier through professional one-on-one, online and peer-to-peer resources available through Academic Advising and Support.
- Take culture and literature courses to discover the diversity of the Languages program.
- Practice French, Spanish, German or Italian abroad on an international exchange or through a spring term study abroad travel course.
- Take Translation courses to gain marketable skills.
- If you’re thinking about applying to graduate school, talk with your professors and visit the Career Centre.
- Learn about Research and Instructional Assistantship opportunities in Languages.
- Take upper-level literature and culture courses to enrich your learning.
- Apply to the Bachelor of Education (BEd) pathway if you have satisfied the requirements.
- Present your research at the Languages and Literatures Student Conference.
- Consider applying to be a language assistant in France for a year after graduation or take part in the Odyssey program in Quebec.
- If you’re applying to graduate school, sign up for a scholarship proposal writing workshop and book a further education application appointment.
As a Languages student, you can:
- Join student clubs such as the Laurier French Club, Spanish Club, or the Wilfrid Laurier Speech Language Pathology Club and build leadership skills through joining an executive team.
- Attend the Languages & Literatures Student Conference - spruteanu@wlu.ca
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Become a Think Languages Day Ambassador - jnewland@wlu.ca
- Volunteer at a local school or another local organization to gain language and professional experience.
- Volunteer as a language tutor.
Outside of your program, there are many co-curricular opportunities for you to participate in.
- Check out the Experience Catalogue for a full list of co-curricular experiences that are currently offered across campus.
- Volunteer with the Students’ Union (e.g., Laurier Orientation, Hawk Walk, EcoHawks, Food Bank, Emergency Response Team, Shinerama).
- Volunteer on campus with the Accessible Learning, Global Engagement, Sustainability Office, Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, WLU Student Publications and more.
- Get involved in the local community by volunteering off campus.
- Apply for on-campus jobs:
- Check Navigator frequently for job postings or contact individual departments directly.
- Search for job opportunities on the Students’ Union website.
- If you meet eligibility criteria, apply for the Laurier Work Study Program or International Student Work Experience Program.
- Attend Job Fairs to network with employers.
- Explore ways to get involved in research.
- Look into StartUp Lab opportunities for support in launching a new venture.
Job/Volunteer Search Tips
- While on-campus opportunities are posted year-round, recruitment often starts early! Start looking in the winter term for opportunities in the following academic year.
- Have your resumé and LinkedIn profile reviewed by Career Centre staff for both on and off-campus opportunities.
- Laurier offers a variety of co-curricular certificates that you can complete during your studies. Earn certificates in topics including academic development, professional development, wellness, leadership and career development.
- Participate in workshops, programming and events offered by the Career Centre, Gendered and Sexual Violence Prevention and Support, Laurier Library, the Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and more.
- Engage in the First-Year Leadership Program including Campus Councils and House Council and the Leadership Certificate.
- Connect with Global Engagement to learn about international options available to you including opportunities abroad and language and culture sharing programs.
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.
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
The functional knowledge you will develop in your program will help you:
- Acquire high proficiency in both written and oral skills in French and/or Spanish, and a working knowledge of additional languages (Arabic, German or Italian).
- Display a good understanding of French, Francophone and/or Spanish and Latin American literatures and cultures.
- Understand the development of language and the interaction between culture and language.
- Acquire knowledge of cultural differences in communication and interpretation of language and information.
- Refine language skills and show an appreciation for culture through the opportunity to study abroad.
- Gain a highly-marketable skill: multilingualism. Knowing several languages opens the door to innumerable career paths.
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
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Employed
27 Languages respondents from the 2024 Laurier Graduate Survey conducted by the Career Centre. Graduates were surveyed within 12 months of graduation.
Alumni Careers and Pathways
Sample Further Education Programs Within the First Year After Graduation
- Bachelor’s Degree - Education
- Master’s Degree - French Studies, Public Service, Linguistics
- College Programs - Tourism and Travel Studies
Sample Jobs Within the First Year After Graduation
- assistant language instructor
- client relations specialist
- English second language instructor
- HR data administrator
- savings and retirement administrator
- senior marketing specialist
Careers Of Alumni Two to Five Years After Graduation
- bilingual resolution case manager
- elementary school French teacher
- employee relations advisor
- healthcare project coordinator
- international policy analyst
- lawyer
- QA specialist
- recruitment team lead
- senior consultant
- strategic accounts senior manager
- translator/proofreader
- UX designer
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
- business/corporate communications
- communications/public relations
- community outreach
- diplomacy/international relations
- education/teaching
- entertainment/film
- government
- hospitality/tourism
- immigration
- journalism/media
- languages/translation
- law/legal field
- non-profit/advocacy
- research
- tourism/cultural heritage
- writing/publishing
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.