Religion and Culture (BA)

Co‑op

Available as a Minor

Explore the rich diversity of global faiths and their cultural interactions while studying crucial issues like human rights, religious freedoms, gender equality, and multicultural coexistence. Analyze ancient and modern spiritual experiences through sacred texts, oral narratives and art.

This program equips you with the expertise to pursue careers in social justice, intercultural relations, community advocacy and more, preparing you to tackle complex global challenges.

Program Details

Degree Highlights

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:

  • Earn Language Credits
    Enroll in language courses to count up to 1.0 credit of advanced language study toward your Religion and Culture requirements, enhancing your academic experience and employability.
  • Senior Capstone Project
    Our fourth-year capstone course allows you to develop an individualized research project connected to your professional interests.
  • Pathway to MBA
    Begin your Anthropology degree with a conditional offer to Laurier’s full-time MBA program, providing you with a clear path from undergraduate studies to graduate-level business education. This competitive option allows you to complete your MBA in just one year, including three academic terms.
  • Accelerate Your Degree
    Fast-track your future by completing your degree in just three years. By working with your Academic Advisor and taking courses during the summer semesters, you can graduate early and get a head start on your career or graduate studies.

Top Experiences

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):

  • Apply to Co-op
    Apply to our co-op program and complete three-work terms of four months’ duration and gain valuable experience during their studies. Develop skills and gain real-world experience.
  • Study Abroad
    The program facilitates studying abroad for one or two semesters by offering upper-level courses with no prerequisites, allowing language courses to count towards your honours major, and not requiring specific third-year courses.
  • Community Service Learning
    Participate in Community Service-Learning (CSL) courses that blend outside-the-classroom experiences with academic content through placements or projects and guided critical reflection.
  • Ensure a Supportive Start
    Ease your transition into university with our first-year courses, AF105S (Skills) and AF105W (Writing). These courses help you build the foundations for academic success—developing key skills in time management, critical thinking, research, and writing. 

Courses, Options and Pathways

Courses 

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.

Program Options 

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.

Admissions

  • Format: full time or part time
  • Duration: four years
  • Start: September (fall term) or January (winter term)

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.

  • activist/advocate
  • community program manager
  • filmmaker
  • foreign services worker
  • humanitarian aid worker
  • journalist/editor
  • lawyer
  • non-profit program facilitator
  • public administrator/policy analyst
  • social services director

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.

Your Co-op Experience

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 future-ready.

Future Laurier Arts students have two options to engage in co-op. You can apply in first-year to our co-op program and complete three-work terms of four months’ duration and gain valuable experience during their studies.

You can also get a head-start and apply for direct admission to our brand-new co-op program straight from high school in select Arts programs. In both pathways, you will gain 12 months of career experience.

Interested? Learn more about co-op in the Faculty of Arts.

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99%employment rate for co‑op students – 2024 / 2025

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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.

 

Laurier is among the top 6 percent in the Center for World University Rankings

 

Laurier students engaged in hands-on learning in 2024

 

Laurier graduates employed or in post-graduate studies in 2024

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.

students in a classroom

Delivered In Person

Join us on campus and experience university life firsthand.

Attend all your classes in a physical classroom on scheduled days and times, which you will see and choose from when you register for courses.

Connect face-to-face with your professors, learn alongside your classmates and be part of the campus community from day one.  

Hear From Current Students

Want to know what it’s really like to be a Laurier Golden Hawk? Student Life at Laurier is your social media source to get unfiltered content, first-hand stories and tips on living and learning at Laurier.

Connect with Us

Questions? Email chooselaurier@wlu.ca, call 548.889.8888 or see all contact information.


You Belong Here

Think this program might be the perfect fit for you and your future?