Join us at Laurier

Becoming a Golden Hawk means more than just cheering on our (really good) varsity teams – it means being a student who cares about your community, who works hard in the classroom, and who takes advantage of all the learning opportunities that can happen outside the classroom, too.

Steps to Apply

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Steps to Apply

Undergraduate AdmissionsGraduate Admissions

Global Studies (BA)

waterloo

Understand global challenges and how individuals, communities and governments can respond. Dive into contemporary issues related to armed conflict, refugees, economic development, environmental change and human rights. Gain specialized knowledge and skills that will help you contribute lasting solutions to complex world problems. Concentrate in: International Development, Culture and Globalization, or Peace and Conflict.

Apply Your Learning

Make the most out of your university career by taking advantage of all that Laurier has to offer you. Volunteer work, campus clubs, leadership programs, studying abroad, work experience – there are so many ways you can extend your classroom experience into the real world.

Here are just a few examples of the experiences you can add to your Global Studies program:

  • Apply for co-op at the end of your first year and gain real-world work experience.
  • Take part in international placements or field courses, such as the Arts Global Experience field placement, that leverage your classroom learning with experiential and work-integrated learning.
  • Add a language to your degree, such as French or Spanish, and gain practical translation skills that you can add to your resume.
  • Study abroad for an academic term.

Check out the Global Studies Experience Guide.

 

2020 graduates who secured employment or went on to postgraduate studies

 

Laurier ranks in the top 6 percent of universities worldwide*

 

students who gained hands-on learning experiences at Laurier in 2019/20

*Center for World University Rankings (CWUR)

Admissions

Format: full time or part time      Duration: four years     Start: September (fall term)     OUAC code: UH
Ontario High School Admission Requirements
  • Minimum admission range: low 70s
  • Competitive admission range based on last year’s admitted students: low 80s
  • English at 60%
Canadian Admission Requirements (Outside of Ontario)

Students applying to this program from a Canadian province outside of Ontario are encouraged to review our course equivalents by province chart. This chart will show you what courses from your province are equivalent to the admission requirements listed under Ontario High School Admission Requirements.
International Admission Requirements

Students applying to this program from an international curriculum are encouraged to review our curriculum-specific requirements; you must also meet all program-specific requirements listed under the Ontario High School Admission Requirements section.

English-Proficiency Requirement

Laurier's language of instruction is English, and so we may require you to provide evidence of your English proficiency to help make sure you experience success in your academic courses.

Your three most recent years of full-time education must be in English without taking any ESL (English as a Second Language) courses. If you do not meet this requirement, you must provide evidence of your English proficiency.

We reserve the right to request an English-language test from any applicant.

If you do not meet Laurier's English proficiency requirement but are academically qualified for your program, you may be eligible for a conditional offer of admission.

Laurier English and Academic Foundation (LEAF) Program

The Laurier English and Academic Foundation (LEAF) program is an academic English program for Laurier applicants who have to prove English proficiency. If you have received an offer to Laurier with a condition to meet our English- proficiency requirement, you can meet that condition by successfully completing the LEAF program.
College Pathways

Graduates from a two-year general Arts and Science diploma program can apply to Global Studies within the Faculty of Arts on Laurier’s Waterloo campus. To be considered for admission to the Faculty of Arts, graduates must have an overall average of 75% in their program and achieve a minimum of 60% in a 4U English course or equivalent.

Learn more about our college transfer agreement.

Other Admission Requirements

Visit our admission requirements section to find specific requirements for university students, indigenous applicants, mature learners, homeschooled applicants, senior citizens, refugees, and more. 

Your Next Steps

Apply Now Strengthen Your Application Important Dates

Program Options and Courses

Concentrations

Global Studies gives you flexibility to shape your degree according to your own interests. You can choose to take a range of courses across our curriculum, or do a concentration in one of our three fields of study:

  • Culture and Globalization
  • International Development
  • Peace and Conflict

Social Entrepreneurship Option

Global Studies also hosts the Social Entrepreneurship Option, a specialized degree component that will engage you in active social innovation, informed by principles of social justice and environmental sustainability. This option, among others offered at Laurier, can complement your solid academic foundation in the social sciences and humanities with specialized skills that will help you find a career niche just right for you.

Other Options and Minors

Other popular options and minors that you should consider as ways to customize your degree include:

  • Community Engagement Option
  • Legal Studies Option
  • Research Specialization
  • Sustainability Option

Check out other options to enhance your degree.

First-Year Courses

  • Introduction to Global Studies
  • Mapping Global Studies: Culture, Conflict, Development
  • 4.0 elective credits in courses that interest you

Sample First-Year Electives

  • Harry Potter and Medieval Culture
  • Mediterranean Culture and Civilization
  • Modern Standard Arabic

Sample Upper-Year Courses

  • Dialogue and Critique in an Age of Terror
  • Disasters and Development
  • Global Migrations, Refugees and Diasporas
  • Religions and Cultures of the Middle East
  • UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • War, Culture and Conflict

Similar Programs

Co-op

Co-op is a way to integrate what you are learning in the classroom with practical experience in your field of study. Build your resume, earn money, develop your network, and graduate with work experience.

You can apply for admission to co-op in your first year and may be eligible for an admission interview early in your second year. As a student in this program, you will be eligible to complete paid work terms lasting 12 to 16 weeks.

Interested? Learn more about co-op.

Tuition and Scholarships

Getting a university education is an investment in your future.

At Laurier, we take financial health seriously by providing a wide variety of funding opportunities for you throughout your degree, such as scholarships and bursaries, and by equipping you with the skills to manage your finances effectively in the years to come.

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"Throughout my four years, Global Studies fostered an immersive experience through courses that were both thought-provoking and life-changing. I have undertaken many opportunities in experiential learning, as this program also created avenues for me to customize my degree through a Specialization in Research and Option in Legal Studies and Community Engagement."

Kayli Bui, Global Studies graduate

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"Global Studies engaged my passion to understand the world and travel beyond the classroom. After Laurier, I completed a law degree at the University of Sussex and a master's in International Criminal Law at the University of Leiden."

Elena Favaro Viana, Global Studies graduate

Your Career Awaits

It’s not only about the journey; it’s about the destination. Let us help you get to where you’re going.

Here are just some examples of our graduates' destinations. What’s yours?

Sample Career Options

Note: Additional training and education may be required.

  • communications, public relations and outreach
  • global business development
  • international development
  • interpretation / translation
  • journalism
  • law (fields such as human rights, migration, trade)
  • negotiation and dispute resolution
  • refugee settlement and support
  • tourism management
  • urban planning

Explore more careers.

Support After Graduation

Alumni for life means that you have access to Career and Employment Support offered at Laurier for your entire career.

Waterloo Campus

The Waterloo campus is tucked into about one city block, so you’re steps away from your classes, food and your new favourite study spot.

There are many ways to tour our Waterloo campus, whether that's on a guided tour with one of our Laurier student ambassadors, on your own using virtual reality, or even on-demand through one of our pre-recorded tours. See our campus spaces and start to picture yourself at Laurier.
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"Global Studies encouraged me to consider diverse fields of knowledge related to governance in an interconnected world. After completing a Masters of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, I moved on to become Program and Research Officer for the International Centre for Tax and Development (ICTD) at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy."

Moyo Arewa, Global Studies graduate

Interested in More Info?

Email chooselaurier@wlu.ca, call 519.884.0710 x3385 or see all contact information.

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