Prepare for a career in public safety with Wilfrid Laurier University’s fully online Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Public Safety. You’ll develop critical thinking, leadership and analytical skills while exploring today’s most pressing public safety issues through an interdisciplinary lens. Learn from faculty whose expertise extends far beyond the textbook to gain a meaningful and career-focused education.
College graduates are eligible for a block of 10.0 transfer credits with a qualifying diploma from one of our accepted programs.
New for Fall 2027, add Leadership as a second major to your Public Safety degree and graduate with expertise in two in-demand fields.
Discover what makes this Laurier program unique and how you’ll gain real-world experience.
Your future professors work hard to make sure your academic experience is current, complete and designed to open doors in your career. Here are a few things you can count on:
Here are just a few of our students’ favourite ways to apply their learning in the real world throughout their degree (check out the Experience Guide for even more!):
Explore what you'll study and how you can enhance your degree to fit your academic and career goals.
Get a glimpse of what you will study throughout your degree. See what your first-year classes will look like through sample courses and start exploring what your upper academic years can offer.
Explore a variety of courses, specializations and pathway options that let you shape your degree around your unique interests and goals. Find out how you can customize your experience and prepare for what’s next.
Expand your field of expertise by pairing your Public Safety major with another major (or another whole degree) from either our Waterloo or Brantford campus. Some popular combinations include:
Connect with an academic advisor in your first year for information about pursuing a second major.
These are a few of the many popular academic opportunities which allow you to dive deeper into your major area of study or broaden your knowledge:
Check out other options to enhance your degree.
Management Minor (In-Person)
The Management Minor is available at the Waterloo campus for students interested in adding management-specific education to their degree. This is a direct-entry, 4.0-credit minor that includes courses covering all the core pillars of business and economics.
Apply directly to Public Safety with Management Minor on the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) by choosing ‘Management Minor’ as your program enhancement.
To be considered for the block transfer agreement, you must have a minimum admission average of 75% from an accepted diploma program and a minimum of 60% in 4U English (or equivalent). Admitted students will be granted a block of 10.0 transfer credits towards the BA in Public Safety.
If you have additional questions about your transition to Laurier, financial aid for transfer students or transfer credit evaluation, visit our transfer students website. If you are interested in transferring into this program with an academic history different than what is outlined above, apply using the undergraduate application form and your transfer credits will be assessed on an individual basis and reported to you, along with your offer letter, upon admission to Laurier.
Note: Not all program requirements are reflected in this pathway description. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that all academic program and course requirements have been met. Refer to regulations in the academic calendar and connect with an academic advisor once you have accepted your offer.
The following is a list of college diplomas in Ontario that are considered relevant to the field of public safety. Other diplomas will be considered on an individual basis.
The following is a list of college diplomas in British Columbia that are considered relevant to the field of public safety. Other diplomas will be considered on an individual basis.
The following college diplomas in Alberta are considered relevant to the field of public safety. Other diplomas will be considered on an individual basis.
The following is a list of college diplomas in Quebec that are considered relevant to the field of public safety. Other diplomas will be considered on an individual basis.
*Must have both credentials.
OUAC code: UO
When you apply on the OUAC application:
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 the Ontario High School Admission Requirements section.
Students applying to this program from an international curriculum must present the following:
Students applying to this program from an international curriculum are encouraged to review our curriculum-specific requirements. You will find which courses from your country's curriculum are equivalent to the admission requirements listed above. If your country or curriculum is not listed, please reach out to international@wlu.ca.
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 are successful 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.
The Academic Transition Pathway (ATP) program is offered through our affiliated institution, Wilfrid Laurier International College, and provides an option for meeting our English-proficiency requirement. 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 ATP program.
If you've completed studies at another college or university, you may be eligible to transfer into Wilfrid Laurier University's Public Safety (BA) program. Admission requirements vary depending on your academic background and the number of postsecondary courses you've completed.
To find out if you can transfer into this program, we encourage you to:
Visit our admission requirements section to find specific requirements for transfer students, indigenous applicants, mature learners, homeschooled applicants, senior citizens, refugees, and more.
It’s not only about the journey; it’s about the destination. Let us help you get to where you're going.
Our Public Safety (BA) graduates go on to a wide range of rewarding careers. Here are just a few examples:
Public Safety and Leadership (BA) career examples include:
Note: Additional training and education may be required.
As a Laurier alum, you'll have access to Career and Employment Support offered at Laurier for your entire career.
Below is a breakdown of tuition fees and expenses for Laurier Human and Social Sciences (HSS) students for one year (or two terms) studying full time. Fees are based on 2026/27 rates and are subject to increase. All fees are shown in Canadian dollars.
| Fee Type | Domestic Students | International Students |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $6,180 | $36,624 |
| Student Fees | $1,830 | $2,778 |
| Textbook Fees | $1,500 | $1,500 |
See a full breakdown of your first-year expenses.
When you apply to Laurier you’ll be automatically assessed for entrance scholarships (based on your final admission average) and for in-course scholarships in your upper years (based on your Laurier GPA from the previous academic year). We also offer more than 700 competitive scholarships and awards, which require separate applications and may be awarded throughout the academic year.
Become a Laurier insider to get quick, fun and informative updates along your application journey.
Have questions? Email chooselaurier@wlu.ca, call 548‑889‑8888 or see all contact information.
Think this program might be the perfect fit for you and your future?
