Global Studies (BA)

Gain an appreciation for significant issues impacting communities and societies across the world. Develop an understanding of these global challenges and the ways in which individuals, communities and governments respond and work toward positive change. Explore contemporary problems surrounding armed conflict, refugees, economic development, environmental change and human rights. Graduate with the skills required to contribute to your communities and workplaces by finding lasting solutions to complex problems.

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.
  • Take the Social Entrepreneurship Option to gain practical experience and customize your degree.
  • Study abroad for an academic term to become immersed in another culture.

Check out the Global Studies Experience Guide for more!

 

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

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:

  • 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

  • Money Makes the World go Round
  • Billionaires, Beavers and Banditos
  • The History of Alcohol
  • Environment, Sustainability and Society

Sample Upper-Year Courses

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

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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"I chose Global Studies at Laurier because I have always wanted to learn different cultures and languages from all over the world. I was also looking for a program where I could connect with my classmates and get to know my professors personally."

Lina Glory Diigula, Global Studies student

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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 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

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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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"The most memorable part of my first year has been connecting with my professors and speaking with other like-minded individuals."

Mikaela Romero-Atyeo, Global Studies student

Interested in More Info?

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