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Languages (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 Languages student, you can: 

  • Join student clubs such as the Laurier French Club, Spanish Club, German Culture Society, or AIESEC Laurier and build leadership skills through joining an executive team.
  • 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. 

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.
  • Arabic minor
  • Education minor
  • German minor
  • Italian minor

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
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Other

21 Languages respondents from the 2023 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

  • Master’s Degree - French Studies, Public Service, Linguistics
  • College Programs - Teaching English as a Second Language, Sport and Event Marketing
  • Bachelor’s Degree - Education

Sample Jobs Within the First Year After Graduation

  • bilingual customer service representative
  • English second language instructor
  • French teacher
  • labour relations specialist
  • project and application development
  • research analyst
  • social media marketing specialist

Careers Of Alumni Two to Five Years After Graduation

  • bilingual resolution case manager
  • employee relations advisor
  • French translator and QA specialist
  • international policy analyst
  • lawyer
  • 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

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.